Noertu
Like the storm surge of a petrified ocean, dunes a thousand
feet tall roll across northern China’s Alashan Plateau. Salty
spring-fed lakes stud this corner of the Gobi like colored jewels.
Noertu, it is the biggest pearl in the sand sea.
Compared with other deserts of the world, one specialty of the
Badain Jaran desert is the existence of numerous permanent lakes
among the dunes. However, some of the lakes even dried up
completely. At present, the largest one is Noertu, which is 1.5
km²in area and 26 m in depth. Walking along the lake, it
will take two hours and a half to circle around.
There's no reason to hurry, traveling in the Badain Jaran is a
nice adventure. Gradually, one will get used to this local rhythm
of life and start to see the real: isolate, hot and beautiful…… But sand is never easy walking, and climbing each
dunes pitched face is exhausting. Sweat stings the eyes and soaks
the shirt. However, after standing atop a dune, you share back at
your progress and will discover that you’ve entered a vast sand
mountainscape. The sand mountains are draped in a dozen shades of
saturated yellow beneath a clear blue sky. Bellowing us, Noertu,