Planning the Gobi Tour
The classic Gobi tour lasts 5–10 days and starts and ends in Ulaanbaatar. The journey is long: Dalanzadgad, the "capital" of the Gobi, is 570 km from UB — on a road that is only partially paved. The long travel days through the empty steppe are exhausting but also part of the experience: You see eagles, marmots, herds of gazelles, and the incredible vastness that imprints itself in your mind.
Typical 7-Day Route
- Day 1: UB → Baga Gazriin Chuluu (rock formations in the steppe). 250 km, 5–6 hours. Hike to the granite rocks, overnight in the Ger camp.
- Day 2: → Tsagaan Suvarga (White Stupa — spectacular white-orange rock formations reminiscent of a Buddhist stupa). 200 km.
- Day 3: → Yolyn Am (Vulture Canyon). Hike through the ice canyon (2–3 hours), visit the small natural history museum. 150 km.
- Day 4: → Khongoryn Els (Singing Dunes). Camel ride at sunset, dune climbing. 180 km.
- Day 5: Full day at the dunes — sunrise on the dune ridge, visit a nomad family in the oasis, watch camels.
- Day 6: → Bayanzag (Flaming Cliffs). Sunset at the red cliffs, search for fossils. 180 km.
- Day 7: → Ulaanbaatar. Long travel day (570 km, 8–10 hours). Alternative: Flight from Dalanzadgad to UB (1 hour, from 100€).
Booking & Costs
- Shared Tour (4 people): 500–800€ per person for 7 days (Jeep, driver, guide, food, Ger camps all included).
- Private Tour (2 people): 900–1,500€ per person.
- Recommended Providers: Sunpath Mongolia, Gobi Tour, Nomadic Journeys, Happy Camel (hostel in UB, organizes affordable group tours).
💡 Tipp
Take the 10-day route instead of the 7-day version! The travel days are long and dusty — with more days, you have more time to enjoy and less time in the bumpy car. And: Bring a pillow! The back seats of the Russian UAZ off-road vehicles are rock hard, and you drive for hours over pathless steppe.
