In Territori 4×4 we will remember the year 2007 as one of the most unique, for having visited the Great Western Erg (Algeria), the Great Eastern Erg (Tunisia), the Awbari and Murzuq Ergs (Libya), the Namib and Kalahari Deserts (Namibia), the Chebbi and Chegaga ergs (Morocco) and the impressive and unknown Gobi Desert, the second largest desert on the planet after the gigantic African Sahara.
Reaching the Gobi driving rented 4x4s in Mongolia was the first time it was done, stepping on the gigantic dunes and navigating its sand was the great objective of our expedition that was pleasantly surprised by a huge country, Mongolia, in which there was practically no asphalt and all its territory had to be covered by tracks and in 4×4. Mongolia, today is a real 4×4 Territory!
Day 1 Ulaan Bataar
After arriving in Ulaan Bataar, capital of Mongolia, we go to our Hotel, the most beautiful in the country and with a very Mongolian name: Chingiis Khaan, where we meet the local team that will accompany us during our journey, a cook, two mechanics and an absolutely necessary translator. After five minutes we realize that the character of these people exudes kindness, service, complicity and a huge desire to please and that our adventure goes smoothly.
The chaotic traffic of the city leaves us a little stunned and we ask to be transferred to eat at a typical restaurant and a shopping center to make early morning purchases, without having to suffer the distressing way of driving and circulatory collapse that is experienced there. After visiting the Central Square of Sukhbaatar, presided over by a statue of the omnipresent and great Mongol leader of the twelfth century, Chingiis Khaan, some participants decide to attend the national concert with the famous singers of two or three voices, contortionists and dance. We return to the hotel for dinner and spend the first night in Mongolian territory.
Day 2 Ulaan Bataar – Gers Bayan Onjuul 150 kms (20 asphalt and 130 track)
After breakfast at the hotel buffet we visit the most important Buddhist monastery in Ulaan Bataar and all of Mongolia, the “Gandantegchinlen”, where the statue of Buddha “Migjid Janraising” is located with 27 meters high, built of gold and bronze by the Mongolian monarch “Bodgo” Khaan in 1911, destroyed by the communists and rebuilt in the 90s. In the temple, the monks performed their prayers with a mystical but rhythmic sound, attending to the requests of the faithful who deposited their alms of greater or lesser amount depending on which monk sang their request, during our stay in the temple the food was distributed among the worshippers, a large bowl of rice with raisins and a glass of hot tea. We leave with our backs to the Buddha as required by the Buddhist rule and we get ready to visit the Natural History Museum, where the largest dinosaur claws found so far and a series of very interesting fossils are kept, as well as stuffed animals representative of the local fauna.
The delivery of 4×4, after lunch, is totally atypical and after a couple of hours deciding which SUVs to take, Joan is the only one who dares to take the Russian UAZ, impressive inside if we compare it to the HDJ 105 or the Land Cruiser Prado that we were also given.
After refueling at the exit of Ulaan Bataar, the HDJ 80 of Angela and Jose gives stability problems, it is decided that the group continues on its way to the first camp of Gers, while the mechanics try to solve the breakdown, after an hour trying it is decided to return the 80 and go the 7 with the 105 to the camp, located about 150 kms southwest of the capital. Night falls and in the twilight we live an unforgettable experience, a herd of many horses in a semi-wild state crossing a river with the reddish sky as a light background. Being such an unusual sight as well as unexpected, we left a lot of photos and film to immortalize that moment.
From that moment on, the GPS tells us that we are making circles, so we ask the mechanic if he knows where we are going, he tells us that more or less, helped in the conversation by the efficient Amra, before the answer, it is decided to use Jose’s computer technology to reach the objective. The Mongolian steppe, “off road”, is amazing until a small dry river makes us slow down to avoid problems, after four hours of navigation with maps and GPS we arrive at the gers camp, typical Mongolian cabins, with a circular base and cylindrical body with a small wooden door covered by a tarpaulin with a hole in the center that can be covered or place a fireplace connected to a stove to warm up at night. We met again with our expedition companions who had already had dinner. The cook had prepared a typical dish with noodles, meat and vegetables that satisfied all of us except little Judit, accustomed to the very different cuisine of our country. We stayed in the gers near the town of Bayan-Onjuul, waiting for the arrival of another HDJ 80 from the capital.
