8 Days • 7 Nights
Gobi Desert Expedition
Tour Includes
About the Trip
You'll climb the towering singing sand dunes of Khongoryn Els, ride Bactrian camels with nomad herders, stand at the red Bayanzag 'Flaming Cliffs' where the first dinosaur eggs were found, and hike the icy gorge of Yolyn Am. Ger camps, herder families and star-blazing desert skies fill the nights.
With comfortable ger camps, expert guides and a 4WD across the desert, it is Mongolia's wildest landscape at its most immersive.
Trip Highlights
- The towering singing sand dunes of Khongoryn Els
- Riding Bactrian camels with nomad herders
- The red Bayanzag 'Flaming Cliffs' of dinosaur fame
- The dramatic Yolyn Am ice canyon
- Vast desert skies ablaze with stars
- Visits to nomadic herder families
- Saxaul forests and desert wildlife
- Nights in traditional ger camps
Day by Day
A detailed day-by-day plan for this 8-day journey.
Arrive in the capital and settle in, with a welcome dinner before heading to the desert.
Fly south to the vast Gobi Desert, settling into your ger camp and taking a first walk into the immense, silent landscape at sunset.
Drive into the Gurvan Saikhan mountains to hike the dramatic Yolyn Am gorge, where ice lingers deep into summer, watching for ibex, vultures and pikas.
Journey to the towering Khongoryn Els, the 'singing dunes', riding a Bactrian camel with a herder family and climbing a great dune for sunset.
A morning among the dunes and an oasis, then time with a nomadic herder family, learning about camel herding and life in the desert.
Travel to the red Bayanzag 'Flaming Cliffs', glowing at sunset, where Roy Chapman Andrews discovered the first dinosaur eggs in the 1920s, with a saxaul forest walk.
Fly back to the capital for a final evening, with time for the cashmere shops.
A final breakfast before your transfer to the airport.
Where You Will Travel
What's inside the package?
Inclusions
- Private airport transfers and a private guide and 4WD driver throughout
- 1N Ulaanbaatar, 5N Gobi ger camps, 1N Ulaanbaatar
- Daily breakfast, a welcome dinner and full board at all ger camps
- An Ulaanbaatar orientation and a domestic flight to and from the Gobi
- Khongoryn Els singing dunes and a camel ride
- The Bayanzag 'Flaming Cliffs' and Yolyn Am ice canyon
- Nomad family visits and desert 4WD touring
- All park and site fees per the itinerary
Exclusions
- International airfare to and from Mongolia
- Any visa fees where applicable
- Travel insurance (essential, with evacuation cover)
- Meals not mentioned in the itinerary or inclusions
- Drinks unless specifically stated
- Optional activities and horse riding where not stated
- Personal expenses, tips and gratuities
- Anything not specifically mentioned under Package Inclusions
Know when to go.
- Visa: Many nationalities can now visit Mongolia visa-free for up to 30 days; others need an eVisa or visa in advance. Your passport should be valid at least six months — we can advise
- Currency: The currency is the Mongolian Tugrik. Cards work in Ulaanbaatar, but the countryside is a cash economy with almost no ATMs, so carry enough cash for the whole trip beyond the capital
- Best season: Mongolia is a summer destination — June to September brings warm days and green steppe. The famous Naadam festival is in mid-July; winters are extremely cold and most camps close
- Ger camp life: You stay in traditional felt gers (yurts) with beds and a wood stove. They are comfortable but simple, with shared or private bathroom blocks; bring layers, a headlamp and a sense of adventure
- Long distances: Mongolia is vast and roads are often rough tracks, so expect long, scenic overland drives, with domestic flights for the Gobi and the far west, all arranged for you
- Big temperature swings: Even in summer, days can be warm and nights cold, so pack warm layers, a windproof jacket, sturdy shoes, sunscreen and sunglasses
- Nomadic etiquette: When visiting a nomad family's ger, enter with your left foot, never step on the threshold, accept offered food or drink with your right hand, and move clockwise inside
- Connectivity: Mobile signal is limited or absent outside Ulaanbaatar and the main towns — embrace the digital detox and the vast, silent landscapes
- Health: Drink bottled or boiled water, and note that facilities are basic in remote areas. Comprehensive travel insurance with evacuation cover is essential
- Power: Ger camps often have limited, generator or solar electricity for a few hours a day, so bring a power bank and a universal adapter (Mongolia uses type C/E plugs at 220V)
Frequently Asked Questions
What meals are included?
Daily breakfast is included throughout, with full board (breakfast, lunch and dinner) at the remote ger camps where there are no restaurants, plus a welcome dinner in Ulaanbaatar. It is hearty, home-style cooking.
Are transfers and touring private?
Yes — you travel with your own guide and a 4WD driver across the countryside, with domestic flights for the Gobi and far west, all arranged for you.
Do I need a visa for Mongolia?
Many nationalities now visit visa-free for up to 30 days; others need an eVisa or visa in advance. We confirm the requirements for your passport before you travel.
When is the best time to visit?
June to September is the season — warm days, green steppe and open camps. The Naadam festival falls in mid-July, and the Golden Eagle Festival in early October. Winters are extremely cold.
What is a ger camp like?
A cluster of traditional felt tents (gers) with real beds, rugs and a wood stove, plus a central dining ger and a shared or private bathroom block. Comfortable and atmospheric, if simple — a magical way to sleep on the steppe.
Can the itinerary be customised?
Absolutely. Durations, regions, camps and experiences can all be tailored, and we can add the Naadam festival, eagle hunters, Lake Khovsgol or a luxury camp. Just tell us what you have in mind.
How much driving is involved?
Mongolia is huge with few paved roads, so expect long, scenic 4WD journeys across the steppe and desert, broken by stops. Domestic flights cover the longest legs to the Gobi and the west.
Is the Gobi all sand dunes?
No — the Gobi is a varied desert of rocky plains, mountains, canyons, saxaul forests and only a few great dune fields such as Khongoryn Els. That variety, and its wildlife and fossils, is what makes it so fascinating.
How comfortable are the desert ger camps?
They are simple but comfortable — real beds in traditional gers, a dining ger with hearty meals, and shared or private bathroom facilities. Sleeping under the Gobi's star-filled sky is unforgettable.
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