This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting our small business.
Kashgar is one of China’s most distinctive stops: a 2,000-year-old Silk Road oasis where the streets, markets, and mosques look nothing like the country’s east coast. Most of the headline sights sit inside a compact, walkable Old Town, with one big day trip out to the Pamirs. Plan two to three days minimum; the Kashgar neighborhoods guide maps where everything sits, and the best time to visit guide helps you pick the season.
Things to Do in Kashgar: Old Town and Mosques
Kashgar Old Town
The walled Old Town (Gucheng) is the top attraction and it is free to enter, open 24 hours, and best walked in the early morning or at sunset. It is a maze of mud-brick lanes, carved wooden doors, and courtyards where coppersmiths, hat makers, and bakers work in the open. Give it a full day, not an hour. Base yourself nearby using the where to stay guide. Enter through the east gate, wander without a map, and stop for samsa (lamb pastry) and tea when you tire.
Id Kah Mosque
Id Kah Mosque, built in 1442, is the largest mosque in Xinjiang and the spiritual heart of the city, sitting on the square of the same name. The complex covers 1.68 hectares and its main prayer hall holds close to 10,000 worshippers. Non-Muslim visitors pay a ticket of about 20 to 45 RMB, and tourist entry is usually 10:30 to 19:30 but pauses for mid-afternoon prayers. It is closed to non-Muslims on Fridays and major Islamic holidays. Cover shoulders and knees, and remove shoes where signposted. For the complete destination overview, start with our Kashgar guide.
Abakh Hoja Tomb
Abakh Hoja Tomb, often called the Fragrant Concubine’s Tomb, sits about 5 km northeast of the Old Town. This 17th-century mausoleum of the Apak Khoja family is the holiest Muslim site in Xinjiang, built around a green-tiled dome and set in gardens. Admission is about 30 RMB, and a taxi from the Old Town takes 15 minutes. It is calmer than the Old Town and worth an hour.
Things to Do in Kashgar: Markets and Bazaars
Grand Bazaar
The Grand Bazaar, officially the China Central and West Asia International Trade Market, trades every day but Sunday is when it lives up to its thousand-year reputation. Stalls sell dried apricots, figs, hats, carpets, spices, and hardware across a huge covered area northeast of the Old Town, about 15 to 20 minutes on foot or a 10 RMB taxi. Entry is free. Go in the morning when it is busy and the light is good.
Sunday Livestock Market
The livestock market, on the edge of town, is the one thing here that really is Sunday-only. Sheep, cattle, donkeys, and the occasional camel change hands for cash from about 6:00 to 14:00, with the liveliest trading between 7:00 and 10:00. It is loud, dusty, and completely free to wander. Photographers should ask before shooting close-ups of traders.
Handicraft Quarter
The handicraft quarter runs off the Old Town lanes around the Id Kah area. Watch coppersmiths hammer teapots, woodcarvers chisel door panels, and instrument makers shape dutar and rawap lutes. Prices are lower here than in the formal shops, and most workshops are happy to sell direct. This is where to buy a small copper pot or a hand-stitched Uyghur cap rather than at the airport.
Things to Do in Kashgar: Day Trips into the Pamirs
Karakul Lake
Karakul Lake is the classic day trip: about 200 km southwest along the Karakoram Highway and 3,600 metres up, with Muztagh Ata (7,546 m) and Kongur Tagh (7,649 m) rising from the far shore. There is a 50 RMB toll at the scenic-area entrance, and foreign travellers need a border permit arranged in Kashgar before setting out, with checkpoints on the road that will turn you back without one. Charter a car and driver, typically 400 to 600 RMB for the day, and give the whole day to it. At 3,600 m, check the weather by month guide for conditions before you set out.
Karakoram Highway
The Karakoram Highway itself is a sight: one of the highest paved roads on earth, climbing from the oasis to the Khunjerab Pass on the Pakistan border at 4,693 metres. Even if you do not cross the border, the drive offers glacier views and Karakoram villages. The pass is usually open May to November and closes for snow in winter; always check conditions and permit requirements in advance. This pairs naturally with Karakul Lake on the same route.
Shipton’s Arch
Shipton’s Arch, called Tushuk Tash by locals, is a natural rock arch about 30 km north of town that ranks among the tallest in the world, with an opening large enough to fly a small plane through. Reaching it involves a rough dirt track and a 20 to 30 minute uphill walk to the base. It is free, but hire a driver who knows the route, as signposting is minimal. Allow a half day. Permit and driver details are in the travel tips guide.
Kashgar Museum
Kashgar Museum, on the edge of the city centre, is free with your passport and gives a fast, useful background on Silk Road history and the region’s ethnic groups before you hit the Old Town. Exhibits are labelled in Chinese and some English. It is small, so 45 minutes covers it. Combine it with the events and festivals calendar if you are building a longer itinerary.
