Price on request
Region: South Gobi Desert, Mongolia
Activities: Country Tour
Dates: Year Round
Duration: 8 Days
For dates and prices, please email info@gatewaytravel.com.au or call 0414955109 (local) or +61 414955109 (international)
8-day Gobi Desert Tour, Mongolia
Overview:
The thought of the Gobi Desert stirs up images of sand dunes in people’s heads, but only about 3% of the Gobi is actual sand dunes whilst most of the terrain is flat with gravel and low vegetation. Though not as populous as other parts of Mongolia, there are nomadic families who live here tending to their livestock including two-humped Bactrian camels beside their herds of sheep, goats, and horses. The Gobi region was once a flourishing ecosystem that supported many types of lifeforms including dinosaurs confirmed by the abundance of fossil discoveries. Experience highlights of the Gobi, including the Lammergeier’s valley – an oasis in the middle of the desert teeming with wildlife, Singing Sands – spectacular stretch of sand dunes, Flaming Cliffs – where an American explorer named Roy Chapman Andrews discovered the first recorded fossilized dinosaur eggs in the 1920s, and other interesting sights.
Bookings
Day 1: Ulaanbaatar
Arrival in Ulaanbaatar (UB), the capital of Mongolia and transfer to a centrally located 4 star hotel. Afternoon guided walking city tour will introduce you to the highlights of the city: The central city square with a grand statue of Genghis Khan and Sukhbaatar statue placed at the center as well. Museum of National History is located right next to the square will introducing Mongolia’s history from early humans to modern era. Then choose to visit one or two museums from the following: 1. Choijin Lama or State Oracle Residence-museum displaying best samples of Buddhist artwork and religious masks. 2 The Fine Arts Zanabazar Museum displays old arts including Buddhist arts, painting, folk arts and crafts, sculptures, carvings and embroideries.
Welcome dinner.
Day 2: Tsagaan Suvarga
Drive to Tsagaan Suvarga, translated as the White Stupa, is a vibrant clay formation slope with a brink that is about 400 meters long and 60 meters high. This naturally occurring formation once was part of a seabed aeons ago. Ores exposed to oxygen created differing purple, orange, and reddish hues that make it stand out amongst its surrounding flat expanse.
Day 3: Bayanzag (Flaming Cliffs)
Drive to Bayanzag, nicknamed “Flaming Cliffs” by an American explorer named Roy Chapman Andrews who led an expedition team here in the 1920s. He was a proponent of “Out of Asia” theory of humankind’s origin. While searching for remains of earliest humans, which they did not find, the team instead discovered the first recorded fossilized nest of dinosaur eggs here at this site along with other dinosaur fossils.
Day 4: Singing Sands
Our next destination is the Khongor sand dunes overlooking the green meadow of the Khongor river. This long, narrow stretch of sand dunes continues for over 100 km with width of about few km to 12 km. From flatland to the highest ridge is around 200 meters.
In the late afternoon, you can try to climb up to one of the crests or walk the lower slopes and enjoy the surrounding view. It’s also called the “Singing Sands” due to a distant propeller hum heard when strong winds push tons of sand grains down steep slopes thus causing friction and producing small tremors.
Day 5: Hiking in Lammergeier’s Valley
Drive to Yolin Am, translated as Lammergeier’s Valley, named after a large species of bird also known as the “bearded vulture” which glide over the gorge where they live and breed on crags of its high mountains. Lammergeiers mostly feed on bones. They can swallow whole or bite through brittle bones and its powerful digestive system quickly dissolves even large pieces. If a bone is too large to swallow, they carry it up and drop it down onto rocks below to smash it into smaller pieces. Nestled within the Three Beauties Mountain range, the narrowest part of its gorge shelters ice until July despite the hot desert temperature. The stream that flows through, the lush valley and its surrounding mountains altogether is an oasis in the middle of the desert accompanying diverse wildlife.
Day 6: Baga Gazariin Chuluu
Baga Gazariin Chuluu is a 15 km long and 10 km wide granite massif encompassing an area of about 300 square kilometers. These unique rock formations create a labyrinth with its gorges, thus making it stand out from surrounding semi-desert steppe terrain. There is ruin of an old monastery center here and other interesting spots including rock paintings and a spring locals claim is good for eye health.
Day 7: Chinggis Khan Statue Complex
Stopover at the Chinggis Khan statue complex. It is a 40-meter (130 ft) tall, stainless-steel statue of mounted Chinggis Khan and the world’s largest equestrian statue. Once you go inside, there is a souvenir shop, restaurant, and small museum. A lift takes you to a flight of stairs leading up to the back of the horse’s head where you can get a panoramic view of the surrounding steppe. Afterwards, drive to Ulaanbaatar.
Check-in Hotel and in the evening, we will have a farewell dinner.
Day 8: Departure
Pick up from the hotel and transfer to the airport for your departure flight.
Price: ON REQUEST
Smarttraveller in Australia
Keep up to date on overseas travel information. We recommend you visit smartraveller.gov.au on the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) website or phone toll free on 1300 139 281.
