LOST DINOSAURS OF THE GOBI DESERT

Upon arrival at the airport, meet your guide and transfer to a centrally located hotel located near downtown Ulaanbaatar. Enjoy a welcome dinner at a fine local restaurant. Ulaanbaatar offers a contrast between ancient traditions and the dawning of a 21st century democracy, which can be seen in the traditional gers and Buddhist monasteries coexisting with modern high-rises. (Hotel Bayangol or similar; D)

After breakfast, fly over a vast steppe to the Gobi Desert, comprised of mountains, sand dunes and fossil beds. Upon arrival, we will meet our drives and begin driving to a biologsits’ base camp at Tost and Toson Bumbat Mountains. This is where a team of scientists from Snow Leopard Trust has been monitoring Mongolia’s elusive snowleopards in the past 15 years. Overnight at tent camp. (Approx. 8 hours driving; Ger stay; B, L, D)

After breakfast, drive further south east to the deeper pocket of the Gobi desert. We will arrive at Khermyn Tsav locality, what appears like a little Grand Canyon, with towering sand hills, cut with deep gullies and populated with Poplar trees. Considered as one of the most remote part of the Gobi Desert, this is one of the richest localities of dinosaur fossils. Arrive at your base camp and overnight in tents. (Tent camp; B, L, D)

Teams will work with the scientific leads to alternatively collect and analyse fossils for their antipoaching records and to hunt for new fossils. Daily objectives may include visiting historic excavations (quarries), locating poached quarries, and excavating important new finds. (Tent camp; B, L, D)

We will pack again for our next and another remote part of Altan Uul, a rich dinosaur locality in the north. Known for its one-in-only “dinosaur tombs”, Altan Uul yields some of the richest late Cretaceous fossils. It is also one of the best preserved and hidden gems of paleontology in the Gobi. (Approx. 4 hours driving; Tent camp; B, L, D)

Teams will work with the scientific leads to alternatively collect and analyse fossils for their anti-poaching records and to hunt for new fossils. Daily objectives may include visiting historic excavations (quarries), locating poached quarries and excavating important new finds.

This morning, begin driving back towards the central part of the Gobi Desert, reaching your ger hostel located in the foothills of the Gobi Gurvansaikhan mountains. Dinner and overnight in gers. (Approx. 9 hours driving; Ger Hostel; B, L, D)

In the morning, we will begin driving to the Tugregiin Shiree, which was discovered by Mongolian scientists and co-explored by Polish expeditions in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Tugrigiin Shiree is perhaps most known for its “Fighting Dinosaurs” (a fossil of a Protoceratops and a Velociraptor locked in combat), which were discovered in the 1970s. We will explore this white sandstone escarpment for dinosaur fossils. In the late afternoon, will drive to the legendary Flaming Cliffs, red sandstone formations that stretching over 3 kilometers in width, where hundreds of dinosaur fossils have been discovered over the course of the last century. Paleontological expeditions from many countries, including from the U.S, Poland, Japan and Russia have worked here during last 90 years. Each year, rain and wind reveal yet more fossils and every summer, exceptional new discoveries are made. We will explore the cliffs in the footsteps of legendary American explorer Roy Chapmen Andrews who discovered the first dinosaur eggs here, that the world had ever seen. Enjoy a sunset view at this majestic place before returning back to our ger camp. (Ger Hostel; B, L, D)

After breakfast, we will drive to Dalanzadagad for our return flight to Ulaanbaatar. Upon arrival, we will transfer to our hotel. Following lunch, we will drive to the Zanabazar Fine Arts Museum, named in honour of the renowned 17th century artist and politician, who was also the first Buddhist leader of Mongolia. The museum contains one of the best collections of Buddhist art and artifacts in the world, including many of Zanabazar’s original works. The remainder of the day is available for last minute sightseeing. In the evening, we will attend a performance featuring traditional Mongolian dancers and hoomi (throat) singers. (Hotel Bayangol or similar; B, L, D)

After breakfast, we will transfer to the airport for departure. (B)