Taukum Desert

The Taukum sands extend southwest of Lake Balkhash along the left bank of the Ili River. Low ridges and hummocks of sand cover the dry plain, with saxaul, wormwood and other hardy shrubs growing between them. Along the river itself, a narrow belt of woodland and reeds contrasts with the open desert. The sands form part of the broad basin through which the Ili reaches Balkhash.