The second largest desert in the world - Taklamakan Desert.

One of the highlights of our Xinjiang trip is passing through Taklamakan Desert. Imagine driving through almost 8 hours of desert road with no green trees surrounding the area. It is that big that it took us quite a few hours to pass by. It is quite unfortunate that during our drive in this area is that the weather is not quite favorable. There was a sandstorm during this time, as other parts of Xinjiang and China were experiencing rain. During this type of weather, it is advisable to wear long jacket, wear face mask and sun glasses. As small sands - these are very small and hardly seen but it may enter one's eyes, mouth and skin which would leave blisters. One of the supposed to be highlight is going to the Desert Gate Scenic Area. There are camel riding, 4x4 riding, tents for rent and other sand related activities available. Our plan was to ride the camel in this area. Unfortunately, due to the sand storm we decided to cancel the activity as it is quite dangerous as the wind is quite strong. I would still recommend this area a visit especially if you are in the area. Best to go around later in the afternoon where the sunlight is not that strong anymore. #chinatrip #100waysoftravel #desert #xinjiang