KHONGOR'S SAND DUNE (KHONGORIIN ELS)

Location: Umnugobi Province, southern Mongolia

Looking across the landscape, the sand dunes stretch for about 180 km (112 miles), bordered by rocky mountains to the south and a river-fed green oasis to the north. The tallest of these dunes is Duut Manhan, also known as the Singing Dune. From the top, wave-like patterns spread across the golden sand. On windy days, warm sand slides down the steep face of the dune, creating a soft whistling sound that gives the dune its name.

Water from the Zuulungiin Range travels through the Khongoryn Els sand dunes, sinking beneath the surface before appearing once more along the northern edge as the Seruun Bulag and Arganga Bulag streams. It then continues west for more than 10 kilometers along the base of the dunes, forming what is known as the Khongoryn River. The Mongolian Gobi is one of the few places where two-humped Bactrian camels live, and camel riding provides a gentle way to feel the calmness and stillness of the desert.

South of the dunes, the rocky cliffs of Sevrei Mountain preserve ancient petroglyphs, including a scene of four mounted hunters chasing five ibex, believed to date back to the Bronze Age. Referred to locally as “Queen Sevrei Mountain,” the site carries cultural meaning and is traditionally connected with good fortune and support for women.