The landscape along the Silk Route was harsh. There was very little vegetation and almost no rainfall. Northeast of the Taklimakan Desert was the Gobi Desert, and around it were some of the highest mountains in the world. To the south were the Himalaya, Karakorum, and Kunlun mountain ranges with few narrow, icy passes. North and West were the Tianshan and Pamir mountains, which were greener but still provided trouble for the travelers.