Beside ice-crested mountains, lakes, forests, and swamps, one desert in Siberia defies expectations. Although its rolling dunes and sandstorms typify deserts elsewhere, the surreal Chara Sands stand out as one of the most peculiar—not to mention beautiful—deserts on Earth.
The Chara Sands emerged from the remains of a dried-up lake in the foothills of Kodar ridge more than 40,000 years ago, according to Russia Beyond. Today, it’s one of the world’s smallest deserts, covering a mere three-by-six-mile area; though what it lacks in size, it makes up for in sheer magnificence.
