Bayanzag and Khongorin Els

Morning in Bayanzag

Although the guide would have preferred to rest for a little longer, the alarm goes off at 6:30 am. A typical and delicious breakfast, then we set off towards the Southern Gobi Desert. The first stretch of road is very pleasant, with an average speed of around 80 km/h. However, it becomes more challenging as the landscape gets rougher. At one point, we see a sort of reddish canyon and realize that we have arrived at... Bayanzag... called Flaming Cliffs or Rupi Fiammeggianti, where many dinosaur fossils have been found. There's nothing to remind you of the presence of the fossils except for a local vendor offering to show us some bones in exchange for a few coins. The same vendors sell everything, including historical artifacts and dinosaur eggs displayed among other items. If we bought them, we could ensure food and accommodation in the Mongolian prisons for a while. It's very interesting to admire the landscape that opens from the top of this hill, with its reddish rock formations. Layers of rock alternate with others similar to hardened earth. These last ones erode first and give rise to these characteristic formations. One can imagine how 70 million years ago, on what was a dried-up sea, those creatures called dinosaurs roamed around.

We pass through Bulgan and enter the Gobi Gurvan Saikhan Natural Park, which means "Three Beauties," continuing into the desert, and we stop at a location. in the middle of nowhere for lunch. Since we didn't even have a single stone to sit on, we sat down on the ground.

Arrival at Bayanzag

The road becomes varied as we cross a low mountain range; you can look around, but never get distracted: a sudden pothole could give a jolt to our already strained spines. We are almost at 2 PM when we arrive at... Khongorin Els (the Singing Dunes with the Wind) – for check-in at the Julchin camp on July 2nd, after crossing a step at 2,350 meters... passing through the Saxaul forest (thorny bushes that don't require much water).

We venture into the dunes of this particular desert. Although it is called the Gobi Desert, only a small part is covered in sand in the Saharan sense of the word, just 3%. It's a strip that stretches for 120 km and is 12 km wide. Upon arrival, you will see a strip of sand in front of a mountain range and beyond a gray plateau. We climb to the highest dune. which are said to exceed the base by 300 meters, constantly sinking into the sand. The final stretch is steep and with every step, we retreat without leaving any trace, which is immediately covered by falling sand, accompanied by a sinister creaking sound underfoot. We traverse the ridge from end to end, amazed by a very diverse nature. This is one of the least populated regions on Earth, with less than 0.5 inhabitants per square kilometer.

Upon returning, we look for the camel rental service affiliated with Ger Camp to take a ride on these wonderful animals. It lasts one hour and a half and is a fascinating experience. Riding camels It's not easy, especially if they don't have any reins and you need to stay on their back. It's a tall animal, and it's natural to reach out and hug the front hump to avoid falling. We cross a shallow area and return near the dunes, as the sun is about to set. Some horses wild animals cross a remote area at sunset. We return to the guesthouse, which is always located at camel backs These animals are slow (they travel at approximately 5 km/h) and extremely fascinating. The lady who accompanies us only speaks Mongolian, so our conversations consist of gestures or drawings in the sand while we take a break halfway through the tour. Shortly after departure, a scarf, a Tuareg style, is placed over the face, leaving only the eyes free, which are also covered by sunglasses. They will tell us that it's to avoid getting sunburned and not to tan too much. It's not fashionable, but above all, it burns the skin.

The field is of excellent quality. with light in "the room". For the first time, we sleep without having to worry about the cold. Actually, it would have been like this the night before as well, if not for the strong wind.

Evening in Bayanzag

We can only stand and admire the magnificent spectacle of sunset over the Gobi The sun disappears behind the dunes, and we wonder why we are the only ones experiencing this moment while everyone else is inside eating.