Located at the extreme western part of the country, the Xinjiang province is the greatest autonomous area of China. However invaded by the immense Taklamakan desert, this area cannot be summarized to a simple arid desert. Encircled by the mountain ranges of the Karakorum in the South, and by the Tian Shan in the West, Xinjiang has indeed an incredible diversity of mountainous landscapes. Leaving the busy cities of Kashgar and Urumqi, we went towards these great areas : on one hand, the Karakul lake, overhung by the Mount Muztagh Ata in the Karakorum Range ; on the other, the Sayram lake, less spectacular but as beautiful with the splendid Tian Shan mountains that outline its waters on the Kazakh steppes where a few nomad shepherds live.