Kashgar Animal Market

Kashgar, China, November, 2013

It smells like poop, hairs and dust. The donkeys cry, two camels try to hit each other and a small boy wanders around searching for his father. The cool wind feels a lot warmer in between all the sheep.

The Kashgar Animal market – also known as live stock market – is the place to be on a Sunday for all farmers around Kashgar. The men bargain for the best prices. Two of them stand in the middle of a herd of sheep. One wears an Uzbek hat, the other one a fur hat that appears to be Russian. When they agree for a price both shakes hands and the proud new owner carries his new “life stock” through all the other sheep and people towards his transporter. Just a few meters further four men lift a cow in order to put it on top of a truck. The cow lows frightened and just a moment later it stands inside the truck next to fifteen others. In the other corner of the market two young men hold a young pony while a third man jumps on its back. The pony holds his head high, jumps from one side to the other and gallops as fast as it can, but the young man holds the reins safely. The air is dusty from all the hoofs walking through the sandy floor.

We touch some yaks (480 USD for a male), cows (640 USD  for a castrated bull) and donkeys (480 USD for a male), watch up to the head of a giant camel (1,900 USD) and pet horses (1,600 USD) and sheep with big butts (225 USD). At the other end of the market animals are sold cheaper and in smaller portions. A soup with fresh made noodles and sheep meat costs only 1 USD.

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  1. Great photos, Annika! The Kashgar market is one of those rare glimpses into a Silk Road that is quickly fading into history.

    Did you guys get a chance to ride down to Khotan? The market there is even bigger than in Kashgar, although it looks like you got to see most of what you wanted anyway.

    • admin says:

      Hey Josh,
      no, unfortunately we did not have the chance to get to Khotan. But yet we hope that one day we can be back and get to know this market as well!
      Best wishes,
      Annika

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