GOBI DESERT DAY 4
MONGOLIA
On day four in the Gobi Desert, we journeyed from Ich Gazaryn Chuluu National Park to the White Cliffs, encountering stunning landscapes, nomadic hospitality, and the unique lifestyle of camel herders.
Travelling In The Gobi Desert
Day Four: Ich Gazaryn Chuluu National Park to White Cliffs,
Distance: 220 km
We woke to the sight of camels wandering through the ancient rocks and canyons, and ate breakfast while kites swooped above us.
After breakfast, we left the Eastern Gobi desert on a bright, sunny morning and entered the Central Gobi, heading to the White Cliffs, also known as Tsagaan Suvarga.
On the way, we visited the monument to the famous Long-Song singer, set high on a hill, and again took in the incredible views across the plains.
We then set out across the dusty Gobi desert plains in search of water. We stopped in the small settlement of Gurvan Saikhan for water, supplies, and ice cream, discovering that Russian chocolate ice cream is delicious.
We traveled across vast sandy plains for a long time on extremely rough roads and stopped for lunch on one of those extremely hot, dusty plains. While we were there, a nomad couple pulled up for a chat. The lady helped Victor prepare the lunch, sitting on the ground and deftly peeling potatoes while chatting away.
We arrived at the White Cliffs or Tsagaan Suvarga in a howling wind—wind so strong that if you stood too close to the edge, you felt like you might get blown off.
Tsagaan Suvarga, Mongolia, consists of incredible towering white limestone cliffs overlooking a plain that was once an ocean. We drove to the bottom of the cliff to view it from the base. Driving around the base was a little hairy, with the UAZ bouncing from one hillock to the next. At one point, we all got out to walk down a particularly steep hill. The good old UAZ didn’t put a wheel wrong.
The White Cliffs were impressive but probably not our favorite place to date. From the White Cliffs, we went to a nomad family who had set up extra gers for people to stay in. Golden Gobi works with nomadic families to provide extra gers for travelers, ensuring the money goes to the nomads rather than the big tourist camps dotted around the most popular sights. We had a lovely ger with proper beds and a nearby long-drop toilet with actual seats. Luxury.
The nomad family were camel herders, and while we were there, we watched them water and then milk the camels.
