There are a few choice places where being in the middle of nowhere means, paradoxically, being in the middle of everything. Kashgar (Kashi) is one of them. Some 4,000 kilometers from Beijing, 24 hours overland from Urumqi, and a relatively short, if exceedingly rugged, distance from Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan, this ancient Silk Road oasis town has long put the "central" in "Central Asia." Over the centuries, Kashgar has served as a vital point of contact between far-flung Asian cultures, with traders, missionaries and mercenaries mixing it up and making it happen.
Despite the highways and high-rises that have come with modernization and the influx of Han Chinese from the distant east, Kashgar remains a predominantly Muslim and Turkic city. The cultural prestige of the enormous Id Kah Mosque easily overshadows that of the giant Mao Zedong statue in Kashgar's People's Square, and the scent of Uighur lamb kebabs wafts through the city's colorful bazaars as it has for centuries.
And, despite the advent of rail and air links to the outside world, Kashgar is still in the middle of the Taklamakan Desert, with the Tian Shan range to the east and the high mountain passes into Pakistan, Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan to the west ("Taklamakan,"by the way, translates roughly to "who goes in does not come out"). The natural surroundings—including specatular Lake Karakul—make Kashgar not only a great city to visit, but also a great base for exploration of astonishingly beautiful landscapes.
History
Kashgar's geography has been its fate. Located between cultures and peoples, its identity has been in flux for much of its history, though it has been considered a part of greater China since the Han Dynasty (206 BC–220 AD). The city's importance to the China of that time was manifold. The primary reason for garrisoning an oasis town many weeks' journey from the Han capitals of Chang'an (Xi'an) and Luoyang was economic: control of the Silk Road, which at the time connected the Han and Roman empires via a network of overland trade routes that converged in the vicinity of Kashgar. Soon, however, cultural influences grew in importance. Kashgar served as an early point of entry for new religions, including Persian Zoroastrianism, Nestorian Christianity and, far more significanty, Buddhism. Indeed, the famous Tang Dynasty Buddhist monk Xuanzang, responsible for bringing Indian sutras to China and translating them, passed through Kashgar in 644 on the return from his journey to the subcontinent.
The abiding Chinese interest in the area led to a succession of military campaigns against various peoples who occupied the area today known as Xinjiang, with Kashgar at its westernmost edge. The Han chased the warlike Xiongnu all the way to the Caspian Sea, and over subsequent centuries various Asian peoples contended for control over this vital crossroads—Xiongnu, Kushans, Mongols, Uighurs, Arabs and others all had their moments, but Kashgar always returned to its Chinese orbit. Of the aforementioned, the Uighurs had the most staying power—they're the majority population today—and were largely responsible for introducing Islam to China, along with Arab traders.
In more recent times, Kashgar and the area around it have been the scene of other rivalries. In the late nineteenth century, the Russians, British and Chinese all vied for influence and control over the strategic city. During the Chinese civil war between the Communists and Nationalist Guomindang, the Soviet Union held sway over the region, but by the end of World War II, China resumed control. In the years since 1949's establishment of the PRC have seen the city weather difficult economic and political times, as the Uighur population of Xinjiang has periodically chafed under Beijing's rule and traditional Islamic culture has not always squared easily with party edicts. Nonetheless, the city has survived, even flourished, and today is a burgeoning tourist destination as well as a regional center of commerce.
Climate
Kashgar has a temperate continental climate, with long periods of sunshine and little rainfall. With a short warm winter and a long cool summer, temperatures in the city are relatively pleasant most of the year. The four seasons in Kashgar are distinct. The average temperature for the year is 12º C, the average temperature for January is -6º C, and in the hottest month, July, the average temperature runs to 27º C. With little rain and a high rate of evaporation, Kashgar remains dry much of the year. The best time to travel is between August and September.
Uighur is the best way to go, both in terms of taste and price. Fill up on kebabs, chuchura dumplings, laghman hand-pulled noodles, nokot (chickpeas and carrots), daman meat pies and, in the right months, fresh local fruits and melons, just to name a few favorites. The food stalls in the Id Kah Mosque area are a great place to sample some of the city's best. You can also find familiar varieties of Chinese along with a handful of Western eateries and restaurants serving other Central Asian cuisines, such as the Pakistan Cafe. The Caravan Cafe and John's Cafe are two popular spots for Westerners looking for the familiar, from pizzas to coffee to pastries.
