Ömnögovi is the Gobi most visitors picture. Dalanzadgad has an airport, shops and ger camps on the edge of town, and from there jeeps run to Khongoryn Els, where camel handlers wait at the foot of hundred-metre dunes, and to Yolyn Am, a narrow canyon that can hold ice late into summer. Nights are clear and star-filled, and days are hot and dusty.
Dalanzadgad has shops for sun cream, hats and bottled water before you head to the dunes. Yolyn Am is cooler inside the canyon, so bring a light layer even on hot days. Camel handlers expect a small tip for photos at Khongoryn Els, which your guide can advise on.
Gravel plains stretch between sites, and drivers follow tyre tracks that shift after windstorms. Ger camps set tables outside for breakfast when mornings are calm before the heat builds.
Stars above Khongoryn Els camp are bright enough to walk without a torch on clear nights. Sand gets into each zip, so keep electronics in dry bags between dune visits.
Dunes and canyon
Camel trekking, dune walks and canyon hikes in the Gobi.
Booking on adventuro
Use the Book here tab for tours that fly into Dalanzadgad or drive from UB.
