2-Day Khongor Dunes Trip from Dalanzadgad
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Dalanzadgad β Yol Gorge β Khongor Sand Dunes
We pick you up from your hotel in Dalanzadgad at 07:00 and drive about 50 km (1 hour on a paved road) 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. After lunch, drive about 190 km (5 hours, mostly on dirt roads) west 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,' and a green oasis fed by the Khongor River lines their northern edge. Spend the night in a tourist ger camp near the dunes.
Khongor Sand Dunes: Camel Ride β Bayanzag β Dalanzadgad
After breakfast, ride Bactrian camels to explore the base of the massive dunes, and if you have the energy, climb one of the crests for an unforgettable view across an endless sea of golden sand. After lunch, drive about 150 km (4 hours on dirt roads) to Bayanzag. American explorer and zoologist Roy Chapman Andrews named this place the 'Flaming Cliffs' in the 1920s, and many important dinosaur finds were made here, including Protoceratops skeletons and the first dinosaur eggs ever discovered. The eroded red sandstone cliffs are imposing from a distance and glow especially fiery in the light of the setting sun. Walk around the site and along the cliff edge. After dinner, drive about 100 km (2 hours on dirt roads) back to Dalanzadgad, where we drop you off at your hotel at around 21:00 and the tour ends.