6-Day Slow-Paced South Gobi by Car
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Ulaanbaatar β Tsagaan Suvarga
We pick you up from your accommodation at 08:00 and drive south to Tsagaan Suvarga, about 470 km and 6 hours on a paved road. Along the way, the green steppe gradually gives way to the open plains of the Middle Gobi, the traditional resting point on the journey to the South Gobi. Tsagaan Suvarga is a sheer escarpment that was once the floor of an ancient sea. Its layered sediments, laid down over millions of years, show as bands of white, pink, orange, and red, each color marking a different age. The cliffs rise more than 50 m at their highest point and run for some 400 m, looking like the ruins of an ancient ghost city from a distance. Take a gentle hike around the site in the evening light, then spend the night nearby.
Tsagaan Suvarga β Bayanzag (Flaming Cliffs)
After breakfast, drive about 245 km (4 hours, mostly 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, formed in the Late Cretaceous period, are imposing from a distance and glow especially fiery in the light of the setting sun. Take an easy evening walk around the site and along the cliff edge, a favorite time for photos, then spend the night nearby.
Bayanzag β Khongor Sand Dunes
After breakfast, drive about 150 km (4 hours 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, backed by the dark ridges of the Gobi Altai mountains. 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.' Settle in, enjoy the afternoon at a relaxed pace, and watch the light change across the dunes as evening falls. Spend the night near the dunes.
Khongor Sand Dunes: Camel Ride & Dune Climb
Today is a full day to explore Khongor without any long drive. A green oasis fed by the Khongor River lines the northern edge of the dunes, a striking strip of meadow against the golden sand where herders water their animals. After breakfast, ride Bactrian camels to explore the base of these massive dunes. The two-humped camel has carried people and goods across the Gobi for centuries and is calm and steady to ride. The energetic can climb one of the crests for an unforgettable view across an endless sea of sand, while others can simply relax and enjoy the silence of the desert. Spend a second night near the dunes.
Khongor Sand Dunes β Yol Gorge β Dalanzadgad
After breakfast, drive about 190 km (6 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, 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
After breakfast, drive about 600 km (9 hours on a paved road) back to Ulaanbaatar, watching the desert slowly turn back into green steppe, with stops along the way for lunch and to stretch your legs. On arrival in the city at around 18:00, we drop you at your accommodation.