Cycling in the Mongolian Gobi Desert
10 days
Overview
The thought of the Gobi Desert stirs up images of sand dunes in people’s heads, but only about 3% of the Gobi is actual sand dunes whilst most of the terrain is flat with gravel and low vegetation. Though not as populous as other parts of Mongolia, there are nomadic families who live here tending to their livestock including two-humped Bactrian camels beside their herds of sheep, goats, and horses. The Gobi region was once a flourishing ecosystem that supported many types of lifeforms including dinosaurs confirmed by rich abundant fossil discoveries. On this 10-day trip including 6 days of cycling - reach the Flaming Cliffs, where an American explorer named Roy Chapman Andrews discovered the first-known fossilized dinosaur eggs in the 1920s, and also climb up Khongor Sand Dunes, which is the most spectacular and one of the largest sand dunes in Mongolia.
Date & Price:
Departing: 30-06-2024
Finishing: 09-07-2024
Status: Closed
Departing: 19-07-2024
Finishing: 28-07-2024
Status: Closed
Departing: 09-08-2024
Finishing: 18-08-2024
Status: Open
Departing: 01-09-2024
Finishing: 10-09-2024
Status: Open
Price Per Person:
Includes:
- * 2 overnights at 4 star hotel in Ulaanbaatar (twin+breakfast)
- * 3 tented overngihts (twins)
- * 4 overnight in a tourist ger camp (twin/triple)
- * All indicated meals + drinking water during cycling days
- * Extra drinks and snacks during cycling
- * All visits and National park fees
- * Russian 4WD van(s) equipped with bike racks as support vehicles during cycling
- * English speaking cycling guide(s)
- * Cook(s)
- * Mountain biking gudie(s)
- * Advanced quality mountain bikes
- * Domestic flight ticket UB-Gobi-UB
Exludes:
- * Optional activities
- * Travel insurance
- * Sleeping bags and mattresses
- * Meals that are not indicated
- * Gratuities
- * International flights
- * Visa fee
- * Personal biking clothes and gears
Travel information:
- * Cycling trough Mongolian Gobi desert
- * Visit Bayan zag where dinosaur bones and fossil mammals and the first nests full of dinosaur eggs ever discovered
- * Visit top destination of Mongolian gobi the Singing sand dunes (Khongor sand dunes)
- * Visit Yol valley (Yoliin am)
- * Meet with modern Mongolian nomads
Day 1 Arrival in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia
Arrive in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia. Our representative will pick you up from the airport and transfer you to a 4-star hotel located within the city center. Meet at the hotel lobby and the tour guide will lead you on a walking city tour including the main square with a grand statue of Chinggis Khan in front of the parliament building, the National History Museum introducing Mongolia’s history from early humans to the modern era, and the Choijin Lama Temple Museum displaying some of the best samples of Buddhist artworks. Then attend a show of traditional performances followed by a welcome dinner and tour briefing.
- D
- Hotel
Day 2 Flight to Gobi, start cycling
Fly to Dalanzadgad, the capital of Mongolia’s most southern province in the middle of the Gobi Desert. Our crew will pick you up and start getting ready for cycling. Our mountain biking guide will do adjustments on selected bikes while the group has a light tea-break. Start the 43 km cycle towards the Gobi Mirage tourist ger camp.
- B.L.D
- Ger camp
- 43 km
Day 3 Bike to Bayanzag also known as Flaming Cliffs
Enjoy cycling on the vast arid plain for 45 km to Bayanzag, also known as Flaming Cliffs, where the first-known fossilized dinosaur eggs were discovered by an American explorer named Roy Chapman Andrews in the early 1920s. Andrews nicknamed the area “Flaming Cliffs” when he saw the reddish cliffs glowing bright red during sunsets.
- B.L.D
- Ger camp
- 45 km
Day 4 Cycle to Arts Bogd mountain
After breakfast at the ger camp, start cycling to Arts Bogd mountain which is the border of steppe-desert zones. You may spot herds of Bactrian camels and dome-shaped felt homes of local herders once in a while. The cycling road condition is generally smooth although some parts are a bit sandy and gravely. Today we stay overnight near the mountain range on our first tented camp. The support crew will set up kitchen, toilet, and shower tents while you build your individual tent.
- B.L.D
- Tent
- 62 km
Day 5 Bike to Tewsh Mountain the extinct volcano
Cycle to Tewsh Mountain, an extinct volcano where you can see petroglyphs and large burial mounds dating back to the Bronze Age. Today’s cycling distance is our longest and we will gain 555 meters in 75 km. We will erect our camp near the edge of the mountain where you can hike around and explore to see the petroglyphs until dinner time.
- B.L.D
- Tent
- 75 km
Day 6 Bike to Khaltar zag valley
Today is a bit more challenging compared to our previous cycling days. We start cycling a climb up to 2,052 m above sea level mountain pass and then ride downhill through a canyon with a statue of an ibex. The cycling route is mostly gravel dirt roads. We will set up camp in a valley surrounded by beautiful hills and stay overnight under millions of stars.
- B.L.D
- Tent
- 46 km
Day 7 Bike to Khongor Sand Dune, also called Singing Dune
After cycling ups and downs through dry hilly terrain most of the day, we will catch a remarkable sight of a stretch of sand dunes with marvellous mountains in the background and an oasis with a river flow in the forefront. The sand dunes stretch for more than 180 km with the tallest peak reaching 300 m. We will reach our tourist ger camp and have dinner there. You may find out why it’s called the “Singing Dunes” while you climb up towards top of the dune.
- B.L.D
- Ger camp
- 60 km
Day 8 Drive to Lammergeyer’s Valley
Load bikes onto the support vehicle(s) and drive to Yoliin Am, also known as Lammergeyer’s Valley. This lush valley in the middle of the desert is home to birds, mountain sheep, mountain goats and other wildlife. You will be able to hike following a stream to the narrowest part of the canyon that usually shelters ice until mid-July. Dinner and overnight at a tourist ger camp near the valley.
- B.L.D
- Ger camp
- 180 km
Day 9 Drive to Dalanzadgad, Fly to Ulaanbaatar
Drive to Dalanzadgad airport. Say goodbye to the support crew and fly to Ulaanbaatar. Our representative will pick you up from the airport and transfer you to the hotel. Free afternoon on your own until farewell dinner.
- B.D
- Hotel
- 50 km
Day 10 Departure day
Our guide and driver will transfer you to the airport for your departure flight.
- B
Gallery