Day 3 Camp Gers
At four in the morning the HDJ 80 arrived driven by one of the mechanics, when we got up we observed with perplexity that the front right wheel was displaced, which made us suppose that the 4×4 had suffered an accident on its night journey.
During the day, while we waited for the repair of the 80 in the nearby town of Bayan-Onjuul, which had been towed by Joan’s UAZ, we were able to witness a rather unusual experience for us, such as the milking of mares, the foals excited the udders of their mothers and the expert hands of the Mongolian nomads did the rest. A nearby lake with migratory birds and countless herds of horses, goats and sheep, made time pass without having to remember the uncertainty of the situation.
At five o’clock in the afternoon, the 80th, reached the camp again without being towed, but the problems persisted and the mechanics were not able to repair the breakdown with the few means we had there, so we had to request a new all-terrain vehicle. We had lost a day and the only option offered to us was another UAZ, which we accepted taking into account the precarious situation and the good result it was giving Joan.
After dinner, some sleep in the gers and others prefer to pitch the tents and try the splendid sleeping bags that the Mongolian companions had provided us.
Day 4 Camp Gers – Ongi Monastery – Gers (215 kms of track)
At dawn the UAZ arrived driven by another mechanic, this time it arrived without problems and was the vehicle that we were going to drive the rest of the expedition. We had breakfast in a Ger without a roof, since they were dismantling the camp as the tourist season was over, we said goodbye to the driver and the broken down 80 and started heading south through the Mongolian steppe.
The landscape was reminiscent of that of Ireland, very green and with low mountains rounded by the erosion of wind, rain and snow over thousands of centuries.
The nomads with their herds intermingle with infinite spaces, making driving pleasant to the eye but a bit hard due to the poor condition of the tracks that do not allow us to advance at the speed we are used to on European tracks.
We arrive in Erdenedalai where we visit a small Buddhist monastery and take the opportunity to eat at the exit of the village.
In the afternoon, we continue south until we reach the Gers camp located in an idyllic spot on the banks of the Ongi River, next to the old monastery that bears the same name and that we will visit tomorrow.
We slept well and without cold in the comfortable gers of the camp, which on this occasion was still in full operation.
Day 5 Ongi Monastery – Bayan Zag – Gers (165 kms of track)
After a copious and tasty breakfast we left for the nearby Ongi Monastery. A set of buildings completely in ruins caused by the Soviet occupation forces during the 30s, recalls with a little imagination, other glorious times of the enclosure where more than 1000 monks lived, a new and small temple stands among the remains of barbarism and every day, 10 monks pray their prayers inside.
After the visit, we resume our way south, with the aim of reaching Bayan Zag, known as flaming hills, for the spectacular reddish color they give off at sunset, it is precisely in this area of southern Mongolia where more and better remains of dinosaur fossils have been found, both their skeletons and their eggs. A rudimentary shop at the top of the mountain offers visitors the opportunity to buy real egg remains and fossils of these Cretaceous giants for little money.
The view is really worth enjoying calmly, not only because of the incredible spectacle of lights and colors at sunset, but also because of the importance of the paleontological site that exists there and that with a little imagination can transport us hundreds of millions ago, surrounded by gigantic saurians fighting and eating the abundant vegetation that must have existed there. Without a doubt, an essential visit.
Near the hills, which by the way are somewhat reminiscent of the Royal Barons of Navarre, there is a forest of small Gobi trees, perfectly adapted to the sand and capable of overcoming the harsh winters and dry summers of the region.
