Gobi Desert Tour Map

The classic Gobi Desert tour is a 6–8 day loop from Ulaanbaatar that heads south to Tsagaan Suvarga, continues to Yolyn Am and the Khongoryn Els sand dunes, turns north to Bayanzag (the Flaming Cliffs) and returns via Kharkhorin in Central Mongolia. The full circuit covers roughly 1,800–2,000 km, much of it on dirt tracks, so expect long driving days.

The route at a glance (approximate distances)

• Ulaanbaatar → Tsagaan Suvarga: about 450 km via Mandalgovi (7–9 hours).
• Tsagaan Suvarga → Yolyn Am: about 250 km via Dalanzadgad.
• Yolyn Am → Khongoryn Els: about 180–200 km.
• Khongoryn Els → Bayanzag: about 150–180 km.
• Bayanzag → Kharkhorin: about 350–450 km, often split over two days with a night near the Ongi Monastery ruins.
• Kharkhorin → Ulaanbaatar: about 360 km on a paved road (6–7 hours).

These figures are approximate and vary with the tracks your driver chooses and the weather.

Sample 8-day itinerary

• Day 1: Ulaanbaatar → Baga Gazryn Chuluu (about 250 km), granite rock formations and small monastery ruins.
• Day 2: → Tsagaan Suvarga, with its coloured cliffs at sunset.
• Day 3: → Yolyn Am, hiking in the gorge.
• Day 4: → Khongoryn Els.
• Day 5: At Khongoryn Els — climb the dunes, ride a camel, visit a herder family.
• Day 6: → Bayanzag, red cliffs and saxaul forest.
• Day 7: → Ongi Monastery or Kharkhorin.
• Day 8: Kharkhorin and Erdene Zuu Monastery → Ulaanbaatar.

For a 6-day version, drop Baga Gazryn Chuluu and the second night at the dunes, or return directly from Bayanzag to Ulaanbaatar.

Highlights along the way

• Tsagaan Suvarga: an eroded limestone escarpment whose layers show bands of different colours.
• Yolyn Am: a narrow gorge in the Zuun Saikhan mountains of Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park. Its ice field once lasted through the summer but now usually melts earlier. The name refers to the lammergeier (bearded vulture).
• Khongoryn Els: the "singing dunes", among the largest in Mongolia, stretching about 100 km. Camel rides with local herders are easy to arrange.
• Bayanzag: red-orange sandstone cliffs, made famous in the 1920s when American Museum of Natural History expeditions led by Roy Chapman Andrews found dinosaur eggs and fossils here.
• Kharkhorin: Erdene Zuu Monastery (founded in 1585), the site of Karakorum, capital of the Mongol Empire, and the Kharkhorum Museum.

Driving conditions and shortening the trip

Most days involve 5–8 hours in the vehicle over sand, corrugated tracks and occasional river crossings. Flying one way to or from Dalanzadgad can save about two days; check current schedules with the airline. The best season is May to September and early October. Summer temperatures can exceed 35°C, spring brings dust storms, and nights are cold.

Practical tips

• Carry plenty of water, sun cream, a hat, a windproof jacket and sunglasses.
• Withdraw cash in Ulaanbaatar or Dalanzadgad; ATMs are scarce along the route.
• Protected areas such as Gobi Gurvansaikhan charge entry fees; confirm current amounts on site or with your tour operator.
• Never collect dinosaur bones or fossils — exporting palaeontological finds from Mongolia is illegal.
• Take your rubbish with you; Gobi plants and soils are very fragile.