Sept 14, 2025 – Ongi Monastery, Gobi Desert, Mongolia

Drove to Middle-Of-Nowhere, Gobi Desert, Mongolia, near the Ongi Monastery. Our group is 14 tourists, three drivers and our Mighty Leader, Nyamka of G Adventures.

We’re in three small Mitsubishi vans with four wheel drive. A lot of the driving so far has been on dirt tracks in the Gobi. Sometimes there are about eight tracks so our drivers will try to pick one that isn’t all washboard.

The Gobi looks empty but life is out there. Look down and you may see a three inch lizard so camouflaged that you can’t see it until it moves. Or, there might be black tailed gazelles out in the flatness.

Sometimes there are herds of camels, the two hump variety called Bactrain camels.

And, there are nomadic families with their herds of goats and sheep. Under the Gobi there is water so people have wells in places.

Our drivers seem to be a hardy lot but you’d expect that from Mongolians. This is a hard land with very cold temperatures in the winter, down to -30F or -40F.

Ulaanbaatar is the coldest capital city in the world and in winter, to make matters worse, the Siberian High Pressure system draws down cold Siberian air, descending and pancaking the air pollution.

With power being produced by coal burning plants the pollution can get pretty bad with that descending, cold dense air not allowing the smoke to rise high and disperse.

Tonight will be another ger camp. So far, the camps have had warm showers, meals and wifi. And, they have beer.

Cheers