Beside ice-crested mountains, lakes, forest, and swamps, one desert in Siberia defies expectations. Though 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. Chara Sands emerged from the remains of a dried-up lake in the foothills of Kodar ridge over 40,000 years ago, according to Russia Beyond. Today, it is one of the world’s smallest deserts, covering a mere 5 by 10 kilometers; though what it lacks in size, it makes up for in sheer magnificence. Part of what makes this desert so striking is its abrupt transition from sand to lakes, swamps, and vast forests. The dunes reach up to 80 meters high; while two lakes, Alyonka and Tayozhnoye, bookend Chara Sands, beyond which the land is lush with forest greenery, or “taiga.” Nor is the desert static; winds are constantly shifting the dunes …