4-Day South Gobi Fly-In Tour
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Ulaanbaatar β Dalanzadgad (Flight) β Bayanzag (Flaming Cliffs)
We pick you up from your accommodation (the pickup time is confirmed in advance) and transfer you to the airport for the 1-hour flight to Dalanzadgad, the provincial center of the South Gobi. From the air, watch the green steppe turn into the wide, tawny plains of the desert. Your local guide and driver meet you on arrival and drive you about 100 km (2 hours on dirt roads) to Bayanzag. American explorer Roy Chapman Andrews named this place the 'Flaming Cliffs' during his expeditions of the 1920s, and many important dinosaur finds, including Protoceratops skeletons and the first dinosaur eggs ever discovered, were made here. The red sandstone cliffs are imposing from a distance and glow especially fiery in the light of the setting sun, while the plain around them is dotted with hardy saxaul shrubs. Walk around the site and along the cliff edge in the evening, then spend the night nearby.
Bayanzag β Khongor Sand Dunes: Camel Ride & Dune Climb
After breakfast, drive about 150 km (4 hours on dirt roads) to Khongor, the largest sand dune field in the Gobi Desert. The dunes stretch nearly 100 km long and 5 to 10 km wide, with crests rising 80 to 300 m above the surrounding land. On windy days, the moving sand produces a deep booming sound that carries a long way, which is why locals call them the 'Singing Sands.' A green oasis fed by the Khongor River lines their northern edge, a striking contrast with the golden sand behind it. Today you ride Bactrian camels to explore the dunes, and then climb to the top of one of the crests for an unforgettable view across an endless sea of golden sand. Spend the night near the dunes.
Khongor β Yol Gorge β Dalanzadgad
After breakfast, drive about 190 km (5 hours on dirt roads) to Yol Gorge in the Gurvan Saikhan mountain range. 'Yol' means bearded vulture in Mongolian, and the gorge stretches for more than 10 km. At its narrowest point only three or four people can walk side by side, and the high rock walls shade the valley floor from direct sun, so ice formed by its small stream in winter often survives until mid-July. Enjoy an hour's hike through the gorge, keep watch for ibex and vultures on the cliffs, and visit the small natural history museum at the park entrance. An optional horse ride is possible here. Afterward, drive 50 km (1 hour on a paved road) to Dalanzadgad for the night.
Dalanzadgad β Ulaanbaatar (Flight)
After breakfast, transfer to Dalanzadgad's Gurvan Saikhan airport for the 1-hour flight back to Ulaanbaatar, a last chance to look down on the vast desert you've just explored. After you land, our driver picks you up and takes you to your accommodation. The end time depends on the flight schedule, usually in the morning, leaving you the rest of the day free in the city.