Gobi Desert 5-day tour from Ulaanbaatar: Private, flexible

Five days across four Gobi landscapes: white cliffs, a glacier-fed canyon, 200-meter dunes, and the dinosaur grounds of Bayanzag.

A 5-day private tour of the Gobi Desert starting and ending in Ulaanbaatar, with an English-speaking guide, three nights in ger camps and one in a local hotel. You hike Yol Valley's glacier remnants, ride camels across the Khongor Sand Dunes, walk the Flaming Cliffs where dinosaur eggs were first found in 1922, and set the pace throughout: no fixed itinerary, no group schedule. Hotel pickup is included. All transport, sightseeing fees, meals and guide are covered.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Drive to Tsagaan Suvraga White Stupa

• Drive to Tsagaan Suvraga
• Explore the White Stupa cliffs
• Lunch at ger camp
• Dinner at ger camp

Day 2: Visit Yol Valley and hike

• Breakfast at ger camp
• Drive to Yol Valley
• Hike in Yol Valley canyon
• Horse riding in Yol Valley
• Lunch at ger camp
• Dinner at ger camp

Day 3: Explore Khongor Sand Dunes

• Breakfast at ger camp
• Drive to Khongor Sand Dunes
• Climb the sand dunes
• Camel ride along dunes
• Lunch at ger camp
• Dinner at ger camp

Day 4: Visit Flaming Cliffs and Dalanzadgad

• Breakfast at ger camp
• Drive to Bayanzag Flaming Cliffs
• Explore Flaming Cliffs area
• Drive to Dalanzadgad town
• Visit Dalanzadgad Central Museum
• Lunch in Dalanzadgad
• Dinner at local hotel

Day 5: Return to Ulaanbaatar city

• Breakfast at local hotel
• Drive back to Ulaanbaatar
• Lunch stop en route
• Shopping option in Ulaanbaatar
• Drop off at preferred location

The experience

You arrive in Ulaanbaatar and the tour handles the rest. The first day is a drive south to Tsagaan Suvraga, the white cliffs of an ancient seabed that rises 60 meters and stretches 400 meters across, carved by millions of years of sediment. The scarp faces east, so storms send torrents down its face like waterfalls. You sleep that night in a traditional ger camp deep in the desert.

Day two takes you to Yol Valley, a canyon between the peaks of Gurvansaikhan. After a two-hour hike through the gorge, you may see a glacier remnant left from winter: timing matters here, and spring travel makes it certain. You ride a horse through the canyon before returning to camp. The third day is the Khongor Sand Dunes, one of Mongolia's largest, standing 200 meters high and stretching 180 kilometers. Climbing them produces a singing sound, which is why locals call them the singing dunes. You ride a Bactrian camel across them. The two-humped design lets you sit comfortably between the humps as they walk slowly and gently.

Day four heads north toward Dalanzadgad, stopping at Bayanzag, the Flaming Cliffs where the first dinosaur eggs ever discovered were found in 1922. You walk the site where dinosaurs roamed 60 million years ago, surrounded by saxaul trees and desert scrub. That night you stay in a local hotel in Dalanzadgad instead of a ger camp. The final day is the drive back to Ulaanbaatar with a lunch stop along the way. You can shop before the driver drops you at your hotel or preferred location.

What’s included

• All accommodations (three nights in traditional ger camps and one night in a local hotel in Dalanzadgad).
• private transportation throughout.
• a professional English-speaking guide and driver.
• horse and camel riding.
• all sightseeing fees and entrance costs.
• all meals.
• all taxes and fees.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day5 departure times: the first at 08:00, the last at 10:00

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (16 to 65 years) · Senior (66 to 96 years) · Youth (12 to 15 years) · Child (2 to 11 years) · Infant (under 2): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 18 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 14 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Green Clover

Is this one for you?This tour is private, which means you move at your own pace and the schedule bends to your interests: ideal if you want to linger at a site or move on without waiting for a group. The five-day span fits the Gobi's four main landscapes into a single trip without rushing, and the mix of ger camps and one hotel night gives you both the desert immersion and a shower before the drive home.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (12 to 15 years); Child (2 to 11 years); Infant (under 2): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is Tsagaan Suvraga and why is it called the white cliffs?

Tsagaan Suvraga is an ancient seabed scarp in Dundgobi Province, built from sedimentary layers over millions of years. It rises 60 meters at its highest point and stretches 400 meters, appearing ghostly white because of its mineral composition. The name means "white stupa", from a distance it looks like the ruins of an ancient city.

Will I see a glacier in Yol Valley, or does it depend on when I travel?

Yol Valley holds glacier remnants from winter, but whether you see them depends on your travel timing. If you go in spring, you will definitely see ice. Other seasons may have less or none. The two-hour hike through the canyon happens regardless, and you ride a horse after.

Why are the Khongor Sand Dunes called the singing dunes?

The Khongor Sand Dunes make a singing sound as you climb them: a phenomenon that earned them the nickname "singing dunes." The dunes stand 200 meters high and stretch 180 kilometers, making them one of Mongolia's largest and most spectacular formations. You cross them by camel.

What happened at Bayanzag, and what will I see there?

Bayanzag, known as the Flaming Cliffs, is the site where the first dinosaur eggs ever discovered were found in 1922. The remains here are from dinosaurs that lived 60 million years ago. You walk the grounds where they roamed, surrounded by saxaul trees and classic desert vegetation.

Do I need to arrange my own transport to and from Ulaanbaatar, or is pickup included?

Hotel pickup in Ulaanbaatar is included, and the tour provides all private transportation throughout the five days. The driver drops you at your hotel or preferred location when you return on day five.

How many people travel on this tour, and can I set my own pace?

This is a private tour with no fixed schedule or group constraints. You set the pace and the timing throughout: the itinerary runs on your curiosity and your time, not on a preset timetable.