EPIC Self-Drive Mongolia Itinerary: Gobi Desert, Altai Mountains, & Reindeer Tribes

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Summary: The perfect 3-4ish week self-drive itinerary across Mongolia for independent travelers.

This is the full Mongolia experience. From the desert to the mountains to the vast Siberian Taiga filled with reindeer tribes. I have created a 7-day self-drive Mongolia itinerary and a 2-week Mongolia itinerary, but THIS is the ultimate itinerary. It’s the one we drove and the route I think best captures the sheer beauty of the country.

The only caveat is that it requires that you either drive yourself or hire a driver to traverse the country. But that, in my opinion, is the best way to see Mongolia. Hence “self-drive Mongolia itinerary”. I would even venture to say this is one of my favorite trips I’ve ever taken. This is the perfect Mongolia itinerary for road-trip lovers, overlanders with their own vehicle, or those just looking for a grand adventure.

Mongolia Tourism has officially developed and when you search for a self-drive Mongolia itinerary online you’ll find countless tour companies selling package tours, rather than actual self-drive itineraries for independent travelers. We basically had to wing it. Because of this, some mistakes were made and that’s why I created this itinerary in the first place.

First, let’s cover some basics, or you can skip ahead.

Is Mongolia Worth Visiting?

100%.

If you like nature, road trips, or Buddhist culture you will love Mongolia. You can expect wildlife, long drives, rugged camping-style accommodations, and huge green spaces and forests. Mongolia is the least densely populated country on earth and THAT is the appeal to us adventure travelers. You can experience a place that is *relatively* untouched by humans. You must be okay with some discomfort. This isn’t a luxury vacation no matter how you swing it.

If this sounds like your cup of tea, then yes, you will love a trip to Mongolia.

Itineraries for Mongolia Independent Travel

This epic self-drive Mongolia itinerary takes about 4 weeks or 30 days. It can be adapted (and I’ll show you how below) to skip the Altai Mountains or the Tsaatan Reindeer Tribe to save you one week and cut your time to three weeks. If you don’t have 1 month in Mongolia…unfortunate, BUT I do have itineraries that will work for you.

4-Week Mongolia Itinerary Trip Overview: Where To Go in Mongolia

These are all the best destinations this self-drive Mongolia itinerary will cover

• Ulaanbaatar
• Terelj National Park
• White Stupa
• Yolyn Am
• Khongryn Els Dunes
• Flaming Cliffs
• Erdene Zu Monastery
• Khorgo Volcanic Crater
• Tsaatan Reindeer Tribe
• Altai Mountains
• Amarbayasgalant Monastery
• Hustai National Park

… and all the little places in between that make road-tripping Mongolia worthwhile.

Quick Mongolia Travel Tips

Before we dig into the full itinerary, here are a few logistical issues to address.

• Hire your car through Drive Mongolia. He’s the most well-connected and reputable company. His rentals are also more affordable and include all the wild camping and cooking gear you’ll need for the trip.

Note: When I say MORE affordable keep in mind that travel in Mongolia is not super budget-friendly. This is because when you leave the cities behind you won’t be able to rely so much on public transportation. I wrote a whole blog post on the cost of travel in Mongolia. *coming soon*

• These are the things you should bring with you to prepare for your journey. (*Coming Soon*)
• If you want to hire a driver/guide then you don’t need to rent a vehicle yourself. Most Mongolians make a living in the tourism sector by leading tours of their country. I recommend staying at either Mongolian Vision Tours or Sun Path Tours in Ulaanbaatar and hiring a guide through them OR finding one ahead of time through one of the Mongolia Travel Facebook Groups.
• You’ll either be wild camping or sleeping in Ger tents hosted by nomadic families. Don’t expect to have full facilities like power and running water every night.
• Mongolia is not an easy place to travel. If you are traveling independently you should always be over-prepared rather than under. Cell service is rare and many roads in Mongolia are not well-traveled enough to rely on others to help you in the event of a breakdown.

When To Go To Mongolia

The best time to visit Mongolia is between June and late September. But you’re not just visiting Mongolia. You’re DRIVING across Mongolia. So road conditions and weather matter even more than usual.

The ideal time to hit this itinerary is July or August.

