The best time to visit Kashgar is late spring (May–June) or early autumn (September–October). Summer (July–August) is extremely hot — temperatures regularly exceed 40°C in July — and the bazaar and old town become crowded with domestic tourists. Winter is cold and grey, with temperatures dropping well below freezing at night, though the city is quieter and more authentic.
The Sunday livestock market runs year-round, but is liveliest and least tourist-heavy in spring and autumn. If you plan to continue on the Karakoram Highway to Pakistan or up to the Torugart Pass into Kyrgyzstan, both crossings are typically open from May to October and subject to closure by snow in winter and spring. The Khunjerab Pass closes completely from November through April.
Ramadan brings a different atmosphere to the city: the bazaar is subdued during the day but comes alive after dark when the fast is broken, and the food stalls around the mosque are at their most festive. The exact dates shift by eleven days each year.