9-day Gobi Desert Private Tour: Highlights of the Gobi Experience

A 9-day road trip adventure to the must-see sights of the Gobi: Flaming Cliffs, Khongoryn Els, White Stupa, and more. Plus, enjoy nomadic family homestays.

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9-day Gobi Desert Private Tour: Highlights of the Gobi Experience

Highlights of this 9-day Gobi Desert Private Tour include:

Start the trip off with a homestay with one of the province’s most respected nomadic camel herding families. You will have two nights of homestays with local families during this trip where you’ll sleep in a traditional Mongolian ger (yurt).
For the remaining nights, enjoy traditional ger camp accommodations where you can relax and recharge (literally).
Explore Mongolia’s top natural wonders including the White Stupa (Tsagaan Suvarga), Khongoryn Els (the Singing Dunes), and the Flaming Cliffs (Bayanzag).
Walk in the steps of dinosaurs and learn about the world’s most interesting natural historian and inspiration for Indiana Jones, Roy Chapman Andrews.
This is your chance to disconnect from the stresses of your everyday life and learn to be present and in the moment. You will be traveling through remote parts of the country where cell service and data will be limited.

Mongolia’s Gobi Desert is one of the most beautiful and unique landscapes you’ll find in the world. Just ask anyone who’s been there. It changes something in you on a fundamental level.

From giant dunes that humble you with their size to sprawling landscapes that go on forever, there’s something unforgettable about what you feel and experience here.

Not to mention the dinosaur fossils that are scattered everywhere. Tales of people stumbling upon a T-rex claw, or something similar, are all too common. This area was once a breeding ground for dinosaurs and still continues to be a place where some of the world’s most important archeological finds happen.

Beyond the beautiful natural wonders of the Gobi, this tour also gives you the chance to immerse in and experience authentic Mongolian culture. You’ll spend two nights with different families along the way, learning about their lives by living alongside them.

There’s a reason why this is one of the most popular tourist routes in Mongolia.

Book this private Gobi Desert tour for any season. However, please be aware that if you’re planning to book this trip for the fall, winter, or spring, we will need to make some adjustments to this exact itinerary. We will confirm the updated itinerary with you before booking.

This trip starts and ends in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia’s capital city. You will drive from Ulaanbaatar on a loop, returning back to the city a different way than you came.

This trip is for anyone looking for an adventure in one of the last truly wild and remote places on earth.

Most travelers choose to land in Ulaanbaatar a few days before their tour officially begins. This helps with jetlag and getting acclimated to being 1,307 meters (4,432 feet) above sea level. If you choose to do this, there are plenty of things to do in Ulaanbaatar.

On the morning that your adventure begins, your guide and driver will pick you up at your hotel or guesthouse. When you’re fully loaded up, it’s finally time for your trip to start!

This journey won’t always be easy, but the reward will be worth it. We’ll do everything we can to make this trip as comfortable as possible, but once we leave the city, don’t expect running water, electricity, or western toilets. When we say Mongolia is the land of the wild, we mean it.

Mongolia is the place to be present and this is the time to do just that. Put your phone away (you won’t have cell phone or data service, anyways) and look out the window and watch as the landscapes change around you.

Drinking water will be provided from an 18.5 liter LifeSaver Water Purifier. Please bring a reusable water bottle with you.

Below you’ll find a day-by-day breakdown of this adventure, and what it includes. To book this tour please fill out the Google Form linked below.

Meals included in this tour are indicated as Breakfast (B), Lunch (L), and Dinner (D).

Day 1: Drive from Ulaanbaatar to Your Camel Herder Host Family

Bags packed and road trip playlists ready, it’s time to finally hit the road.

You’ll depart Ulaanbaatar early in the morning so that you reach your host family by the late afternoon. Once there, it’s time to jump into Mongolian culture and learn about how these families live and survive.

Your hosts for this evening are recognized as one of the top camel herders in the province – something that’s a big deal! Get to know them, and their herd, and go on a camel riding adventure.

Accommodation: Nomadic Homestay

Accommodation Notes: Throughout this trip we will be staying with local nomadic families. They will have separate gers (yurts) for you and your guide and driver to share. A sleeping bag and sleeping pad are required for this trip. If you do not have these items, please let us know.

Please charge your devices before departing Ulaanbaatar and bring a power bank. There will be no electricity, running water, and bathrooms will be outhouse pit toilets.

Meals: L/D

Day 2: White Stupa and the Gobi Museum of Nature and History

After saying goodbye to your hosts, head to the White Stupa. Here you’ll understand what makes this landmark so famous.

From the White Stupa head towards Dalanzadgad, the capital city of the province and the gateway to the Gobi.

You’ll have lunch in town before visiting the Gobi Museum of Nature and History. After walking through the museum you’ll have a better understanding of where you are, and also of the dinosaurs that used to roam these lands.

Accommodation: Ger Camp

Accommodation Notes: Ger camps vary in their offerings. Most ger camps have private gers and shared bathrooms and showers (separated by gender).

Meals: B/L/D

Day 3: Yolin Am Ice Fields to Your Next Nomadic Family Homestay

After a slow morning at the ger camp, it’s off to the Yolin Am Ice Fields, one of the Gobi’s best-kept secrets. Once there, you’ll hike back into the canyons to see this phenomenon – snow and ice can be round here year round!

After the ice fields, it’s back on the road so you can make your way to your second nomadic family homestay. You’ll reach them in the evening and have another experience immersing in Mongolian culture.

Accommodation: Nomadic Homestay

Meals: B/L/D

Day 4: Sunrise at Khongoryn Els Singing Dunes

Seeing the sunrise at Khongoryn Els is something you’ll never forget. Start your morning at the top of the dunes taking in this highlight of the Gobi.

