Kashghar

Just a mention of the name Kashgar is enough to stir romantic thoughts of the Old Silk Road. Millennia ago, this town was beset by camel trains and silk traders, swashbucklers and merchants, all moving east to west and back; from the courts of Beijing to the canals of Venice, and back again. These days, it remains a trading powerhouse, and doubles as the westernmost outpost of the People's Republic, wedged onto the deserts that unfurl in the shadow of the Himalaya and the Hindu Kush.

Despite hefty modern development, one can still discover the Kashgar of old in the mud houses and traditional Uyghur architecture of the old town. At the bustling Yekshenba bazaar adobe stalls and shops sit replete with tradesmen and crafters who still hone the leatherworking and whittling skills of their ancestors. There are livestock trading pens too, that grow into a full-fledged market of their own on Sundays, a unique sight not to be missed. While the Id Kah Mosque is the centerpiece of the town with its bright yellow façade, there are also majestic tombs of ancient Uyghur scribes and poets and adventurers on the Silk Road to see, the Afaq Khoja mausoleum being an outstanding example of Islamic architecture.

Kashgar tour guides can organize a day trip to Karakul Lake, its blue waters reflecting the brown-paper peaks as camels and yaks roam around its banks. Adventurous ones can spend the night in a yurt there, and then cycle down the famous Karakoram Highway, which starts right on the doorstep.