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Travel Mongolia > Mongolia Travel Calendar > Dundgovi's Great Gobi Nomadic Quest

Dundgovi Community Travel Routes

This is a serious ‘southern’ adventure and the best of all worlds! The Great Gobi Nomadic Quest is a combination of all three Dundgovi routes and communities making it the first Regional Community Route!

You will travel along the border from the north to the southeast and over to the southwest and back! This trip has been perfectly balanced to ensure all your days are focused on meaningful experiences rahter than just jeep travel. From community to community you will travel and have amazing opportunities to experience real southern Nomads.

It’s a claasic! I am sure that Roy Chapman Andrews and other early explorers of Mongolia would be proud of GertoGer’s attempt to bring back those early day adventures.    

Difficulty of trip: Moderate
Method of travel: Jeep, horseback, camels, carts and trekking

Community Fee: $522 USD for 12 days/ 11 nights

Additional In-Country Travel Expenses
UB to Mandalgovi Bus Fee (approx.): $8 USD
Rural jeep for regional route (approx.): $350 USD
Note: Jeep cost can be divided by number of persons
Booking & travel orientation w/ handbook: $25 USD

 

Day 1

Traditional short folk songs:  You will start your journey after departing from Mandalgovi (Dundgovi province’s center) by jeep for 46 kilometers to Ms. Oyun-Erdene’s Ger. She will serve you a nomadic lunch and tea. Afterwards she will sing you Mongolian traditional songs and show you how to make traditional embroideries and sewing.

Overnight Ger (Munh-Od): Then the local driver takes you to your overnight family (13 km drive) where you will be greeted to welcoming tea and a nomadic dinner. During your stay with Mr. Munh-Od, you will have a chance to play National Game called “Shagai” that is a lot like a game “marble” that children play but with the ankle bone of sheep.

 

 Day 2

"Shagai" competition and melodies of the Horse Head Fiddle: After breakfast you will trek to next herder family with him for 2 kms. He will take your luggages by motobike.

Tea Ger (Munkhbat): Upon your arrival at Mr.Munkhbat’s home you will have a nomadic lunch and tea while enjoying the horse fiddle melodies.  You can enjoy the opportunity to try your hand with a rustic head fiddle and learn songs about the spirit of Mongolian horses. The afternoon will be filled with the lessons on “Shagai”, traditional game. You will play “Shagai” with his family and compete with them. Mr. Munkhbat will guide your journey for 8 kilometers to your overnight place by camel.

Overnight Ger (Gundsambuu): In the evening at your overnight place you can have a chance to play nomadic style volleyball and enjoy with children’s singing.

 

 Day 3

Learn the art of wood carvings: This morning you will wake up to a hot cup of milk tea and fried nomad bread (like small donuts). Before departure Mr. Gundsambuu will show you how to make Mongolian traditional wooden carvings. You will trek for 12 kilometers and reach tea ger, Mr. Munkh-Ochir’s ger.

Tea Ger (Mr. Munkh-Ochir): You will be served a nomadic lunch and tea at Mr. Munh-Ochir’s family. You have an opportunity to learn to assemble intellactual wooden games. Mr. Munh-Ochir will lead you to your next overnight Ger by horse or horse cart (11km).

Overnight Ger (Mr. Chimiddorj): Mr. Chimeddorj’s Family will welcome you for dinner. Then you will have an overnight.

 

 Day 4

Learn how to assemble a Mongolian ger and art of felt making: After having breakfast you will have a rare opportunity to take part in the art of making Mongolian felt. In the early afternoon you will begin your trek by foot around 13kms through some of the most amazing rock formations of Ih Gazriin Chuluu like Tangad rock, Chinggis Khan Rock, Khur khartsag’s memorial place and monument, Open air theatre etc and have the opportunity to take some incredible photos. You will have picnic lunch on the way. You will be surrounded by densely packed massive formations that averagely range 400 meters and higher!

Overnight Ger (Mr. Tsembeldorj): Upon your arrival Mr. Tsembeldorj’s family will serve you a dinner and tea. He worked as a local National Park ranger for 37 years. After dinner you will learn the art of assembling a mongolian ger by small maket with him.

 

 Day 5

Spend the afternoon in Gurvansaihan village with locals:  After your breakfast you will surround caves and famous long singer Mrs.Norovbanzad’s monument by trekking along with him. On the way you will meet the local “Ovoo” (stone mound of shamanistic culture, it believes that local deities listens to the people’s wishes and fulfills them) and put small stones or go out for a short trek. Around 11 a.m. local driver will pick you up and drive to Gurvansaihan soum for 30kms. Upon arrive at Mr. Huderchuluun’s ger you will welcome a nomadic lunch and tea. Then Ms.Erdenebileg will introduce and guide you her native village. In the evening you will have opportunity to play volleyball, “teveg” (traditional hacky sack kicking game), ankle bone game which called Shagai in mongolian. As well as you can use other paid services like hot shower, telephone and medical shop etc. Dinner will be served with family.

  

 

 Day 6

Visit Gandanchoinhorlin monestary and do some desert sun bathing at the silky Uush Sand Dunes: After breakfast Mr.Huderchuluun will show you Gandanchoinhorlin monastery. The monastery was established hundred years ago by famous monk. Mr.Huderchuluun has been working at monastery as a leader monk for many years. Afterwards local driver will pick you up to continue your journey (2-3 hours) to Uush Sand Dunes. Around 1 p.m. you will reach at Mr. Batsuuri’s ger. After lunch Mr. Batsuuri will guide you to Uush sand dunes and Zag Mod by trekking for 2kms. The Uush medicinal sand dune is used for treating back, rheumatic fever, kidney etc. Therefore domestic people go to Uush sanatorium which locates near sand dune and are treated. In the evening you will have dinner with his family.

