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Gobi Desert Travel Blogs

Background: The Mongols gained fame in the 13th century when under Chinggis KHAN they conquered a huge Eurasian empire. After his death the empire was divided into several powerful Mongol states, but these broke apart in the 14th century. The Mongols eventually retired to their original steppe homelands and later came under Chinese rule. Mongolia won its independence in 1921 with Soviet backing. A Communist regime was installed in 1924. During the early 1990s, the ex-Communist Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP) gradually yielded its monopoly on power to the Democratic Union Coalition (DUC), which defeated the MPRP in a national election in 1996. Since then, parliamentary elections returned the MPRP overwhelmingly to power in 2000 and produced a coalition government in 2004.

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By Ekim
November 1st 2009

Sainshand - The Gobi Desert Asia » Mongolia » Gobi Desert

Young Monk

The train rolls into Sainshand, Mongolia at 5:20 am. And our four barely awake bodies tumble down the stairs, dragging our bags behind. Onto the wide open platform standing alone in the wide open Gobi Desert under a massive wide open Gobi sky. The train is gone one minute later. The sun is already up. And so is our guide, eager to meet us and take us out to our ger (yurt in Mongolian) camp - and then on to explore! The ger camp is right under a nice ridge that breaks the endless Gobi wind and will later give us [View Full Entry]

By PedalledPennings
October 15th 2009

By Sand, Wind and Mare's Milk Asia » Mongolia » Gobi Desert

The crossing
under the little rainbow we go....

A seven kilometer stretch of no man's land separated us from Mongolia. No man's land indeed for only fuel powered engine were allowed through - no walking, no cycling. We loaded our bikes onto an already packed jeep and scrambled in, me in a gentleman's lap, Cedric hanging on the door while steadying an inch of his butt on the tiny dashboard. The jeep was filled to capacity with boxes that held electric appliances - radiators, micro wave ovens, vacuum cleaners but mainly small assemble yourself radiators. It once again reminded us that winter was descending on the World's coldest capital [View Full Entry]

Old Russian style village shop in Erdene

By kue
September 26th 2009

19. + 20. 9. 09; UB - Beijing. Wenn Gerichtsmediziner die Nasenklammer montieren Asia » Mongolia » Gobi Desert

wüste gobi

Ab durch die Wüste. Zwei Tage und eine Nacht. Gobi ist flach und verdammt sandig. So sandig, dass wir im letzten Wagen nur noch mit Tüchern vor dem Mund im Abteil sitzen. Doch das dickste kommt noch: Leider hatte es meine Mitreisende verpasst seit Moskau ihre Kleider zu waschen. Dies, kombiniert mit dem Pech nur kaltes Wasser im Hotel zu haben brachte ihr eine 4er Kabine im eigentlich vollbesetzten Zug für sich alleine. Die Holländischen Mädchen welche die anderen zwei Betten belegten verliessen (wie ich) fluchtartig das Abteil und kamen erst zum schlafen (wie ich) wider zurück. Der Gestank hä [View Full Entry]

By kue
September 24th 2009

16. - 19. Sept 09; UB und Gobi. Wüstentouren und Reitunfälle Asia » Mongolia » Gobi Desert

Nach dem Hike, ziemlich auf der Fresse

Ok, Ok ich nehme alles zurück was ich über Moskaus Strassenverkehr gemeckert habe. Moskau ist heilig, alles Fahrschüler am ersten Tag gegen UB! Die hier haben echt alle nen Hammer gefressen! Hier geht’s ums nackte Überleben. Fussgänger Streifen sind als Verzierung der Beläge gedacht und Ampeln gibt’s erst gar nicht. (Echt nicht). Am sichersten geht‘s mit dem Taxi über die Strasse. (kein Witz). Denn auch hier gilt: Ich bin auch ein Taxi. Die Fete in der Mongolendisco war trotz der absoluten Horrormusik recht lustig. Irgendwie ist UB zwischen Bravohits 13 und 14 hängengeblieben [View Full Entry]

