4-Day Luxury Gobi at Three Camel Lodge
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Fly to Dalanzadgad β Bayanzag (Flaming Cliffs)
We pick you up from your accommodation (pickup time confirmed with your flight) and take you to the airport for the 1-hour flight to Dalanzadgad, the capital of Umnugobi Province. Your local guide and driver meet you on arrival and drive 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 were made here, including Protoceratops skeletons and the first dinosaur eggs ever discovered. The red sandstone cliffs are imposing from a distance and glow especially fiery in the light of the setting sun. Walk around the site, then settle in at the Three Camel Lodge, an eco-lodge of felt gers and a timber main lodge set against a rocky outcrop, for dinner and your first night in the desert.
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,' and a green oasis fed by the Khongor River lines their northern edge. Ride Bactrian camels to explore the dunes, then climb one of the crests for an unforgettable view across an endless sea of golden sand. After dinner, drive about 150 km (4 hours on dirt roads) back to the Three Camel Lodge for the night.
Yol Gorge
After breakfast, drive about 100 km (2 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 also possible here. Afterward, drive about 100 km (2 hours on a paved road) back to the Three Camel Lodge for a relaxed final evening in the desert.
Fly back to Ulaanbaatar
After breakfast, transfer to the Gurvan Saikhan airfield for the 1-hour flight back to Ulaanbaatar, a last look at the desert from the air. After you land, our driver meets you and takes you to your accommodation. The end time depends on the flight schedule, usually in the morning.