Kashgar Old Town, as a landmark building in southern Xinjiang, not only retains the style of a thousand years of history, but also continues to be inhabited by local residents while developing tourism. Here, you can get up early to watch the opening ceremony, stroll through the streets and alleys, and feel the simplicity and purity of the Uyghur people.
Main attractions
Kashgar Old Town
The residential complex in the core area of the old city is one of the largest earthen buildings in the world. The earthen buildings themselves are of great historical significance and value, integrating the legacy of the Han and Tang Dynasties, ancient Rome and the characteristics of modern life of the Uyghur people. The streets and alleys in the old city of Kashgar are crisscrossed, with flexible and changeable layouts and winding paths. Most of the houses are earthen and brick-wood structures. Many traditional houses have a history of hundreds of years. It is the only maze-like urban block in China featuring Islamic culture. Today, the residents of the old city still adhere to the earthen houses that have been lived in for generations and the traditional customs of thousands of years. However, the local government is currently carrying out the old city renovation project, and many ancient houses have been demolished.
Tickets/Opening Hours
30 yuan per person. Although there are places to buy tickets in the old city, there are eight or nine entrances and exits that do not require tickets (for example, opposite the mosque, or behind the statue of Chairman Mao, etc.).
10:00-20:00 (Monday to Sunday, January 1st to December 31st)
Id Kah Mosque
Id Kah Mosque is located in the center of the old city of Kashgar. It is one of the largest mosques in China. There are many magnificent and Islamic buildings in the mosque, which can be visited one by one. And witnessing the five prayer scenes outside the mosque every day, you can see the grand prayer scenes and feel the strong religious atmosphere. Id Kah Mosque is a courtyard-style temple. The huge Id Kah Square is at the main entrance to the east of the temple, which is the landmark of Kashgar. The west side of the square is the east gate of the mosque, which is the main gate of Id Kah Mosque. The main gate is a goose yellow building, with two minarets next to it. The arc shape is soft and quiet. A huge plaque with the Arabic Shahada is hung on the temple gate. Many tourists will take pictures here. In addition, every year during the traditional Islamic festivals such as Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr, tens of thousands of Muslim compatriots will sing and dance here to celebrate the festival. If you happen to catch it, you must witness it.
Tickets/Opening Hours
It costs RMB 45 for ordinary tourists and free for Muslims.
10:30-19:30 (Monday to Sunday, January 1st to December 31st)
※Not open to the public during worship hours 14:00-16:30.
Gaotai Residence
Gaotai Residences are located at the northeast end of the old city of Kashgar. Only here can you truly feel the pulse of ancient Kashgar from the peculiar residences. The Uyghurs here have lived together for generations, and their houses are built on the cliffs. Generation after generation, the houses are connected to each other, and the buildings are stacked layer by layer, forming the current scale. Between these randomly built buildings, there are alleys that are connected in all directions and crisscrossed, like a huge maze, and you will get lost if you are not careful. Gaotai Residences is not only an excellent place for the production of traditional Uyghur handicrafts, but also a palace for Uyghur beautification, sculpture and painting art. It is praised by Chinese and foreign tourists as the "Uyghur Living Folk Museum", which is the connotation of Kashgar, a famous historical and cultural city in China.
Tickets/Opening Hours
Tickets are 30 yuan. You can visit all tourist attractions in the scenic area (including the cultural relics exhibition room)
09:30-20:30 (Monday to Sunday, January 1st to December 31st)
Kashgar Grand Bazaar
Kashgar Grand Bazaar is located at the east gate of Kashgar City. It is the largest international trade market in Northwest China. The bazaar here has a history of more than 2,000 years and is known as the "largest bazaar in Asia". There are more than 5,000 stalls in the bazaar, with nearly 10,000 kinds of goods, and more than 100,000 people come here every day. You can buy some tourist souvenirs and local specialties of Xinjiang here. Here you can shop and enjoy delicious food. You can also walk here and feel the rich Western customs here.
