route
Ulaanbaatar- White Stupa (Tsagaan suvraga)- Yolyn Am Valley- Khongoryn Els Sand Dune- Bayan zag flaming cliffs- Erdene dalai- Ulaanbaatar
activities
- Day 1 White stupa ( Tsagaan suvraga)
- We’ll drive to the scarp of Tsagaan Suvarga which is located in Ulziit soum, Dundgovi province. It is interesting to see the sheer slope, facing east, which forms cliffs 30 meters high and 100 meters wide. Over thousands of years the wind has created this amazing structure. It is an excellent site for taking photographs of the beautiful panoramic views.
- Day 2 Yolyn Am Valley
- After breakfast, we’ll drive to Yoliin Am in the middle of the Gobi desert National Park which is a strictly protected area, covering 70sq.kms. The mountains here are the highest in the Gobi Desert and the rocky scenery is quite interesting, especially between June and July while the ice in a gorge remains. Yolyn Am canyon in the Gurvan Saikhan mountains is home to endangered snow leopard, wild sheep, wild goats and Lammergeiers (Bearded Vulture). We’ll walk 2kms through a narrow valley, then return to the minivan again on the same route.
- Day 3 Khongoryn Els Sand Dune
- We’ll drive to the Khongoryn Els Sand Dunes (195kms). The Khongoryn Els is one of the largest and most spectacular sand dunes in Mongolia. Also known as the Duut Mankhan ”Singing Dunes” from the sound they make when the sand is moved by the wind), they are up to 200m high, 12 km wide and about 120 km long. We’ll see beautiful views, huge sand dunes and a cold water spring with a river that leads to two small ponds.
- Day 4 Camel riding at Khongor Sand dune
- We’ll climb and hike to the top of the biggest sand dunes, Duut Mankhan ”Singing Dunes''. There is an oasis near Khongor creek at the northern edge of the sand dune. The dunes make a sound like a plane engine on a windy day so it’s named as “Singing Dunes”. Also, if you wish, you may take a 10km hike alongside the creek. We arrange a camel riding trip on the real sand dunes. You may also have the chance to see a beautiful sunset in the gobi desert.
- Day 5 Bayan-zag flaming cliffs
- After breakfast, We’ll travel on to Bayan-Zag (150kms). Bayan-Zag means “rich in Saxaul Shrubs” ; it is more commonly known as the “Flaming Cliffs” of Bayan-Zag. The American paleontologist Roy Chapman who visited there in the 1920s has made this place famous as the first discovery of dinosaur fossils in Mongolia. This is also a beautiful location at sunset.
- Day 6 Erdene-dalai village
- We’ll drive to the Erdenedalai village. There is a beautiful steppe on the way to Erdenedalai and we’ll stay family ger or tent
- Day 7 Go back to Ulaanbaatar
- We’ll drive back to UB.
