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China's most exotic city - Kashgar old town Xinjiang
Kashgar Old Town in Xinjiang – Silk Road Heritage and Top Sī
The city that connects China to Central Asia and the West: Kashgar. It has a majority Muslim Uyghur population and is like no other city I have visited in China so far!
We explore the Old Town which is over 2,000 years old and was pivotal during the trading times of the silk road. We also visit Afaq...
The city that connects China to Central Asia and the West is Kashgar, a place with a majority Uyghur Muslim population. The Old Town spans more than 2,000 years and played a pivotal role during Silk Road trade. Afaq Khoja Tomb and Id Kah Mosque are key sites visited, and Wilko reflects on what it’s like to be in a place that has drawn strong Western media attention. He presents his learnings with a focus on slow travel, genuine local experiences, and cultural understanding.
Wilko Wanders invites you into Kashgar, a city often described as the gateway between China and Central Asia and the West. He highlights its unique character, shaped by a majority Muslim Uyghur population, and notes that Kashgar feels unlike other Chinese cities he has visited. The video focuses on the Old Town, a place with a history spanning more than two thousand years and a pivotal role in Silk Road trade. Highlights include visits to the Afaq Khoja Tomb and the Id Kah Mosque, with Wilko sharing what he learns about the town and what it is like to be in a place that has attracted significant Western media attention. The tone is reflective and curious, aiming to connect with local people and understand the culture on a deeper level, as he often emphasizes through his slow travel approach and intention to have genuine experiences.
The city that connects China to Central Asia and the West is Kashgar, a place with a majority Uyghur Muslim population. The Old Town spans more than 2,000 years and played a pivotal role during Silk Road trade. Afaq Khoja Tomb and Id Kah Mosque are key sites visited, and Wilko reflects on what it’s like to be in a place that has drawn strong Western media attention. He presents his learnings with a focus on slow travel, genuine local experiences, and cultural understanding.
Wilko Wanders travels along the Silk Road into Kashgar Old Town, exploring the Abka Hoja Tomb and the central Id Kah Mosque, with time spent in the market streets and a traditional tea house. He reflects on the architecture that blends mud-brick heritage with brick reconstruction after the 2008 earthquake, and how the mosque anchors daily life for the local Uyghur community. He tastes local treats like naan and sachima, samples saffron in spice shops, and observes the crafts street where hats and traditional garments are sold. The visit to the tea house captures the intimate, slow-travel vibe he champions, inviting viewers to experience the place beyond headlines. Wilko emphasizes that the experience here is relaxed and welcoming, countering Western media narratives, and he ends by inviting viewers to follow his Silk Road journey to Arumi, hoping to deepen understanding through on-site cultural exchange.
In this Silk Road chapter, Wilko Wanders threads his way through Kashgar’s ancient Old Town, a living museum of mud-brick architecture and centuries of Central Asian culture. He starts at the Abka Hoja Tomb just outside the historic core, marveling at its architectural echoes and the surrounding markets where food stalls and Naan and fried snacks line the lanes. As he steps inside, Wilko draws a clear connection between the tomb’s historical significance and the surrounding religious life, comparing the spiritual atmosphere to the Taj Mahal’s pond-and-tomb layout while sharing legends about the concubine Jangfay and the palace’s cultural memories. The guide then moves through the fortified gates into the restored old streets, noting how post-earthquake rebuilding in 2008 preserved the mud-era aesthetics while using brick to improve safety. The journey continues to the central mosque, the hub of daily life for the local Uygur Muslim community, where he observes the flow of Friday prayer
Wilko Wanders explores Kashgar’s Old Town, visiting the Abka Hoja Tomb, the Id Kah Mosque, and a lively market scene. He notes the earthquake-era rebuilding, re
Exploring Kashgar Old Town and Its Silk Road Heritage: Abka Hoja Tomb,
04:08 Observe how ancient mud-brick style is preserved in rebuilt structures with brick façades for safety.
08:41 Respect the central role of the Id Kah Mosque; witness open cultural and religious expression in a tourist-friendly setting.
11:09 Shop for traditional hats and garments on the handicraft street; try local snacks like naan and sachima to connect with daily life.
04:08 Observe how ancient mud-brick style is preserved in rebuilt structures with brick façades for safety.
08:41 Respect the central role of the Id Kah Mosque; witness open cultural and religious expression in a tourist-friendly setting.
11:09 Shop for traditional hats and garments on the handicraft street; try local snacks like naan and sachima to connect with daily life.
00:00 Silk Road journey begins
00:35 Abka Hoja Tomb introduction
02:25 Old town orientation
04:04 Entering the old town walls
08:41 Visit to the mosque
11:09 Handicrafts street and tea house
00:00 Silk Road journey begins
00:35 Abka Hoja Tomb introduction
02:25 Old town orientation
04:04 Entering the old town walls
08:41 Visit to the mosque
11:09 Handicrafts street and tea house
喀什central asia新疆silk road中國旅遊kashgar old townuxgur culturemosquespice markettraditional craftsIs Kashgar Old Town open to visitors today?
Yes, Wilko shows it as a welcoming place where tourists can walk the streets, visit the mosque, and sample local foods while respecting local culture.
