喀什地区

Why this place

Kashgar is the westernmost city in China and the place where the northern and southern Silk Roads met before crossing the Pamirs. Its Sunday livestock market and its old town — narrow lanes, mud-brick houses, copper and spice workshops — make it the most atmospheric city in the country.

What to see

• The Sunday livestock market (Mal Bazaar) — one of the great markets of Asia
• The Kashgar old town and its lanes, with the Id Kah Mosque at the centre
• The Sunday Grand Bazaar and the handicraft streets
• The Apak Khoja tomb, with its tiled mausoleum
• The road to the Karakoram Highway and Lake Karakul, toward Pakistan

What to eat

• Uyghur food at its best: pilaf, lamb kebabs, 'samsa' pastries and naan baked in clay ovens
• Dried and fresh fruit — Kashgar's melons, figs, apricots and pomegranates
• Street-side milk tea, and the local 'su' yogurt

How to plan

Three days: old town and mosque one day, the markets one (Sunday is the day), the tomb and the road toward Karakul one.

Best time

April–June and September–October

Practical tips

• Sunday is the market day — plan your trip around it if you can
• Kashgar is close to the Karakoram Highway, but the border route requires permits and careful planning