Tickets/Opening Hours
free
11:00-20:00 (Monday to Sunday, January 1st to December 31st)
Kashgar People's Square
Kashgar People's Square is located in the city center, along Renmin East Road in the north and adjacent to People's Park in the south, covering an area of 12 hectares. It is the only square in Xinjiang with a statue of Chairman Mao Zedong as its central building. It is a cultural square integrating political gatherings, cultural and sports entertainment, tourism, and leisure and rest in Kashgar. It fully reflects the traditional cultural characteristics of the Chinese nation and the local characteristics of Kashgar. It is majestic and solemn, and integrates beautification and greening. It has the charm of classical architecture and the novel style of modern architecture. It enjoys a high reputation among the squares in northwest cities. It adds luster to this well-known historical and cultural city, and shows the heroic feelings of unity and struggle of the people of all ethnic groups in Kashgar. It has become one of the tourist attractions for Chinese and foreign tourists. In 1998, it was approved by the Propaganda Department and Civilization Office of the Autonomous Region Party Committee and listed as a patriotic education base at the autonomous region level.
East Lake Park
A city bordering a lake or a river will make the city even more beautiful. Kashgar is not only bordered by East Lake, but also surrounded by rivers, with a considerable number of lakes and rivers closely connected. If the water is half of the city's beauty, then East Lake, South Lake and Riverbank (Tuman River) are half of Kashgar's appearance. Not only that, but the East Lake Park centered on East Lake, which was renovated before China's National Day in 2009, has made the reputation of "If you haven't been to Kashgar, you haven't been to Xinjiang" even more famous.
Kashgar Museum
The Kashgar Regional Museum was established in 1992 with a construction area of 2,360 square meters. The basic exhibition is the "Xinjiang Silk Road Historical Relics Exhibition", which displays hundreds of cultural relics from the Stone Age, Bronze Age, Han and Tang Dynasties and the Karakhanid Dynasty unearthed from various parts of Xinjiang, recreating the glorious history of the Silk Road. In September 2018, it was designated as a national third-level museum.
Tickets/Opening Hours
Free admission
Off-season 10:00-19:00; Peak season 9:30-20:00; Closed on Mondays
pamir plateau
The Pamir Plateau is located in southeastern Central Asia and the western end of China, spanning Tajikistan, China and Afghanistan. "Pamir" means "Roof of the World" in Tajik. The plateau is 4,000-7,700 meters above sea level and has many peaks. As early as the Han Dynasty in China, the Pamir Plateau was called "Congling" because of the lush green onions or cliffs. It is also called Buzhou Mountain. The southern and central routes of the ancient Silk Road passed through here, and then led westward to West Asia, South Asia and Europe.
The Pamir Plateau is divided into two parts: the eastern Pamirs are relatively open and consist of two northwest-southeast mountain ranges and a group of river valleys and lake basins. The western Pamirs consist of several roughly parallel northeast-southwest mountain ranges and valleys, with a large relative height difference and characterized by high mountains and deep valleys.
K2
K2 means "tall and majestic mountain" in Tajik. It is 8,611 meters above sea level. It is the main peak of the Karakoram Mountains and the second highest peak in the world after Mount Everest. It is located on the border between China and Pakistan. Its height ranks second among the 14 peaks in the world with an altitude of more than 8,000 meters. It is also known as K2 Peak abroad and is recognized by the international mountaineering community as one of the most difficult peaks to climb. There are six main ridges on the mountain. The northwest-southeast ridge is the main ridge line of the Karakoram Mountains and is also the border line between China and Pakistan. There are also the north ridge, west ridge, northwest ridge and southwest ridge. The peak is pyramid-shaped, with ice cliffs and steep mountains. The steep slopes are covered with traces of avalanche chutes. The top of the peak is a slightly rising ice slope from north to south, with a large area. The north side is like a knife cut, with an average slope of more than 45 degrees. From the base camp on the north side to the summit, the vertical height difference is as high as 4,700 meters, which is the highest vertical height difference among peaks above 8,000 meters in the world. The glacier on the north side is called the Chogori Glacier, and the terrain is complex and changeable. The surface of the glacier is broken, and bright and dark ice cracks crisscross. The valley on the west side of the glacier is a steep rock wall, with frequent rolling stones, ice avalanches, and snow avalanches. On both sides of the Chogori Peak is the 44-kilometer-long Insugeti Glacier.
