Across MongoliaGrand Mongolia
The Gobi dunes, the old capital, the hot springs of Arkhangai and Lake Khövsgöl, in one long journey.
- Length
- 15 days
- Level
- Moderate
- Price
- Price on request
All trips
Gobi Desert
Gobi Desert Expedition
Camel rides at the singing dunes, an ice-filled gorge, and the red cliffs where dinosaur eggs were found.
- Length
- 8 days
- Level
- Moderate
- Runs
- May to October
- Price per person
- from $1,690
Overview
The Gobi is not one long sea of sand. It is gravel plains, striped cliffs and narrow canyons, with the great dunes of Khongoryn Els rising in the south. This loop from Ulaanbaatar takes in all of it, with nights in ger camps and a day with a camel-herding family.
- Climb Khongoryn Els, the “singing dunes”, for sunset
- Ride Bactrian camels with a herding family
- Walk into Yolyn Am, a gorge where ice often lasts into summer
- Stand on the Flaming Cliffs, where an expedition found dinosaur eggs in 1923
- Sleep under some of the darkest skies on earth
The route
Starts and ends in Ulaanbaatar.
Day by day
A sample itinerary. We adjust it to your dates, the weather and what you’d most like to do.
- 1
Day 1
Ulaanbaatar
Your guide meets you at the airport or your hotel. In the afternoon, visit Gandan Monastery, then a welcome dinner to talk through the journey.
Overnight:HotelMeals:Dinner
- 2
Day 2
South to Tsagaan Suvarga
A long first drive as the steppe dries out into desert. In the evening, walk below the striped limestone cliffs of Tsagaan Suvarga, the “white stupa”.
Overnight:Ger campMeals:Breakfast, lunch, dinner
- 3
Day 3
Yolyn Am
Into Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park. Walk the narrow gorge of Yolyn Am, keeping an eye on the ridges for ibex and lammergeier.
Overnight:Ger campMeals:Breakfast, lunch, dinner
- 4
Day 4
Khongoryn Els
West along the mountains to the dunes. Late in the afternoon, climb the sand for sunset. When it slides, the dune hums under your feet.
Overnight:Ger campMeals:Breakfast, lunch, dinner
- 5
Day 5
With the camel herders
A morning camel ride with a local herding family, then time to help with the animals, rest in the shade, or walk the dunes again.
Overnight:Family gerMeals:Breakfast, lunch, dinner
- 6
Day 6
Bayanzag, the Flaming Cliffs
North-east to Bayanzag. The cliffs glow red in the evening light; walk the rim where Roy Chapman Andrews’ expedition found dinosaur eggs.
Overnight:Ger campMeals:Breakfast, lunch, dinner
- 7
Day 7
Ongi Monastery
On to the Ongi River and the ruins of Ongi Monastery, once one of the largest in Mongolia and now partly restored.
Overnight:Ger campMeals:Breakfast, lunch, dinner
- 8
Day 8
Back to Ulaanbaatar
The drive north, arriving in the afternoon. A farewell dinner in the city ends the trip.
Meals:Breakfast, lunch, dinner
On the way
Included
- English-speaking Mongolian guide
- Driver and 4×4 vehicle
- Accommodation as listed
- Meals as listed
- Camel ride and national park fees
Not included
- International flights
- Travel insurance
- Visa, if your passport needs one
- Drinks and snacks
- Tips for your guide and driver
Good to know
- ModerateModerate. Some long drive days, hikes of a few hours, camel or horse rides, and basic facilities on some nights.
- Several days involve long drives on unpaved roads, with regular stops.
- Desert days can be hot and nights cold, so pack warm layers even in summer.
- Ger camps have shared showers, but water can be limited in the desert.
More ways into Mongolia
Across Mongolia
Altai MountainsEagle Hunters of the Altai
Live with a Kazakh eagle-hunting family in the far west, below Mongolia’s highest mountains.
- Length
- 10 days
- Level
- Challenging
- Price
- from $2,450
Central steppeHeart of the Steppe
Wild takhi horses, a herding family’s summer camp, and Kharkhorin, the old imperial capital.
- Length
- 6 days
- Level
- Easy
- Price
- from $1,290