Kumtag

Along the northern edge of the Kumtag Desert, sand ridges meet gravel plains and wind-eroded yardangs east of Lop Nur. Strong winds have shaped the dunes into patterns resembling feathers, with darker gravel and lighter sand marking their slopes. This dry land lies between the old lake basin and the mountains farther east. Travellers approaching the Tarim from Dunhuang had to contend with long distances and scarce water.