Thar Desert

The Indian desert zone is clearly divided into two parts that include:The Thar Desert spread across 180,000 sq. kms and the Rann of Kutch, covering around 45,000 sq. kms. of western Gujarat.

The Thar Desert (also known as the Great Indian Desert) is spread across Punjab, Haryana, Gujrat and Rajasthan. The desert is bounded by a salt marsh known as the Rann of Kutch on the south and by Indus river plain on the west. The terrain consists mainly of shifting sandhills with scattered growth of shrubs and scanty vegetation.

The sand dunes of the Thar Desert constantly shift and take on new shapes. These shifting sands take in all sound and create a scaring silence. The area receives very scant rainfall, with the average annual rainfall varying from 100 to 500 mm. The creeping sands, the shifting dunes, extreme hot winds put forth a struggle for existence for the locals. However, the majestic desert has been successful in offering a culture that is truly zestful and lively. To gain an insight into the region, camel safaris are the best adventure options offering details into the lifestyle of the people, architectural heritage etc.

Barren Kutch
In contrast to the sandy Thar, the Rann of Kutchh portion of the Indian having immense spread of Barren land and Desert with lot of Babul cultivation. This is a barren expanse of desert which divides Gujarat's western region of Kutch from the rest of Gujarat. The Gulf of Kutch divides Kutch (known in the local dialect as Kachchh) from the Kathiawar peninsula. To the north, it is spearated from the Sindh region of Pakistan by the Great Rann of Kutch.

The forest and vegetation in Kutch comprise of dry deciduous scrub vegetation, dry savannah forest, dry grasslands, thorn forests, mangrove forests, and the Euphorbia scrub etc. Kutch is the home to the Asiatic wild ass and also supports a thriving population of gazelle, blue bull, wolf, foxes, jackal, jungle cat, flamingoes, pelicans, ducks, cranes, storks etc.