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Friday, 26th June
arrival into Ulaanbaatar
Ulaanbaatar | We’ll begin our adventure in downtown Ulaanbaatar as the group meets at the designated rendezvous point for our optional walking tour of central Ulaanbaatar.
Sukhbaatar Square | We’ll begin at the heart of the city, Sukhbaatar Square, home to grand statues of Khans and Communist revolutionaries.
Peace Avenue & State Department Store | From here we’ll head along one of the city’s main avenues, Peace Avenue, mixing in with the hustle and bustle of city life in Ulaanbaatar, making our way to the grand State Department Store – a chance to buy everything from weird souvenirs to washing machines. Most importantly, we’ll have a chance to exchange money here.
Beatles Statue | Finally we’ll head south to the Beatles Statue which graces downtown Ulaanbaatar, before walking back to the hotel along Seoul Street for a rest and some time to prepare for our pre-tour briefing and first group meal.
Accommodation: Hotel 9, Ulaanbaatar
Included Meals: Dinner
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Saturday, 27th June
Journey south to the White Stupa Cliffs
Journey to the Gobi | We’ll start our adventure early as we have a long drive south towards the Gobi Desert. On the journey, we will see the lush green rolling hills of Ulaanbaatar open up to the semi-arid middle Gobi region.
Lunch Stop in Mandalgovi | For lunch, we will stop at a local restaurant in the regional capital, Mandalgovi. This desert town expanded and grew during the Soviet Union period, becoming a centre of manufacturing and industry, which unfortunately declined following the collapse of the Union. These days, the town is home to a large agricultural college, with farming providing the primary income regionally.
Driving Deeper into the Desert | Continuing our drive southwards, we will see more signs of desertification and herds of camels roaming the desolate desert plains. We’ll cross from the middle Gobi region into the south, turning off the main highway and heading out across the desert scrub to our destination, the White Stupa Cliffs (Tsagaan Suvarga).
The White Stupa Cliffs | Located in the rocky Tsagaan Suvarga National Park, the White Stupa Cliffs are an impressive geological rock formation. Millions of years of wind, rain, and tectonic shifts have sculpted this ancient sea bed. The cliffs that have been formed, as the name suggests, resemble crumbling white Buddhist pagodas. Stand even further back, and they look like a deserted city.
Evening at the Ger Camp | Not far from the fantastic White Stupa Cliffs, we find our ger camp accommodation tonight, out in the desert. Once we have checked in, you’ll be able to enjoy a welcome drink and view your first Gobi sunset.
Accommodation: Ger Camp
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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Sunday, 28th June
Into the heart of the Gobi
Desert Sunrise or Lazy Morning | For those who watched the sunset the previous day, you may wish to complete the set and wake for the desert sunrise; alternatively, snuggle up in your duvet and enjoy the warmth of your ger. After breakfast, we’ll depart the camp and continue southwards to the city of Dalanzadgad.
Arrival in Dalanzadgad | Dalanzadgad is the regional capital at the heart of South Gobi Province and the region where we will be spending much of the following days. The town has a population of around 70,000, although it never feels like it since this settlement in the desert always appears empty with a wild west frontier feel. We’ll stop for a spot of lunch and stock up on road snacks before driving on to our main highlight of the day—Yol Am Valley.
Yol Am Valley (Vulture Gorge) | A relatively short drive from Dalanzadgad finds us at the famed Yol Am Valley, located in southern Mongolia’s Gurvan Saikhan Mountain Range. Before beginning our hike, we will visit the small local natural history museum, which houses some fascinating paleontological finds, including ten-million-year-old dinosaur eggs.
Hiking the Canyon | We begin our adventure at the valley’s wide entrance, following the small river deeper into the canyon as the cliffs narrow and the sun disappears from the gorge’s floor. If conditions allow, we may spot the locally famous frozen river, which forms over winter and thaws slowly, sometimes lingering into the summer months.
Wildlife and Scenery | As we follow the winding path, eagles soar in the thermals above, wild goats perch on high cliffs, and pikas dart between the rocks. For those wanting a more relaxed option, horses are available for rent at the entrance of the canyon.
Accommodation: Ger Camp
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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Monday, 29th June
The Khongor Dunes
Into the Heart of the Gobi | The adventure continues as we board our vehicles and journey onwards through the wilds of the Gobi Desert, heading deeper into its sandy clutches to the Khongor Sand Dunes (Khongoryn Els), also known as the Singing Sands. We pass some of the typical Gobi terrain along the route—a mix of loose pebbles, gravel, and fine sand.
Nomadic Encounter on the Steppe | As we journey, we’ll cross a fertile area of the steppe, where we’ll be sure to visit a traditional nomadic family who call this desolate region home.
Arrival at Khongor Sand Dunes | The Khongor Sand Dunes, as the name suggests, are a rare dune system in the Gobi—only about 3% of the desert is covered in sand. These towering dunes reach heights of up to 300 metres and stretch over 180 km. We’ll arrive at the most dramatic section and settle into our Ger camp with panoramic views across the dunes.
Camel Herder Visit and Dune Exploration | After lunch and a short rest while the day cools, we’ll visit a camel herder family in the area. While many now cater to tourists, riding a Bactrian camel into the dunes remains a uniquely fitting way to approach these majestic sandy giants. We’ll then have time to climb and explore the dunes—a tough but rewarding challenge.
