6 Days Gobi Desert Tour: Landscapes Odyssey (available year-round)

Your Gobi adventure begins today! On this day, we'll pick you up from your Ulaanbaatar hotel at 7:00 AM. Get ready for an exciting journey south towards the vast Gobi Desert.

Our drive to Dalanzadgad will take approximately 8-9 hours, including a comfortable stop in Mandalgovi town for lunch.

By evening, we will arrive in Dalanzadgad, the capital of Umnugovi Province. This small but important town is known as the "Gateway to the Gobi Desert." It serves as your essential base for exploring famous nearby attractions like Yol Valley, Khongor Sand Dunes, and the Flaming Cliffs.

Upon arrival, you'll check into your hotel, where you'll enjoy dinner and settle in for a restful overnight stay.

After breakfast, we'll check out of our hotel. Our first stop is the Umnugovi Province Museum. Here, you'll gain a deeper understanding of the local culture and the unique nature of the Gobi. The museum features an impressive collection of dinosaur fossils and showcases the Gobi Desert's distinct plants and animals, including rare species like the snow leopard, ibex, and the critically endangered Gobi bear (Mazaalai).

Following our museum visit, we'll take a short drive to the famous Bayanzag (known as the Flaming Cliffs). This site is renowned worldwide for its stunning red sandstone landscapes and its importance as a dinosaur fossil discovery location. The cliffs truly live up to their name, appearing to be ablaze with color during sunrise or sunset. It was here, in the 1920s, that American explorer Roy Chapman Andrews made groundbreaking discoveries, including the world's first fossilized dinosaur eggs, along with skeletons of Protoceratops and Velociraptor.

Upon arrival at the Flaming Cliffs, we'll visit the information center to learn more through its exhibits and a documentary. You'll then have time to immerse yourself in the wilderness, hiking along designated trails to explore the unique rock formations and observe drought-resistant desert plants like the Saxaul tree.

Later in the day, we'll reach our hosts: a nomadic camel breeder family. The rest of the afternoon will be spent experiencing their traditional Gobi lifestyle, watching them care for their goats and camels.

In the morning, we set off on 4 to 5-hour drive to the magnificent Khongor Sand Dunes, traversing vast desert badlands that stretch to the distant horizons, adorned with remote mountains.

The Khongor Sand Dunes, world’s nature wonder, are one of Mongolia's largest and most spectacular sand formations, famously known as the "singing" or "booming" sands. These dunes span about 180 kilometers in length, 15-20 kilometers in width, and reach heights of 80-100 meters at their tallest points. The golden-yellow sands shimmer under the sunlight, creating a truly splendid landscape. When the sand shifts or the wind blows, the dunes emit a low, rumbling sound, giving them their unique name.

Upon reaching our ger camp, we will enjoy a satisfying lunch. Later in the afternoon, as the desert heat subsides, we will meet a local camel herder and partake in a serene one-hour camel ride. We'll then ascend the dunes to witness a mesmerizing sunset from their summit. After this memorable experience, we return to the camp for dinner and a peaceful night's rest.

Today, we bid farewell to the majestic Khongor Sand Dunes as we journey towards the incredible Yolyn Am Gorge, nestled within the Zuun Saikhan mountain range. After a picturesque drive of 4-5 hours, we will arrive at this enchanting natural wonder, also known as Eagle Valley.

Yolyn Am is famous for its towering rock walls, which impressively rise 200-300 meters (650-980 feet) high, creating a dramatic and secluded atmosphere. In some parts, the gorge becomes incredibly narrow, allowing only one person to pass through at a time, adding to its mysterious beauty.

Upon arrival, you'll enjoy refreshing one-hour hike from the parking area. This walk will immerse you in the gorge's stunning natural beauty, offering cool, shaded paths and opportunities to spot diverse wildlife. Take time to soak in the serene atmosphere, listen to the sounds of running streams, and admire the incredible views all around you.

After our exploration of the gorge, we will transfer to a local hotel in Dalanzadgad, where you will enjoy dinner and an overnight stay.

After breakfast, we will depart from Dalanzadgad and begin our expedition to Tsagaan Suvarga, a truly remarkable geological formation. This site, which resembles an ancient seabed, will be our destination after about 3-4 hour drive.

"Tsagaan Suvarga" translates to "White Stupa" in Mongolian. Its name perfectly describes its appearance: these sedimentary cliffs display stunning layers of white, pink, and reddish-brown rock. From a distance, they indeed look like a giant white stupa, a traditional Buddhist monument.

These impressive cliffs reach up to 30 meters (98 feet) in height and stretch over 400 meters (1,312 feet), offering spectacular views from every angle. Their colors are dynamic, shifting throughout the day from white to vibrant pink, orange, and reddish-brown, especially captivating during sunset when they glow with golden and pink hues - a dream spot for photographers!

Upon arrival, you'll have exciting excursion to the Tsagaan Suvarga scarps. Enjoy an unforgettable hike through these colorful cliffs, and climb to the top for truly breathtaking panoramic views.

After this invigorating exploration, we will continue our journey to Mandalgovi town, where you will check into a local hotel for a comfortable overnight stay.

Today, we'll embark on a journey to the legendary granite mountains of Baga Gazaryn Chuluu, just an hour's drive this morning.

Upon arrival, we'll explore Surtiin Am. Here, you'll discover ancient stone temple ruins, venture into a fascinating 20-meter-long cave, and observe unique "ger stones" (circular stone formations often associated with nomadic dwellings).

In the afternoon, drive back to Ulaanbaatar. After a journey of about 4-5 hours, we will arrive in the city. You'll be transferred to your hotel, and the rest of the evening will be free for you to enjoy dinner at your leisure. Have a good rest!

Now, it is time to end your 6 days Mongolia Gobi Desert tour! Thank you for choosing Asia Odyssey Travel for your Mongolia tour. We hope to see you again on your next journey!