📅 27th August 2025 📍Kaxgar, China

Two Days Immersed in Kaxgar

We spent two remarkable days in Kaxgar, giving ourselves the chance to truly soak in one of the oldest and most storied cities in China. Kaxgar has long been a strategic heart of the ancient Silk Road, a vital crossroads between the endless sands of the Taklamakan Desert and the mountain routes leading out of Central Asia. Travelers have touched these city walls for centuries, pausing either before or after challenging the desert’s mysteries.

The city’s Old Town remains largely intact, protected and recognized for its unique urban fabric as a UNESCO heritage site. Wandering through its maze-like alleys, with mud-brick houses and half-timbered facades, we felt how different Kaxgar is from a typical Chinese city—vibrant yet mysterious, pulsing with its own rhythm and history. The Old Town is vast and takes time to explore on foot; yet even a short visit left vivid impressions.

Kaxgar isn’t just a pilgrimage for foreign travelers—it’s a beloved destination for many Chinese, who come to experience its unique atmosphere and living traditions. We made a brief stop at the imposing Mao Zedong statue, a familiar sight in Chinese cities, and at the city tower that offered us sweeping views over the rooftops of Old Kaxgar. From up there, the contrast between ancient and new was striking.

Of course, practical matters had to be attended to as well. We stopped by Giti Tire and Volkswagen to ensure our tour vehicle was in top condition for the next stretch. And at night, our hotel became a pit stop for the ID. Buzz: with our trusty mobile adapter, we charged up fully at 6 kW and prepared for what lay ahead.
While in Kaxgar, we also obtained both our national driver’s licenses and the necessary vehicle registration—essentials that every traveler must secure when crossing China with their own car. Getting these documents was a necessary step in our journey, and with everything in order, we could finally relax and feel more prepared for the road ahead.

Next stop: Kuqa!