Mongolian Gobi Tour (4 days)
What to expect
Wonder at Khongor Dunes
These beautiful dunes have a colour and mystery all their own that’s truly mysterious.
Look for Dinosaurs
Bayanzag was home to dinosaurs millions of years ago and is a favorite spot.
Explore Vulture Gorge (yoliin am)
Vulture Gorge is one of the most picturesque parts of the Gobi Desert.
Visit with Camel Herders
The camel herders call the Gobi home, so you will learn about their life.
Explore the Timeless Gobi
Explore the gorgeous vegetation and vast steppes of the timeless Gobi Desert.
- Visit the desert that has quite a lot of vegetation despite being termed as a desert.
- Enjoy the peace and tranquility offered by this sparsely populated desert land.
- Enjoy some time on the fabulous and awe-inspiring Khongor Sand Dunes, which have a colorful and mysterious character.
- Hike across the exciting Vulture Gorge, which is also called the Eagle Gorge due to the presence of these huge birds.
- Finally visit Bayanzag, which was once the home of various dinosaur species.
- Shared accommodation at Ger camp
- Private transfers
- English speaking guide
- All meals as listed
- All entrance fee
- Camel ride
- Internal air tickets - free luggage allowance is 15 kg
- Letter of Invitation
- Personal expenses
- Optional activities
- Camera fee for museum & monastery
- Travel Insurance www.WorldNomads.com
Overview
Unlike most people’s common imagination about desert, Mongolian Gobi consists of mostly vegetated vast steppe and rocky mountain ranges. Due to its size and isolation, inhabitation is very sparse but it’s home to a number of camel herders and wildlife. Gobi is such an enchanting and ancient place that instantly brings tranquility and evokes mysteries to its visitors. During this trip, we will reveal to you the most highlighted components of this legendary desert – Lammergeier Valley also known as Vulture gorge, Khongor sand dunes and the famous Flaming Cliffs.
To ensure your comfort and satisfaction, we reserved a round-trip ticket to/from the Gobi desert here for you.
The price per person will depend on the size of the group as shown below.
- filter_vintageAuthentic
- favoriteUnforgettable
- gradeSafe
To book this tour choose a date
I traveled to the Gobi with my family on a 4-day tour with Discover Mongolia. Oyuna at the office was very professional in arranging the tour for all four of us. The tour guide, Naraa, met us at the airport with the driver and provided wonderful insights into the Gobi area, even taking us to an unplanned Naadam event! Naraa spoke excellent English and answered all our questions. I highly recommend Discovery Mongolia tours!
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.
Excellent personal service provided by Ibo and Kamba. My trip included stays in several gers, climbing in the Eagle Valley and dunes, the Altay mountains and many other amazing sights in the Gobi desert.
Itinerary
Early in the morning, you will be escorted to Dalanzadgad, the provincial capital of south Gobi. There, our team will pick you up at the airport and take you to the Yolyn Am, or Lammergeier Valley, beautiful and high elevated gorges forming incredible canyons. Gorges are so high thus sunlight never reaches the floor and winter’s snow can be kept good even in summer time.
These areas are situated in the Gobi Gurvan Saikhan /Three Beauties of the Gobi/ National park, the most easterly points of the Altai Mountains.
Overnight in tourist camp. (B+L+D)
(Air 560 km, 1.5 hour & dirt/paved road 60 km 2 hours)
Drive to the “Khongoryn els” - the biggest sand dune in Mongolia, reaching a height of 200 meters in some areas. Discuss with your guide about timing when you climb over dunes.
Explore the dune are on the camelback. The two-humped Bactrian camels are very comfortable to ride as they walk slowly and gently. You will be well supported by their soft, fluffy humps when you ride them. Our camel guide will lead you safely through the sand dunes to explore the Uujim valley on the camelback. You will have an opportunity to visit a camel herdsman family to experience their lifestyle, culture and traditions.
Similar to other deserts, the chance of rain/cloud is slim. So that there is a chance to gaze at the billions of stars in the evening.
Overnight in tourist camp. (B+L+D) (Approx. dirt road 200 km, 5 hours, camel ride 1 hour)
Drive to the Bayanzag, also known as the Flaming Cliffs, where the first dinosaur eggs were discovered in 1922 by Roy Chapman Andrews. In this huge paleontological site, you will have a chance to walk on the ground where the Dinosaurs once roamed 60 million years ago.
On this day, you will discover not only dinosaur’s but ancient human’s remains too. Khavtsgait petroglyphs and saxual forest are good additions to this trip.
Photo shooting of the flaming cliffs and watching a documentary about this wonderful place is suggested in the evening.
Overnight in tourist camp. (B+L+D) (Distance 160 km, 4 hours drive on paved/dirt road)
After dawn you will be escorted back to Dalanzadgad for your flight and return to Ulaanbaatar.
(air 560 km, 1.5 hour & dirt road100 km 1hr) End of the trip. (B)
B - Breakfast L - Lunch D - Dinner
Good to know
- The best time to make this trip
May to September is the best season, with the peak season in July for the Naadam Festival. July and August are also the wettest months of the year but be assured, our climate is such that you will still have many sunny days at this time. The best time to visit the Gobi is June or September.
- Accommodation:
We believe that comfortable, welcoming accommodation is vital to the enjoyment of your trip. You will be staying in a standard 3-4 star hotel in Ulaanbaatar and a tourist ger camp (traditional dwelling) with currency (220V), shower and other useful services (2 to 4 people per ger) in the countryside. All accommodation offered by Discover Mongolia is personally checked by our staff to ensure high standards.
- Meals:
In Ulaanbaatar, you will be dining at fine European and Asian cuisine restaurants. Mutton, beef, rice, and noodles form the basis of the Mongolian diet, so your meals will be based around this. However, the trail rations may include vegetables, eggs, peanut butter, cheese and sometimes yak! On some days there will be lunchboxes from tourist camps. It is good food and our experience has been that guests are happy with this arrangement. Please let us know in advance if you are a vegetarian. Alcohol is not provided on the trip but tourists are free to bring their own.
- Transport:
Discover Mongolia use the highest level, latest model, air-conditioned private vans or 4WD vehicles for the maximum comfort on your touring days. A day's drive in the countryside will be approx 200-250km.
- Personal things to bring with you:
Warm thin layers of clothing are the best such as bring a waterproof jacket, and a hat and headscarf to protect you from the sun and winds. Don't forget insect repellent, sun cream, lip-gloss, water purifying tablets and first aid kit (medicine for headache, cold, diarrhea, runny nose; bandages; any medicine prescribed for you ). All your camera equipment.
