Khongoryn Els, Mongolia

Khongoryn Els is the largest sand dune system in Mongolia: a ridge of dunes running roughly 185 kilometres along the edge of the Gobi Desert in Umnugovi province, some 130 kilometres northwest of Dalanzadgad. The highest dunes reach 200 metres. The name translates loosely as Singing Sands; the sound comes from wind moving across the dry quartz sand and producing a low rumble audible from some distance. It is not subtle.

This is remote. The drive from Dalanzadgad across desert track takes five to seven hours in a 4WD, depending on conditions. There is no paved road for the final section. Visitors who come without a guide or organised tour sometimes have difficulties with navigation across the open steppe sections.

The Dunes

The main dune ridge is accessed from the ger camps on the northern edge. The climb to the ridgeline takes 45 to 90 minutes depending on starting point and fitness; the sand is steep and the footing is soft. At the top, the view north across the flat green valley and south into the deeper desert is unlike almost anywhere else in the country.

The dunes are at their most photogenic in the early morning and late afternoon. The midday heat in summer (July, August) is serious; temperatures regularly reach 45 degrees Celsius on the dune surface. Sunrise is preferable.

Ger Camps

Several ger camps operate on the northern edge of the dunes, providing traditional round felt tents with beds and basic amenities. These are not camping in any rougher sense: meals are served communally, the tents have beds with blankets, and basic washing facilities are available. Prices run about 60,000 to 100,000 MNT per person per night including meals. The food is Mongolian: mutton in various preparations, tsuivan noodles, airag (fermented mare’s milk) if you want it.

Electricity is solar or generator, and internet is minimal to absent. This is part of the point. Book through a Dalanzadgad or Ulaanbaatar tour operator; camps cannot be reached by independent booking for most visitors.

Camel Riding

Bactrian camels (two humps) are available for hire at the camps. An hour-long ride across the desert floor costs about 20,000 MNT. The camels are well-used to tourists and cooperative. They are also loud when unhappy.

Bayanzag (Flaming Cliffs)

About 100 kilometres north of Khongoryn Els, the Bayanzag cliffs are where American paleontologist Roy Chapman Andrews discovered the first confirmed dinosaur eggs in 1922. The red sandstone erodes into formations visible from a distance. A Gobi tour typically combines both sites over three to five days.

Getting There

Fly to Dalanzadgad from Ulaanbaatar with MIAT or EzNis; flights take about 90 minutes and cost 150,000 to 250,000 MNT. From Dalanzadgad, organised transfers with the ger camps can be arranged, or hire a local driver with a 4WD. Renting a vehicle without a guide is inadvisable unless you have GPS and off-road experience; tracks disappear and there is no phone signal across significant portions of the route.