Our main destination for the camping trip in Mongolia was the Gobi Desert. It took a few days through scenic landscapes, extreme weather and long van rides, but it was definitely worth it.
Dunes as Far as Our Eyes Could See
The ride to the Gobi took us through some stunning desert landscapes in the country. The arid landscape was a sight to behold; we even got the chance to see gazelles running about.
After the drive, it didn't take much longer to get to camp and ride the camels that were waiting for us. The camel ride was not what I expected as we just went around in a circle just about under an hour.
After lunch, we were on our way to the sand dunes.
The wave-like dunes were a sight to behold, we were ready to make the desert our own playground.
We climbed up the different sized dunes to get a better vantage point. It wasn't easy because we were going up sand. The sand was so fine and white, which reminded me of some of the beaches back home.
We wanted to wait for the sunset to see the dunes turn into a golden ocean. However, it was getting late and cold, so we decided to leave.
I've read that the Gobi is one of the 'cold deserts' in the world. The area has wild swings of temperature between hot to cold, and it also snows. It was late at night when I heard the wind and snow raging outside. The wind blew so hard that the door banged open.
The next morning when we got up, I saw the area covered in snow! There were white patches mixed with the arid region. I even saw some on the sand dunes.
The rising sun turned the white dunes into a golden, wave-like ocean. It was spectacular! However, my camera's battery was running out at this point, I couldn't take as many pictures as I wanted. But, it was good because that meant that I could just enjoy the views.
After eating breakfast, we went started our return trip to Ulaanbaatar. The road back was covered in snow! I was thinking to myself that all this was desert less than 24 hours ago. It's like we went to another planet or country in less than a day.
It would take another day or so before we got back to the city, with stops in between.
Camping in the Gobi
I booked a tour with UB Guesthouse, the van was comfortable for this type of trip and the guide/driver friendly and attentive. He and his assistant were able to cook inside the vehicle (no joke!). They charge around US$50-US$55 per day depending on the size of the group; this covers the homestays, food, fees and van for the entire trip.
Read more about my trip here: Guide to Mongolia
Dunes as Far as Our Eyes Could See
The ride to the Gobi took us through some stunning desert landscapes in the country. The arid landscape was a sight to behold; we even got the chance to see gazelles running about.
After the drive, it didn't take much longer to get to camp and ride the camels that were waiting for us. The camel ride was not what I expected as we just went around in a circle just about under an hour.
After lunch, we were on our way to the sand dunes.
The wave-like dunes were a sight to behold, we were ready to make the desert our own playground.
We climbed up the different sized dunes to get a better vantage point. It wasn't easy because we were going up sand. The sand was so fine and white, which reminded me of some of the beaches back home.
We wanted to wait for the sunset to see the dunes turn into a golden ocean. However, it was getting late and cold, so we decided to leave.
I've read that the Gobi is one of the 'cold deserts' in the world. The area has wild swings of temperature between hot to cold, and it also snows. It was late at night when I heard the wind and snow raging outside. The wind blew so hard that the door banged open.
The next morning when we got up, I saw the area covered in snow! There were white patches mixed with the arid region. I even saw some on the sand dunes.
The rising sun turned the white dunes into a golden, wave-like ocean. It was spectacular! However, my camera's battery was running out at this point, I couldn't take as many pictures as I wanted. But, it was good because that meant that I could just enjoy the views.
After eating breakfast, we went started our return trip to Ulaanbaatar. The road back was covered in snow! I was thinking to myself that all this was desert less than 24 hours ago. It's like we went to another planet or country in less than a day.
It would take another day or so before we got back to the city, with stops in between.
Camping in the Gobi
I booked a tour with UB Guesthouse, the van was comfortable for this type of trip and the guide/driver friendly and attentive. He and his assistant were able to cook inside the vehicle (no joke!). They charge around US$50-US$55 per day depending on the size of the group; this covers the homestays, food, fees and van for the entire trip.
Read more about my trip here: Guide to Mongolia
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