Gobi Desert

The Gobi Desert: Mongolia’s Side and What to Actually See

The Gobi is the largest desert in Asia and the fifth-largest in the world, covering approximately 1.3 million square kilometres across southern Mongolia and northern China. The term Gobi means “waterless place” in Mongolian. Unlike the Sahara, it is predominantly a cold desert: winter temperatures can reach -40 degrees Celsius and summer temperatures reach 45 degrees in some areas. The landscape is mostly gravel plain and rocky steppe rather than sand dunes, which surprises people who arrive expecting an expanse of Saharan-style sand.

Most independent travellers visit the Mongolian Gobi, which is accessible from Ulaanbaatar and has the specific landscapes and wildlife attractions that justify the journey. The Chinese Gobi, while containing significant sites (the Mogao Caves at Dunhuang, the Badain Jaran Desert’s massive sand dunes), requires more logistical planning and is a different kind of journey.

Getting to the Mongolian Gobi

Ulaanbaatar is the base. Flights from Beijing take 2 hours; from Seoul, around 3 hours. From Ulaanbaatar, reaching the Gobi requires a domestic flight to Dalanzadgad (1 hour, MIATs and Hunnu Air have regular service) or a road journey of 500+ kilometres (not recommended on your own without an experienced driver and appropriate vehicle). From Dalanzadgad, all Gobi travel is by 4WD with a local driver-guide combination.

Tour operators in Ulaanbaatar arrange Gobi trips ranging from 4-day minimums to 2-week circuits. A basic 5-day Gobi tour (guide, driver, 4WD, ger accommodation) costs approximately $150-250 USD per person per day depending on group size and operator quality. Independent travel without a guide and driver is theoretically possible but impractical in practice: there are no road signs in meaningful sense, tracks fork without indication, and distances between settlements are measured in hours.

The Flaming Cliffs (Bayanzag)

The Flaming Cliffs are Cretaceous sandstone formations that glow red and orange at sunrise and sunset. They earned the name when American paleontologist Roy Chapman Andrews’ expeditions in the 1920s found dinosaur eggs here for the first time, along with the remains of Protoceratops and Oviraptor. The exposed sediment layers still yield fossils; black market trade in Mongolian fossils is a significant problem, and removing anything is illegal.

The cliffs are most dramatic in the early morning and late afternoon light. The surrounding saxaul tree forest and the flat expanse of gravel desert extending in all directions give the formation its visual context.

Khongor Sand Dunes (Khongoryn Els)

The Khongoryn Els are among the largest sand dunes in Mongolia, 180 kilometres long and reaching 300 metres in height. The dunes are accessible from the Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park and can be climbed on foot (allow 3-4 hours for the steeper sections and back) or by camel trek. The sound the sand makes when moving in the wind gives rise to the local name “Singing Sands.” The Ongi River oasis runs below the dunes, a narrow strip of green vegetation and water in an otherwise dry landscape.

Camel riding is available through local herder families at the base of the dunes and is the correct way to approach the dune field. The Bactrian (two-humped) camels used here are domesticated and manageable; the riding position takes getting used to but the pace is appropriate for the landscape.

Yolin Am (Eagle Valley)

Yolin Am is a narrow canyon within the Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park, unexpectedly green and shaded by high walls. A permanent ice field in the deepest section of the canyon can persist into late summer in cold years. Lammergeyers (bearded vultures) nest in the canyon walls and the bird density is high. The walk through the canyon from the trailhead is 4-6 kilometres and requires creek crossings in the sections where water is present.

Accommodation

Tourist ger camps provide the standard accommodation in the Mongolian Gobi. These are collections of traditional felt gers (round nomadic tents with wood stoves and beds) with a central dining ger and basic toilet facilities. The quality varies from simple operations run by herder families to more structured camps with hot showers. Costs are typically included in tour packages. The sky above a ger camp in the Gobi on a clear night, with no light pollution for hundreds of kilometres, is one of the better arguments for the journey.

Food

Mongolian food in ger camps follows the pastoral tradition: mutton is the main ingredient (tsuivan is mutton stir-fried with noodles; khuushuur are fried mutton-filled dumplings; buuz are steamed versions). Mongolian milk tea (suutei tsai) is made with salted milk and is an acquired taste that becomes normal after two days. Vegetarians need to communicate clearly in advance; the diet is overwhelmingly meat-based and alternatives require advance preparation by camp cooks.