Gobi: Desert

Khongoryn Els. A huge stretch of sand dunes. It's 100 km long.

Some place in the Gobi are more arid than other. They often offer stunning geological formations. My favorite was the sand dunes of Khongoryn Els. Climbing the tallest sand dune and then having the view over the sand, the mountains and the steppe was breathtaking (literally and figuratively).

On one side of Khongoryn Els is a small river. It makes a great contrast between the green around the river and the beige of the dunes. On this picture you can see the sand stretching to the left, but you can't see the end.


The place is often called the "Singing Dunes", because of the sound the sand makes when blown by the wind. I didn't really heard them "sing", because it had rained in the morning and the sand was still a little wet.


We walked to the top of the highest dune at more than 300 meters. It was exhausting. For every two step forward, you would slip one step back. The last part was the hardest, for you had the strong wind blowing sand to your face. It was like being under a sand shower.


We did ride camels and it was a really fun experience.


The flaming cliffs.


Sand found near the dried out red gorge.

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