Tarim Poplar Forest

The Euphrates poplar, huyang, is one of the few large trees that survives on the edge of the Taklamakan, tapping groundwater along the Tarim river with roots that reach far out, tolerating salt and drought, and growing into gnarled, twisted forms; the local saying gives it a thousand years standing, a thousand years dead without falling and a thousand years fallen without rotting. The largest surviving stands line the Tarim near Luntai, protected as a reserve, and for about two weeks in October the leaves turn a strong gold against dead white trunks, dune sand and the blue river, which is when the site fills with photographers.

What you actually see

• The gnarled poplars - twisted desert trees living and long dead.
• The October gold - two weeks of strong yellow leaf before the frost.
• The Tarim river - water threading the sand beside the forest.
• The dunes - the Taklamakan edge immediately beyond the trees.

When to go

Mid-October to early November, and the window is short; before it the leaves are green, after it bare. Outside autumn the forest is far less striking. The Desert Highway passes the reserve.

Honest expectations

The colour window is two weeks and shifts by year. Entry plus shuttle is charged and crowds are heavy at peak. The area is remote with limited accommodation.

Nearby

Korla lies northeast; the Taklamakan Desert Highway runs south.