Xinjiang is a sixth of China's land area — larger than Iran — and shares borders with eight countries. Historically it is the Tarim Basin and the Silk Road oasis chain: Uyghur, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Hui and Tajik populations, Turkic languages, Islamic architecture, and a landscape running from the Taklamakan desert to 7,000 m peaks.
Kashgar#
The westernmost city in China, closer to Baghdad than to Beijing, and for two thousand years the junction where the northern and southern Silk Road routes rejoined before crossing the Pamirs.
Old City — extensively rebuilt from 2009 onwards in a programme officially framed as earthquake-proofing. What stands today is partly restored original fabric and partly reconstruction, and it charges an entry fee in places. It remains atmospheric, particularly the workshop lanes where coppersmiths, bakers and instrument makers still work.
Id Kah Mosque — the largest mosque in China, built in 1442, on the central square.
Sunday Livestock Market — the genuine article: sheep, cattle, camels and horses traded by Uyghur and Kyrgyz farmers on the eastern edge of the city. Loud, dusty, and the most authentic thing in Kashgar. Go early, be careful with cameras.
Grand Bazaar — textiles, hats, knives, dried fruit, spices.
Food — lamb kebabs over charcoal, laghman hand-pulled noodles, polo (pilaf), nan bread baked in tandoors, samsa pastries, and tea with rock sugar. Genuinely one of the best food regions in China and completely unlike Han Chinese cuisine.
The Karakoram Highway#
South from Kashgar towards the Pakistan border, climbing through the Pamirs. Karakul Lake (3,600 m) sits below the 7,546 m Muztagh Ata, and Tashkurgan, a Tajik town at 3,100 m, is the last settlement before the Khunjerab Pass.
This route requires a border-area permit obtainable in Kashgar, is subject to closures, and is one of the great mountain drives on earth. Hire a driver; public transport is limited and checkpoints are numerous.
Turpan#
In a basin 154 m below sea level — the second-lowest place on earth — and one of the hottest, regularly above 45°C in July.
- Jiaohe Ruins — a Han-era city built on a natural loess plateau between two rivers, abandoned after the Mongol invasion and remarkably intact. Best at sunset
- Gaochang Ruins — larger, earlier, more eroded
- Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves — Buddhist cave murals, heavily damaged by 20th-century European expeditions that cut the paintings from the walls
- Karez irrigation system — underground channels bringing meltwater from the Tianshan, some over 2,000 years old
- Grapes — Turpan's raisins are the best in China, dried in ventilated brick towers on the hillsides
- Flaming Mountains — red sandstone ridges from Journey to the West
Urumqi and the north#
Urumqi is the provincial capital and the most landlocked major city on earth. The Xinjiang Regional Museum holds the Tarim mummies — extraordinarily well-preserved Bronze Age bodies with Indo-European features, 3,000–4,000 years old.
Heavenly Lake (Tianchi) — an alpine lake below Bogda Peak, two hours from Urumqi.
Kanas Lake in the far north, near Kazakhstan and Mongolia — Siberian taiga, Tuvan villages, spectacular in autumn. Very remote.
Yili valley — grasslands, lavender fields in June, and the Kazakh nomad summer pastures.
Practicalities#
- Distances are enormous. Urumqi to Kashgar is 1,500 km — a 3-hour flight or a 22-hour train. Do not underestimate transit time.
- Rail connects Urumqi, Turpan, Korla, Kuqa, Aksu and Kashgar along the southern route. Trains are the pleasant way to travel here.
- Season: May–June and September–October. July and August are brutally hot in the basins; winter is severe in the north.
- Time: Xinjiang officially runs on Beijing time, two hours ahead of solar time. Locally, many people use unofficial "Xinjiang time". Always clarify which one an appointment refers to.
- Ramadan affects opening hours and food availability in Uyghur areas.
Frequently asked questions#
Can foreigners travel to Xinjiang?#
Yes. No special permit is needed for the main routes, and independent travel is possible. Expect frequent passport checks, security screening at markets and stations, a restricted list of hotels licensed to take foreign guests, and the possibility of areas closing at short notice.
Is Kashgar worth visiting?#
Yes, for travellers interested in Central Asian culture and the Silk Road. The Sunday livestock market, Id Kah Mosque and the workshop lanes of the old city are remarkable, and the Uyghur food is among the best in China. Note that much of the old city was rebuilt after 2009.
How do I get from Urumqi to Kashgar?#
By air in about three hours, or by train in roughly 22 hours along the southern Tarim route via Korla, Kuqa and Aksu. The rail journey is comfortable and scenic if you have the time.
When is the best time to visit Xinjiang?#
May to June and September to October. Turpan and the Tarim basin exceed 45°C in July and August, while the north is severely cold in winter. Autumn is best for Kanas and the mountain regions.
Do I need a permit for the Karakoram Highway?#
Yes, a border-area permit obtained in Kashgar is required for travel south towards Tashkurgan and the Khunjerab Pass. The route is also subject to closures, so arrange it through a local driver or agency.