Bangda Lake

Bangda Lake lies at 4,902 metres on the western Tibetan plateau, south of the western Kunlun Mountains and close to Guozha Lake. The salt lake covers 106 square kilometres and reaches a depth of about 21.6 metres. Its catchment contains ninety glaciers, whose meltwater feeds a cold, mineral-rich basin.

The lake was long known as Yeshil Kul and formed a landmark on a route between Ladakh and Khotan through the Keriya Pass. Travellers followed the Longmu Co fault to the lake, then turned north toward the pass and the Iksu, Polu and Keriya river valleys. Hard, flat ground along the fault offered one of the few usable corridors.

Bangda Lake's bitter, sulfate-rich water and sparse surroundings discouraged settlement. Its value came from orientation and water in a high desert crossed by pack animals and small parties. The corridor remained a severe route through ice, thin air and long intervals between water. Pack animals and, later, small vehicles could use parts of the corridor only in favorable seasons.