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JURASSIC QUEST: GOBI DINOSAUR EXPEDITION

2025-02-22

Location: Ulaanbaatar – Gobi Desert – Khermen Tsav – Nemegt Basin – Khongor Sand Dunes – Bayanzag
Duration: 11 Days / 10 Nights
Best Time to Visit: May – October

Tour Highlights

Join a real paleontological expedition, exploring Mongolia’s fossil-rich Gobi Desert.
Search for dinosaur fossils in Nemegt, Bayanzag, and Khermen Tsav, the world’s most significant paleontological sites.
Work alongside Mongolian paleontologists, taking part in excavation trials and fossil identification.
Explore the dramatic landscapes of the Gobi, from red sandstone canyons to towering dunes.
Stay in a mix of ger camps and remote tented camps, fully immersing in the desert wilderness.
Discover prehistoric rock formations, ancient seas, and lost worlds that once roamed with dinosaurs.

Itineraries

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Day 1: Arrival in Ulaanbaatar – Introduction to Mongolia’s Dinosaurs

  • • Arrive in Ulaanbaatar and meet your paleontology expert expedition guide.
  • • Visit the National Museum of Mongolia for an overview of the country's natural and cultural history.
  • • Continue to the Central Museum of Mongolian Dinosaurs to view fossil discoveries recovered from the Gobi Desert, including Tarbosaurus, Velociraptor, Protoceratops, dinosaur eggs, and other prehistoric species.
  • • Learn about the pioneering expeditions of the 1920s and the discoveries that transformed scientific understanding of dinosaur evolution.
  • • Enjoy a traditional Mongolian folklore performance featuring throat singing, long song, morin khuur music, and contortion.
  • • Overnight in a hotel in Ulaanbaatar.
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Day 2: Flight to Dalanzadgad – Trekking in Yolyn Am National Park

  • • Fly to Dalanzadgad and begin your journey into the South Gobi.
  • • Visit Yolyn Am (Vulture Valley), hidden within the Gurvan Saikhan Mountains, unique for its ice filled canyon in the middle of the desert.
  • • Walk through the narrow gorge surrounded by steep rock walls and rugged mountain scenery.
  • • Look for ibex, lammergeiers, wild goats, and other wildlife that inhabit the valley.
  • • Overnight in a ger camp in the Gobi Desert.
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Day 3: Expedition to Khan Khets & Mirror Rock

  • Leave the main tourist routes behind and travel toward the remote landscapes of Khan Khets.
  • Hike to Toli Khad (Mirror Rock), a stunning reflective rock face, accompanied by sweeping views across the surrounding desert.
  • Set up camp in the wilderness and enjoy your first night beneath the stars of the Gobi Desert.
  • Overnight in a tented expedition camp.
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Day 4: Naran Daats Oasis and Zulganai Oasis – A Hidden Spring in the Gobi

  • • Drive to Naran Daats Oasis, a natural spring in the middle of the desert.
  • • Stop at Gurvantes soum, one of the most remote villages in Mongolia, for supplies.
  • • Travel to Zulganai Oasis, a hidden river surrounded by cane and willow forests.
  • • Arrive at Naran Daatsiin Bulag, an oasis where groundwater emerges from the desert floor.
  • • Overnight in tented camping under the clear Gobi sky.
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Day 5: Khermen Tsav – The “End of the World”

  • • Drive to Khermen Tsav, a stunning 20-km-long red sandstone canyon.
  • • Hike among cliffs, caves, and ancient rock formations, shaped by millions of years of erosion.
  • • Discover dinosaur fossils, including remains of the first full Mongolian dinosaur skeleton.
  • • Overnight in tented camping near Khermen Tsav.
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Day 6: Nemegt – The Lost Dinosaur Kingdom

  • • Travel to Nemegt, one of the world’s richest dinosaur fossil sites, first explored in 1946.
  • • Learn about the Nemegt dinosaur footprints, which challenge previous theories on Mongolia’s dinosaur population.
  • • Campfire lecture: “Mongolia’s Prehistoric World” by a local paleontologist.
  • • Overnight in tented camping at Nemegt.
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Day 7: Fossil Digging & Excavation Trial at Nemegt

  • • Hike through Nemegt Canyon, searching for fossilized bones and eggs.
  • • Participate in a trial excavation, learning how paleontologists dig, identify, and protect fossils.
  • • Rebury the excavation site, as part of ethical fossil conservation practices.
  • • Overnight in tented camping under the Gobi stars.
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Day 8: Khongor Sand Dunes – The Singing Sands

  • • Drive to Khongor Els, the largest sand dunes in Mongolia, known as the Singing Sands.
  • • Hike up the tallest dunes, listening to the eerie sound caused by shifting sand grains.
  • • Visit Khongoriin Gol River, a rare desert river with lush grasslands.
  • • Overnight in a ger camp near Khongor Dunes.
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Day 9: Bayanzag Flaming Cliffs – Where the First Dinosaur Eggs Were Found

  • • Travel to Bayanzag (Flaming Cliffs), where American explorer Roy Chapman Andrews discovered the world’s first dinosaur egg nest in the 1920s.
  • • Observe the red sandstone cliffs, which glow flaming red at sunset.
  • • Visit fossil sites containing Velociraptors, Protoceratops, and early mammals.
  • Stay until sunset as the cliffs glow bright red against the desert sky.
  • • Overnight in a ger camp near Bayanzag.
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Day 10: Return to Ulaanbaatar

  • • Drive to Dalanzadgad and board your flight back to Ulaanbaatar.
  • • Enjoy free time for shopping, museums, or relaxation.
  • • Farewell dinner in the capital.
  • • Overnight in a hotel in Ulaanbaatar.
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Day 11: Departure from Mongolia

• Transfer to the international airport for departure.

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Why Choose This Expedition?

  • Join a Real Fossil Dig: Work with professional paleontologists in active dig sites.
  • Exclusive Access: Explore remote areas like Nemegt, Khermen Tsav, and Zulganai.
  • Adventure in the Gobi: Ride 4WD jeeps deep into the dinosaur graveyards of Mongolia.
  • Sleep Under the Stars: Experience tented camping in prehistoric landscapes.
  • Visit the Most Iconic Fossil Sites: Walk in the footsteps of Roy Chapman Andrews, the real-life inspiration for Indiana Jones.
  • Optional Add-Ons
  • Professional Photography Guide: Capture the most stunning Gobi landscapes and fossils.
  • Helicopter Tour Over the Gobi: Experience aerial views of Nemegt and Khermen Tsav.
  • Fossil Conservation Sponsorship: Support Mongolian paleontological research and receive a certificate of participation.
  • Camel Trekking at Khongor Els: Ride Bactrian camels across the desert dunes.
  • • This Jurassic Quest: Dinosaur Fossil Dig Expedition is the ultimate adventure for paleontology enthusiasts, history lovers, and adventure travelers, offering a rare chance to explore Mongolia’s dinosaur graveyards and fossil-rich landscapes.

What's in the package

What's Included:

  • 24/7 In-country emergency support
  • Detailed pre-departure summary & briefing
  • Health & safety risk assessment
  • All accommodation costs
  • Full board meals for the entire trip
  • All land transportation costs, airport pick-up & drop-off
  • All activities listed in the itinerary
  • English speaking local guides

What's Excluded:

  • Mongolian Tourist visa.
  • International flights.
  • Meals not included in the itinerary and alcohol.
  • Tips and gratuities.
  • Expenses of a personal nature (e.g., mini bar, personal telecommunications, laundry, etc.).
  • Any activities not included in the itinerary.

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Hotline

+976-99031157

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