Ga Er Ancient City ​- the largest immature soil building complex in the world

​​​​​​​​​​Last Update: 17th October 2020

Covering an area of 3.6 square kilometers, Ga Er Ancient City has been a home to the Uyghur people for more than 2,000 years. With a long history, the city offers several ancient unique buildings to explore. Most of the buildings in the city were built with immature soil. They combine the Han (202 BC – 220 AD) and Tang (618 – 907) Dynasties styles and the ancient Roman legacy together with the modern characteristics of the Uyghur nationality.

Ga Er Ancient City ​Fast Facts

  • Chinese Name: Ka Shi Gucheng (噶尔老城)
  • Area: 3.6 x square kilometers
  • Things to do th​ere: Photography, Archaeology, Hiking
  • Who visits: Photographers, Archaeologists, Adventure Enthusiasts
  • Time required: 1 – 3 x hours

What to expect at Ga Er Ancient City

Ga Er Ancient City is located at the heart of Kashgar. The winding streets all are connected to each other. Some streets are just wide to walk on shoulder by shoulder for 2 persons, while others are wide enough to walk on for a donkey cart. Along the winding streets, you will see many arcades overhead. The arcades are supported by wooden pillars. They are solid enough.

You will find all kinds of small hand-made workshops there, including woodenware workshops, ironware workshops, earthenware workshops, carpets workshops and so on. The handicrafts all were handmade by the handicraftsmen through the traditional methods. They are fairly exquisite. In addition, you could also enjoy the local authentic food there as well.

At the ancient city, if you see that the two doors of the gate are open, it means that the host of the house is at home; if you see that only one door is open, it means that only the hostess is at home; if you see the curtain hanging in front of the gate, it means that guests are visiting the family. Locals at the ancient city live a traditional lifestyle.

If you get lost in the ancient city, please check the bricks at your feet. They can lead you out of the old city. As long as you walk along the bricks with 6 angles, you can walk out of the old town. If you walk along the bricks with 4 angles, you will go to a dead end.

Best time to visit Ga Er Ancient City

If you are planning to visit the ancient city for photography purposes, the best time to visit is during the sunset.

The best months to visit are from April to September.

How to get to Ga Er Ancient City

As Ga Er Ancient City is situated near the Id Kah Mosque, you could get to the mosque first and then walk to the ancient city. Therefore, there are a few options.

  • Rent a vehicle to the ancient city. This is the quickest and most direct options.
  • Take Bus 2, 7, 8, 13, 22 and Bus 28 to the Stop of Ai Ti Ga Er (艾提尕尔站).

Additional Ga Er Ancient City Travel Advice

  • Opening hours: 10:00 – 20:00
  • As at 17th October 2020, the entrance pricing to the ancient city is 30 CNY per person. For the latest pricing information, please contact us via email (info@wendyweitours.com)
  • If you would like to take photos of locals, please ask them if it is OK with them.
  • Please wear the sunscreen cream, sunglasses and the like as it is dry around the year in Kashgar.

Interested in visiting Ga Er Ancient City on a Tour?

Wendy Wei Tours offers a variety of different packaged tours as well as custom tours including Ga Er Ancient City, among other attractions and destinations. To find out more, please visit our Tours page or Contact Us directly to find out more.