Dune crests
Desert views.
Bernard Gagnon — CC0 · Bernard Gagnon — CC0 · Bernard Gagnon — CC0 · Bernard Gagnon — CC0
Mongolia's largest and most beautiful sand dunes, spreading over more than 965 square kilometres at the foot of the Altai mountains in the Gobi Desert. Mongolians call them the singing sands, as they give off a deep, roaring sound when sand slides down their slopes in the wind. The golden dunes rise in a long chain that changes colour through the day, with a green strip of grass and a small stream fed by mountain water at their base, a striking contrast of sand and green. Visitors climb to the crests in a tiring ascent on soft sand to watch the desert run to the horizon. The best times are sunset and sunrise, when the dunes turn orange and pink and their sharp shadows show. Visitors ride two-humped camels with the herding families living near the dunes and stay in ger camps. The park fee is small, and getting there needs a 4x4 and an experienced driver. Summer days are very hot and nights cold. UK travel advice reported fuel shortages in 2026 that may disrupt domestic flights and road travel to remote areas, so check with your operator before setting out.
Desert views.
Two-humped.
At the base.
Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park, about 180 km west of Dalanzadgad
Because sand sliding down the slopes in the wind gives off a deep sound like a roar or a song.