If you visit earlier or later the Altai Mountains and Siberian Reindeer herders may still be locked in snow.

My Biggest Piece of Mongolia Travel Advice?

Be flexible. Mongolia is remote. Mongolia is vast. It’s difficult to travel and you’ll have no one but yourself to rely on. So, you should also be prepared. While it’s nice to have this itinerary all laid out for you, you should be prepared to deviate as things come up. Because they always do.

Blogs to Help First-Time Visitors Navigate Mongolia

The Best Self-Drive Mongolia Itinerary for Independent Travelers

Here’s your step-by-step guide to seeing and experiencing all the best of Mongolia.

Day 1: Ulaanbaatar

The reason I’m starting this itinerary with a full day in Ulaanbaatar is logistics. No matter how well you plan ahead, you’ll need one full day to set yourself up with the proper equipment to drive yourself. Or you’ll need to locate and hire a driver here if you don’t want to fuss with navigating yourself.

Read More: Check out this guide to make sure you have all the necessary equipment for a Mongolian road trip before leaving UB.

UB is a very metropolitan city. It’s polluted and crowded and honestly, pretty charmless. That being said if you have some spare time to kill in-between organizing your route and gear there are a few attractions worth visiting. More than 1/3 of Mongolia’s entire population lives here– so it’s worth doing a little exploring.

Things to See in Ulaanbaatar

• Zaisan Monument. A communist-era monument with great panoramic views of the city. My favorite of the attractions in the city.
• Gandantegchinlen Monastery. A really cool interior with one of the tallest gold buddhas.
• Bogd Khaan Winter Palace Museum. The outside is more impressive than the inside in my opinion.
• National Museum of Mongolia. There are quite a few museums in UB (like the Natural History Museum of Mongolia) but this one is the only one that contains enough artifacts and information in English to be worthwhile.

What to Eat in Ulaanbaatar

Unfortunately, I was not one of those travelers who found UB’s food scene to be adequate for a city of its size. The food scene in Mongolia is pretty bleak in general with few exceptions. If you happen to be a vegetarian…you’re in an even more dire state. Not everywhere can be a foodie haven.

These were the best of the many places we tried in UB…

• Ajisen Ramen Mongolia. Actually, weirdly good ramen.
• Grand Khaan Irish Pub. Huge portions and good meat.

Where to Stay in Ulaanbaatar

Here are three accommodations I stayed at and can recommend within the city. The first two budget-friendly options offer easy access to guides and drivers if you aren’t planning on driving yourself. The third is without a doubt one of the most comfortable accommodations in UB and has an epic breakfast buffet. But it’s also $100 a night.

IMO if you want to stay at IBIS, do it your last night in the country to get some relaxation after a long and exhausting road trip. You might need it after this self-drive Mongolia itinerary.

Day 2: Ulaanbaatar to Gorkhi-Terelj National Park

Drive Time: 1 hour & 15 min — 70 KM

An easy drive to stunning scenery to start your self-drive Mongolia itinerary.

Terelj National Park is the most well-photographed destination in Mongolia. The park itself is pretty small with the main allure being rolling green hillside landscapes, massive boulders in the shape of turtles, and short hikes to hillside monasteries.

I recommend leaving UB shortly after breakfast and heading straight to big attractions in the park like Turtle Rock and Ariyabal Meditation Temple. On the way to the park, you can stop by the giant statue of Genghis Khan. Then you can check into your ger camp for the night and enjoy the stunning views of the valley as all the day visitors leave the park. Because it’s so close to Ulaanbaatar, this park can get quite crowded during the day. My favorite place to stay BY FAR in Terelj is Apache Eco Camp.

Where to Stay in Terelj National Park

This is my favorite (and the most comfortable) ger that I stayed at all my time in Mongolia. The owners are German Mongolians who go above and beyond to make sure you find the best hiking trails and photo spots in the park. We wished we could have stayed longer than one night.

Apache Eco Camp

This camp is strewn along the hillside in one of the most impressive valleys of Terelj National Park. Each ger sleeps 4 people (some with double beds for couples!) and some have heated floors! Definitely stick around for breakfast after sunrise too because it was some of the best Mongolian food I had in the country.

