Lop Nur
罗布泊
A dry salt lake shaped like a 'giant ear.' Its desolate salt-crust landscape and the monument at the lake's center make it a destination for off-road adventurers.
Lop Nur was once the lowest saltwater lake in the Tarim Basin, but it dried up completely in the 1970s. On satellite images, it looks like a 'giant ear' with concentric rings. Today the lake area is covered with large salt crusts and a potash industrial zone. The town of Lop Nur has fuel and lodging, and a marker stone stands at the lake's center. It is more than 300 km from Ruoqiang County town. To venture deep into the lake or toward Loulan, you must obtain permits from border and cultural heritage authorities. Travel in a group with a professional off-road guide, bring enough fuel and water, and carry satellite communication equipment. Never enter the wilderness on your own.
Opening hours
Permit required; no fixed opening hours
Nearby sights
- Loulan Ancient City Ruins
- Miran Ruins
- Altun Mountains
- Taitema Lake
- Loulan Museum
- Ruoqiang Jujube Orchards
- Washixia Ancient City Ruins