Mongolian Gobi Desert Tour

Today, we will explore Ulaanbaatar on a city tour. We will visit Gandan Monastery, one of Mongolia’s most important Buddhist monasteries, and the Chinggis Khaan National Museum. In the evening, we will enjoy a traditional Mongolian concert.

Tsagaan Suvarga is a striking cliff formation rising up to about 60 meters (197 feet) high and spreading roughly 400 meters wide. The sedimentary layers were once the bottom of an ancient sea that covered this part of the Gobi. In the early morning light, the white, orange, and red colors slowly change, giving the landscape an almost otherworldly feel and often bringing to mind scenes from Mars.

Yol Valley (Yolyn Am) is a narrow mountain gorge in the Gobi Desert, where ice can remain in shaded areas for much of the year. The valley is home to wildlife such as bearded vultures, eagles, argali (wild mountain sheep), and ibex. We will hike approximately 3 km through the gorge before returning along the same route, covering a total distance of around 6 km.

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. Today we drive 195 km to the sand dunes.

This part of the Mongolian Gobi is one of the few places where Bactrian camels still roam. Riding a camel across the dunes offers a peaceful way to experience the desert landscape, and the sunset, with its golden light glowing over the sand, is truly beautiful.

The name Bayanzag, meaning “rich in saxaul,” comes from the saxaul plants that once grew widely across the area. In 1922, American explorer and paleontologist Roy Chapman Andrews and his team uncovered dinosaur eggs and fossils here, bringing international attention to the site. As the sun lowers in the evening sky, the clay cliffs take on deep shades of red and orange, a sight that led Andrews to name the area the Flaming Cliffs.

We drive to Baga Gazriin Chuluu, a granite mountain known for its unusual formations, where rock layers appear cut and stacked horizontally. This distinctive landscape is home to ibex, argali (mountain sheep), and Mongolian gazelles. Among the rocks lie the remains of a 17th-century temple, an “eye spring” believed by locals to benefit eye health, and ancient burials and petroglyphs. Enjoy hiking through the rocky terrain and a clear, star-filled summer sky. Baga Gazriin Chuluu is ideal for travelers seeking nature, history, and tranquil landscapes.

We drive back to Ulaanbaatar.