Read More: Read my full guide to Terelj National Park for all the best park attractions and tips.

Day 3: Gorkhi-Terelj National Park

Depending on your interests, this is an extra day to spend hiking and exploring Terelj National Park. Or you could spend one extra day in UB at the beginning of your trip depending on the time of day you arrive in Mongolia/if you had enough time to prepare your road-trip kit AND see the handful of sights in UB.

Day 4: Terelj National Park to White Stupa

Drive Time: 6.5 hours — 490 KM

White Stupa is one of the most impressive sights in all of Mongolia and should not be missed. In the entire Gobi Desert, it’s probably the location I was most surprised and impressed by. And I’ve been to all of Utah’s Big 5 Desert National Parks in the US.

This is your first long drive day. It’s paved nearly the entire way until you leave the road to head to the White Stupa itself.

If you’re not driving and you have hired a Mongolian driver who isn’t in a hurry you could conceivably take a little pit stop at the Ikh Gazriin Chuluu Park if you’re really into photographing more big rocks in the vast desert landscape. This will put you driving into White Stupa after dark most likely, but the choice is yours. Due to the distance off-road, if you are driving yourself, I don’t recommend hitting both sites in one day.

Read More: My full guide on Visiting the White Stupa for tips on where to pitch your tent for the most epic sunrise view and more.

Day 5: White Stupa to Yolyn Am Valley (Ice Fields)

Drive Time: 2.5 hours — 200 KM

Today’s drive will be a little less than usual because you should account for seeing the White Stupa at sunrise and exploring the knobby multi-colored sand mounds for a few hours in the morning.

Then you’ll set off to Yolyn Am Valley, a stunning granite canyon where you can spot unique wildlife like rare endangered Ibex, snow leopards (not a chance), and tiny squeaky pica. Don’t expect ice fields if you’re here after June, but the scenery is still beautiful.

I prefer to visit Yolyn Am in the afternoon hours just before sunset so the short drive gives you ample time to explore the park to your heart’s content and then tuck away in a ger camp near the park.

Read More: My full blog post on Yolyn Am for all the best things to do and see during your visit to the park.

Day 6: Yolyn Am Valley

Although you will likely be able to explore the park after your drive yesterday, there is more than one hike you could enjoy near the canyon. And if you take your time driving from White Stupa to Yolyn Am this gives you a full day to enjoy the views here.

If you are on a time crunch then you can skip this free day and move on toward Khongoryn Els instead.

Day 7: Yolyn Am Valley to Khongoryn Els Gobi

Drive Time: Approximately 4 hours — Approximately 180 KM (OFF-ROAD)

If you’ve been using Google Maps up till this point, this is where you’ll completely lose the map.

But don’t fret. Maps.Me is very accurate. The location may be listed as Hongorïn Els. I was worried this portion of off-road driving would have us in thick sand. But this isn’t the sand-dune-covered desert you’re imagining. This is a flat well-traveled area with clearly trodden tire paths cutting across a very flat landscape. It’s easy. Just roughly follow the route described by Maps.Me and you’ll arrive in the vast landscape of Khongoryn Els. The Singing Sand Dunes of the Gobi Desert.

Note: At the bottom of this itinerary I have a downloadable Maps.Me map that puts the EXACT route we followed on this and all the next off-road sections to Khorgo Volcano. I highly recommend downloading it!

You can essentially just drive right up to the dunes here. You’ll pass numerous ger camps along the way all with similar amenities and price tags. Try to get to the base of the dunes before 4 PM so you’ll have plenty of time to get to the top of the dunes before sunset. Keep in mind it takes over 1 hour to climb the dunes for the best sunset view.

Read More: Be sure to read my full guide to Khongoryn Els and why you should absolutely climb the tallest sand dune to gaze out over the sea of sand for sunset.

Where to Stay Near Khongoryn Els

I recommend you sleep as close as possible to Khongoryn Els and not one of the other Ger camps scattered throughout the Gobi Desert. Preferably one of the ones you can see from the dune itself. Because you’ll be visiting this site at sunset this means you’ll have to drive to the camp in the dark and the flat desert off-roads can be difficult to navigate with NO light.

But if you are someone who needs to have things booked ahead of time and are planning on hiring a driver in UB rather than driving yourself you can book a stay at the Gobi Mirage.