We had dinner and slept in a magnificent camp in the Gers.
Day 6 Bayan Zag – Yoliin Canyon – Wild Camping (245 kms of track)
Today is hard because we have to recover 80 kms of the 160 that we lost on the second day of the expedition. We leave early, with the first rays of sunshine, which allows us to see again the incredible flaming hills in all their splendor, we head southeast to reach the capital of the province, Dalanzadgad and be able to refuel and supply our cook with food that we can eat. Before noon we reach the town, refuel and buy what we need to continue our journey.
After about 40 kms on more or less well-preserved tracks, we arrive at the Gobi National Park, after crossing the barrier, some unheard of high mountain landscapes contrast amazingly with the monotony of the Mongolian steppe. There are constant stops to take photos, especially for UAZ drivers who, as they do not have a window, have no choice but to stop and get out of the vehicle if they want to film or photograph to immortalize this unique and surprising landscape.
Thirty minutes later you reach the Bearded Vulture Canyon or Yoliin Am, in Mongolian, a walk of about two and a half hours through a spectacular spot with high vertical walls, where a small river has drilled for centuries, until the light and heat of the Sun never reaches many of its bends. which allows the ice formed in the winter to remain intact most of the year, unfortunately we went in September and the ice had already melted.
We eat an appetizing lunch prepared by our cook who, ignoring our request for a quick sandwich, prepares us a delicious meat and vegetable soup, accompanied by fried sausage and chocolate.
The route that follows is authentic pure 4×4, a narrow canyon with ups and downs between the waters of a small and shallow river delight all participants, at the end suddenly and still amazed by the “four” crossing of the canyon of unknown name by Amra, a great “off road” climb and the steppe, the infinite and green Mongolian steppe.
We travel about 60 kms in a westerly direction, until we reach a small hill where we decide to have dinner and spend the night in our tents. Jordi celebrates his birthday that day and Amra presents him with a map of Mongolia made with sheep’s wool covered with minerals and fossils from the region, the rest of the Mongolian team give him a fragment of a fossilized tree adorned with stones and small pieces of dinosaur egg. A bottle of exquisite Mongolian Vodka falls that night among all the participants.
Day 7 Wild camping – Gobi Desert – Gers (290 kms of track)
We slept well and it wasn’t cold. The breakfast prepared by our cook is received with satisfaction since we were hungry and helped by the first rays of sunshine, we have no difficulty in resuming our journey through increasingly surprising and magnificent landscapes.
The day turns gray and dull, the sun does not shine and the photographic memories we feel will come out less lucid than with the Sun in top form. We travel 90 kms of small tracks nestled between gorges, where real flower gardens with all the colors of the rainbow appear, really in this latitude life and nature explodes triumphantly at the slightest opportunity it can, we are at the end of September and all the plants of this region are in their period of maximum flowering, Paco Font and I, we cannot refrain from taking photos and photos, it is a landscape of indescribable color that emerged spontaneously and is made up of millions of flowers of many species of plants that leave us ecstatic as we pass, there are 60 kms magical. If we had had sunlight, the crossing would have been one of the most beautiful we have ever done, but the weather is like that and you can’t have everything.
We arrive in Noyon, a town located south of the Gobi, its gas station works with solar light panels, which as there is no Sun, is not operational. This setback forces us to tweak the itinerary and eliminate some salt mines that were planned to be visited.
We leave the isolated village and head to a rock formation that the locals consider sacred, it is a mirror rock, where on sunny days all the objects that approach it are reflected, unfortunately this reflective effect cannot be appreciated due to the aforementioned little presence of light. Incidentally, the Soviet communists destroyed part of the rock structure at gunpoint, which had once again become an object of Buddhist veneration.
