The Tarkanian desert was a region, presumably on the Tarkanian homeworld, that was known for its excessive heat.

In 2376, a nebular lifeform accidentally invaded the USS Voyager and began causing malfunctions as it moved through the ship's systems. Tom Paris told Neelix that one such malfunction caused the Voyager bridge to become "hotter than the Tarkanian desert." (VOY: "The Haunting of Deck Twelve")