Dawakul Lake Taklimakan Desert

Dawakul Lake is located 130km from  Kashgar  on the south-eastern tip of the Taklimakan desert. Dawakul in Uyghur means “curing lake” and for many centuries people have visited the lake to swim in its water seeking cures for their ailments.

Dawakul Lake Taklimakan Desert

Taklimakan Desert or Taklamakan Desert  is located in the middle of the Tarim Basin in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. It is the second largest shifting sand desert and the 10th largest desert in the world. It covers an area of 337,600 square km. Taklimakan or Taklamakan means “place for living underneath or the ruins”.  It has been translated by ancient caravans and early travellers as “go in and you will never return”, “death of sea”, or  “you can enter, but never exit”.

dune buggies

At Dawakul Lake, you can look out on the vast Taklimakan Desert and the sand dunes stretching away before you. At the lake shore locals oven bake delicious freshly caught fish, lamb and chicken which you can enjoy for your lunch. We will take a walk around the lake and enter into the desert. There is the option to experience ancient desert transportation by riding a camel. Alternatively, for a more modern exhilarating ride, you have the opportunity to drive one of the dune buggies over the dunes. You can also trek through the desert for a couple of hours.

>> Dawakul Lake Taklimakan Desert Photos