Sunset scenery on the beacon fire towers which were built in the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD). [Photo: Xinhuanet/ Wang Yongji]

Located along the border of Gansu Province and the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and covering 22,900 square kilometers, Kumtag is one of China's largest desert areas.

Kumtag means "sand hill" in the Uygur language. As its name suggests, it overhangs a small oasis in Dunhuang, which has nurtured ancient cultures dating back to AD336 in the arid region.Because of its remoteness, Kumtag is still a mysterious place waiting to be explored. The converging winds have brought about clusters of sand hills in the shape of pyramids, unique feather-shaped dunes and canyons.The place has also been developed as a tourist resort where visitors can have a full view of the magnificence of the desert in northwest China.