We pull of Gobi Discovery 2 Ger Camp at 8.52am (on Tuesday 4 Septembe). Bumpy road here we come!
Within 10 minutes we pass a herd of two humped camels - while they are still impressive the wow factor has dropped a tad.
The driver of the van in front of us spots 3 ibex on a rock so we stop to check it out. He has amazing eyes to spot them!
Back onto the “highway”! Think river bed and paddocks. At one stage all four wheels are off the ground - woo Hoo!
Our driver decides being third isn’t fun so we literally floor it on the straight and come into second then a few minutes later are first. Eat your hard out top gear!! We then end up on the wrong “highway” with what is (and has been van one) way over on our right. Whoops. No worries we just cruise across the paddock, which is surprisingly smooth!
An hour and a half after leaving the ger camp we have a bathroom and photo spot stop. Along our journey so far we had seen lots of pink flowers - with the wind I think chives. Duuya confirms this.
As we go to depart our van again has problems starting. Our driver manages to get it going after a few minutes.
Our next stop is at a water trough where are there close to one hundred goats drinking. The cows clearly know it’s drinking hour so trot over, within seconds of them arriving the goats all back away.
Back into the vans we go - this time to the mountains.
once parked and water bottles filled we walk up the hill to Khavtsgait Petroglyphs. It’s a steep climb to the top, heart rate is definitely UP.
Petroglyphs are images that are carved (among other things) on the outside of the rocks.
Duuya gives us the history of the mountain then shows us around some of the carvings, which are dating from between 8000 BC and 3000 BC. They are impressive and still so vivid after many many years.
At the bottom it’s off we go.
We have been cruising along the “highway” enjoying the amazing scenery when all of a sudden we go around the corner and come across a small town - Bulgan. Not sure how I feel about this - it’s strange seeing civilization!!
We drive into and around Bulgan to our lunch spot. They aren’t quite ready for us so we hang outside for a good half an hour.
Once inside lunch takes quite a lot longer to come. It’s a small 4 table restaurant which seems to cook to order (which is great).
Duuya gives us an option for this afternoon, (1) drive to the ger camp and relax to around 6pm then drive back to Bayanzag to see the sunset (this options adds around one hour forty five minutes driving) or (2) go to Bayanzag now then to the ger camp. I wasn’t really fused either way and was happy to go with the majority. The majority choose option 1.
When the food finally does arrive there is a lot! The majority of it was “actually quite tasty”.
Janet spotted a local boy coming into the restaurant with an ice cream, now it’s in all of our heads!
Duuya asks us again which option we want given lunch took much longer than expected. There’s been a shift to option 2 - visiting Bayanzag.
Post a bathroom run Janet and Duuya go off in search of ice creams for us all. Such a treat at the best of time for me but even more so in the middle of the Gobi desert!!
After driving for a while the driver pulls over to allow us to take a couple of photos of the Flaming Cliffs (also know as Bayanzag).
We continue down the valley where we are given 20 minutes to wander around the Saxaul trees and the pond while looking up at the spectacular Flaming Cliffs.
Bayanzag (often known as the flaming rocks to foreigners) are sandstone formations in the middle of the Gobi desert. They are amazing to look at with the desert all around them. I know my photos won’t do it justice.
Back into the vans for a short drive to the foot of the flaming rocks where we have 10 minutes to take photos. My camera decides to stop working - I quickly change the battery but no luck. Hmmm this is strange. My memory card isn’t full so it’s not that. Time to remove the lens and re-add. Bingo we are back in business.
I believe the plan was for us to walk up the flaming rocks but this has been changed to be driven up there. The views from the top are spectacular! We have 30 minutes here to wander around.
We are told it’s an hour’s drive to our ger camp for the night - Goviin Naran. As we are getting close the driver starts to ask the Goyo Travel rep (he’s with us for 3 days to experience the Gobi) questions all about me. Where I am from? What do I do for a job? Where do I live? Etc etc. The conversation always takes so much longer when you are using a translator, but it was nice of him to try.
40 minutes after leaving Bayanzag we pull into our spot for the night. Another impressive ger camp.
We are handed our key then head off in search of our gers. They all have en-suites which is amazing!! We were told earlier there is 24 hour electricity, the small things in life. Unfortunately the power is off at the moment, fingers crossed this changes.
I drop my bags then wander around the property.
Duuya announces the power is back on. For some reason there was a cut from the central line. The decision is a shower or a beer sitting outside enjoying the beautiful scenery. I’ll go with the later thanks very much!
The 16 of us eat dinner tonight, like we did the previous evenings. This time we are the only ones at the ger camp. The food is “actually very nice”. Seems more like a five star restaurant with its 3 courses.
Tomorrow we are departing at 6am for our 8.40am flight back to Ulaanbaatar. Breakfast is from 5am for those that want it - absolutely not for me! Far too early to be eating but I will get up to shower and wash my hair (the first time since Friday, thank you dry shampoo). Bags collection outside our ger at 5.45am.
While today has been a lot of driving we have been in and out of the van a lot as well. The small part of the country I’ve seen has been fantastic!!
