Gobi Desert 6-day tour: Flaming Cliffs & sand dunes

Five nights crossing the Gobi's most famous sites, from red cliffs to singing dunes

A 6-day guided tour of the Gobi Desert departing from Ulaanbaatar, with 5 nights in tourist ger camps and one night in a hotel, covering Flaming Cliffs, Khongor sand dunes, Tsagaan Suvarga escarpment, and Yoliin Am gorge. Hotel pickup in Ulaanbaatar is included, and the guide speaks English or Japanese. The itinerary visits every major Gobi attraction in a single trip.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Middle Gobi via Genghis Khan Statue

• Pick up from hotel
• Drive to Genghis Khan Statue
• Visit museum and souvenir shops
• Climb to top of statue
• Drive to Terelj National Park
• Hike to old temple
• Drive to Baga Gazriin Chuluu
• Visit ancient temple ruins
• Arrive at tourist camp
• Dinner and overnight in ger

Day 2: Visit Tsagaan Suvraga White Stupa

• Breakfast at camp
• Drive to Tsagaan Suvarga
• Explore escarpment and surroundings
• Lunch at ger camp
• Dinner and overnight at camp

Day 3: Explore Bayanzag Flaming Cliffs

• Breakfast at camp
• Drive to Flaming Cliffs Bayanzag
• Discover paleontological site
• Watch sunset at cliffs
• Dinner and overnight in ger camp

Day 4: Khongor Sand Dunes and Nomads

• Breakfast at camp
• Drive to Khongor Sand Dunes
• Lunch at camp
• Visit nomadic camel herder family
• Camel ride near sand dunes
• Climb sand dunes for panoramic view
• Watch sunset at dunes
• Dinner and overnight in ger camp

Day 5: Yoliin Am Vulture Valley Excursion

• Breakfast at camp
• Drive to Yoliin Am Vulture Valley
• Hike and photograph gorge
• Lunch during excursion
• Dinner and overnight in Dalanzadgad hotel

Day 6: Drive back to Ulaanbaatar

• Breakfast at hotel
• Drive back to Ulaanbaatar
• Drop off at accommodation

The experience

The tour starts at your Ulaanbaatar hotel with a 1.5-hour drive to Genghis Khan Statue Complex, where you climb to the top for views across the steppe before heading into Terelj National Park to hike to an old temple. From there the route pushes into the Gobi proper, stopping at Baga Gazriin Chuluu, a rock formation in Middle Gobi where you explore temple ruins and stay overnight in a ger camp. This first day sets the pace: a mix of driving, walking and nights under canvas.

The next four days move through the Gobi's signature landmarks. Tsagaan Suvarga, the White Stupa, is a 60-meter escarpment of eroded sedimentary rock that rises like a city ruin from the flat desert. After rainfall, water cascades down nearly 900 steep banks. Bayanzag, the Flaming Cliffs, glows deep red at sunset and marks the site where American explorer Roy Chapman Andrews made the first paleontological discoveries in Mongolia. Khongor sand dunes, also called the Singing Dunes, let you ride a camel for an hour and climb to panoramic views, plus you visit a nomadic camel herder family to experience authentic hospitality. Yoliin Am, or Vulture Valley, is a deep gorge in the Three Beauties of the Gobi National Park, snow-covered much of the year and built for hiking and photography. Each stop includes meals and overnight stays in ger camps, except Yoliin Am where you sleep in a hotel room at Dalanzadgad.

The final day is a 10-hour drive back to Ulaanbaatar, ending at your accommodation. Drivers have more than 10 years of experience with tourists, and guides are English or Japanese speakers trained in western cultural understanding. The operator has run tours since 2018 and leads trips personally rather than through third parties.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup in Ulaanbaatar on day one and drop-off at your accommodation on day six.
• 5 nights in tourist ger camps and 1 night in a hotel room at Dalanzadgad.
• all meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) throughout the tour.
• camel ride near Khongor sand dunes.
• entrance to Genghis Khan Statue Complex and access to all Gobi sites.
• guide services in English or Japanese.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (1 to 11 years)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Japanese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

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 today

Good to know

Moderate physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Nomadic Hospitality Mongolia

Is this one for you?This is a shared tour with a fixed itinerary and set dates, so you travel with other guests and follow the operator's route through all major Gobi sites. Choose it if you want every landmark in one trip and prefer not to arrange transport and camps yourself. The 6-day length fits the full Gobi circuit inside a single journey from Ulaanbaatar.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Japanese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (1 to 11 years).

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 Suvarga and why does it look different from different angles?

Tsagaan Suvarga, meaning White Stupa, is a 60-meter-high escarpment formed by erosion of sedimentary mud from an ancient sea bottom. From the far east it resembles a city ruin or settlement, but from the west it looks like flat steppe. After rainfall, water flows down nearly 900 steep banks like a massive waterfall.

Do I need to be an experienced hiker to do this tour?

The tour includes hikes to an old temple in Terelj National Park and up Khongor sand dunes, which the operator describes as challenging but rewarding. You should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness. The tour is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries or pregnant travelers.

Can I ride a camel on this tour?

Yes, at Khongor sand dunes you ride a camel for about one hour near the dunes after visiting a nomadic camel herder family. This is part of the day's itinerary and included in the tour.

What are the Flaming Cliffs and why are they called that?

Bayanzag, known as the Flaming Cliffs, is the world-famous site where American explorer Roy Chapman Andrews made the first paleontological discoveries in Mongolia. During sunset the cliffs change color to a deep red, which is how they earned the name Flaming Cliffs.

Is hotel pickup from Ulaanbaatar included?

Yes, hotel pickup in Ulaanbaatar is included. The tour picks you up from your hotel in the morning on day one and drops you at your accommodation at the end of day six.