Panluo City
Panluo City is located in the south of Dolaibatig Road in the southeastern suburb of Kashgar City. It is the ruins of the castle where Ban Chao, a famous general of the Eastern Han Dynasty, was stationed for 17 years. Ban Chao used Panluo City as a base to fight against the Western Slaves, pacify the Western Regions, restore the central government's rule over the Western Regions, and reopen the Silk Road. Today, Panluo City has been built on the ruins of the original ancient city. A 3.6-meter-high full-body statue of Ban Chao is built in the park, surrounded by 1.9-meter-high statues of 36 warriors neatly arranged on both sides of the statue of Ban Chao, majestic and imposing. The park also has city walls, beacon towers, relief walls, etc. The park is covered with lush green grass and surrounded by lush green trees. When you visit the park and remember your ancestors, you will definitely feel a sense of pride.
Tickets/Opening Hours
Free admission
09:00-20:00 (Monday to Sunday, January 1st to December 31st)
Cattle and Sheep Bazaar
This is the largest livestock bazaar in Xinjiang, that is, a live animal trading market. It was previously located in the International Grand Bazar, but only moved to Huangdi Township, farther away from the urban area, in recent years.
The main trade here is cattle, sheep, camels and mules. It happens every Sunday. It is a rare experience for mainland tourists. The scene is very spectacular. The bazaar starts to get lively at 11:00 am. Because it is an open-air market, it will be particularly sunny at noon, and it will not be so lively after 15:30 in the afternoon, so it is recommended to go in the morning. A reminder, the scene is mixed with the smell of cattle, sheep and camels. It is recommended to prepare a mask. If you don’t have one, you can use a scarf (gauze scarf).
There are some food shops around the Beef and Sheep Bazaar, selling ramen or baked buns, etc. In addition, there are some small stalls selling various daily necessities or handicrafts, where you can buy some souvenirs.
Taklimakan Desert
The Taklimakan Desert is located in the center of the Tarim Basin in Xinjiang, China. It is the largest desert in China, the tenth largest desert in the world, and the second largest mobile desert in the world. The entire desert is about 1,000 kilometers long from east to west and about 400 kilometers wide from north to south, covering an area of 330,000 square kilometers. The average annual precipitation does not exceed 100 mm, and the lowest is only 4 or 5 mm; the average evaporation is as high as 2,500-3,400 mm.
Khunjerab Pass
The Khunjerab Pass is located in Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, with an altitude of more than 5,000 meters. It is the highest port in the world. Opposite is the Sust Pass in Pakistan, which was officially opened to Pakistan in 1985. The Khunjerab Pass was an important pass on the famous ancient Silk Road more than 1,000 years ago. It is the only land entry and exit passage from China to Pakistan, and an important gateway to the South Asian subcontinent and even Europe. The scenery here is magnificent, but the environment is harsh, and it is known as the "Death Valley". When arriving at the Khunjerab Pass, tourists generally take photos at the China-Pakistan Boundary Monument No. 7. The newly built national gate in 2009 is here, majestic and solemn, attracting the attention of countless tourists.
Most of the residents living around the Khunjerab Pass are Tajiks, who are known as "people in heaven". Walking into Khunjerab is like entering a "fairyland on earth". The beautiful Tajik costumes, the hospitable Tajik etiquette, and the delicious Tajik food all make people feel the simplicity, kindness, and friendliness of the Tajik people.
