Best Time to Visit Kashgar

If you plan to visit Kashgar, it is recommended that you schedule your trip in April to May or September to October, as these are the best times to explore the region.

From the perspective of weather: Overall, the temperature of Kashgar during these two periods is warm or cool, perfect for outdoor visiting. The rainfall is low, guaranteeing relatively long sunshine hours. Except for the last few days of October, these months also have long enough daylight hours.

From the perspective of crowds: Kashgar tends to be lively for most of the time in these four months, with many but not crowded visitors. The hotels and airplane tickets are also not very expensive. However, it should be noted that the May Day holiday usually from May 1st to 5th and the National Day holiday usually from October 1st to 7th are exceptions, when the region is full of visitors and travel cost rises.

From the perspective of scenery: Beyond the exotic cultural landscapes, these two seasons also offer captivating seasonal natural scenery. Visiting the Pamir Plateau from April to May, you can not only admire crystal-clear lakes and vast and gradually greening grasslands, but also a profusion of blooming flowers, including the region’s famous apricot blossoms. Traveling to the Pamir Plateau from September to October allows you to see the autumn scenery at its peak, featuring golden grasslands and poplar forests.During this period, the Kashgar region is crowded with tourists, especially in July and August: in June, high school seniors finish their college entrance exams and start to enjoy their long vacation, while July and August are China’s summer vacation period. If you visit Kashgar at this time, you may encounter traffic jams on the way to attractions and find it challenging to quietly appreciate the cultural landscapes. The influx of tourists also drives up demand for accommodations, meaning hotels become hard to book and pricey. 

Additionally, note that while the Pamir Plateau region is ideal for visiting during these three months with comfortable temperature and lush and vibrant landscapes, lower-altitude areas can be extremely hot with particularly intense ultraviolet radiation.
 As winter months, December to February are indeed quite cold, especially in high-altitude areas. Besides, the daylight with relatively higher temperature is short during this time period, so your available visiting time is limited. As a result, many visitors do not consider visiting Kashgar during this period.

However, it cannot be denied that Kashgar offers exceptionally unique scenery during these months: You have the chance to see Kashgar Old Town blanketed in snow, as well as the frozen lakes and magnificent snow-capped mountains in the Pamir Plateau. Furthermore, the small number of visitors means you can have a quiet travel experience and book satisfactory accommodations at relatively cheap prices.

Snow-Capped Pamir Plateau

 Overall, visiting Kashgar during these two months presents both clear advantages and disadvantages. The upside is that these two months have only a few tourists and offer affordable airfare and hotel rates. At the same time, though they are also winter months, the temperature is not very low and you generally won’t feel bitterly cold, especially in low-altitude areas. The drawbacks lie in the fact that, aside from the peak autumn scenery during the first few days of November, the natural landscapes of the Pamir Plateau are in a transitional phase during the rest of this period. This brings less grandeur but more desolation: vegetation appears rather bare, lakes are either thawing or freezing over, and snow-capped mountains have only a little snow…

Rather Bare View of Kashgar in March

 1.    Whether you wish to see the colorful blooms in April and May or the beautiful autumn scenery in September and October, you need to determine their optimal viewing period in advance, because it changes a little year by year because of the actual temperature.
2.    When traveling to Kashgar from June to August, be sure to reserve hotels and flights in advance. When visiting low-altitude areas, avoid touring outdoor attractions during the hottest midday.
3.    When visiting Kashgar from December to February, be sure to pack plenty of warm clothing. Before traveling to high-altitude areas, check the weather forecast in advance to avoid heavily snowy days that may affect road conditions and the opening status of scenic spots.
4.    When visiting Kashgar in November or March, you are recommended to mainly focus on cultural attractions in lower-altitude areas. These sites are quiet and similarly attracting during this season, with not-too-low temperature.