We drove, or rather raced, over the steppe with no marked roads to travel to Khongor. At one point, we were racing a Russian van and our driver Khosoo won! The landscape changes from grassy steppe to sand dunes. However, in the area there was also a fresh water stream where it was green and lush. Nature is really amazing and diverse! The local wildlife included horses, sheep, gazelle and camels. Mongolian camels are Bactrian camels with two humps.
The landscapes of Khongor and the sand dunes were stunning! We rode camels one way and the camel owners invited us into their home/office ger, and offered us candies. The camel ride was fun and bumpy, and the other two ladies with us seemed scared. My camel was very grumpy and kept trying to bite everyone! On the way, we saw a water hole with many animals and it was beautiful.
We climbed up Hongorïn Els and it was tougher than it looked. Although it wasn’t that high, we had to walk through the sand and kept sinking and sliding. However, it was worth it to make it to the top and enjoy the views all around us. In the morning, I enjoyed walking around the camp and playing with the visiting dogs!
Highlights
- Khongor sand dunes and climbing up Hongorïn Els
- Fresh water stream, grass and flowers including wild irises
- Riding camels in the desert
- Seeing free roaming animals including horses, camels, sheep, goats and gazelle
- Sound of the wind
Before you go
- There are very few cash machines in the Gobi, so ensure to get your cash in Ulaanbaatar
- Bring sunscreen and sunglasses, as the sun reflects off the sand
- Weather can be warm during the day and cold at night. Wind can cause sandstorms
- Bring earplugs as the wind is noisy at night
- Mobile data is sporadic and there is no wifi
Transport
- For travel around the rural areas, you must go with a driver who knows the area. We booked via Agate Travel which then used a local company called Amicus Travel. Luckily, we had an excellent guide and driver!
Accommodation
- We stayed at Gobi Erdene Ger Camp, which was a medium standard camp. The water was hot and there was electricity at certain times. However, it was very cold at night and the beds were missing some slats so I fell through one night!
- Since there are few websites reviewing Ger camps, I wrote my own Mongolia Ger Reviews.
Food
All of our meals were at the Gobi Erdene Ger Camp, where we stayed overnight. We arrived in time to have lunch and had three courses. First, a fresh salad, carrot mushroom soup, ground mutton stuffed with vegetables, mashed potatoes and vegetables. It was tasty and a lot of food.
For dinner, there were two courses but I had a stomach ache so I just had rice and some cooked vegetables. First, for the others, there was an apple and carrot salad which was partially cooked. For the main course, there was fried chicken katsu with rice. It looked good and was something different, since we had been having a lot of mutton.
In the morning, for breakfast, there were a lot of choices. I had eggs, bread, a pancake and cereal, but skipped the tomatoes and cucumbers.
FAQs
Q: Do I need a tour guide?
A: Yes, you need a driver and preferably a guide to reach this area and see the nature
Q: Do people speak English?
A: Most people at the Ger camps speak a little English, but we relied a lot on our guide
Q: Is it a walkable area?
A: It is not walkable to get to the area, however
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