How to prepare for a trip to the Gobi desert, what should be taken into account when fees and what should you look at the spot? The answers to these and other questions can be found in a detailed guide from the experimental team of the Anthropogeos project.
How to get
The best way to move in Mongolia is the vehicles-in-roads. You can come to them from Russia (from the side of Irkutsk and Ulan-Ude)-in this case, keep in mind that the owner of the transport should be in your team, otherwise they may not pass across the border. Another option is to fly to Ulan Bator and rent cars there. There should be at least two units of vehicles in the caravan – traveling alone and in one car is unsafe. If something happens to the crew in the middle of the desert, it will not work to call there a tow truck.
When going on a trip to a smaller composition, look for teams on the forums and social networks that plan a trip on the same route, and unite. If you are not enough for a full -fledged crew, it’s easier to join group tours – in this case, the organizers will think about you about the technical side of the trip. This is more expensive, but more convenient and safer, especially if you do not have fellow travelers.
In public transport, theoretically, you can also travel to Mongolia and even get to Gobi. However, most of the attractions do not get to most of the attractions (there are simply no roads there), and the route will take much more time to accessible places.
What to see in Gobi
The Gobi desert, even without attractions, is a unique phenomenon: this is a lot of climatic zones that replace each other, incredible multicolor soil, red rocks, black sands, green steppes. Just driving it is an attraction. Let us dwell only in some places that are especially closely attention in the journey.
Lake Hubsugul
If you go by cars from Irkutsk, look at Lake Khubsugul – you can’t get here in any other way, but the place is worth it. Khubsugul is the younger and not at all mastered brother of Baikal. There are only a few dozen tourist bases – in the north in the Khanch area (coordinates 51.50655058354604, 100.67162996418291) and in the south in Hatgal (coordinates 50.4347628355555756, 100.1453060924229). Species and nature are not inferior to Baikal.
Gorghy National Park
In the north of Ulan Bator is the Gorkhi-Terelzh National Park with hot springs (coordinates 48.152986602483246, 107.69902717773446). You can swim in them at the Yestii Hot Water Springs spa resort, it is located about 20 km away towards the north from Lake Hagin-har. This park is also famous for its cliffs and stones of bizarre shapes, the most famous of them is a tortoise.
Kharkhorin
Another place where it is worth calling along the way from Ulan Bator is the ancient capital of Mongolia Harhorin (coordinates 47.19675634252003, 102.8525427487276). It is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The ruins of the ancient city of Karakorum and the Erdeni-Dzu monastery are attention here.
Canyon Harman Tsav
Canyon Harmeen Tsaw is a twenty -kilometer crevice in clay rocks up to 20 meters high (coordinates 43.05880091621662, 100.25207195093492). In its very center is an oasis. It was here that the remains and eggs of dinosaurs were found, which made a lot of noise at the beginning of the 20th century. Excavations here continue today.
Bayanzag burning cliffs
Not so far from the canyon is the Bayanzag area – “flaming cliffs”, where many come to admire sunsets (coordinates 44.28040055796964, 103.75759489714508). In the rays of the setting sun, these red clay landscapes light up with incredible colors. By the way, you can get to this place by public transport – only 15 km from it there is a tourist parking and the city of Bulgan. You can even go there one day.
Dunes Hongoryn Als
Dunes Hongoryn Als is another impressive place in Gobi (coordinates 43.905241638860794, 102.3677632853368). High hills up to 100 meters in height and 300 meters in width stretch for 15-18 kilometers. The entire sandy zone takes about 180 km in length. It is unique that this place is also because in Gobi, in principle, you do not meet sands so often. They occupy only 3% of the area. Basically, Gobi is a rocky plateau. River flows right next to the dunes, and the mountains rise against their background. This part of the desert is located within the Nuruu National Park Gurvan Saikhan and adjoins the Great Gobi Reserve.
Big Gobi Reserve
The large Gobi reserve is located in the southwest of the desert, on the border with China (coordinates 45.8995652358043, 94.10937645903216). This place was taken under protection to preserve two unique species of animals, of which only a few dozen individuals remained – a wild two -horned camel and a Gobic bear. To enter the reserve, you will have to obtain permission and pay for the fee. You can move here only on SUVs.
National Park Gurvan Saikhan
Gurvan Saikhan National Park (coordinates 45.53348286148952, 107.0561011895265) is located in the north of the Gobi desert. He is the largest in Mongolia. This is a great place to stop for several days in one of the annual tent towns and see how the nomadic tribes of Mongolia live (for example, the Gobi Discovery 2 camp at the foot of the Great Dune). Here you can try an authentic local cuisine, ride camels and wash that in the conditions of traveling by car with tents it is very important.
Pad Yolyn-Am
Pad Yolyn-Am, also on the territory of Gurvan Saikhan, is a great place to rest from desert landscapes (coordinates 43.9334175465305, 104.06213608955095). The valley is surrounded by mountains with a height of 2815 meters, its own height is 2019 meters. A few years ago, ice at the bottom of the gorge did not melt, regardless of the season, now this happens for several summer months. Gorge – a zone of limited entry on tickets. Here, the entire infrastructure for tourism has been created: there are campsites, souvenir shops. You can ride a horse and admire at all not deserted landscapes.
What is important to consider in preparation for the trip
Season
The best season for a trip to the Gobi desert is early autumn or late spring. In summer and winter, the weather in this region is quite extreme, and if you plan a trip by car with tents, choose the time when it will be comfortable sleeping in nature.
If your route covers long distances, study the weather through its entire length. Even in the relatively stable season, there may be a significant difference in temperature between the desert and mountainous areas.
Convenience and communication
Before the trip, make sure that you are not disturbed by health problems. Ideally, we recommend that you contact a doctor in advance who will be ready to advise you on the phone in an emergency. Before packing the medicines you need, make sure that they are not in the list of prohibited for import.
It is also necessary to take non-smoked food, drinking water, filters for water purification and disinfectants (the source in the desert is quite realistic, there are a lot of wells, but drinking from there is unsafe), fuel (gas stations are also enough, but it will not interfere with a reassurement) and spare parts for the car, if you know some chronic problems after it. Especially if you are driving on European cars – for them spare parts cannot be found here even in workshops.
It is also better to have money in the form of cash – if it is not difficult to pay in large cities in large cities, then it is unrealistic to do this in the villages.
The main version of the night in the trip through Gobi is a sleeping bag and a tent. In large cities and next to the most promoted attractions, there are options for accommodation sites: hotels and campsites from yurts (most often without amenities), but the closer to the desert and further from civilization, the fewer there are.
Where to look for information and accompanying
Prepare all the necessary materials for navigation before the trip – the connection here works poorly, and both mobile and satellite. Download everything for offline, stock up on cards, mark all the places that you plan to visit, contact the local guides in advance. It will not be difficult to find them now – see social networks on the geometes of tourist facilities or on marks on Google maps.
Another option is to contact travel companies that take the groups along the routes you are interested in, and ask them about support on the spot. Surely they will be able to share contacts with you for a small payment.
In order for the trip to the Gobi desert only pleasant impressions, you need to seriously approach the preparation and carefully choose the season, think through the route, and also find a good company. As the experience of the Anthropogeos team shows, a trip to Gobi is worth all the efforts.
Text: Alexandra Gordienko, project editor “Anthropogeos”
Photo: Sardar S. Sardarov, Chief editor of the project “Anthropogeos”Christian Gott
Service of hotel will help the Onetwotrip travel planning service.