Gobi Mirage

Day 8: Khongoryn Els Gobi to Flaming Cliffs

Drive Time: About 5.5 hours for 210 KM (OFF-ROAD)

I recommend staying overnight at the Flaming Cliffs for sunset. I’m assuming that if you are self-driving it is during the summer months otherwise the routes may be inadvisable for foreign travelers.

Read my full guide on the Flaming Cliffs for more detailed information about your visit.

When I say difficult, I just mean that the majority of the route will be off-road on hard-packed tracks through the desert. It’s not a hard route to follow on Maps.Me. The road to the Flaming Cliffs is very well-traveled. On your way to the Flaming Cliffs, you’ll pass through the small town of Bulgan (one of many Bulgan’s) which is a good place to stop for food. And get some proper coffee and supplies.

Day 9: Flaming Cliffs to Ongi Monastery

Drive Time: About 5 hours for 170 KM (OFF-ROAD)

Ongi Monastery is essentially just a stopover. This little speck of a “town” is nothing more than a collection of ger camps near a river in the middle of the vast hot desert. The flat scrubland kind. The Monastery ruins and a few sights scattered around here are worth visiting if you can muster the energy.

The roads to reach Ongi from the Flaming Cliffs are fairly straightforward and you’ll likely see lots of Bactrian Camels along the way.

Day 10: Ongi Monastery to Kharkhorin

Drive Time: 7 Hours — 300 KM (OFF-ROAD)

The road from Ongi Monastery traverses a few rivers and crosses some vast expanses of grassland on the way to Kharkhorin the ancient capital of the Mongol empire.

This town feels no different than any other town in Mongolia other than its (relatively) large size and loads of tourists. This is because of the main attraction…Erdene Zu Monastery.

Read More: My full guide on where to stay in Kharkhorin visiting Erdene Zu and all the interesting things to do while you’re overnighting in the city.

Day 11: Kharkhorin to Khorgo Volcano

Drive Time: 5 hours for approx 300 KM

It’s totally free to visit the crater.

I’ll be honest, I was underwhelmed with the Khorgo Volcano crater. I’ve been to numerous volcanoes around the world including Crater Lake in Oregon and Mount Ijen in Indonesia. So, maybe I’m difficult to impress. Either way, you can expect a tiny tiny town with a small volcano crater and a nice place to camp.

If you have a drone, the crater is much more impressive from above. You can (& should) also hike up to the edge of the crater at sunset or sunrise for a lovely view of the surrounding valley.

Where to Eat on the Way to Khorgo: Fairfield Guesthouse Cafe

This is an ESSENTIAL stop. The food here is kinda expensive but the portions are huge and the food is tasty. You can also get real espresso-style coffee. But most importantly, the owner of the guesthouse and cafe knows all the best routes through Mongolia and if you are even a little uncertain about these next two days overland he can help you immensely.

Where to Stay in Khorgo

Budget Option: You can camp right near the volcano! Wild camping in Mongolia is totally free and this spot is very grassy. Perfect for your tent and a morning jaunt up the volcano.

Mid-Range Option: There are a handful of unexciting hotels in the small town. Not Ger camps like the rest of the country but more hostel-style hotels and shared rooms. Fortunately, even in high season none of them are fully booked.

*Luxury* Option: There are some very touristy ger camps that you will see near the volcano. This is where all the tour groups take their clients. It’s still a ger camp so luxury might be the wrong word, but you’ll still find all the basic amenities.

Day 12: Khorgo Volcano to Murun via Terkhiin Tsagaan Lake & Ikh Uul

Drive Time: 7-8 hours for 300 KM (OFF-ROAD)

Getting to Murun is an off-road adventure and involves a full day of driving past small Mongolian “towns” like Ikh Uul and the sprawling volcanic freshwater lake of Terkhiin Tsagaan. Murun itself is nothing to write home about. The town is little more than a collection of dirt roads, small ramshackle communities, and crappy restaurants. Sorry, Murun. But we’re keeping it as real as we can. It’s the second largest city in Mongolia, and cities in Mongolia are no one’s favorite parts of the country.

