The GobiPoP 310,300 / AreA 612,000 sq km

Why Go?The Gobi is a bleak place; vast, harsh and silent, and there are many who will question your sanity if you choose to travel here. But it is the profound emptiness and terrible isolation that draws adventurers to its fold. In a world of smartphones, social media and 24/7 cable news, there are few places on the planet where it is still possible to fall com-pletely off the radar like you can do in the Gobi.

This is, nevertheless, one of Mongolia’s top-draw regions. Colossal sand dunes, ice-filled canyons, dinosaur fossils and the promise of camel treks ensure that almost every tour company in the country runs trips out here. And a recent explosion of Gobi ger (traditional yurt) camps means you’ll never have to rough it if you don’t want to, although staying with a camel herdsman in a simple guest ger is half the fun.

Best for Staying with Herdsmen¨¨ khongoryn els (p195)

¨¨ Bayanzag (p197)

¨¨ Yolyn Am (p193)

Best Off-the-Beaten-Track¨¨ khermen Tsav (p201)

¨¨ Bayangiin Nuruu (p201)

¨¨ road to Biger (p204)

¨¨ eej khairkhan Nature reserve (p205)

¨¨ khavtsgait Petroglyphs (p194)

When to Go

Mar Bulgan celebrates its camel festival; usually on 6 and 7 March. Bring your woolies, though.

Apr–May Wind-storms increase and airborne sand can get vicious.

Jun–Sep Most ger camps will now be in full swing for the tourist season.

F DNOSAJJMAMJ

Dalanzadgad°C/°F Temp

-30/-22

-20/-4

-10/14

10/50

30/86

20/68

0/32

0

0.8/20

2.4/60

4/100

3.2/80

1.6/40

Rainfall inches/mm

Dundgov ..................... 181Mandalgov .................. 181Ikh Gazryn Chuluu .... 186Dornogov ....................187Sainshand ..................187Ikh Nartiin Chuluu ..... 189Ömnögov .................... 191Dalanzadgad .............. 191Gurvan Saikhan National Park .............193Bayanzag ....................197Bayankhongor City ... 199Gov-Altai ....................202Altai ...........................203

©Lonely¨Planet¨Publications¨Pty¨Ltd

The Go

bi Th

e Gobi

The Go

bi Go

BI H

IGH

lIGH

tS

180

666

666

66

66

66

666

66

66

66

6666

6666

6666

6

66

66

66

4

44

44

44

4

44

44

#

##

#

#

#

##

#

#

#

#

#

##

#

#

#

#

#

#

#

#

#

#

#

#

#

#

#

##

#

##

#

#

##

#

#

##

#

#

##

#

#

#

\

\

\

\\

\

\

\

\

\

\

\

\

\

\

\

\

\

\

\

\

^

^

^

^

^

^

\\

\

\

\

\

\

\

\

\

\

\

\

\\

\\

\

\

\

\

\

\

R

R

RR

R

R

R

R

R

R

R

##

#

ää

ä

#

#

#

#

#

##

##

#

#

#

#

#

æ

æ

æ

æ

æ

ææ

ææ

æ

æ

æ

æ

æ

#

#

#

#

#

#

#

#

##

##

#

÷

÷

÷

÷

÷

÷

÷

÷

÷÷

÷÷

÷

#

#

#

#

#

#

#

Ú

Ú

Ú

–

–

–

+

Böön

Tsag

aan

Nuu

r

Orog

Nuu

r

Mol

tzog

Els

Dal

aiEl

s

Ala

gK

hair

khan

Nat

ure

Res

erve

Zagi

inU

s N

atur

eR

eser

ve

Gur

van

Saik

han

Nat

iona

l Par

k

Eej K

hair

khan

Nat

ure

Res

erve

Shar

gaN

atur

e R

eser

ve

Smal

lG

obi B

Baga

Gaz

ryn

Uul

(176

8m)

Del

gerk

hang

aiU

ul (1

913m

)

Nem

egt U

ul(2

769m

)

Baga

Bogd

-Uul

(105

3m)

Burk

han

Buud

dai

Uul

(376

5m)

Ikh

Bogd

Uul

(395

7m)

Khu

ren

Tovo

n U

ul(3

802m

)

Segs

Tsa

gaan

Bogd

(248

0m)

Baya

nzür

kh Uul

Eej K

hair

khan

Uul

(227

5m)

