Kashgar

On the western border of the Taklimakan Desert in southwest Xinjiang, there is a beautiful oasis, in the center of which stands the old and ancient charming city of Kashgar .

Kashgar used to be the last stop within China's boundary on the Silk Road leading to the western regions and has a history of 2,100 years. It was called Shule during the Eastern Han Dynasty. At that time, General Ban Chao suppressed the rebellion of the Xiongnus (Huns) and stationed his army here. It was also from here that he sent his envoy Gan Ying to Rome and Parthis. During the Tang Dynasty, Shule was one of the four towns of the Anxi region and saw a busy flow of merchants and trade caravans traveling on the Silk Road. During the tenth century, most inhabitants of the area, including those of Kashgar , who were Islamic, gradually unified their languages, customs, and life styles to become the Uygur nationality.

With all the trading activity, one couldn't call Kashgar 'laid-back', but it has a great atmosphere and it is a fine place to settle back for a week or so. Kashgar is marked by the strong national customs of the Uygur people, who are known to be very hospitable, good at singing and dancing, and many of the women still wear veils. The town is also a good launching pad for trips along the southern Silk Road to Hotan, over the Torugart Pass to Kyrgyzstan or south to beautiful Karakul Lake and the stunning Karakoram Highway to Pakistan.

Kashgar experiences blistering hot summers, although at 1290m above sea level it's cooler than Turpan and other stops along the Xinjiang section of the Silk Road.