Carlac is a hot, dry world of tall sand dunes, rugged boulder fields, and steep-sided, jagged mountains that nonetheless manages to support a thriving native population of Yarkora and a modest economy centered around the extraction of semi-precious gems and eco-tourism. First-time visitors to the planet who arrive at the starport in Carlac city and undergo a mandatory four-hour lecture on the nature of Carlac's climate as well as being provided with information on where to purchase reliable thermal protection equipment in the city. Needless to say, those who wish to travel outside the city would be well advised to be prepared with said equipment, as well as copious water supplies, as there is no standing water on the surface at all. It may be worth mentioning that some of the wealthiest individuals in Carlac City made their fortunes in the water import and supply business.

Away from the cities, which are built on rock to provide stable foundations, Carlac's stark natural beauty becomes quickly evident, for those with an eye for such things. The high dunes of fine brown sand form patterns like frozen waves in the sea, and are often dotted with tiny tracks of scorpions, desert mice, lizards, and insects that call the dunes home. The boulder fields bordering the desert areas are composed mainly of golden quartz, with rose quartz, smoky quartz, milky quartz, and even amethyst and citrine in certain areas. Viewed at the right time, the boulder fields can sparkle like a box full of gems. Enterprising natives have established a tour industry promoting the romantic views and promising once-in-a-lifetime desert experiences to couples, old and new alike. Carlac's mountains, too, have their tourism value, only this time for thrillseekers looking to challenge some of the steepest and most dangerous mountains for parsecs around.

All this beauty comes with danger though. With such an arid and difficult climate, local wildlife has evolved deadly and ingenious ways to capture prey and ensure it does not escape. Krayt Dragons and Sarlaac might gain the limelight, but some of Carlac's most dangerous wildlife is actually quite small. There is a species of desert viperid the locals call the Angel of Death. Growing up to fifty centimeters in length, the bite of this small viper is capable of killing a full-grown bantha in an hour. In humans, death can happen in as little as five minutes, in seconds for its rodent prey. Likewise, there is a family of beetles whose venom causes insanity - victims have been known to strip off their clothes and wander into the desert, quickly dying, to be consumed by these beetles and other desert animals. Visitors are warned never to travel outside the developed areas without experienced guides.