Yarkand lies to the southeast of Kashgar in the southwest of the Xinjiang Autonomous Prefecture. It makes a decent break on the journey between Kashgar to Hotan owing to its useful facilities and ancient tomb complex.
Yarkand was an important town for traders on the Southern Silk Road as it lay at the terminus of a trade route from British India. The Ammanisahan Tomb is the main attraction in Yarkand - a Uighur queen. A nice mausoleum and cemetery complex decorate the site.
There are several hotels in town but none are especially nice and it’s not worth spending any more time here than you need to. The district of Karghilik to the southeast is of greater interest, being the gateway to the Xinjiang-Tibet Highway.
Getting There & Away
The best way to get to Yarkand is by bus from Kashgar (3 hours). Kashgar Airport receives flights from Urumqi and even from Hong Kong. Buses to Karghilik from Yarkand take an hour, and another 5 hours to the town of Hotan. Urumqi, the Xinjiang capital, is a good 30 hours by road from Yarkand.
Things to Do
Yarkand Attractions
- Ammanisahan Tomb
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There are many tombs in yarkand, of which this one is the biggest and best. it is the resting place of a uighur queen.
Side trips from Yarkand
- Karghilik
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This district is an hour from yarkand, and while not particularly enthralling, marks the start point of the legendary xinjiang-tibet highway.