Sand dunes at 'Singing Dunes', Khongoryn Els.

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The Gobi

The Gobi reveals itself in pockets of amazing scenery, bridged by vast stretches of desolation where smartphone signals die and silence saturates. It can be daunting to be this far out in such harsh conditions, but this is where desert foliage shimmers in greens and golds, and where Tibetan lamas etched ancient messages on red rock cliffs. You’ll watch horses romp and gazelles sprint, hear goats and sheep cry, and commiserate with camels huddling in fierce winds that gather and roll across the steppe. At night galaxies erupt on the domed sky.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • Ongiin Khiid, Saikhan Ovoo, Mongolia - 07 19 15: Buddhist Ongiin Khiid temple building at the monastery ruins of Ongiin Khiid which is a tourist attraction in the remote Gobi of Mongolia; Shutterstock ID 1883979241; purchase_order: 65050; job: ; client: ; other: 1883979241

    Ongiin Khiid

    The Gobi

    The bend in the river here marks the remains of two ruined monasteries which are today considered one vast complex known as Ongiin Khiid. Bari Lam Khiid…

  • Siberian Ibex (Capra sibirica) at Ikh Nart Nature Reserve in Mongolia.; Shutterstock ID 1659526936; your: Barbara Di Castro; gl: 65050; netsuite: digital; full: poi 1659526936

    Ikh Nartiin Chuluu Nature Reserve

    The Gobi

    This 670-sq-km nature reserve, only a four-hour drive from Ulaanbaatar, at an elevation of 2200m, is home to hundreds of ibexes (mountain goats), argali …

  • Sand dunes Khongoryn Els in Gobi Desert, Umnugovi, South Gobi, Mongolia. 174176693 sun, dry, gobi, sand, asia, arid, summer, desert, mongolia, umnugovi, geography, landscape, els, 2010, asie, khongoryn

    Khongoryn Els

    The Gobi

    Khongoryn Els are some of the largest and most spectacular sand dunes in Mongolia. Also known as the Duut Mankhan (Singing Dunes – from the sound they…

  • Yolyn Am or Eagle valley is a deep and narrow gorge in the Gurvan Saikhan Mountains of southern Mongolia, near town Dalanzadgad in Gobi Desert; Shutterstock ID 1246836706; your: Sloane Tucker; gl: 65050; netsuite: Online Editorial; full: POI 1246836706

    Yolyn Am Gorge

    The Gobi

    A pleasant 2km path leads from the parking area to this gorge filled with blue ice, one of the park's can't-miss sights. You can hike, bike or hire a…

  • Earth energy center - northern entrance to Shambhala in Gobi desert near Sainshand. Mongolia; Shutterstock ID 2089127335; your: Sloane Tucker; gl: 65050; netsuite: Online Editorial; full: POI 2089127335

    Shambhala

    The Gobi

    In 1853 Danzan Ravjaa told the local people that he would die in three years but that they could forever come to this place and speak to his spirit…

  • Bayanzag, Flaming Cliffs, Mongolia, Asia; Shutterstock ID 1262892721; your: Sloane Tucker; gl: 65050; netsuite: Online Editorial; full: POI 1262892721

    Bayanzag

    The Gobi

    The so-called Flaming Cliffs are a Gobi highlight and an important palaeontology site first excavated by Roy Chapman Andrews in 1922. Even if you are not…

  • Scenery near Yolyn Am, Gobi desert, Mongolia

    Yolyn Am

    The Gobi

    Yolyn Am was originally established to conserve the region's bird life, but it’s now more famous for its dramatic rocky cliffs and narrow, heavily shaded…

  • 523754636 Beauty In Nature; Butte - Rocky Outcrop; Central Asia; Central Asian Ethnicity; Color Image; Day; Extreme Terrain; Famous Place; Footpath; Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park; Grass; Gurvan Saikhan Mountains; Horizontal; Idyllic; Incidental People; Independent Mongolia; Landscape; Large Group Of People; Leaving; Mongolian Culture; Mongolian Ethnicity; Mountain; Natural Pattern; Nature; Nature Reserve; Non-Urban Scene; Outdoor Pursuit; Outdoors; People; Photography; Photography Themes; Rock - Object; Rocky Mountains; Scenics - Nature; Silence; Sunlight; Tourism; Tourist; Tranquil Scene; Tranquility; Travel; Travel Destinations; Valley; Walking; Yolyn Am; Yolyn Am valley is located at Gurvan Saikhan Mountains of southern Mongolia.

    Gurvan Saikhan National Park

    The Gobi

    Gurvan Saikhan National Park (20,000 sq km) offers a wealth of sand dunes, canyons, dinosaur fossils and mountainous terrain. Desert wildlife includes…

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Adventure in the Gobi: grab some friends and go for a drive. Image by Stephen Lioy / Lonely Planet

Road Trips

Beyond the dunes: road-tripping Mongolia's Gobi Desert

Oct 1, 2015 • 5 min read

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