Getting Around
Most travelers come to Kashgar via Urumqi first and then transfer to Kashgar. It's easy to get around Kashgar by taxi given its cheap rate and relatively compact size. It should cost only around RMB 30 from the city center to the airport and about 10 RMB to the railway station. Cycling is also a good way to go around and many hotels rent bicycles.
Taxi
Base rate is 5 RMB for the first 3 km and then 1.2 RMB for every additional km.
To and from Kashgar
Air
Kashgar Airport is about 10 kilometers north of the city. There are more than 10 flights daily to Urumqi; the trip takes about an hour and a half. Leaving Kashgar for Urumqi can be surprisingly difficult, so it's a good idea to book tickets as far in advance as possible.
Train
Serving as a hub terminal of South Xinjiang Railways, train transportation is very convenient, yet, given the distances involved, time-consuming. There are trains to and from Urumqi daily; the journey takes over 23 hours. Trains to other major cities in China including Shanghai (over 3 days), Beijing (over 3 days), Lanzhou, Chengdu, Nanjing, Xi'an, Dunhuang.
Bus
Highways connect Kashgar to many neighboring cities and towns, including A Ke Su, Korla, Turpan and Urumqi, with most "regional" journeys taking around 24 hours. You can also head southeastwards to Zepp, Yecheng and relatively nearby Hotan, as well as even east to Dunhuang in Gansu Province and Golmud, the starting point of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway. There are also buses from Kashgar to Tashkurgan, the last town along the Karakoram Highway that heads to Pakistan. Northwards and Westwards from Kashgar there are also highways stretching to Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Afghanistan.
Note that buses to other destinations within the greater region are limited. Therefore, many travelers rent jeep or car transport or make their way via hitching and picking up rides on anything from tractors to donkey carts. As always, be advised that doing it the hard (and cheap) way carries risks, especially in a part of the world where you can find yourself stuck in the middle of the desert if you're unlucky.
Airport Inquiring: (0998) 292 6600
Railway Inquiring: (0998) 563 7222
Bus Inquiring: (0998) 296 3625
The old Silk Road crossroads lives up to its reputation with great markets and bazaars, full of both classic goods like silk, jade and carpets as well as contemporary goods from all over China, Asia, and the world.
The Sunday Market is legendary. Known in Chinese as the Zhongxiya Shichang (West-Central Asian Market) and in Uighur as the Yekshenba Bazaar (Sunday Market), you'll find an amazing mix of locals, nomads in from the grasslands and mountains, villagers, tourists and merchants from around China, India and Pakistan (and indeed, more 'stans than you can shake a stick at). In addition to the colorful crush of humanity, there are donkeys, horses, sheep and enough other species to give Noah a run for his money. Fruits, vegetables and spices; pelts, furs and leather; clothes, boots and raw silk; every kind of implement and tool imaginable—the Kashgar Sunday Market appears to be set to restock half of Central Asia's households, from the humblest nomad yurt to the most ostentatious mansion.
Beyond the Sunday Market, there are many smaller bazaars and markets to explore. Carpets are plentiful and relatively cheap in the area northeast of the Id Kah Mosque. You can also find all sorts of regional arts and handicrafts in shops around town; the Handicrafts Center brings some of the best together in one area, just north of the mosque on Jiefang Lu. You can also find great Central Asian hats, clothes, jewellry, knives (a big seller), musical instruments and keepsakes. As a general rule, anywhere there's shopping, there's food and drink.
If you don't get enough shopping during the day—or simply sleep through it—the Night Market can provide. It's held on and around the southeastern corner of the Id Kah square and is a great place for a bit of snacking and a spot of Uighur tea while watching the fascinating world of Kashgar go by.
Keep in mind that the best bargains are likely to be found away from the biggest crowds, though even places that seem like tourist central you should be able to bring the buyer's price down significantly.
While it's not Pakistan, it is awfully close to Pakistan, and Kashgar may be the most conservative Muslim city in China. This means a few things for visitors looking to have a good time.
Women should respect local custom to the extent of keeping arms and legs covered; no need to go to the extent of the veils you'll see all over town, but do use common sense to avoid hostile glares.
Alcohol isn't given at any sit-down Uighur restaurant, and bringing your own bottle into many hole-in-the-wall places could result in rebuke. Beers are to be had, however. Hotel bars and Western-oriented eateries are a good bet. You might try the Seman and Chini Bagh Hotels as well as John's Cafe and the Caravan Cafe. Outdoor drinking isn't taboo, it's more a matter of who and where (Chinese and foreign visitors yes, conservative Uighur Muslims not so much)—several areas of town offer relaxing outdoor seating with beer and snacks. The area around Renmin Park offers a few such places.