Picture Gallery - images of trip - MONGOLIA - the GOBI
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MONGOLIA : Images from left to right:
THE GOBI
Our first camp out from Ulaanbataar in amongst grassy hills and we had our own herd of Mongolian horses grazing nearby; We had to replace Neil's shock absorber bush; The track as it heads into the Gobi
Made it into Dalandzadgad the largest town this far south and we are not all that far from the China border – a place to get some money out of the bank; Some of the great country after leaving Dalandzadgad and our ‘critter camp' beside the hills and dry creek bed.
Came across these two headstones hidden behind a small hill (Viv discovered them on a toilet errand!) – they dated back to 1938 and 1932; A group of two-humped camels enjoy a drink; local truck transport; this woman ran a small souvenir shop at the entrance to the Gurvan Saikhan National Park – check out her beautiful, very black, and very long hair.
Headed to Yoly Am (Vultures mouth) Gorge in the park and Viv, Gay, Neil and Rod took a horse ride to the mouth of the gorge, while Ron, Kate & Helen walked; us in the gorge at a small waterfall; walking into the gorge; Gay checking out just one of the several souvenier sellers set up along the walk to the gorge selling small wood carvings and stone engravings.
Some of the sturdy and strong Mongolia horses (don't call them ponies – they get upset) at the gorge; The drive through the ranges heading to Dugany Am Gorge.
To Dugany Am Gorge the route quickly climbs to a steep pass and then drops through a long winding gorge – very reminiscent of creek and gorges in the Flinders Ranges back home – but lacking the gum tress and the rock strata; we made camp on a bank of grass beside a small tricking stream in the gorge – it was a beauty. A few km west next day we came to a very narrow gap in between the range which we had to negotiate – the Patrol passed through relatively easily, but Rod, with the widest vehicle/camper, took some negotiating and guidance to get through (and still ended up with a scratch on the side of his camper.
The country got flatter and drier and we passed this Nomadic Herder getting water from his well for his herd of goats/sheep; Headed for Bayandalay which we could see sitting out on the wide flat plain between the lines of ranges and lots of tracks to it (typical of any of the tracks – there were always plenty to choose from; Rod discovered that he had a broken spring, so an enforced stop for a couple hours gave the boys a chance to patch it up enough to continue; Ron got a Sat ph call through to ARB to order a new spring to be shipped to Ulaanbataar to await our return there.
Finally made it to the sand dunes and the mountain range – the Zoolongiyn Nurruu – behind them even though the weather remained cloudy and threatening rain.
With the wind blowing strongly, after a long day fixing a spring, we all opted to stay at one of the Ger Camps near the dunes – luckily we did – it them started to rain and continued to rain for the next 24 hours; Ron & Viv outside their Ger; next morning we set of in the rain on a wet and muddy track; we passed over a range in the rain and heavy mist.
The rain continued all day and the track was very wet – the vehicles were covered in mud!!! A lunch stop in a ‘fast food' ger (that took well over an hour – and only mutton dumplings were on the menu) – still the lady was lovely and the dumplings fresh, and we were dry; Another wet night near the ‘Flaming Cliffs' and another Ger camp and another group of lovely, friendly Mongolians who ran the camp.
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At last the rain stopped and the morning was sunny and clear with snow on the top of the mountains; Our group of intrepid travelers stand beside their vehicles near the ‘Flaming Cliffs' with the mountains in the background with their light covering of snow on the top peaks; a family and their ger near the ‘Flaming Cliffs'.
The famous ‘Flaming (or Red) Cliffs' where Roy Chapman Andrews discovered over 100 dinosaurs and dinosaur eggs in the 1920s; Viv & Gay at the Flaming Cliffs; Ron & Viv at the same spot; Kate buys a pair of locally made felt slippers from one of the stalls.
While the rain had stopped, the track as we headed to the village of Mandal-Ovoo was at one point a quagmire in one valley – Rod went down and it took a couple of hours of hard work to extricate him from the mud. He wasn't on his own, our Patrol went down as we tried to find a route to go round him and snatch him out – we ended up being pulled out backwards by Neil – the only one not bogged!!! It was one very long and arduous afternoon.
Got to the village of Mandal-Ovoo and before filling up with water stopped at the local store for some beer. We had hardly stopped the car when these enterprising young girls quickly spread out their ‘wares'/souvenirs for us to peruse and of course buy something (which we did) – how could we not!!; We then went and found the local water house/pump and replenished our water supply – this family was getting some water and Viv gave the baby one of her Mum's knitted caps and got a closeup of her before putting on the cap – she was georgous!!
The track continues across the rolling steppe and then finally, about 10km from Delgerhangay, wound through the Ulaan Sayrin Davaa pass.
Passed by an impressive small range of bare rock mountains on our way to the village of Bayan-onjuul ; Our last camp before getting back to Ulaanbataar was amongst some low hills towards the pass of Ih Gangyn davaa , there were a few gers around and BIG herds of animals (cattle, goats & sheep). We were inundated by one group in the afternoon, while Ron spent an hour or so trying to communicate with a couple of the local herdsmen who stopped by for a look & chat.
Back to UlaanBataar for next leg.
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