Bazaar and Kashgar. Not sure about you but, for us, these words are super exotic and exciting on the ear in their own right! Put them together to make Kashgar Bazaar, and you’re in for a Silk Road treat like no other.
If you think about it, not much has changed in Kashgar since the times of the Silk Road. Today, the city is still the centre of trade and business in the region, just like it has been for more than two thousand years. And the best place to see this for yourself is at the Kashgar Sunday Market or Kashgar Bazaar.
Yes, steel rails and trucks have replaced the camel caravans, and vendors also take orders on their smartphones these days, but the exotic smells, sights and sounds of the Kashgar Bazaar remain as vibrant as ever.
If you’re wondering what to do in Kashgar, put the Kashgar Sunday Market on top of your list. The market is an insightful (and exciting) introduction to this fascinating Silk Road city.
What is Kashgar Famous for?
In short, Kashgar has always been famous for its markets and bazaars. Kashgar and its markets should definitely be on your Xinjiang itinerary.
This fertile oasis grows corn, cotton, and the sweetest melons, grapes, peaches, and apricots. The city has produced some of the finest silks and textiles, leatherware and pottery for aeons. Jolly good.
But because of Kashgar’s location, the city became one of the most significant hubs along the greatest trade routes of all time – the Silk Road. In Kashgar, traders and their caravans would converge from China, India, Pakistan, Persia and Central Asia.
At the markets in Kashgar, they would trade in anything and everything- from camels and carpets to spice and jade. These caravans did not only carry commodities but also culture, language and religion.
A visit to the Kashgar Bazaar and Livestock Market will transport you right back to those days, and with just a bit of imagination and some cash on Alipay, you too can be a Silk Road trader.
Where & When is the Kashgar Sunday Market?
Not so long ago, the Kashgar Bazaar was held only on Sundays and consisted of the Sunday Bazaar and the Animal Market in the same location near the Old Town in the centre of Kashgar. It was Asia’s most exciting bazaar and attracted hundreds of thousands of people from across the region.
A few years ago, the animal market was moved to the outskirts of Kashgar, as the animals and their smells were seen as a health hazard.
Today, the Kashgar Market is divided between the Kashgar Bazaar and the Livestock Market and held in two separate locations.
Kashgar Bazaar is still in its original location near the Old Town [location] and is open for business seven days a week (every day from 10:00-sunset). Sunday is still the busiest (and best) time to come.
The Livestock Market only takes place on Sundays. Sunday morning is the best time to come. When we arrived there around 17:00 (Beijing time), there was still a lot of commotion going on, though. [Location]
Kashgar Old City in Pictures: Travel Photography to inspire a visit to Kashgar.
Kashgar Bazaar
Whether you call it the Kashgar Sunday Market or Kashgar Bazaar, it’s one and the same place. The covered market looks very Central Asian as you approach the domed building. I remember saying to myself: This could be Bishkek or Dushanbe.
After going through security (bag through scanner) and showing your green health code (Covid procedure), you are free to dive in and start shopping and haggling.
The bazaar is divided into different sections, which are well signposted in English.
SO WHAT CAN WE BUY?? I hear you ask.
TAKE MY MONEY!!
Unique and useful souvenirs that you can find in the bazaar include textiles, spices, tea and pottery. The most sought-after dried fruit and nuts in China come from Xinjiang province, and you’ll find them for sale by the bucketful in the bazaar. Camel milk candy is another novelty that those at home may enjoy.
Musicians will want to try their hand at playing the dutar, a traditional long-necked lute with two strings from Central Asia. You can find dutars in all sizes for that unique sound that your garage band is still missing.
For the ultimate Kashgar souvenir, perhaps consider a Kashgar rug. Stunning carpets from Kashgar with their distinctive pomegranate motifs make excellent souvenirs and will have a valued place in your home forever. With all the carpet countries just around the corner, you can also shop for carpets from Afghanistan, Pakistan and other Central Asian countries.
Eating at the Kashgar Sunday Bazaar
You’ll see plenty of street food and small restaurants in the streets running along the Kashgar Bazaar. In summer, you’ll find juicy melons, watermelons and peaches, goat’s milk ice cream and yoghurt drinks for sale on the streets, and yes, you really should try them all.
We found a small restaurant, packed with locals, just outside the entrance where we had excellent rotisserie chicken, nang bread and tomato noodles.
Kashgar Livestock Market
The Kashgar animal market is held only on Sunday, and if you’re anywhere within a donkey ride’s distance from the city, you should come and see it.
To visit the Kashgar Livestock Market is to experience Silk Road culture at its purest. Uyghur, Tajik, Kazak and Kyrgyz farmers and merchants flock to the Sunday animal market like they have done for ages to trade and show off their finest animals.
For them, it’s not only to make some money but also the social event of the week, to get advice for lazy yaks, impotent bulls and find out whether Mehmut’s sister is still single.
It’s a dusty, smelly and loud place – just like a good animal market should be. It’s the best place to observe and experience undiluted Xinjiang culture.
All animals we saw at the market were in top condition. The farmers take immense pride in their animals and treat them well. But still, it is an animal market, so some people might not find this kind of thing as fascinating as we did.
It’s captivating to see the traders wheel and deal. When interested, the buyer will make an offer by shoving a hand full of cash into the seller’s hand. The seller will refuse the first offer, no doubt, and push the money back. This will go back and forth, with the buyer adding more money each time. When both parties are happy, the seller will keep the cash, followed by a vigorous handshake.
Eating at the Kashgar Livestock Market
The small market at the entrance to the Livestock Market is equally exciting and a good to get something to eat. Our dearest vegan and vegetarian friends will want to stay clear of this area and walk straight back to the road to get a taxi without looking left or right.
Samsa or lamb skewers and nang bread make a good snack on the go. The laghman noodles are freshly pulled and will, without a doubt, be served with delicious lamb.
We also tried some very thick and sour grape juice (it could have been raisin juice, in hindsight).
Are the Kashgar Livestock Market & Bazaar Worth Visiting?
Yes.
The Kashgar Bazaar is open every day of the week and is conveniently located adjacent to the Old City. Even if you’re not a shopper, the bazaar is an exciting and unmissable part of travelling to Kashgar.
The Livestock Market, which is only held on Sundays, is also a very interesting and enjoyable experience. Plan to be in Kashgar on a Sunday to come and see it. A good idea is to arrive in Kashgar on a Friday or Saturday to ensure your stay coincides with the animal market. However, if you’re in Kashgar, say on a Wednesday or Thursday, we don’t think that it’s worth it to hang around until Sunday just for the Livestock market.
Kashgar & Covid
We visited Kashgar in July 2021. Due to Covid, all international borders were (and still remain) shut tight, just like a Barbie doll’s butt.
Because of this, Kashgar was a far cry from the bustling bazaars filled with goods and traders from Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Afghanistan that we wished to see.
However, the bazaar and livestock market remain the best places in Kashgar to see the culture of the Silk Road.