Tickets/Opening Hours
Open all day (only for tour groups transiting from May 1st to October 31st, and individual travelers transiting until November 30th).
Tomb of Xiang Fei
The Tomb of the Fragrant Concubine is another name for the Tomb of Apak Khoja. It is located in Kokand Village, 5 kilometers east of Kashgar City. It is the cemetery of Apak Khoja, the leader of the White Mountain Sect of Islam, and his family. Later, due to the legend that the Fragrant Concubine of Emperor Qianlong was buried here, the name of the Tomb of the Fragrant Concubine gradually spread and replaced the original name. In fact, this is a group of tombs of 72 people from five generations of a large family. The Tomb of the Fragrant Concubine is just one of them. It covers an area of 30 mu and was built around 1640 AD. It is a typical Islamic ancient tomb building.
The Xiangfei Tomb is like a magnificent palace, 40 meters high, consisting of five parts: the gatehouse, the small mosque, the large mosque, the scripture hall and the main tomb chamber. The building is magnificent and beautiful, and has a very strong Islamic style. The main tomb chamber is the most important building in the scenic area, and it is also the largest dome-style building in Xinjiang. There is also a beautiful Bunker building next to the dome. The four-story arch is matched with the five crescent moons held high by the iron pillars above. The shape is harmonious, making the whole building look particularly solemn and majestic. The surrounding walls are all covered with dark green glazed bricks from top to bottom, with colorful decorations and Arabic Quran verses painted on them. These glazed bricks were fired more than 300 years ago, and they are still smooth and beautiful today. You can take a good look at them.
Tickets/Opening Hours
Tickets are 15 yuan, dance performances are 20 yuan, and the ancient corpse is 10 yuan
10:30-19:30 (Monday to Sunday, January 1st to December 31st)
Ancient Stone City
Stone City is a famous ancient city site on the ancient road in Xinjiang. It is the intersection of the middle and southern routes of the ancient Silk Road. Several passages from Kashgar, Shache, Yingjisha and Yecheng to the Pamir Plateau all converge here. The castle was built on a high hill and the situation is extremely steep. There are multiple layers of broken or continuous city walls outside the city. According to the situation of the stone hill, it is built with blocks of stone and soil. It is undulating and tortuous, slightly square, and has a perimeter of more than 1,300 meters. To this day, the stone hills overlap between the walls, and the rocks are piled up, forming a unique Stone City scenery. Although only the ruins are left in the Stone City, there are snow peaks around it, and there are grasslands and rivers below. With the rich Tajik ethnic customs, it has a rough and bold beauty. Looking down from the east side of the Stone City, you can see a large and very fertile grassland with cattle and sheep all over the ground, which is very beautiful.
Tickets/Opening Hours
Tickets: 30 yuan
10:30-19:30 (Monday-Sunday, January 1-December 31).
Alar Golden Grassland
Alaer Golden Grassland is located at the edge of Taxkorgan County, under the Stone City. It is named Alaer Golden Grassland because there is a village called Alaer there. Because the Taxkorgan River flows through here, there is abundant grass and water, cattle and sheep everywhere, and it blends beautifully with the snow-capped mountains, white clouds and blue sky in the distance. Whenever the sun sets, the green grass beach turns golden, and the white yurts of the shepherds in the distance and the sheep are all bathed in the sunset, which is very beautiful. This is also the origin of the Golden Grassland.
Tickets/Opening Hours
Tickets: 30 yuan
10:30-19:30 (Monday-Sunday, January 1-December 31).
karakul lake
Karakul Lake, meaning "Black Sea", is dark blue and black due to the contrast of icebergs and snow peaks. Especially in rainy weather, it is as black as a pool of ink. The lake is 3,600 meters above sea level and 30 meters deep. It is a high mountain glacial moraine lake. The tall Kongur Peak, Kongur Jiubie Peak and Mustaq Peak surround Karakul. The water surface is set against the continuous snow-capped mountains, adding a magical and beautiful color to the lake. On calm days, the snow-capped peaks, green grasslands and herds of livestock by the lake are reflected in the lake, which is extremely beautiful. Every summer and autumn, this is the base camp for mountaineering tourists and a place for passing tourists to visit. Therefore, Karakul Lake is the pearl of the Pamir Plateau and a rare plateau lake in the world.
