4-Day South Gobi by Shuttle Bus
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Ulaanbaatar → Dalanzadgad → Bayanzag (Flaming Cliffs)
We pick you up from your accommodation at 07:00 and transfer you to the bus station for the ride south to Dalanzadgad, about 600 km and 9 hours on a paved road. Watch the green steppe slowly give way to the dry plains of the Gobi. On arrival in Dalanzadgad, your local guide and driver meet you and drive you about 100 km (2 hours) on dirt tracks to Bayanzag. American explorer Roy Chapman Andrews named this place the 'Flaming Cliffs' in the 1920s, and many important dinosaur finds, including Protoceratops skeletons and the first dinosaur eggs ever discovered, were made here. The red cliffs are imposing from a distance and glow especially fiery in the light of the setting sun. Walk around the site in the evening, then settle in for the night nearby.
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. Today you ride Bactrian camels to explore the base of the dunes, and the energetic can climb one of the crests for an unforgettable view across a sea of golden sand. Spend the night near the dunes.
Yol Gorge → 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) back to Dalanzadgad for the night.
Dalanzadgad → Ulaanbaatar
After breakfast, we transfer you to the local bus station for the ride back to Ulaanbaatar, about 600 km and 9 hours on a paved road, a good chance to watch the desert turn back into steppe and look through your photos. On arrival in the city at around 17:00, we pick you up and take you to your accommodation.