It was a dark and stormy night, and that caused our transfer from HK to UB to be delayed by 14hrs. We were supposed to set off to the Gobi the day after arriving, but because of the delay, we had to make alternate arrangements. In all my communication with Ooyuna, who was helping to reschedule the whole tour, she was extremely accommodating and helpful, and we made it to the Gobi in the end. :')
When we finally made it to DZ, our guide, Sara, and our drivers (alas I do not know how to spell their names), were warm and friendly, and made us feel taken care of. They've got a good sense of humor! :) It's okay to ask them to stop at something that looks interesting, such as a small town or a herd of camels.
The places we stayed at had wonderful views, fantastic facilities (proper toilets and showers with hot water) and excellent food (you will have to pay extra for beers and extra bottles of water, but these were about USD $2~5 each).
The activities are at scenic spots, but may be physically challenging. Our guide cheered us on at each spot, but if your physical condition is not good, you may have to sit out on some of the activities (such as the sand dunes).
Two things to take note of: 1) electricity and WiFi are in short supply, so bring along portable chargers, and expect spotty connections. 2) although the vans they supplied are comfortable enough, the trails between sites are terribly bumpy, so if you have back or neck problems, it might be quite hard on you. Expect 3-4hrs of driving each day.
It was a wonderful experience to spend time in Mongolia. the tour was provided by Discover Mongolia, Ulan Batar. The your guide named Uka was excellent and coupled with the driver, Dambaa were a dream team. The two other travelers,who were with me, were great as well.
All went well, except the day of departure, when the driver from Discover Mongolia did not show up to pick me to take me to the airport. I had to take a taxi to the airport.
Although the tour is normally for people who know horse riding well, our guide was very helpful and patient. Doggie (our guide) was friendly and fun and very generous with his attention and care. The accommodation had great facilities and the whole crew from Discover Mongolia were very hospitable and helpful.
I did the Discover Mongolia 11-day tour that goes to Karakorum, the big beautiful dues in the Gobi and dozen places in between. We had lunch with a nomad family in a ger (yurt) in the middle of nowhere, stayed in wood-heated gers each night. Togos Togosoo was a warm and wonderful guide and just a beautiful spirit, and Mr. Nandi was a great driver, really watched out for us in a million ways and was a fun and steady presence. They both were fun and great at their jobs. It wasn't all 5-star accomodations (thought the last night in UB was a great room and great meal), but that wasn't what I was looking for, and everything was perfectly good. We were the last trip of the season, so it was getting a bit chilly, but something quite beautiful about hunkering under down comforters and thick camel-hair blankets after a day hiking or riding horses or two-humped camels. Saw some wild sheep, a fox, wild horses, and great birds of prey. I gave it five stars but I'll leave a sixth here for Togosoo.
My friend and I took the Terelj National Park and Chinggis Khaan Statue Tour. Everything was exceptional. Our guide and driver met us at the hotel and they were exceptional. Both were very friendly, knowledgeable and enthusiastic during the entire trip. Tour of the statue and museum was excellent. Our guide provided a great overview of the complex and then an expertly-guided tour throughout. The park tour was equally incredible because our guide and driver were fantastic. Both made the entire experience worthwhile and I will definitely takes tours with them and the entire Discover Mongolia team -- first rate all around!!!
