Kumtag Desert

Kumtag Desert

The Kumtag Desert is a national scenic area, a national AAAA-level tourist attraction, and a cultural tourism destination.

Kumtag Desert

The Kumtag Desert Scenic Area in Xinjiang is one of the rare deserts in the world that lies right next to a city, and it is also one of the three

key national scenic spots in Xinjiang.

“Kumtag” means “sand mountain” in the Uyghur language, so the Kumtag Desert refers to a “desert with sand mountains.” The formation of the Kumtag Desert is mainly due to the southwest winds from the Qijiaojing Pass of the Tianshan Mountains and the southeast winds from the Dabancheng Pass. These winds travel long distances, carrying large amounts of sand and gravel, which eventually converge and settle in the Kumtag region. The Juolotag Mountain to the south also contributes to the weakening of these two wind directions and the deposition of windblown sand. Due to its harsh environment and treacherous roads, the Kumtag Desert was referred to as the “Great Devil’s Desert” during the Tang Dynasty and still retains an air of mystery today.

Further Reading:

· Fourth Batch of National Key Scenic Areas