Without refueling, we take the track north until we reach Sevrey, a town, like Noyon, small and without infrastructure, here the fuel was served thanks to the arms of the operators of the precarious gas station who were taking turns filling our tanks, after almost 30 minutes of refueling, we set off towards the Great Gobi Desert, eager to contemplate its sand and dunes. 25 kms of tracks between mountains and two-humped camels appear again, they are quite many and peaceful, we approach them and capture the encounter with our cameras. After passing through the foothills a mountain range that has a height of more than 2300 meters, a river of sand of about 5 kms allows us to pass to the dunes of the Gobi, it has rained recently and the sand is a delight, even for the UAZ who can cross it without any problem.
When we reached the dunes, we decided to make a view to see the difficulty of moving in that sand, it is one of the few times that non-Mongolians step on that area driving 4×4. The sand is hard and has abundant vegetation in its lower parts which allows us to enjoy the ride, Paco de Linares with his Land Cruiser opens the way and is photographed with a beautiful jump where his 4×4 lifts the front wheels off the ground.
After having a good time on the sand, we decided to go to the Gers camp to shower and have dinner, the day has been very intense and we are all tired of a day that can only be beaten if the day had accompanied us with a little more sun.
Day 8 Gobi Desert (dunes and relax) – Gers
Early in the morning, we get up to have breakfast and travel about 20 kms of the Gobi desert, in an area, Hongoryn, where the dunes are really very large, about 200 meters high and of great beauty, Joan with his UAZ opens the way with great safety and some small meetings of José with his Toyota 105, allow us to enjoy the tour. After about two hours of walking, a great descent appears in front of our UAZ that when our Mongolian guests do not believe that it can be descended, unfortunately for their guess the car has overcome the crest of the dune with the 4 wheels and only the option of the descent remains. Without problems and to the amazement of our two good friends the 4×4 slides the 50 meters downhill reaching a safe area, it is the first time they see it and they are amazed with the possibilities that these vehicles have in the sand. Four participants, in line and simultaneously manage to make the descent of the dune, lunchtime approaches and we go by track to the Ger where we have prepared our food.
In the afternoon, we take the opportunity to rest and walk through the dunes, Paco, Katia and Judit ride on the back of 3 camels to ascend to the nearby dunes of the ger to enjoy a walk through the Erg. The camels and vehicles driven by María Jesús, Paco Font and Joan cross a river to access the dune area and be able to climb on foot to one of the highest from where we can contemplate the spectacular sunset. We return with a magnificent taste in our mouths to the Ger where they have prepared a special dinner, lamb with hot stones, a typical dish of the region where a lamb cut into pieces is placed in a hermetically sealed container wrapped with special hot stones that allow it to be cooked for about three hours. We arrive at the point to see how they take the succulent pieces of lamb to the tray, as good tourists that we are we take photos of the moment, as well as of the Ger that has been cooked, since they live in it all year round permanently and where they have everything they need, at the entrance a small sink to wash, a kitchen in the middle with a fireplace that protrudes through a hole in the roof of the Ger, a couple of beds and a television, of course, via satellite, powered by a battery and a huge antenna located outside the store.
We had dinner and toasted with local Vodka to the excellent agape we just had. We slept in the Gers.
Day 9 Gobi Desert – Guchin Us Wild Camping (225 kms of track)
The night has passed without cold, all the participants have rested well and we are ready to continue the trip north.
After breakfast at the Ger’s restaurant, we filled our tanks with fuel, slightly emptied by the “dune walk” we did the day before.
We cross several mountain passes at an altitude of 1500 meters, on tracks surrounded by changing and very beautiful landscapes, the steppe delights us with its green color and for being dotted with thousands of animals that take advantage of these first days of autumn to eat without limit in the face of the harsh winter that is coming, horses, camels, sheep and goats are a constant on this trip, much more abundant than people and living in a state of absolute freedom that sometimes makes us think that they have no owner.
