The windswept valley of the Dzungarian Gate, wide at its narrowest, is located between Lake Alakol to the northwest in Kazakhstan and Ebinur Lake () to the southeast in China. At its lowest, the floor of the valley lies at about 1,500 feet (450m) elevation, while the surrounding peaks of the Dzungarian Alatau range reach about 10,000 feet (3,000m) to the northeast and 15,000 feet (4,500m) to the southwest.