The Singing Sands | If the wind is just right, you may be lucky enough to hear the dunes “sing”—a deep, mysterious hum caused by wind brushing across the dune’s surface. Some say it sounds like a jet engine, others like a hidden spirit in the sands.
Sunset Over the Dunes | As the day comes to a close, the Khongor Dunes come alive at sunset. Whether you watch from the top of the dunes or from the comfort of our Ger camp with a cold drink after dinner, it’s a moment to savour.
Accommodation: Tourist Ger Camp
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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Tuesday, 30th June
An Adventure to the Flaming Cliffs
Into the Vast Gobi | The Gobi Desert is vast and our foray onto its plains today only gives us a snippet of its actual size. The Gobi stretches into six Mongolian provinces (Aimags) and even crosses into China. It is the sixth-largest desert globally and the second in Asia—a wide-open place of extremes. Our stop for today is perhaps one of the most well known.
Bayanzag – The Flaming Cliffs | Our main destination for today, Bayanzag (the Flaming Cliffs), is stunningly beautiful with its flame-coloured sandstone cliffs and canyons. Aside from its obvious wow factor, Bayanzag is also the site where American palaeontologist Roy Chapman Andrews discovered the world’s first-ever fossilised dinosaur eggs, along with a mighty haul of other fossils. A walk along these cliffs is quite literally a walk in the footsteps of the man who inspired Indiana Jones.
Walking Through History and Landscape | We’ll also take a walk amongst the lower regions of Bayanzag, nicknamed by some as Mongolia’s answer to the Grand Canyon—though the comparison doesn’t hold up, as Bayanzag is a marvel in its own right. These lower areas provide breathtaking views of the enflamed rock face and reflect the cliff’s more local name: Bayanzag, meaning “rich in saxaul shrubs.” The name may sound strange until you see the peculiar spindly shrubs sprouting from the desert floor, adding to the otherworldly atmosphere of the area.
Evening at the Cliffs | Once we have finished our exploration, we’ll head to a nearby Ger camp where we can relax, enjoy a drink, and—if you wish—return to the cliffs to catch the changing colours at sunset, a perfect way to end another exciting day in the Gobi.
Accommodation: Tourist Ger Camp
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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Wednesday, 1st July
Baga Gazriin Chuluu (the rocky place).
Sunrise at the Flaming Cliffs | For those early risers today, you may wish to view the changing colours of the Flaming Cliffs once again. This time, sunrise offers the opportunity and is said to be the best time to see the true beauty of this famous geological formation.
Journey to Baga Gazriin Chuluu | Following breakfast, we make our way across country, continuing our journey to an area known as Baga Gazriin Chuluu. The trip will take us across typical Gobi scrub, transitioning into the more famed and well-known Mongolian steppe.
Arrival in Baga Gazriin Chuluu | As we approach, Baga Gazriin Chuluu comes as a real surprise—a granite outcrop rising to 1768 metres above sea level in the middle of the otherwise flat, featureless steppe. The area is designated a national park, home to 20 rare species of plant, as well as ibex, marmots, and mountain sheep.
Exploration and History | The area offers impressive geology and excellent hiking, including trails that pass ancient petroglyphs and burial mounds. We’ll visit the ruins of an abandoned monastery, discover a healing spring said to cure bad eyesight, and climb into a hidden cave filled with myths and legends told to scare nomadic children!
Nomadic Encounters | Should time permit on our journey, we will also have time to interact with local nomadic herders passing through the region on longer journeys. If possible, we’ll stop for the ubiquitous cup of milky tea before continuing on our own adventure.
Accommodation: Tourist Ger Camp
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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Thursday, 2nd July
Return to UB
Return to Ulaanbaatar | After an early morning start, we say a fond farewell to Mongolia’s southern region and drive back to the bustling capital, Ulaanbaatar.
Gandan Monastery Visit | However, our tour isn’t over yet—we’re off into the city to explore some of Ulaanbaatar’s must-see sites, starting with Gandan Monastery. This is the largest and most impressive Buddhist monastery in the city, made up of various temples from different periods. One of the highlights is the awe-inspiring 26-meter-high gold-coated indoor Buddha.
National Museum of Mongolian History | From temple to museum, we head further into the city to visit the National Museum of Mongolian History, where we’ll explore artefacts from Mongolia and Central Asia dating as far back as the Stone Age to the present day.
Back to the Hotel & Farewell | From there, it’s just a short walk across the square to the comfort of our hotel, where you’ll have a chance to wash the Gobi sand from your hair, unwind, go shopping, and prepare for our final group meal together—a chance to reflect on the incredible journey we've shared.
Accommodation: Hotel 9, Ulaanbaatar
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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Friday, 3rd July
A journey home
This morning we’ll arrange airport transfers for those heading off straight away.
Alternatively, this adventure is designed to line up perfectly with our flagship Mongolia adventure; Beyond the Steppe: Naadam Festival Tour – a chance to visit the true wilderness of far western Mongolia and celebrate alongside local people.
Included Meals: Breakfast
END OF TOUR