The steppe is giving way to a mountainous region, we are climbing and the cold begins to be noticed, an “ovo” or mound of stones venerated by Mongolian Buddhists, located on top of a mountain and that we go around on the left as the rule indicates, shows us a spectacular landscape in front of us, the entrance of a gorge with a narrow pass and high walls, A fairly technical driving pass that slowly ascends us until we reach a place with a spectacular panoramic view, we are more than 2000 meters high and we are surrounded by mountains that according to the map exceed 3500 meters. We descend with caution, as the track is narrow and we cross another canyon that, already on the plain, returns us to a steppe much higher above sea level and with a much cooler temperature than a few hours ago.
We cross the village of Guchin Us, in a mountainous area, with peaks of almost 3000 meters above sea level. About 40 kms to the north we find a good place to camp, sheltered from the wind and after regaining strength with a refreshing dinner prepared by our cook we lie down in our tents and well protected by sleeping bags and some warm blanket we spend the night without cold problems, we must take into account that we are at the end of September and in Mongolia it is the beginning of the winter period.
Day 10 Guchin Us – Nayman Lake Wild camping (225 kms of track)
Today is according to the forecasts made by our Mongolian team the most spectacular and complex driving of the entire trip, during breakfast we commented on the route and we were sad because Angela and José separated from the group, since they wanted to visit Beijing and taking advantage of the geographical proximity of Mongolia with China, they modified their route weeks ago and this was going to be the day of our separation.
Arriving at the town of Arvaiheer, we repaired the tire of José and Maria Jesús’ Isuzu, bought food and what we needed to make the passage of the mountains that surround Lake Nayman. The English-speaking guide who was supposed to accompany José and Ángela, arrives punctually to their appointment and they leave, with Bagi as a mechanic, between hugs and good wishes to Ulaan Bataar and Beijing.
The high mountain at more than 2500 meters high is present from this moment, impressive landscapes of singular beauty open up before us, our mechanics and guide fell short when describing the route. We arrive in Uyanga, the last large population center before starting our journey through the Shurenga River Valley.
The route is initially comfortable and is surrounded by some really idyllic landscapes, we do not stop capturing images with our cameras, we are amazed by its spectacularity and immensity, the camels have long since been replaced by the yacks, which at this time of year are nursing the young that have been born at the beginning of summer, The valley is dotted with gers owned by nomads who go in search of pasture for their cattle, the smoke coming out of most of them warns us that the cold may be, for the first time on the trip, something to watch out for that night.
We enter an area of many fords along the river, stones of volcanic origin that make you drive with great caution to avoid unwanted punctures and always with an overwhelming and insurmountable landscape, in a mistake Paco de Linares falls into a mud trap from which he is quickly pulled out by the two efficient UAZ that demonstrate, Despite its discomforts, its power in this part of the route.
We continue ascending among indescribable landscapes of high steppe mountains, we begin to see snow on the summits and slowly our ascent reaches almost 3000 meters where our feet and wheels of our 4x4s step on the white element for the first time on this trip. A series of “ovos” recall the mysticism of the place where we are and after a few minutes of relaxed peace enjoying the landscape, we begin the descent to Lake Nayman, a descent that is made with the first reduction gear due to the great slope it presents. While keeping a close eye on the driving and the slope, we cannot fail to contemplate the majestic spectacle that nature has created in this area, the lakes of pure blue waters in the lowest part of the route, the mountains dotted with the snow that had just fallen a couple of days ago, the trees with a greenish yellowish color that we had never seen before at this point, the color of the sky totally light blue and without clouds, the first reducer had been put not only as a safety measure on the descent, but also to be able to do it as slowly as possible to be able to enjoy a unique natural space of priceless beauty.
When we arrive at the lake side, we set up with the last rays of the Sun and therefore of natural heat, the tents where we will spend the night, we all look for firewood to make a good fire that allows us to overcome the cold that is breathed in the environment. Finally, and just as the sun says goodbye to us, the whole camp is set up, the tents, the campfire and the tent where we will have dinner that night.