Suta

iU

ul

Bay

an-

Önd

ör

Ölziit

Khu

rmen

Bor-Ö

ndör

Saikh

an-

Ovo

o

Nom

gon

Tsog

ttse

tsii

Tsog

tOvo

o

Khö

vsgö

l

Erde

ne

Darvi

Erde

neda

lai

Zamyn

-Üüd

Bay

anlig

Bulga

n

Shine

jist

Sev

rei

Ulaan

Suv

raga

Baa

tsag

aan

Bay

anbu

lag

Tsog

tRuins

Bay

an

Cha

ndman

i

Galuu

t

Biger

Tsee

l

Cho

irIkhk

het

Erde

ne

Noy

on

Gurva

ntes

Gov

i-Ugtal

Bay

an-

Ovo

o

Bay

anda

lai

Kha

nbog

d

Man

lai

Man

dal-O

voo

Delge

rekh

Kha

tanb

ulag

Man

dakh

Önd

öshil

Khu

ldBay

ango

vi

Buu

tsag

aan

Sainsh

and

Arva

ikhe

erBa

yank

hong

or

Alta

i

Man

dalgov

Dalan

zadg

adÈrliá

n(Ereen

)

Baya

nzag

Lovo

nC

hom

bin

Agu

iPetr

ified

Tre

esof

Süi

khen

t

Tson

jiin

Chu

luu

Ikh

Gaz

ryn

Chu

luu

Bay

angi

inN

uruu

Gal

uut

Can

yon

Sen

jitK

had

Yasn

eeTs

av

Am

arbu

yant

Khi

id Ekhi

in G

olD

emch

igiin

Khi

id

Bag

a G

azry

nC

hulu

uS

ümK

hökh

Bur

d

Tsag

aan

Suv

raga

Tsag

aan

Agu

iTs

agaa

nB

ulag

Gun

iiK

hönd

ii G

orge

Bug

iinTs

av

Smal

l Gob

iA

Str

ictly

Prot

ecte

d A

rea

Gre

at G

obi

Stri

ctly

Pro

tect

edA

rea

(Gob

i A)

Gre

at G

obi

Stri

ctly

Pro

tect

edA

rea

(Gob

i B)

Takh

iin T

al

Ikh

Nar

tiin

Chu

luu

Nat

ure

Res

erve

Kha

mar

ynK

hiid

Erge

liin

Zuu

Big

er N

omin

Kha

n M

onas

tery

Rui

ns

Kha

ngai

Nur

uuN

atio

nal P

ark

Kha

sagt

Kha

irkh

anSt

rict

ly P

rote

cted

Are

a

CHIN

A

DORN

OGOV

ÖMNÖGOV

BAYA

NKHONGOR

GOV-

ALTA

IDUN

DGOV

#5

#4O

ngiin

Khi

id

Yoly

n A

m#3

#2

Kho

ngor

yn Els#1

Khe

rmen

Tsav

#7

Kha

vtsg

ait P

etro

glyp

hs#6

#\

010

0km

050

mile

s#e

D

Ulaanbaatar

1 t

ake

one

step

forw

ard

and

slid

e th

ree

step

s ba

ck o

n th

e aw

esom

e sa

nd d

unes

of

Khon

gory

n El

s (p

195)

.

2 G

o fo

ssil

hunt

ing

at

Baya

nzag

(p19

7), t

he b

eaut

iful

‘flam

ing

cliff

s’, ri

ch in

din

osau

r bo

nes

and

foss

il eg

gs.

3 l

ook

out f

or ib

exes

as

you

trek

thro

ugh

the

ice-

fille

d ca

nyon

of Y

olyn

Am

(p19

3),

with

vul

ture

s so

arin

g ab

ove.

4 C

amp

by th

e riv

er b

efor

e pi

ckin

g yo

ur w

ay th

roug

h th

e m

onas

tery

ruin

s of

Ong

iin

Khiid

(p18

5).

5 S

him

my

up a

gra

nite

face

or

just

cla

mbe

r ove

r bou

lder

s

in th

e ee

rie, m

oons

cape

-like

Ik

h G

azry

n Ch

uluu

(p18

6).

6 S

earc

h fo

r the

Kha

vtsg

ait

Petr

ogly

phs

(p19

4); r

emot

e,

preh

isto

ric ro

ck c

arvi

ngs

that

ov

erlo

ok th

e de

sert

.

7 G

et tr

uly

off th

e be

aten

tr

ack

and

vent

ure

sout

h to

Kh

erm

en Ts

av (p

201)

, a

cany

on s

ome

insi

st is

mor

e sp

ecta

cula

r tha

n B

ayan

zag.

The

Gob

i Hig

hlig

hts