Nan Gobi by contrast was in the desert a short distance south of Urumqi. My highlight here was hearing the unmistakable call of the Common Cuckoo and then seeing it perched on a telephone wire. Bosten Lake is a day's drive through the desert south of Urumqi and is some 20 km wide and 150 km long. It is fresh water and supports a small fishing fleet. The resort was on a small island, reached by speedboat, near the southern shore.
Accommodation is two-man tents and small cabins.
This place has great potential and could support a range of tourism experiences. At present, however, it is primitive, uncomfortable and hard to get to. It was also covered with litter - like many other tourist places I visited. Bosten Lake was one of the few places I saw with birds in any numbers. Another highlight was a small flock of Rock Pigeons in the middle of the desert.