The Taklamakan Desert was the major desert crossed by Silk Road travelers in the Tarim Basin between the Kunlun Mountains and the Tian Shan.
Located mainly in China’s Xinjiang region, the Taklamakan is one of the world’s largest sandy deserts. Its name is commonly explained as meaning something like “place of no return,” although the exact etymology is debated. The desert’s shifting dunes and extremely dry climate made direct crossings dangerous.
Instead of traveling straight across its center, many caravans followed oasis chains along the northern and southern edges. Important settlements such as Kashgar, Khotan, and Turpan supplied water, food, lodging, and trading opportunities. These routes connected China with Central Asia, Persia, India, and the Mediterranean world.
The Taklamakan is sometimes confused with the Gobi, but they are separate deserts. The Gobi lies farther north and extends across southern Mongolia and northern China, while the Taklamakan occupies the Tarim Basin.