Gobi Desert

The Gobi: A Desert That Is Mostly Not Sand

The Flaming Cliffs of the Gobi, the red sandstone formation called Bayanzag, were where American palaeontologist Roy Chapman Andrews discovered the first confirmed dinosaur eggs in 1923. He was actually looking for early human fossils, so the dinosaur eggs were a substantial digression. The Mongolian Gobi has since produced more dinosaur specimens than almost any other site on earth, including complete Velociraptor skeletons, and you can still find fossil fragments eroding from the cliff faces if you know where to look. The regulations prohibit taking anything; follow them.

The Gobi covers roughly 1.3 million square kilometres across northern China and southern Mongolia. The common image, rolling golden dunes, accounts for perhaps 5 percent of the total area. The rest is rocky plateau, dry scrubland, gravel plain, and salt flat. The sand dunes section of a Gobi itinerary is specific and requires specific routing. The rest is rocky plateau, dry scrubland, gravel plain, and salt flat. This is worth knowing because the “sand dunes” section of a Gobi itinerary is specifically what visitors want to see, and it requires specific routing.

The Mongolian Gobi

The southern Mongolian Gobi, accessible from Ulaanbaatar, is the most logistically accessible section for international visitors. The drive from Ulaanbaatar to the main Gobi regions (Dalanzadgad, the provincial capital of Ömnögovi aimag) takes about 6 hours on a paved road that is gradually being extended. Beyond Dalanzadgad, everything requires a 4WD and a local driver-guide; there are no roads in the conventional sense.

The main sites in the Mongolian Gobi:

Khongoryn Els (Singing Dunes) is the dune field most visitors come to see. The dunes reach up to 300 metres high and stretch 180 kilometres east-west. The name comes from the sound the sand makes when disturbed by wind or movement, a low drone that’s audible and odd. Climbing the main dune takes 45 minutes to an hour depending on your pace; the view from the top is excellent and worth the effort. Camel rides are offered from the ger camps at the base.

The Flaming Cliffs (Bayanzag) are red sandstone formations where American palaeontologist Roy Chapman Andrews discovered the first dinosaur eggs in 1923. The landscape is Mars-adjacent: red and orange rock eroded into formations above a dry river bed. Fossil fragments are visible in the cliff faces (the regulations prohibit taking anything; follow them). The cliffs are most atmospheric at sunset when the red colour intensifies.

Yolyn Am (Eagle Valley) is a narrow gorge in the Gurvan Saikhan mountains at the Gobi’s western edge. A seasonal ice formation fills the gorge floor through summer in normal years (climate change has affected its extent). The walk through the gorge, with the high walls narrowing overhead, is one of the better short walks in Mongolia.

Staying in Ger Camps

The standard accommodation in the Mongolian Gobi is a ger camp: a series of traditional circular felt yurts set up near a main attraction with a restaurant tent and basic facilities. Ger camps range from very basic (solar lighting, shared outdoor toilet, no shower) to relatively comfortable (generator electricity, hot showers, proper beds). The distinction matters more than any star rating. Three Rivers Sanctuary near the Flaming Cliffs and Three Camels Lodge near the dunes are consistently recommended for reliability and standard.

The food at ger camps is almost universally similar: mutton stew, tsuivan (noodles with mutton), boiled rice, and whatever vegetable is available that week. It’s filling and appropriate to the environment; don’t expect variety.

The Chinese Gobi

The Chinese side of the Gobi is oriented around the Hexi Corridor, the narrow strip of land between the Tibetan plateau and the desert proper that was the principal route of the Silk Road. Dunhuang, at the western end of the corridor, is the most significant destination.

The Mogao Caves near Dunhuang contain 492 Buddhist painted cave temples excavated and decorated between the 4th and 14th centuries CE. The collection of murals and sculptures is the largest surviving Buddhist art collection in the world. Access is controlled tightly: standard tickets cover a group of eight specific caves; premium tickets allow access to additional sealed caves with a specialist guide. Book premium tickets well in advance through the Dunhuang Research Academy website.

The Crescent Lake at Dunhuang (Yueyaquan) is a spring-fed lake surrounded by sand dunes, the Singing Sand Mountains (Mingsha Shan). The dunes reach 250 metres; sandboarding runs from the main face. The lake itself is the visual centrepiece: clear water between orange sand in a narrow crescent shape.

When to Go

The Mongolian Gobi is best from May through September. June and July are warm (25-35°C in the day, cold at night). Spring (May) and autumn (September) have more dramatic weather but better photography light. Winter temperatures reach -30°C and most ger camps close.

The Chinese Gobi is accessible year-round but summer heat (Dunhuang averages 38°C in July) is punishing. Spring (April-May) and autumn (September-October) are the better periods.