GOBI DESERT DAY 1
MONGOLIA
Gobi Desert Mongolia – Day One: From Ulaanbaatar to Ich Nart Nature Reserve, our rugged adventure began with unexpected challenges and heartwarming encounters.
Gobi Desert Mongolia - Day One: Ulaanbaatar to Ich Nart Nature Reserve
Our Gobi Desert adventure began on a biting cold and windy day in Ulaanbaatar, as we set out for Ich Nart Nature Reserve in Eastern Gobi, hoping to spot the elusive Ibex Goat and Argali Sheep.
Over the next five days, we would traverse rarely-visited roads and explore remote landscapes.
Our trusty steed was a Russian UAZ, an old-fashioned van that proved remarkably adept at off-road travel despite initial doubts.
We faced a delay of about an hour as dust storms had closed the only paved north-south road through the desert. Once underway, we journeyed southeast towards China, climbing from 4,300 to 5,400 feet through treeless, rolling hills where snow lingered and herds of horses, sheep, and goats roamed freely.
Lunch was a simple mutton noodle dish at a roadside café, a staple we would become very familiar with over the coming days. Rural Mongolia’s sparse facilities meant that toilets were often just a makeshift rock or ditch; when actual toilets were available, they were typically long-drop squats, often made uncomfortable by the wind.
At 4 p.m., 200 kilometers into our trip, we stopped for fuel and a check on our alternator, which seemed faulty. Gambaa, our driver, quickly replaced it with a spare from the depths of the van, showcasing the resourcefulness needed for such a journey.
At the 250-kilometer mark, we left the paved road and entered the desert, where we wouldn’t see tarmac again for five days. Initially planned for camping, the high winds led us to seek shelter with a local Nomad family just outside the Nature Reserve. Nomads in this vast and desolate region are accustomed to visitors seeking refuge.
Finding a Nomad family took some effort due to drought conditions affecting their migration. After an hour of searching, we arrived at a family’s ger (traditional yurt). They graciously welcomed us, offering hot tea, noodle soup, and dried mutton—a dish that would become a staple.
As night fell, they provided mats for sleeping, and we settled down for our first night in the Gobi, listening to the wind whistling around the ger.
The generosity of our hosts was truly humbling, and I wondered how I would react if faced with a van full of strangers at my doorstep. I hoped I could offer the same warmth and hospitality, though I had my doubts.
