Sue's Travels: 20 July 2015 – Fly to the Gobi Desert

Another 5 am wake-up call to leave for the airport at 5:30 to be on a plane by 6:30. This time the plane took off on time. There was a serious issue in that my luggage was seriously overweight. I told our guide, Altai, that I would pay the overage, but she was able to combine luggage and I didn’t have to pay.

Getting on plane to go to Gobi Desert

Airport

Our driver was waiting for us. The luggage was loaded in the car. Apparently the car was not the one we were supposed to be using, but the one we were supposed to be using had problems. We were driven to Eagle National Park. The nomads’ flocks will enter the park and use the forage there as well as the rest of the area. We stopped at a little museum that they have which is dedicated to the animals in the park. We also stopped in the souvenir gers, but wonder of wonders I didn’t buy anything.

View from car

Animals in the desert

Gers

Animals in the Desert

Another rider

Rider with two horses. If one gets tired he can switch

Well to water the animals

Well

Water into trough for animals

Entering Eagle National Park

Building

Museum

Gers used to sell sourvenirs

Eagle in museum

Wolf

Wild donkeys

Ibex

Snow leopard

Camels

We were then driven through most of the park and stopped in a parking lot for a hike down a canyon. It started to rain. I had previously gotten out my heavy jacket because I was cold. I got out my pancho, because the rain appeared to be coming down. Apparently May thru August is the rainy season in the Gobi and this year they are getting more rain than normal. We started hiking and I had no idea where we were going. I just trailed along taking pictures. It got a bit tricky because there was stream running down the canyon and it had to be crossed periodically when the water got too near the edge leaving no room to walk. Finally we reached the end and I found out what was so special. There was ice at the end. Apparently there was a glacier there of which there is not much left. We then walked back to the car. Altai said it was a four kilometer round trip, but it felt like more to me.

In National Park

Horses

Walking in the rain

Structure

Symbol - you are supposed to add 3 rocks

Purple flowers

Views

Trudging along

Views in the canyon

Flowers

Views in the canyon

Horses in the canyon

Views in the canyon

At first I didn't believe it

Remains of a glacier

Views in the canyon

Graffitti

We all collapsed in the car and were driven to a camp where we had lunch. The food was very good, but there was a lot! After lunch we loaded back in the car for the 60-70 kilometer drive to the camp where we are staying. As camp sites go, this is five star. Each Ger has its own bathroom, which includes toilet, sink and shower. From my point of view, the only thing lacking is internet access. As we drove in, we were greeted by two of the men who worked there and they took our luggage to our ger.