Tickets/Opening Hours
Tickets: 50 yuan
08:00-17:00 (Monday to Sunday, January 1st to December 31st)
Jinhuyang National Forest Park, Zepu County, Kashgar Prefecture
Zepu Jinhuyang National Forest Park is located in the deep Gobi Desert 40 kilometers southwest of Zepu County, on the upper edge of the Yarkand River alluvial fan, surrounded by water on three sides, with pleasant scenery. Zepu County is a place where many ethnic groups live together. 19 ethnic groups including Han, Uyghur, Tajik, etc. make this place full of rich ethnic customs, and ethnic music and dance are also widely spread.
Tickets/Opening Hours
40 Yuan
10:00-20:00 (Monday to Sunday, January 1st to December 31st)
Panlong Ancient Trail
The Panlong Ancient Road in Taxkorgan County, Xinjiang, also known as the Panlong Ancient Road, is located in Wacha Township, Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, Kashgar Prefecture. The township government is 75 kilometers away from the county seat. The Panlong Ancient Road is the road to wealth from Wacha Township to the county seat! It lies across the Kunlun Mountains, with an altitude of over 4,200 meters. It is 36 kilometers long and leads to National Highway 314. There are more than 600 bends along the way, with a maximum drop of nearly 1,000 meters. It is called the "Highland Sky Road" by locals. From a distance, it looks like a giant dragon lying in the mountains, watching over this sacred mountain in the west of the motherland. The entire Panshan Road has more than 600 S-bends, and the dark new asphalt road surface is like a black python traveling, and more like an ink painting drawn with one stroke.
China-Pakistan Friendship Highway
The China-Pakistan Friendship Road, also known as the Karakoram Highway, is known as the highest and most beautiful highway in the world. The lowest altitude of the entire highway is 1,154 meters and the highest altitude is 4,733 meters. It is rated as one of the "Top Ten Most Dangerous Highways in the World". Starting from Kashgar, Xinjiang, China in the north, it crosses the Karakoram Mountains, the Hindu Kush Mountains, the Pamir Plateau, the western end of the Himalayas, passes through the Khunjerab Pass at the China-Pakistan border, and ends in the northern Pakistani city of Takht in the south. The total length of the highway is 1,032 kilometers, of which 416 kilometers are in China and 616 kilometers are in Pakistan. The highway passes through Muztagh Ata, Kongur Peak and Kongur Jiubie Peak. The three mountains stand tall, like jade pillars, on the Pamir Plateau, which is the most charming landscape on the Pamir Plateau.
Muji Volcano Group
The full name is "Karitimir Volcano Group", also known as the "Eye of the Pamirs". It has the highest crater in Xinjiang and is also one of the most typical craters in the world.
According to research, the crater of Muji Township was formed 1,500 years ago. It is surrounded by plateau wetlands, and has formed many natural landscapes such as glaciers, glacial lakes, and ice caves. This is a great masterpiece of nature's ingenuity. Looking around, the vast expanse of the crater, which has been silent for thousands of years, is sleeping quietly, listening to the sound of wind and rain for hundreds of centuries. When night falls, the night sky is separated from the lights of the village, presenting the most primitive appearance of nature. With the stars as company, I just want to sleep in this vast and soft plateau night sky, without asking when I will return.
Walking into Kashgar is like traveling through thousands of years, feeling the culture and enthusiasm here. Whether you explore alone or with friends, this place will bring you unforgettable memories. Are you ready? Let's embark on this mysterious and beautiful journey together!
