Tsagaan Suvarga

Tsagaan Suvarga, the 'White Stupa', is an eroded escarpment south-west of Ölziit soum on the southern edge of Dundgovi. Seen from a distance across the flat steppe, its pale towers look like a row of stupas or a ruined city. Close up, the cliff is about 400 m long and up to around 60 m high, cut into fluted walls, ridges and gullies.

Layers of colour

The escarpment is made of soft sedimentary layers, and erosion by wind and rare heavy rain has exposed bands of white, pink, orange and deep red. The colours come from minerals in the rock that changed once they were exposed to air. Many guides describe the area as an ancient sea floor and point out shell fragments in the rock. The colours look strongest in low light and just after rain. A smaller formation with similar colours, Ulaan Suvarga ('Red Stupa'), lies to the south-west.

Exploring the cliffs

There are two ways to see Tsagaan Suvarga: from the plateau above, which gives a wide view over the cliffs and the plain, and from below, walking into the side canyons at the foot of the wall. Walking up from the base to the top takes about an hour. Allow two to three hours in total. Early summer, when the steppe is green and wildflowers bloom, is the most photogenic time; spring can be windy and dusty.

Staying safe

The clay and sandstone are soft and break away easily, and overhangs at the rim can collapse. Keep well back from the edge, do not climb the pinnacles, and avoid the steep slopes after rain, when the clay turns slippery. Leave fossils and stones where they lie, and carry all the water you need, as there is none at the site.