Kunlun

South of Charchan, the Kunlun Mountains rise between the Tarim Basin and the high interior of Tibet. Snow and ice in their valleys feed rivers that cut northward through the mountains toward the desert. The Charchan River emerges from this rugged country to sustain an oasis on the southern route around the Taklamakan. Above the watered valleys lie cold, sparsely vegetated ridges and broad uplands.