4-Day South Gobi by Private Car
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Ulaanbaatar β Dalanzadgad β Bayanzag (Flaming Cliffs)
We pick you up from your accommodation at 08:00 and drive south to Dalanzadgad, about 600 km and 8 hours on a paved road, watching the green steppe slowly give way to the dry plains of the Gobi. In Dalanzadgad you change to an off-road vehicle and continue about 100 km (2 hours on dirt roads) 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 sandstone cliffs are imposing from a distance and glow especially fiery in the light of the setting sun, so you arrive at just the right time of day. Walk around the site in the evening, then spend 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 these massive dunes, and then climb up to the top of one of the crests for an unforgettable view across a sea of golden sand. The climb is steep and slow-going in the soft sand, but the panorama from the top, and the slide back down, make it well worth the effort. Spend the night near the dunes.
Khongor β Yol Gorge
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 the ice formed by its small stream in winter often survives into the hot summer months, until about mid-July. Enjoy an hour's hike through the gorge, keeping an eye out 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. Spend the night nearby.
Yol Gorge β Ulaanbaatar
After breakfast, drive back to Ulaanbaatar, about 650 km and 9 hours on a paved road, a long but comfortable ride on which you can watch the desert turn back into steppe and look through your photos. On arrival in the city at around 17:00, we take you to your accommodation.