From Khongoryn Els, travel towards Bulgan soum, where you’ll stop for a local lunch. From there, check into your next ger camp for the evening.

Accommodation: Ger Camp

Meals: B/L/D

Day 5: Flaming Cliffs

Spend the day exploring the Flaming Cliffs. Visit the museum and walk through the winding pathways at the cliffs. Don’t forget to look down while you’re there, you never know when dinosaur eggshells will be uncovered!

Accommodation: Ger Camp

Meals: B/L/D

Day 6: Drive to Ongi Monastery

Getting an early start on the day, drive towards Ongi Monastery, a historical sight with incredible significance. Visit the monastery ruins the evening and learn about what life in Mongolia was really like during under Soviet rule.

Take your time taking in this sight before returning to the ger camp for dinner.

Enjoy a hot shower after dinner and another evening sleeping in a ger.

Accommodation: Ger Camp

Meals: B/L/D

Day 7 - 8: Arrive in Kharkhorin, the Ancient Capital City of Chinggis Khaan

We can’t lie, the drive from Ongi Monastery to Kharkhorin is a long one. You have a lot of ground to cover on day seven, so buckle in and relax.

You’ll arrive in Kharkhorin in the evening and have the following day to explore this ancient capital city with your guide. In Kharkhorin you’ll visit:

Erdene Zuu Hiid, Mongolia’s oldest monastery
Kharkhorin Museum
Mongolian Calligraphy and Art Center
Monument of Three Mongol States

Accommodation: Ger Camp

Meals: B/L/D

Day 9: Return to Ulaanbaatar

With an early afternoon arrival into Ulaanbaatar, you’ll have the rest of the day to shower, catch up on text messages, souvenir shop, and more. The driver will drop you off at your hotel or guesthouse.

Meals: B/L

Breanna facilitated the kind of experience that allowed myself and my fellow group members to each have an individual experience that was expertly-planned but not overly curated, meaning we could form memories and connections unique to ourselves. Through her expertise I was able to sleep in local gers, experience the mysticism of a shaman, and ride a horse for three days without feeling like any of it was overly wrought. Breanna mastered that fragile balance of guiding my group without shielding us from the reality of traveling through such wild country.

Can’t stop thinking about my holiday - loved the country, the Mongolian people were so generous and welcoming, every day was an adventure. Thank you to Breanna & Aagie of Meanwhile in Mongolia - they really know how to show you the real Mongolia. The memories will live long in my mind.

I was not expecting to have such a culturally immersive experience as I did when going to Mongolia. This was hands down the most culturally distant place I have ever gone. I went on an organized tour equipped with a Mongolian driver as well as an interpreter. This is not a country I would recommend just "winging". Many destinations have no roads, no signs, and no other way of finding them without local knowledge.

All accommodation and transportation during the trip dates.
An English-speaking professional licensed guide.
All activities listed on the itinerary including all entrance fees.
Meals* (breakfast, lunch, dinner) as outlined on the trip itinerary.

*Please let us know of any dietary restrictions when booking.

What's Not Included

Travel Insurance that covers medical evacuation and cost of participation (required).
A sleeping bag and sleeping pad are required for this trip. If you will not have these with you, please let us know.
International flights, airport transfers, and hotels in Ulaanbaatar are not included in this itinerary.
Visa costs and fees.
Personal expenses such as laundry, alcoholic beverages, telephone calls, optional activities, and meals which are not included in the trip itinerary.
Tips and additional gratuities.

Visit our tour cancellation policy page if you have any additional questions.

About Aagie, Your Local Mongolian Guide & Trip Leader

My name is Aagie (short for Agarmaa) and I am a professional certified tour guide and the head of tours at Meanwhile in Mongolia.

Born into a second-generation city life, I rediscovered my roots through travel and guiding. After three years and 30+ tours across the country, I’ve connected deeply with my heritage, from the Gobi to Mongolia’s diverse ethnic groups like the Kazakhs.

Along the way, I’ve encountered snow leopards, hunted with eagles, and explored Mongolia’s vast landscapes. I’m proud to share the beauty and traditions of my country while continuing to learn from it every day.

I will do everything I can to guide you on your adventures with what I’ve learned so far, but there’s also a good chance we’ll discover new things together along the way.

Is this trip right for me?

Do you consider yourself one of the following? (And, please be brutally honest with yourself.)

Someone who enjoys road trips and doesn’t mind spending long hours in the car to get to beautiful destinations.
An adventurous-spirit with a go-with-the-flow attitude and mindset.
A person who is open to new experiences and learning about new cultures by jumping right into them.
Adaptable and patient in diverse situations.

If you said yes to any of the above, then great! Mongolia and this Gobi Desert tour is the right trip for you.

This trip requires a medium level of physicality.

Please note that there will be a few long days in the car and there will be a good amount of off-roading during this trip. We will do our best to make the ride as comfortable as possible. However, bumpy, remote dirt roads are unavoidable in Mongolia. If you are prone to car sickness, we advise you to invest in motion sickness glasses. Otherwise, this itinerary may not be for you. Please let us know in advance if this is a potential issue.

For this adventure you’ll also need to pack a sleeping bag and sleeping pad, and packing the right clothes for this type of travel is extremely important. Please read my recommended packing list for ideas on what to bring with you.

This experience is designed for active, curious travelers who are open to everything Mongolia has to offer. Including outhouse and pit toilets, long days outside, shared sleeping arrangements (you may need to share a ger with your guide and driver on the homestay nights), and meat and dairy heavy meals.