WHITE STUPA

In this beautiful morning, we will leave the rock formation area of Baga Gazar for the amazing White Cliff. The name Tsagaan Suvarga (White Stupa) is given by local people to the impressive and legendary cliff which is a sheer slope that was an ancient seabed that featured a sedimentary structure. Imagine a 400m-long jigsaw of white-sand cliffs, striped pastel shades of purple, orange and red, and the thrumming beat of swallows' wings as they zoom toward the cliffs, veering off at the last heartbeat before impact. Having 10 million years of history, the cliff indicates different times by its colored layers. During downpour water flows after fain from its vertical walls, it looks like a massive waterfall and also looks like a ruined city from big distance. 

HIKING THROUGH YOL VALLEY

Our adventure will take us today to a totally different landscape, Yol Valley (Lammergeier Gorge or Lammergeier Valley). Another wonder of Gobi Desert is Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park, a massive rocky mountain was originally established to conserve the birdlife in the region but now is more famous for its dramatic rocky cliffs, narrow and heavily shaded canyons that allow sheets of blue-veined ice to survive well usually until or late of July. There is great hiking opportunity from the parking areas to the glacier following the stream for 3km leads to the ice-filled gorge. In winter time glacier is up to 10m high and visitors come here to observe wild animals. You might see wild ibex or argali sheep up in the mountain.

KHONGOR SAND DUNES

After exploring the beautiful Yol valley, we will continue our tour for 150 km to the next destination, Khongor Sand Dunes popularly known as Singing Dunes is one of the largest and most spectacular sand dunes in Mongolia. The wind continuously blows from North towards West, the sand mountain can reach amazing heights, between 100 and 300 meters at their highest points and is 12 km wide and 100 km long. Getting to the top (45 minutes to one hour) is exhausting, but the views of the desert from the sandy summit are breathtaking wonderful. This dramatic scenery features many colors of nature including yellow sand dune, green grass, red-blue mountains and the eternal blue sky.

A LEISURE DAY AT KHONGOR SAND DUNES

In the morning, we will have our private hours. After lunch, we will hike shortly to a camel herding nomadic family to get to know of the nomads.  After getting introduced and offered with the traditional tea with milk, dairy products, we will have enough time to have conversation with the family members to know camel herding families’ life style and how they still keep the nomadic culture in the modern days. We will also have opportunity to learn how to milk the camel and produce the dairy products. Then we will go for camel riding for 1-2 hours along the sand dunes. Riding through the Arabian-like sand dunes with ever-changing attractive curves on a camelback will be a life-time experience.

FLAMING CLIFFS

After having good rest at the sand dunes, we will head to Flaming Cliff which was the motherland of the Dinosours once in old times. The area is a classic desert of rock, red sands, scrub, sun and awesome emptiness.  Mongolians call this place as Bayanzag which means ‘rich in saxaul shrubs. However, the world knows this place as Flaming Cliff named by the palaeontologist Roy Chapman Andrews first found dinosaur bones and eggs in the area while he was researching a trace of ancient people with his crew in 1922. During this period, Andrews and his team discovered a dinosaur’s nest with an eggs’ clutch. This discovery drew the whole world’s attention. Hiking through the Flaming Cliff will make you to feel you are in different planet. 

TRAVEL TO ONGI MONASTERY 

Today is a day we will leave the South Gobi back for the Middle Gobi. After enjoying 140 km of driving while looking at the Gobi’s mystical mirage, we will reach Ongi temple ruin. Formerly one of the largest monasteries in Mongolia, Ongi monastery was founded in 1660 and consisted of two temple complexes on the north and south banks of the Ongi River. In 20th centuries, it was destroyed by communists, but you can still see how big, important temple it was from its ruins. There is a big river named Ongi and are many beautiful trees which are great to walk around.

ANCIENT CAPITAL OF THE GREAT MONGOL EMPIRE

Today we are traveling to a historical place,Kharkhorin which was the capital city of Great Mongolia Empire in the 13th century. In 1380, Kharkhorin was destroyed. But approximately two centuries later, on the same site, there arose the yurt of Avtai Khan, founder of the Erdene Zuu Monastery. The great circular platform which form its base is still visible today. The monastery of Erdene Zuu is a focal point in the history and culture of the Mongol people. We will visit the active monastery and see the famous musuems of Mongolian Buddism and Arts. However the kharkhorin has now appearance of a town, you can see how big and important place for mongolians in ancient time from a musuem there.

BACK TO ULAANBAATAR CITY 

After breakfast, we will still have some time to walk or enjoy the nature around.  Then we will travel to Ulaanbaatar city on paved road. On the way, we will stop by a beautiful sand dunes for having rest in Khugnu Khan national park. After arriving in Ulaanbaatar and we will have farewell dinner while talking our wonderful trip through the Gobi Desert. Then we will transfer you to the hotel.