Umnugobi Province

One of the biggest attractions in Mongolia, is the spectacular South Gobi province. This incredible landscape, carved out by the Gobi Gurvan Saikhan mountain, reveals the power of nature and the wonder it can create.

Gobi Desert is the most common mental image that visitors have of Mongolia- a vast and dry region that is similar to Africa’s sandy Sahara. But reality is surprisingly different. The Gobi is a land of semi-desert with diversity of rugged treeless snow-topped mountains, heavily eroded hills, springs and streams rivers ending nowhere, a lush mixture of valleys and meadows and bushes. Mongolian Gobi accommodates beautiful looking two humped Bacterian camels, Asiatic wild ass, Mazaalai- endangered Gobi bear.

This is a homeland of dinosaur skeletons, petrified eggs which was found by Roy Chapman Andrews, a modern day Indiana Jones in the 1920s. Bayanzag – Flaming Cliff is the most visited tourist attraction of the region. This striking canyon is located 90km from Dalanzadgad provincial capital of Umnugobi. The canyon walls glow a variety of colors in sunset with hues of orange, red, yellow and everything in between.

The red hills of Ukhaa tolgod, Nemegt canyon, and Khermen Tsav are all significant for their dinosaur remains and adventurous trip opportunities. The next must-see destination is Yoll valley which is located in the Zuun Saikhan mountain. Yoll valley is known as Eagle Valley, for the endangered Lammergeier vultures who live here, this is the third of the South Gobi’s most popular tourist spots.

Majestic Khongor sand dune is Mongolia’s longest stretch of sand dunes running for 180km on the southern side of the Bayan Bor mountain. A small spring- fed creek, the west flowing Khongor river runs along the dunes northern face forming occasional oasis and lake, home to an unusual assortment of amphibians, birds and other animals. This is the great place to do a self-drive through the landscape, take a photography, hiking tours, or simply appreciate some of the views that the Gobi offers.