The westernmost city in China and a Silk Road crossroads for two thousand years — a warren of an old town, the country's largest mosque, and a Sunday bazaar where Central Asia and China meet. Closer to Kabul than Beijing, and it feels it.
Tip Carry your passport everywhere — there are more ID checks out here than in eastern China, so factor in a little extra time at checkpoints and keep your documents handy. The Sunday bazaar and livestock market are the classic draw; if you can, push on to Karakul Lake on the stunning Karakoram Highway.
Old town guideFinding your way through the old town, mosque etiquette, and timing the Sunday market and livestock bazaar.
Road guideThe day (or overnight) run up the Karakoram Highway to the Pamir peaks and mirror-still Karakul Lake.
Practical guidePassport checks, what to expect at checkpoints, and the realities of independent travel in Xinjiang right now.
Expect more ID checks than in the east — at stations, hotels and some streets. Keep your passport handy and build in a little extra time.
The Grand Bazaar runs all week but Sunday is when the old livestock market and the full crowds come alive. Plan around it.
The Karakoram Highway day trip to the Pamirs is the region's showstopper — arrange a car and check current access first.
Naan ovens, the call to prayer, a livestock market that's pure theatre. The most 'elsewhere' I've felt in China.
Heard it's a lot of checkpoints. Doable solo without a tour, or smoother with a guide? Planning for autumn.