Everyone knows the headline: the Taklamakan is the world’s second-largest shifting-sand desert, and China built a road straight through its heart. What fewer travelers realize is that there are now two such roads. The first, from Lunnan to Minfeng, made the crossing possible. The second — the Alar–Hotan Desert Highway — made it practical, and in the process became one of the great engineering stories of the region: a road defended by a 70-plus-kilometer green belt of desert-resistant trees.
If you want to cross the “Sea of Death” and come out the other side changed, this is the crossing to understand.
What the Alar–Hotan highway is
The Alar–Hotan Desert Highway (often referred to by its route designation) runs from Alar, a city on the northern rim of the Tarim Basin, south through the desert to Hotan on the southern rim. It is the newer of the two desert crossings, opened to shorten the journey between northern and southern Xinjiang and to serve the development of the Alar area.
Like the first crossing, it is fully paved, two-lane, and arrow-straight for long stretches — a line drawn across a sea of dunes.
The shelterbelt — the real marvel
The single most interesting thing about this road is not the asphalt. It is the trees.
Crossing the Taklamakan means fighting the sand. The first highway proved a road could be built; the second proved it could be defended. Along much of the Alar–Hotan route runs a planted shelterbelt — rows of desert-tolerant species (haloxylon, tamarisk, and others) irrigated by groundwater pumped from beneath the desert. The belt stabilizes the dunes flanking the road and is itself a striking sight: a thin green ribbon holding back an ocean of sand.
For a traveler, the belt means the road stays open and the drive is less apocalyptic than you’d fear. For the region, it’s a quiet ecological achievement worth knowing about as you pass.
The drive
1. Alar (north rim). Fuel, food, and the last real town. Treat it as your launch point and fill completely.
2. Into the dunes. The green belt narrows the desert to either side. For hours the view is sand, sky, the road, and the thin line of trees. It is hypnotic and, frankly, a little eerie.
3. Mid-desert service points. Unlike the old crossing’s near-total emptiness, this route has managed sections and patrol/服务 points. They are sparse, but they exist — a psychological relief.
4. Hotan (south rim). The desert ends at one of southern Xinjiang’s great oasis cities, famous for jade, silk, and the Hotan-to-Kashgar road that continues the Silk Road southwest.
Preparation — same rules, slightly softer
The Alar–Hotan crossing is better supported than the first, but the desert does not care about rankings:
- Fuel: full tank at Alar. Don’t gamble.
- Water and food: carry more than you think. The belt helps; thirst doesn’t.
- Signal: patchy to none in the middle. Offline maps essential.
- Spare tire: the heat and distance are hard on tires. Inspect before you leave.
- Checkpoints: routine ID/passport checks at both rims and occasionally mid-route. Foreign travelers carry their temporary driving permit.
Our broader Xinjiang road trip safety guide covers the desert mindset in full.
First crossing vs second crossing
- First (Lunnan–Minfeng): the pioneer; more stark, more famous, slightly more remote feel.
- Second (Alar–Hotan): greener, better supported, and it lands you directly in Hotan — a richer destination than Minfeng.
For a Southern Xinjiang Tarim loop, crossing one way on each gives you both experiences and a complete circuit of the basin.
FAQ
Is the Alar–Hotan highway paved? Yes — fully paved and maintained.
How long does the crossing take? Roughly 5–7 hours of driving depending on stops and conditions.
Is it safe? Yes, with preparation. The shelterbelt keeps the road clear; your job is fuel, water, and a good spare tire.
Do I need a permit? Not for the highway. Routine checkpoints at the rims.
Best season? Spring and autumn. Summer daytime is extremely hot; winter nights are brutally cold.
Final word
The second Taklamakan crossing is the quieter hero of Xinjiang’s road story — a road held open by a ribbon of trees against the largest sand sea in China. Drive it once and you’ll never look at a straight line the same way again.
Written by Karl Huang, a Xinjiang-based travel writer. Desert conditions and checkpoint rules change — confirm locally before you cross.