Govi-Altai aimag bridges desert plains and the Altai range in Mongolia's south-west corner. Altai town gives access to mountain valleys, while the eastern part of the aimag is dry steppe on the way to Bayankhongor. Trips here appear on long western loops rather than on standard Gobi packages from Ulaanbaatar.
Mountain valleys in the south-west of the aimag offer cooler nights than the open Gobi, but tracks are steep and sandy. Drivers often deflate tyres for grip, then reinflate on the plateau.
Altai town sits where desert gravel meets mountain streams, and local herders graze goats on steep slopes. Combined western loops often camp here between Gobi heat and Altai cold.
Goat herders on motorbikes sometimes share track tips with drivers at Altai town fuel stations. Mountain streams provide drinking water for camps when filtered or boiled on trek.
Sunrise light on Altai ridges rewards photographers who camp near the foothills.
Desert and mountain mix
4WD expeditions and camp treks on combined western and Gobi routes.
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