In a large dining tent, well wrapped up, we eat a hot soup that comforts us and makes us warm, then a few shots of Vodka and once at the campfire we can warm ourselves enough to be able to get into our tents and sacks with guarantees of not being cold during the night.
Day 11 Lake Nayman – Orkhon Valley – Gers (180 kms of track)
When we were lifted a layer of frost covered the green ground, the windows of the cars and the small puddles that were still frozen, showed that the temperature that night had been below 0 ºC, the good sleeping bags and the blankets with which we wrapped ourselves successfully managed to make us sleep well, with no more problems than some snoring arising from some male participants who out of friendship we will omit their names.
Before starting the ascent, we say goodbye to the lake and its surroundings, with a speed bump, now with a second and third, we ascend contemplating the high mountain landscape that surrounds us.
We retrace the path of the previous day, being very careful with the mud and the pointed stones, until we reach near Uyanga where we take a tortuous track that ascends next to a valley completely destroyed by gold mines, where thousands of people are desperately looking for the precious metal, there are about 10 kms of human misery and nature annihilated by the ambition of man, Finally, after the pathetic journey, we see horses in freedom again and we climb to the top of the pass that will lead us to another much more natural valley, although some machines were beginning to drill into it in search, we suppose, of another gold-bearing vein.
The Toyota Prado blows a tire and we take advantage of the moment of replacement, to eat. A huge flock of thousands of goats and sheep come curious to see us, we give them oranges that the goats devour, leaving their skin intact, so that we can later call them “crazy”.
Through green mountains reminiscent of the north of Scotland, we arrive at the village of Amra, our guide and translator, there we refuel and start the tour through a place that UNESCO has declared a World Heritage Site for its cultural and natural content, just to see this valley of the Orkhon River, the cradle of Mongolian nomadism, just to see it is worth coming to Mongolia. The route to the west, to the left of the river, between steppe landscapes, now green by the grass that adorns it waiting for the white snow that covers it most of the year.
We stayed in a Ger next to the beautiful Ulaantsutgalan waterfall, between rocks of volcanic origin, which give the place an aspect of peace and tranquility, where only the noise of the water crashing at the bottom of the small lake tries to calm the atmosphere.
20 million years ago there was a volcanic eruption. Creating several craters that discharged lava and ash that covered the surface of the region for more than 100 km. The eruption was followed by earthquakes that tore apart the crust and the rivers that originated later, such as the Ulaan or the Orkhon began to make their way, forming the current valley, of spectacular beauty, highlighting a 24-meter-high waterfall, the largest in the country. Near which rises with 2210 meters high, the crater Khorgiin Togoo, a Mongolian word that means pot, honoring its unique shape and one of the shapers of the valley.
We had dinner in the tent and slept in the Gers.
Day 12 Orkhon Valley – Kharakhorum – Gers (180 kms of track)
We resume our route through the Orkhon River Valley heading east and much closer to the water, the rapids and the small islands, where the trees slowly bare with a yellowish coloration, it gives us the feeling of living a few moments with a very special magic, a bridge transports us to the other bank where a large flock of sheep and goats tries to cross the river by water, The pass is worth seeing and with a little stress all the animals manage to cross it, thanks to the skilled riders who accompany the herd.
We turn off the track parallel to the river to enter the national park where the Monastery of Tovkhon Khiid (the land of happy solitude) is located, located on a rock at the top of a mountain surrounded by forests. Founded in 1653 by the first Bogd (Mongol religious authority) Zanabazar. The Monastery consists of several temples next to which there are small caves. There is a cave where Zanabazar was able to meditate at the age of 10. There is another cave called Mother’s Belly. When a man (forbidden to women) enters this cave, it is believed that he is freed from his defects and is thus purified.
After a long hour of climbing, we reach the monastery, where the two monks who inhabit it welcome us by calling with their conch shells the coming of Buddha, when they finish they go inside the temple where they begin their melodious prayers.
After resting for a while, contemplating the beautiful landscape, we decide to descend towards the 4×4, along the way we can see numerous woodpeckers firmly clinging to the bark of the trees.
