Practical Tips

Be generous with sunscreen during the summer when temperatures can soar above 40°C. Alternately, dress sensibly in the winter when temperatures can drop to -25°C. All of China is tuned to Beijing time, but for practical purposes, operating hours in Kashgar are about 2 hours behind the shown time. For example, stores will open at 11am instead of 9am and dinner will be eaten at 8pm rather than 6pm.

Some important festivals in Kashgar are the Korban Festival and the Rozi Festival. The Korban Festival, also known as the, is one of the liveliest times to be in Kashgar. Preparations for this festival take place days beforehand with families cleaning their homes and preparing a feast. The men, wearing their best clothes, head to the Id Kah Mosque for a prayer ceremony then return home to prepare a slaughtered lamb or calf. Later, the men return to the mosque and perform the religious Sa Ma Dance. The festivities last for three days with thousands of people filling the squares in an ocean of celebration. Ramadan is Islam's most important religious observance; this is when Muslims believe the Holy Quran was given to Muhammad from Allah. It's a time of contemplation and reflection into their faith. During the month long observance, Muslims are forbidden to eat or drink during the daylight hours, only breaking their fast at night. During the evenings they also visit friends and family and attend special prayers at their mosque.

The beginning of Shawwal, an Islamic month, marks the end of Ramadan and the beginning of a three-day celebration called Eid al-Fitr. The ending of the fast is a time of great festivities marked by feasting and giving of gifts.

If you're lucky, you might catch daring acrobats doing tightrope walks called dawaz. The performer does more than walk across the rope; they also perform different death defying stunts high above the ground without any safety nets. Goat fighting is another popular pastime in the villages. Two goats head butt each other in a show of strength.