Day 3 - Desert Dunes

We had a fabulous third day of our desert tour, starting off with a little photo shoot conducted by our cook and encouraged by our driver.

Hooray

We came across these dusty red caverns, something we did not expect to see on our trip. It looked like the landscape belonged somewhere in Arizona. We had lunch and hiked around to the other side of the cavern and contributed to some human erosion from the very unstable soil.

After several more hours of driving we finally made it to our camp for the night which was in view of the famous sand dunes.

Yurt Camp by the Dunes

Before dinner we took a mini camel trek to see the dunes up close. If you have never ridden a camel before let me tell you that it is much less glamorous than riding a horse. They are much taller which make you a bit more nervous and for some reason they smell awful. You lead them in a straight line guided by a rope that is attached to a bone going through their nostrils. They drool, spit and make lots of noise, they also dont really listen or follow inline very well. We were all glad we only opted for a short trek.

Mini Camel Trek

We made it with our camels to the foot of the sand dunes and hike up the ridge as much as our bodies would allow us. I think one of the most fun things I have ever experienced is jumping down the edge of a steep sand dune. It is like taking a leap off a cliff without any consequences because you land in a soft pile of sand. It is like being in a giant sand box. I was trying to collect some sand here to bring back with me for a family friends. I think I brought back 3 kg between my shoes, pants and pockets.

Treking up the sand dunes

After dinner our driver signaled us to follow him to the van. This time we drove to the sand dunes to climb up and watch the sunset. There were other Mongolian families there too, it almost seemed like a tradition that they completed together every night.