Gobi desert jeep ride adventure
Russia, Mongolia
Highlights: Altai mountains, Gobi desert, Baikal lake, nomad yurts, dinosaurs relics at Harmaen Tsav canyon.
Description: This tour is perfect for photography! After internal flight from Moscow to the starting point of our jeep ride - Barnaul city, our route goes East through Altai mountains then the heart of Gobi desert of Mongolia and ends up at lake Baikal as the eastern point of our driving journey/ There are few possible ways to visit Gobi but our tour is the coolest and most adventurous because we drive to the most difficult and most beautiful areas of Gobi like Kharmaen-Tsav and Khongoryn-Els. Usually people take Northern route of Gobi which has easier roads but we will take you to the very heart of it.
Special note: It is an adventurous tour for those who prefer close interaction with nature over city comforts. Five-six nights we will sleep in tents in open vast plains of mountains and desert.
You will need visas for Russia and Mongolia. Visitors from 23 countries do not need visa for Mongolia, check if you are one of them.
We can extend or shorten the following itinerary according to the wish of our customers.
Season: May to October
The cost: group of 1-2 people - $2500 per person, group of 3-4 people - $2200 per person, for the cost with a different number of tourists please contact us
Day 1. Arrival to Moscow. Transfer to hotel. If time allows, evening walk around Red Square. Welcoming dinner.
Day 2. After breakfast we drive to the airport to catch our flight to Gorno-Altaisk city. Overnight at hotel.
Day 3. Today we take our places in our 4WD jeep and drive 700km along famous Chuyskiy trakt way without concrete pavement. We will stop to see ancient stone reliefs Kalbak-Tash made by stone age people, we will pass the joint point of Chui and Katun rivers, and we will see the edges of Ak-Tru glaciers. Overnight in motel at Kosh-Agach village.
Day 4. Wake up early in the morning and head to the village Tashanta where we cross the border with Mongolia. The village at the border from the Mongolian side is called Tsagaannuur. After crossing the border we get into a very colourful Mongolian town Bayan-Ulgiy where we will change our money, get supplies for future camping and eat lunch in local restaurant. Then we drive 250 km along paved road to Khovd city where we will visit Tolbo-Nuur lake, will see the passes Burat and Khoshat and wild erne birds. Sleeping overnight in hotel in Khovd.
Day 5. Today is a long day of drive to the city Altai, on the way we pass by Great Lakes basin (Khar, Khar-Us, Durgan). Overnight in hotel in Altai.
Day 6. Today we drive to the gate of Gobi – to the village called Shinezhinst. Along the way we will see the relics of Buddhist monasteries, stupas and yurts of nomads. Dinner cooked on fire. Overnight in a hotel.
Day 7. Today we drive in the very heart of Gobi desert. On the way we will pass Zulganai oasis, after what we will get to the place with extremely dry air – canyon Harmaen Tsav, one of the most important paleontology research centre in the world due to the multiple relics of dinosaurs. Overnight in tents.
Day 8. Full day at Harmaen Tsav canyon: there are no words to describe the beauty of this place, it's on the front picture of this tour. Overnight in tents.
Day 9. Today we continue our adventures in the middle of the Gobi desert. At sunrise we will see beautiful gold color of dunes. First we drive to Nemeget cavity – another dinosaurs place , and we will also visit the place with a unique stone reliefs of ancient himans - Palu. And finally we will drive through one of the most unusual places on earth – Khongoryn-Els barchans which is also called Singing Sands because it constantly produces mysterious melody sounds. Overnight in tents.
Day 10. In the morning we drive to place called Chinggis where we can enjoy the civil comforts after the days of wilderness – shower and a nice Mongolian dinner. But on the way here we will pass Bayanzag cliffs which also contain dinosaur relics. Overnight in a yurt.
Day 11. In the morning we walk to visit Ogniy Hiyd monastery and a nearby antique shop where you can purchase souvenirs and the real ancient relics excvated by archeologists. Then we will have a lunch in a cafe, and then 4 hrs drive to the holy sight called Baga Gazriin Chuluu. Overnight in a simple guest house.
Day 12. Today we wake up early and head to the capital of Mongolia. On the way we will visit the tallest horseman sculpture in the world – the statue of Chingyz-Khan, 34 meters tall. Then we will drive to Turtle rock and visit the famous Buddhist Aryapala temple. And finally we reach Ulan-Bator city. First we will go to shops to buy souvenirs and then we will eat wonderful lunch at a restaurant. After lunch we will walk around Chingyz-Khan square. Overnight in a hotel in Ulan Bator.
Day 13. Today we have to wake up early to drive toward the border along comfortable paved road, and the scenery around already remind us Russian landscapes – green forests, lakes and fields. We cross the border from Mongolian town Altanbulag to Russian town Kyakhta. Overnight in tents at Gussinoye lake.
Day 14. Today is the day of adventurous drive. We cross high mountain passes through taiga with absence of roads and reach the shore of the lake Baikal. Overnight in tents at Baikal lake.
Day 15. Full day at Baikal. We enjoy the clean waters of the lake, swim, eat smoked omul – the fish of Baikal. Overnight in tents.
Day 16. Drive to Ulan-Ude. We can spend a night there exploring the wonderful capital of Buryatia republic, or we can catch flight to Moscow.
Day 17. Departure from Moscow.
We can change the itinerary – for example, we can skip going to Ulan-Bator and we can spend more time exploring Great Lakes basin with nomads yurts around. Also those who have time can take train instead flight from Moscow to Barnaul and from Ulan-Ude to Moscow which goes along the famous Trans-Siberian railway. So the cost of the tour depends on the mode of transport you choose. And we can also drop you at Ulan-Bator if you want to end the tour wtih us there and continue your traveling in Mongolia - the cost will change respectively.
The cost includes: airport transfers, hotels, breakfasts in Moscow, Barnaul and Ulan-Ude, all domestic flights within Russia, 3 meals a day during our jeep ride part, tents, kitchen and other camping equipment, 4WD jeep transportation within Russia and Mongolia, English speaking guide, visa assistance.
The cost excludes: international flights, visa fee, other meals in Moscow, Barnaul and Ulan-Ude
The things you need to bring with you: comfortable sports clothes and shoes, a warm sleeping bag, sun protection cream, hat, sun glasses.