Mongolische Turuk - Das Papier selbst hat mehr wert

By Tony and George
July 29th 2009

The Gorgeous Gobi Region Asia » Mongolia » Gobi Desert

On the way to the Gobi

“Before us lay Mongolia, a land of painted deserts dancing in mirage; of limitless grassy plains and nameless snow-capped peaks, of untracked forests and roaring streams! Mongolia, land of paradox and promise! The hills swept away in the far-flung, graceful lines of panorama so endless that we seemed to have reached the very summit of Earth.” Roy Chapman Andrews Off we got on our Gobi tour organised through UB guesthouse 450,000T each for 9 nights and 8 days inc food, accommodation, Jack, Van and Petrol. We set off in an old soviet people carrier; these are built [View Full Entry]

By Siobhan
July 19th 2009

The Build! Asia » Mongolia » Gobi Desert

Our first worksite

Sain baina uu! (Hello) I just finished up my first experience building houses. The experience has been so many things. Eye opening, back breaking, gratifying and frustrating. Mongolia has also been a place that has been surprising in so many ways. The city of Ulaanbatar is fairly ugly. It has heavy Soviet influence in its architecture. However, it is amazing how Western and specifically American the culture is. The people are extremely friendly and gracious. It is amazing how kind they are. The two families we built houses for would give us small tokens of their gratitude. My favo [View Full Entry]

By latinlovers
June 15th 2009

Almost the longest train journey in the world... Asia » Mongolia » Gobi Desert

The corridor

10 June - after many months of research and mixed reports from travel agents, helpful and not so helpful acquaintances, fellow travellers and random internet-based bloggers, we finally make our way to Beijing Railway Station and find our train - the Chinese Trans-Mongolian K3, destination Moscow! We meet our friendly carriage attendants who point us in the direction of our cabin. After some backpack maneuvering through the narrow corridor, we get a chance to take in our home for the next five nights. It’s decked out in dark wooden veneer with two bunk beds, a good sized table in the [View Full Entry]

Ah - nothing like an endless supply of hot water

The timetable and a ghostly Ella in the background...

By Frisco
May 31st 2009

Mongolie - le Gobi : Ivresse des grands espaces Asia » Mongolia » Gobi Desert

Hit the road !

Ulan Bator, le 25 mai 2009. C'est presque avec étonnement que je me retrouve, ce matin-la, a bord d'un minivan tout terrain de conception russe, pret a partir pour un périple de 20 jours qui me menera des dunes du sud Gobi jusqu'aux eaux cristallines du Lac Khovsgol en passant par les montagnes de l'Arkhangai et l'antique Karakorin. Il faut dire que, depuis mon arrivée a Ulan Bator, il y a moins de 36 heures, les événements se sont enchainés rapidement. La plupart des gens affirment que la capitale mongole n'a rien a offrir d'autre que des rues poussiereuses, ou pullulent [View Full Entry]

Jeune berger battant le rappel des chevres

By Adventura
May 26th 2009

Expedition Mongolia 2010 Asia » Mongolia » Gobi Desert

"It stands to become the longest solo and unassisted walk ever completed." Ripley Davenport, a former British soldier, will attempt the first recorded solo and unassisted traverse across the huge land mass of Mongolia, on foot from east to west, starting in April 2010. Ripley will be hauling all his supplies and equipment weighing over 150kg in a specially designed wheeled trailer around 2750km in 90 days or less between 47° and 50° latitude. The main reason for this solo walk is to raise funds for two charities that support children: Hope & Homes for Children, and UNICEF. Ripley [View Full Entry]

By tanglefish
April 8th 2009

Trans Mongolian Train Part 1 Asia » Mongolia » Gobi Desert

Trans Mongolian Boarding
Looks like I'm getting off (which I am as we are taking photos). But this is actually getting ready to leave Beijing

Day 4-5 (April 8-9) An early morning start to catch the first train in the Trans-Mongolian/Trans-Siberian journey. The Chinese train left at 7:30 for a 30 hour journey to Ulaan Baatar. The train was quite modern and comfortable and came with simple meals included. It was amusing to listen to a discussion from a person who travelled the train often and complained that there was no meat included for lunch (Mongolia being a mainly meat eating country). He managed to get meat balls for himself and another table of travellers (we were happy with our tomato and egg dish) and felt [View Full Entry]

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