 

 Day 7

Listen to traditional 'long song' and melodies of the Horse Head Fiddle at sunset: After breakfast Mr. Batsuuri will guide you to ruin of the Hutul monastery for 4kms by jeep. We will trek to “Tagtaa Amni Agui” (cave) for 1km by feet from ruin of monastery. Afterwards you will continue your journey to Ulziit soum for 75kms. Upon your arrival at Mrs. Uigarmaa’s family you will served a lunch and tea. In the late afternoon we will drive to Ban cliff around 6kms. You will have opportunity to listen traditional long song and the melodies of fiddle at sunset there. Then back to her home and rest for the evening. Apart from the above you can use other paid services – hot shower, laundry, telephone and medical shop etc.

 

  Day 8

Del Mountain's Petroglyhs (lots of ancient petroglyphs!): After breakfast around 11 a.m. you will continue your trip to Tsagaan suvraga toruist camp. You will have a lunch at ger camp. Then continue your journey to Petroglyph Gallery of the Del Mountain and Bold cliffs. Camels, horses, wildsheep, animals and people who holds javelin etc were described on 20 separate petroglyphs. Mongolian scientists defined that Petroglyphs of Del Mountain were inscribed 3000 years ago. Afterwards, you will continue to drive for 20kms and reach Bold cliffs. Bold cliff are famous for an ancient tale of one monk that escaped from his monastery and lived in cliffs because he fell in love with woman. In the cliffs you will find a rock bed, chairs etc which were used by the Monk. You will have dinner at a remote ger camp and have an opportunity to take a hot shower there.

 

  Day 9

The famous wind canyons of Tsagaan Suvrag:  After breakfast at ger camp you will drive to Tsagaan suvraga cliffs. It is interesting to see the sheer slope, facing east; from a distance it seems to be the ruins of the ancient city. The cliff is 30 meters high and 100 meters wide. Over thousands of years the wind has created this amazing structure. Then continue your driving to Saikhan – Ovoo by local jeep.   On the way you will have a picnic lunch. Upon arrival at Zambagiin tal guest house Mr.Nyamdavaa’s family will welcome you a dinner and tea. Then he will guide you through his village and sea-buckthorn garden. Back to Guesthouse.

 

  Day 10

Horse ride to Ongi Monastery:  After breakfast, you will start your journey to Mr. Undral’s ger by jeep for 9 kilometers. On your journey to his ger you will visit the locally famous pierced rock, named Senjit where Chinggis Khan used to tie his horses too. Arrive at Mr. Undral’s herder family. He will serve you by a nomadic lunch and tea. Then continue your journey by horseback for 10 kms to Ongiin Khiid Monastery ruins. On the way you will visit Zambaga Khairkhan local worshipped mountain and historical cave that once served as refuge to Mongolia’s “Robin Hoods” from local authorities. This evening you will stay at Burkhant Shashir camp, dinner will be served, overnight.  

 

  Day 11

Visit Ongi Monaster known as the largest ruins in the Gobi Desert:  After breakfast Mr. Uridiinbish will show you ruin of Ongi monastery which was established 300 years ago.  Ongi monastery was biggest monastery in Gobi region. During the repression of 1930 the monastery was completely destroyed and around 300 monks were killed by revolutionists. Then you will continue your journey to next family by horse cart for 10kms. Arrive at Mr. Jinhuu’s herder family. He will serve you a lunch and tea. After lunch, you will have opportunity to learn how to milk animals and make dairy products with his wife. Then continue by horse back for 7 kilometers to your overnight destination. Arrive at Mr.Shinebayar’s herder family. At his ger you will learn how to play a Mongolian game called ‘Dembee’, which involves the drinking of mare’s milk! If you survive, you will have dinner at his ger and will overnight here.

 

  Day 12

Horses and/or camels back to Saihan Ovoo (departure): After breakfast you will have the opportunity to learn how to tie halter and hobble for a horse by leather strap. Then you will continue your travel back to Saihanovoo soum by horse back and camel for 12km. On the way you will served by picnic lunch. You will meet with your driver at Saihanovoo village and depart to Mandalgovi.

 

 

In line with responsible tourism's best practice, we insist on an ortientation briefing - $25 Per Person Booking and Travel Orientation Training Fee
As our project office is working hard to develop responsible community based tourism in Mongolia, payment of the booking fee allows us to provide this important service. Our office team will assist withlogisitcs of your travel with the rural communities and provide you a pre-travel orientation so you stay in Mongolia is productive, some services include:
Travel Orientation Booking your trip with local communities
Travel Orientation Communications costs of your logistics (Ulaanbaatar and rural locations)
Travel Orientation Travel passes and information packages
Travel Orientation Travel orientation & information (local know-how and save yourself $100s)
Travel Orientation Cultural sensitivity orientation & information
Travel Orientation Basic Mongolian language training on key travel vocabulary
Travel Orientation Mongolian language travel terminology sheet
Travel Orientation Etc.

 

 

 
 

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* Note: Transportation methods between Gers may differ depending on the external
influences and circumstances, weather, animals, etc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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