Mongolia - Camel Riding

Experience the natural and historical diversity of the Gobi desert. Trekking across the desert on camel back, guided by a local camel herder, and stay overnight close to his family. Explore the ice gorge, sand dunes, and site of dinosaur fossil finds as we ride our camels through the desert. Examine Bronze Age cave paintings, and rest on the shores of a mountain lake – all in the Gobi.

This camel ride takes you through the great Gobi desert, exploring one of the most remarkable and untouched parts of the planet. You will experience the immensity, richness and intensity of the colours and shapes of one of the driest deserts in the world. From South Gobi aimag we visit Eagle Valley in the Altai Mountains and the enormous Khongoriin Els sand dunes. We then continue our trip to Bayankhongor aimag.

While driving across the desert we will explore both historical and natural sites, which are enthralling but rarely visited such as the rock paintings at Mount Ikh Bayan, the oasis at Zuun Mod, and the fossilized remains of dinosaurs and other fresh-water inhabitants at Bugiin Tsav.

We then make our way to our host in the Gobi – Chimiddorj and his welcoming family. The people of the Gobi are famous for their hospitality and warmth. With them we will observe some of the survival methods that the nomads have refined over thousands of years in order to live and prosper in this harsh environment.

Riding the gently rocking camel we leave the succor of family life and venture into the wilderness, far from any signs of life or human habitation. Trekking on our camels is like being in a time machine “how time goes by” in the heart of the desert – there is no rush or hurry, only the endless singing of the wind.

Before returning to Ulaan Baatar we drive to Ikh Bogd Mountain, which is a massive mountain in the Gobi with the tranquil Orog Lake at its feet.

Outline Itinerary

Day 1 Arrive Ulaan Baatar. On arrival in Ulaan Baatar, you will be met at the airport and transferred to the Chinggis Khan Hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

Day 2 Flight to Dalanzadgad, South Gobi – Yolyn Am.
After breakfast in the hotel we will take the early morning flight to the capital of the South Gobi aimag, Dalanzadgad. The flight takes one and a half-hours. On arrival at the local airport we will be met by jeeps and taken to Juulchin Ger Camp for lunch. In the afternoon we will visit Yolyn Am, ‘Eagle Valley.’ The drive is roughly 40km. Yolyn Am is a long valley with high cliff walls, which shade some areas of the valley floor from the sun for the entire year, creating an ice gorge.

Walk through the valley, see the Ibex grazing on the cliff faces and visit the Natural History Museum. The areas we will be visiting are situated in the Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park that encompasses the ‘Three Beauties’ peaks and the most easterly point of the Altai Mountains. We will return to the ger camp for dinner and the night.

Day 3 Altai Mountains – Bayanzag - sand dunes – camel ride – 230km. Today we drive west along the Altai Mountain range until we reach Khongoriin Els sand dunes. On the way we will visit Bayanzag, the famous site of dinosaur fossil finds, where even now there is an abundance of remains. We will have our lunch at Khongoriin Els. These are Mongolia’s largest sand dunes, reaching a height of 800 meters in some areas. The contours of the dunes give the impression of a beautiful silk scarf dropped in the middle of nowhere.

Mount Sevrei lies to the south of the dunes and the Khongoriin Gol (river) runs along the northern edge, enabling lush green grass to grow, contrasting beautifully with the yellows of the dunes. We will stay for two nights in our tented camp near the sand dunes. The colour of the dunes changes with each hour of the day, from yellow to silver to rose at dawn.

Day 4 On our second day amongst the dunes we will enjoy this impressive scenery by hiking, taking pictures or just relaxing. There will be an opportunity to explore the area by camel with our nomad guide.

Day 5 Tsagaan Agui – 190km. Today we will make an early start and drive towards Bayankhongor aimag, and on to Tsagaan Agui, the ‘White Cave.’ Archaeological research has proven that man lived in these caves some 700,000 years ago. While exploring the caves our camp will be prepared, to await your arrival, so you can recover from the long day. Our cook will also be waiting to spoil you!

Day 6 Bayangobi – Ikh Bogd Mountain range – 170km
We will make an early start towards Bayangobi Soum. Ikh Bogd Mountain range dominates the valley in which this town is located. The landscape is a vast open space stretching to the horizon, with colourful hills in the distance and the massive Ikh Bogd Mountain beyond. On arrival we will set up camp by a river next to the town.

