Mongolia Overland

Join Adventures Overland (AO) on an 11‑day, 10‑night self‑drive through Mongolia from 2 to 12 July 2027. You travel in a convoy of Toyota Land Cruiser 300 Series vehicles across about 2,370 km of desert, steppe, mountains and sand dunes. The drive is rated moderate and the driving level easy, and driving is never mandatory, so you can also simply enjoy the journey while someone else takes the wheel.

The expedition begins in Ulaanbaatar with a welcome dinner, a briefing and your first look at the Land Cruisers. It ends in the same city with the Naadam Festival and the Genghis Khan Statue. In between come the Gobi Desert’s cliffs, dunes and canyons, nomadic hospitality and the old capital of Karakorum. The roar of the engines, the dust of the desert tracks and the evening dinners with your fellow travellers are what people remember most.

Gobi Desert, Moltsog Sand Dunes and more

On Day 2 you leave Ulaanbaatar and drive about 420 km south across the open steppe. After lunch in Mandalgobi town, you continue into the Middle Gobi to Tsagaan Suvarga, also known as the White Stupa. Its layered limestone cliffs glow red, orange and white at sunset and look like the ruins of an ancient city.

Day 3 covers about 300 km to Dalanzadgad, the main town of South Gobi. Here you visit the Gobi Museum of Nature & History, known for its dinosaur fossils and other ancient finds from the desert. You then drive on to the Moltsog Sand Dunes for your first taste of dune driving in your 4x4. You spend two nights at Dream Gobi Lodge.

Yol Valley, Khongoryn Els and the Flaming Cliffs

On Day 4 you drive about 200 km into the Gurvan Saikhan Mountains for a hike through Yol Valley, also known as Vulture’s Gorge. The deep, narrow canyon is known for its towering cliffs, ice fields and wildlife, and the mountain air is cool in the heart of the desert. You enjoy a picnic lunch in the valley before returning to the lodge.

On Day 5 you cross the rugged Khaalga Pass on dirt tracks, a drive of about 180 km, to reach Khongoryn Els, Mongolia’s largest dunes. The sand hums in the wind and the colours shift through the day. You can ride Bactrian camels, hike the dunes, watch the golden light of sunset and meet a local herdsman’s family to learn about their nomadic traditions. You stay at Gobi Erdene Camp in a deluxe log cabin.

Day 6 takes you about 150 km to the Flaming Cliffs (Bayanzag), the site where dinosaur eggs were first discovered. You explore the site, learn about its fossil history and watch the cliffs blaze at sunset. You spend the night at Gobi Tour Ger Camp.

History and culture in Karakorum

Day 7 is the longest drive, about 480 km, north through mountain tracks and an off‑road stretch through Orkhon Valley. On the way, you stop at the ruins of Ongi Monastery, which was once home to 28 temples. You reach Karakorum, the 13th‑century capital founded by Genghis Khan, in the evening and check into the Secret of the Silk Road.

Day 8 is spent in Karakorum. You explore Erdene‑Zuu Monastery, Mongolia’s oldest surviving monastery, and admire its 108 stupas. You also visit the Karakorum Museum, the King’s Monument and Turtle Rock, and wander through the local markets. In the evening, you enjoy a performance of throat singing, folk dances and horsehead fiddle music.

Naadam Festival and the Genghis Khan Statue

On Day 9 you drive about 380 km back towards Ulaanbaatar. Along the way, you stop at Khui Doloon Khudag, the open steppe where Naadam’s horse races are held. There you watch the four‑year‑old horse race, one of the festival’s “Three Manly Games”. You then return to Ulaanbaatar, hand back the Land Cruisers and enjoy dinner at the Novotel Hotel.

Day 10 begins at Sukhbaatar Square, where state guardians on horseback carry Mongolia’s Nine White Banners to the Naadam Stadium. You attend the opening ceremony of colourful parades, dances and songs, then watch wrestling, archery and traditional anklebone shooting. UNESCO recognised Naadam in 2010. In the afternoon, you drive east to the Genghis Khan Statue, the world’s largest equestrian statue at 131 ft. You can climb up to the horse’s head for views across the steppe and pose for photos with eagles. The day ends with a farewell dinner.

On Day 11, you have breakfast and transfer to the airport for your onward journey.