The Silk Road lives on in Kashgar

For a true cultural experience, head to the livestock market east of the city. The street leading into the market is a slow crawl of donkey-pulled carts and old trucks carrying small families, herds of sheep, and cattle. Early on Sunday morning, livestock dealers bicker for space to tie up their sheep for sale, while others debate an animal's fat content or muscle structure. A deal is in the works when two men lock in a handshake; they won't let go until the transaction is settled. It's a cash-only market, and business is conducted based on trust and the appearance of the animal.

The city is not without its tourist sites. The most common stop is the tomb of Apak Hoja, housed in a giant mausoleum designed in the Islamic Uyghur style and covered in patterned green and blue tiles. Apak Hoja was an influential Islamic leader in the region during the late 1600s. Built around 1640, the mausoleum houses 72 members of five generations of Apak Hoja's family, starting with his father. The tomb is also famous as the reputed resting place of the "Fragrant Concubine," a beautiful native who served in Emperor Qianlong's court. Next to the structure is an expansive Uyghur graveyard characterized by the graves shaped like cradles. "We put our babies in cradles, so when people die, we put them under the cradle," Husan says of the Uyghur tradition.

Kashgar is also a great launch point for various trips around the region, especially the Karakorum Highway that connects western China to Pakistan, and passes by Karakul Lake 410 km from the city. The highway winds through fantastic rocky scenery with towering cliffs in red and blue hues. The settlements quickly turn from the Uyghur ethnic group to the Kyrgyz, and the hot desert air is replaced by chilly winds from the nearby snow-capped mountains.

Karakul Lake is a must-see destination for its striking blue water set against the mountain backdrops. Most visitors stay only briefly, but there are yurts available for overnight stays and the Kyrgyz people living nearby lead horseback riding tours around the lake.