I wake at 4.25am on Wednesday 5 September - 35 minutes before my alarm is due to go off. It’s so nice and peaceful!! At 4.30am I’m given a wake up knock, not entirely sure why but hey ho. Thank goodness I’m awake, otherwise I would have been a tad scared. Boy it’s far too early to be awake!!
After 5 minutes of enjoying the warmth of my bed I decide to get up to shower. I decide to go all out and shampoo twice :) Feeling like a totally new person with freshly cleaned hair.....yes it’s the small things!
I do the last minute packing then head to breakfast for a quick snack.
Two of the staff wave us off at 5.55am.
As we are driving to the airport we spot the sun rising, as it’s very cloudy it’s not as impressive as it would have been without the clouds.
We pull into Dalanzadgad airport at 6.45am, there is no one else around.
On entering the airport its nice and toasty - a lovely change from the cold wind outside. We line up our bags then take a seat. A couple of minutes later Duuya informs us of the WiFi password, within seconds there is no talking!! We haven’t had WiFi since 5am on Sunday morning, which I’ve really enjoyed.
Slowly more and more people keep arriving. Definitely going to be a full flight.
When the check-in counter opens at 7.20am Duuya puts all our bags through the security scanner then checks us all in. This time we are asked to provide our hand luggage for weighting.
What an awesome 3 days it’s been in the Gobi - an experience I would encourage everyone to partake in at some stage of their life.
The line for hand luggage security check is crazy - I happily wait to it’s basically done before I join it. It’s painful watching it.
At 9.10am (30 minutes after our scheduled departure time) we are told that due to bad weather in Ulaanbaatar we won’t be departing before 12noon. Right oh then. Duuya will be called when we are to head back to the airport.
We are sent back to the check in counter section. Duuya calls the drivers to come and take us to the town. While I’d be happy to stay here, another 3 hours to wait is a loooong time given we arrived at 6.45am (and it could be longer).
At 9.50am two of our vans turn up to take us to Dalanzadgad town. The town is the biggest in this region / state with 20 thousand people living here. Our driver brings his son with him :)
We go to the Museum of South Gobi where Duuya gives us a guided tour around. She receives numerous calls - one confirms the two phones and chargers left at the airport when we left earlier have been located. Phew.
Duuya has arranged a lunch place close by which we walk too. The wind is cold! But the sun is shining :)
The views are amazing (from the 6th floor).
Today’s is a non-alcoholic day for this town - of course it is! Although 11am is early to start drinking.
11.43am and I’m hungry, been just over 6 hours since I snacked. Still no news from the airport, they aren’t answering their phone. So we continue to wait.
When lunch arrives its pizzas and two types of green salad - yum!! As we are nearly through that the traditional meat with vege dish comes out followed by two types of Mongolian dumplings. No photo today as my phone was charging (I’d used up 70% this morning when we had the WiFi).
Post lunch we wander to and around the market. All of the shops go off the main square. I wander into some of them. One has yak curd of some kind, the smell is beyond foul!
We continue wandering to the camel exhibition. Duuya advises the plane is due to depart at 4pm, which is another 3 hours away. This 4 room building takes all of 7 minutes to go through. Ok 3 hours to go.
I really feel for Duuya trying to keep us entertained. It’s totally out of everyone’s control that we weren’t able to take off earlier.
Next stop on our “filling in time mission” is karaoke - Duuya had mentioned earlier that that’s what the Mongolian’s would be doing if their flight was delayed so that’s what we’ll do. This will be interesting with no alcohol.
As we are waiting for the second van to arrive we notice the pilots are waiting outside their hotel for their pick-up to the airport. This is definitely a good sign!
As we pull into the Dalanzadgad airport (at 3.30pm) for the second time today we “open” the place up. Not sure where everyone is from this morning but hey ho. For now we sit and wait for security to open up.
Security opens up and we go through. I have no idea what the rush is given no one else is here but away we go.
After a while I poke my head out and notice the shop is open. I’ve been grasping for water so ask one of the counter clerks if I can go and buy and bring through. Yes all good.
Waiting waiting waiting. One of the girls sees the pilots walking back to the terminal (from the plane) NOOOOOOOOOOO. Duuya goes to check it out, coming back advising the pilots are calling the other tour group to find out where they are and that they need to hurry up. They have apparently lost 2 people. Great.......not! Why we can’t just go is beyond me, we (well the tour guide) were all given the same information of being back here at 3.30pm.
One of the other tour groups decided to drive to Ulaanbaatar instead of wait for the plane. Given it’s about an 8 hour drive they should be nearly there.
4.29pm and we are still waiting. Feels like I’ve run a marathon today - been up now for 12 hours. We have a 100km drive when we finally get to Ulaanbaatar, supposedly it’s on a tar-sealed road. Time will tell. To be honest I just want to get onto the bloody plane!! We are coming up to 8 hours since our scheduled departure time.
Nana’s saying “if you have time to spare fly by air” is oh so appropriate today.
At 4.45pm we are told we can board. The other group has basically just turned up, minus two people, and are running through security.
5pm the lost two and their guide turn up. Doors are then immediately closed. Let’s get this big bird up up and away.
5.04pm we are off! And two minutes later we are in the air. Zero mucking around here. Helps when it’s a small airport and we are the only plane.
The views over the Gobi and countryside were amazing!
Gobi desert you have been magical! I truly hope one day to return.
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