After 45 minutes of walking, along a path that used to allow motorized access, we arrive at the parking lot where they have prepared our food.
After the agape we resume our march to the right of the Orkhon River, along roads in very bad condition or sometimes directly without a path. At the end, after making some “small” incline, we see a bridge that will allow us to cross the river and access the city of Kharkhorin.
The current city is very close to the ruins of Kharakhorum, the first capital of the Mongol Empire, since it was here that Chingiis Khan in 1220, decided to build his residence, because this region has an extraordinarily benign microclimate throughout the year, compared to other regions of Central Asia. Unfortunately for him, he was never able to see his dream come true.
The construction of the walled city was done under the rule of his son Ogoodai Khaan, although 40 years later, in 1260, the capital would be moved to Beijing by Chingiis Khaan’s grandson, Khubilai Khaan.
After the collapse of the Yan Dynasty in 1364, Kharakhorum was once again the capital of the empire. The Silver Tree located in the palace of Ogoodai and provided with four tubes was famous. Four different drinks were poured from the top: honey, beer, wine and mare’s milk.
From the old Kharakhorum, years later destroyed by the Chinese, the stones were used to build the wall that surrounds the Monastery of Erdene Zuu, the first Buddhist monastery in Mongolia, its construction began in 1586 by order of Avtai Khaan, it took 300 years to build. More than 1000 monks lived in it and it had more than 60 temples. Only three of them have survived to the present day, after the repressive purges of the Soviet communists during the 1930s. Each temple is dedicated to one of the three stages of the Buddha’s life; the child, the adult and the old.
The monastery, in which we will not find a single nail, was surrounded by a stone wall with 108 sepulchral stupas embedded in its thickness and is the historical monument and the masterpiece of Mongolian architects.
In the southwestern part of Kharakhorum was located the Palace of the Ogoodai Khaan. All the buildings in the enclosure were surrounded by a wall. Without a doubt it was the best and most precious in the city. Excavations carried out in 1949 by a Russian-Mongolian expedition revealed ceramic and metal utensils, pieces of buildings and Buddhist frescoes.
The discovery of heating pipes in the excavations of the palace carried out by the expedition of German and Mongol archaeologists shows that as early as the 14th century the Mongols used a central heating system.
After the visit, we go to some Gers about 15 kms, very close to the road that has to lead us to Ulaan Battar.
Day 13 Kharakhorum – Ulaan Bataar (180 kms of track and 160 kms of road)
For the first time on the trip, after our departure from Ulaan Bataar, we step on an asphalt road again, which by the way is a toll road, it does not cost much but it is not free, the road is quite well preserved and allows us to move quickly north.
During the journey we see an area of dunes, similar to those of the Gobi, it is the region called Elsen Tasarhai, located in the province of Ovorkhangai aimak, the landscape is very beautiful and mixes mountains, bush forests and dunes with a lot of vegetation. The fauna that we did not see but they say exists, presents mammals such as wolves, moose, deer and foxes.
Suddenly, the road, which continues and also seems to be recently completed, is occupied by mounds of earth and stones, with signs prohibiting passage, which clearly indicates that we must leave that road and move along the tracks in terrible condition that are next to it. They tell us that in November 2008 they will be inaugurated and it will be possible to circulate through it. We cross the bridge over the Guul river and arrive at the village of Lun, where the asphalt road that could not be driven becomes a track under construction that cannot be traveled either, so we continue, much to our regret, along the tracks adjacent to the section that will be inaugurated in the future.
30 kms from Ulaan Bataar, we step on asphalt again that we will not leave until the Hotel, where we arrive 2 hours after having suffered the chaotic traffic of the Mongolian capital.
After resting at the Hotel, all participants are invited to a farewell dinner in a Greek-Turkish-Mongolian restaurant, where we enjoy an excellent meal, which we end with a toast of Mongolian vodka.
