The silence of the desert engulfs me as I sit alone, atop the highest sand dune I could find. Shades of gold, purple and black paint a picture across the dunes as far as the eye can see. As the sunset unfolds, the picture begins to change, but the silence remains. In the distance, herds of Bactrian camels graze on the vibrant, desert grass.
Beyond, more massive towers of sand and black mountains dominate the darkening, blue sky. This place, so remote and so silent, etches itself in my mind forever. Suddenly, I am consumed by thoughts of the arduous journey that lays ahead. It will test all my skills and experience as a traveler. I am about to cross the Gobi Desert in southern Mongolia.
The Gobi is really big! Planning on where to go and how long it will take can become very confusing. The Gobi has everything from motor sports and dinosaurs, to hiking and camel riding. Uncharted adventure will be had. So spend the time before you go to plan things properly, as visiting the Gobi is a unique travel destination unlike anywhere else.
There are a few options for traveling through the Gobi. The first, cheapest option is to take public transport. The second choice is to rent a car and drive yourself.
This option is great and will give you the freedom to do whatever you wish. The downside is that road maps are not very detailed including GPS , making navigation difficult. Very little English is spoken here, so finding accommodation and food can be difficult. The last option is to rent a van with a driver. This is, by far, the best option. Our driver served as a guide, cook, and translator.
