Kashgar (喀什) or Kashi is in the extreme West of China, the Southwest extreme of Xinjiang, at a junction between two branches of the old Silk Road.

Understand

Kashi has been an important trading centre since the days of the Silk Road, and still is today. The road from China divides north and south of a desert, and Kashgar is where the two branches meet again in the West.

Population is a mixture of Uighurs, Han chinese, Kyrgizs, Tajiks and Uzbeks. Together with central-asian merchants visiting for the markets and workshops, and international tourists, the city boasts a colorful ethnic varaiety.

The city is said to have the largest bazaar in Asia.

Get in

There are flights and a rail connection from Urumqi.

The Karakoram Highway runs from Pakistan into China. Kashi is the nearest major town on the Chinese end.

Get around

See

One of the best sights in Kashgar is the Sunday Bazaar. There are actually two markets:

• the Mal Bazaar is the livestock market, where locals from all the surrounding villages come to town on that day to buy and sell animals. It's held on an open (but fenced) ground. It's popular with tourists, but the market is so big it still feels like a working bazaar.
• The Yengi Bazaar is the handicrafts, cloths, carpets and anything-else-you-could-expect market. This market is actually open daily and is less crowded on weekdays. Bargain hard!

One of the most famous mosques in Xinjiang is in Kashgar. It is called Id Kah Mosque. First built in 1442, it is very distinctive for its yellow walls and Central Asian architecture.

Do

Buy

It's best to avoid the tourists shops. Buy local handicrafts at the workshops rather than the market if possible. Compare prices; but remember that in this part of the world once you start bargaining - people will expect you to buy. Be polite.

Eat

There's plenty of good local restaurants. For a variety of snacks and dishes, try the food stalls opposite the Id Kah mosque. The stalls abound during the evening. During the summer months there are huge heaps of mellons and watermellons - cheap, tasty and refreshing.

Drink

Sleep

Get out