Mongolia
The silence of the Gobi
Why this trip?
The journey begins in Arvaikheer, the capital of the Övörkhangai province at about 1,800 metres above sea level, at the foot of the Khangai Mountains, where the steppe begins to descend towards the Gobi. A landscape of arid steppe, icy gorges and rocky ridges, with dunes concentrated in just a few narrow strips. It is one of the least populated areas on the planet, with species now extinct elsewhere and fossil deposits among the most important in the world. The Orkhon Valley, crossed in the first part of the route, is the historic heart of the country: here the capital of the Mongol Empire rose and fell, and nomadic pastoralism remains a living practice.
The project
In Arvaikheer, we support the activities of the Consolata Missionaries, who have been present since 2003 and are committed to providing access to education, working in constant dialogue with the Buddhist community and local authorities. Volunteers dedicate their time to younger people, helping them with their homework and organising sports activities and games in their free time. Activities are adapted according to the time of year and the group of volunteers. Contact us for more information.
The itinerary
From Arvaiheer, you travel north towards Kharkhorum, crossing the grasslands and rivers of the Orkhon Valley, until you reach the ancient Buddhist monasteries. The journey continues heading south, where the greenery gives way to the desert: the ruins of the Ongi monastery, the red Flaming Cliffs of Bayanzag, and the Khongoryn Els dunes reached on camelback. It concludes at the Yolyn Am gorge, where the winter ice lasts into summer. Finally, you head back up towards Ulaanbaatar, travelling along dirt roads and watching the landscape gradually change before your eyes.
