May isn’t the best season for tourism. But I have enough time to explore the Gobi Desert. So I decided visiting Mongolia in the spring of 2017. Spring was just coming, and the temperature was getting high. Mongolian says that the weather of spring is changeable like women’s feelings. Sometimes it becomes hot, on the other hand it’s snowing. In fact during my stay in Mongolia the weather forecast in the capital city, Ulan Bator (UB) informed of good weather (upper 20 degrees) as well as snowing.
Before journey, I didn’t have enough information about this country. I know Genghis Khan and Gobi Desert, but no more. So I asked my friends, who traveled before, about tourism in Mongolia. Almost all of my friends recommended me going to Gobi Desert, if I have a chance. While still it was the low season in Mongolia, I had a good luck. I found the tour operator Khongor Expedition which offered Gobi tour. Thanks to friends’ advice I didn’t have any hesitation visiting this vast desert. So I registered 5 night & 6 day tour. This is my story in Gobi Desert.
Let’s Go!!
April 30, 2017/ Sunny
At 9:00, we left for the first stop Baga Gazariin Chuluu. It is located in Middle Gobi Province and the distance from UB is 250 km (155,34 miles) . But this place is not a part of Gobi Desert, but just a country side. Gobi Desert is very far from UB. The distance is more than 600 kilometers. So we can’t get to the desert one day and we must access there step by step.
As I said before, Baga Gazariin Chuluu is not in Gobi Desert. But for tourists it’s difficult to identify whether here is a part of desert or not. Because ‘Gobi’ is not just sandy desert but the place with bare rocks. And now we are standing in front of a wide granite stone-mountain named Baga Gazariin Chuluu which means small rock formation. Here is treated as a holy place. And locals worship these places.
Once few monks had lived, had meditated and had remained rock paintings since the seventieth century. The surface of rocks are flat and smooth because the erosion polished their ruggedness. 64 tombs and tumuli dated back to Khugnu tribe have been found around Baga zagriin Stone.
We also visited eye treatment spa named Nudnii Rashaan (N46°12.253′, E106°01.142′) and ancient Buddhism temple, Tsorge Lamin Khiid hidden in this area. Unfortunately the spring whose water treat the ocular illnesses ran dry and we couldn’t get holy water. But we could enjoy exploring the cave in Baga Gazariin. It is said that more than 20 kinds of medical herbs grow here.
We could stay in ger, a Mongolian typical accommodation, and could see nomadic life.
ITINERARY SUMMARY
Day 1. Baga Gaziin Chuluu (small rocky formations)
Day 2. Bayanzag (unique shaped trees and small flaming cliffs)
Day 3. Khongoryn Els (Sand Dune)
Day 4. Yol valley canyon
Day 5. Dundgobi province
Day 6. White Stupa and the way back to UB
※LINKs lead you more details and photos that have been published on my blog.
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