Day 7 Mount Ikh Bayan – Bronze Age cave painting – 70km. Today we will drive to Mount Ikh Bayan. During the Bronze Age this area was full of life. The ecological environment allowed the growth of rich vegetation. Huge forests, meadows and lakes covered the landscape. The vibrant lifestyle of earlier inhabitants is reflected in the gallery of ancient stone paintings. We will stay here overnight and have enough time to explore the remains of that period.

Day 8 Bugiin Tsav – dinosaur excavation site – 130km. Today we will drive to Bugiin Tsav, where fossilized remains of dinosaurs and other fresh-water creatures have been found. These findings are a clear indication that this part of the Gobi was a riverbed some 100-200 million years ago. Some believe that further dinosaur remains may be found here.

Day 9 Zuun Mod – Ovor Gunii Tal – 120km. After breakfast we drive in the direction of Zuun Mod, the beautiful oasis in the desert with dunes, trees and bushes. We will continue to Ovor Gunii Tal for dinner and the night.

Days 10-11 Ulaan Shand– Tsagaan Bulag – 2 days with Chimiddorj – 70km. This morning we drive to Ulaan Shand, interesting for its petrified trees. We will then continue to Tsagaan Bulag to meet our camel guide. His name is Chimiddorj and his family breeds camels and other animals. We spend 2 days riding camels and living the nomadic life. Nomadic people are very hospitable and are always pleased and excited to have guests.

After lunch we start our “camel safari.” We will be riding for about 10kms. In the evening we will return to Chimiddorj’s family, and we will share a traditional Mongolian meal of ‘horhog’. This is mutton cooked slowly in a huge metal urn with vegetables, water and hot rocks taken from the flaming fire. The meat becomes soft and tasty and the water turns into a thick meaty broth. We will continue our “camel safari” the following day. Our camp for the next 2 nights will be near our host family.

Day 12 Orog Lake, Ikh Bogd Mountain – 200km. We drive over Ikh Bogd Mountain to Orog Lake. The lake lies at the foot of Ikh Bogd Mountain. It is a picturesque spot with grazing camels on its shore and rich bird life. You might spot swans – their white bodies contrast beautifully with the bluey-green lake. Here we will set up camp for the night. There will be time for walking, bird watching and horse riding around the lake.

Day 13 Bayankhongor – return to Ulaan Baatar. We drive a short distance to Bayankhongor and discover the city that is named after the colour of a horse. Starting with Erdenemandal, a hill situated in the city, we will have a good overview of the layout of Bayankhongor. We will visit the museum and have a picnic lunch at the river. We fly to Ulaan Baatar at 1900. On arrival in Ulaan Baatar you will be taken to the Chinggis Khan Hotel. The evening meal will be at a local restaurant.

Day 14 Sightseeing and shopping in Ulaan Baatar. In the morning we will visit Gandan Monastery, Mongolia’s largest functioning monastery, and the Natural History Museum. The highlight of the museum is a huge dinosaur skeleton that was found in the Gobi. We take lunch at “Millies”. After lunch you may like to do some shopping and prepare for your international departure. A farewell dinner will be held at a local restaurant.

Day 15 Departure. After breakfast you will be transferred to the airport for your flight home.

Dates / Code: NSA006 - 16-31July & NSA011 - 12-27 Sept 2008

Climate Client Feedback

Price per person: Email for current price

2 or 3 in the group - GBP1900 / USD3225

4 or 5 in the group - GBP1700 / USD2620

6 to 8 in the group - GBP1500 / USD2365

9 or more in the group - GBP1300 / USD2075

Single supplement: GBP100 / USD180

Please note: The ‘single supplement’ refers to single room accommodation in hotels only. It does not refer to single accommodation in gers or tents. We endeavour to place single clients in their own ger or tent whenever possible.

The base currency is the US Dollar and payments in any other currency may need to be adjusted for exchange rate.

What is Included
2 domestic flights, transportation within Mongolia, shared accommodation in a 3 star hotel. Tented camping while on trek. Three meals a day. English-speaking guide, all sightseeing costs, transfers, camel and horse hire, support staff including drivers, horse/camel men and camp assistants.

What is Not Included
International transport, travel insurance, visas, departure taxes, drinks, gratuities, items of a personal nature.

Travel Insurance

Comprehensive personal insurance, including search and rescue is required on this trip. For UK clients we recommend the policies of the British Mountaineering Council, for their expertise in evacuation from remote areas worldwide. Details at www.thebmc.co.uk As Insurance is always provided by a company based in your home country, we are unable to suggest suitable insurance companies unless you reside in the UK.