Murun IS, however, a great place to re-up on supplies, take advantage of the scant restaurant scene, and walk through local markets to see what life is like in Mongolia for those living outside Ulaanbaatar.

Road Conditions to Murun

Get ready for a full day of off-road adventuring. While the road from Khorgo is about 75% paved (to Ikh Uul) anyway…the paved portion actually brings more problems than the off-road. There are more pot-holes than road as of 2024. But if you take it slow and only travel in the daylight, you shouldn’t have any problems.

Give yourself a lot of time since this will be a very long drive day.

WARNING: This is also the section of the drive that is NOT correct on Google Maps. You’ll have to rely on maps.me and follow the off-road track to reach the main road that cuts through the middle of the country.

Where to Stay in Murun

The town of Murun is a little bleak if I’m being totally honest with you. That’s why we stayed in Tenkhleg Camp just outside town. Perfect if you have your own set of wheels. The Mountain View Guesthouse looks super comfy and affordable though.

Day 13: Murun to Khuvsgul Lake

Before you hit the road today you need to make sure that you have all the gear needed (and the special permit) to venture into the even more remote Taiga at this point. Murun is kinda the last chance for civilization. From here you venture toward the Tsaatan tribe and you’ll need to be in contact with Zaya and get some supplies to donate to the community for your visit.

Read More: Please read this full guide to visiting the Tsaatan reindeer herders so you know all your options and the equipment you will need before you leave Murun.

Drive Time: 1.5 hours for 100 KM

Khuvsgul Lake is the largest freshwater lake in the country by volume. Standing on its shores, you would believe it. The water here is tropical blue when the sun hits and you definitely won’t be the only person here! This is one of the most popular destinations for travelers in Mongolia.

Where to Stay at Khuvsgal Lake

Khuvsgal Lake has an abundance of free camping and an abundance of overpriced luxury gers. That’s because this is the #1 tourist sight for foreign and domestic tourists. Here are two options for lodging that you can book ahead if you’re not down for wild camping.

Day 14: Khuvsgul Lake

You will arrive at Khuvsgul Lake in a small town-like area, but the further around the lake you travel the more unspoiled and serene it will become. So don’t stop there and give yourself time to explore the lake.

I recommend giving yourself a full day to rest and take in the scenery here. Especially if you’re planning on heading to the reindeer herders next. You could do one of the many hikes around the shores or take a boat ride out onto the bay. If you’re in a hurry, then I recommend skipping today and moving straight toward Siberia and the reindeer tribes.

Day 15: Khuvsgul Lake to Tugal (halfway to Tsagaannuur)

Drive Time: 8 hours for about 180KM (OFF-ROAD)

These two days to reach Tsaagaanuur are the most difficult off-road tracks you’ll encounter in Mongolia. If you have struggled at any point on this journey thus far, I do not recommend driving yourself to the Tsaatan. There are several options including a cramped 12-hour “bus” or a pick-up by Zaya (from the reindeer tribe herself) in Murun. I outline all of this in my Tsaatan Tribe blog post to help you make the best decision for you.

If you do decide to drive yourself on this self-drive Mongolia itinerary (like we did) this portion of the route is navigable by Maps.Me. You should plan to stay in the town of Tugul and leave nice and early to reach there before dark. We stayed at Tugal Hotel Shop Restaurant for cheap and yes, it was all three of those things for this small town. This town is also the only other area to get gas on this journey after Murun.

Route From Khuvsgal Lake to Tugul

You will want to backtrack on the paved road until the long straightaway near the city. Then you’ll say goodbye to the pavement for the next week and prepare to cross marshy swamps, rocky hillsides, muddy treestump-filled slides, and cross rivers. This sounds treacherous, and it was, but keep in mind we did manage it.

Day 16: Tugal to Tsagaannuur

Drive Time: 6 hours for 100 KM (OFF-ROAD)

This section of the journey is even more difficult than yesterday because there is NO map beside the Garmin Watch map and a paper map we had (in German) that shows the correct summer route to Tsagaannuur. Maps.Me will direct you on the winter route where you will surely get stuck in a river.

Ask the hotel in Tugul for directions or speak with Zaya beforehand. The road itself is easier and shorter than yesterday’s track but there are just more wrong turns to take, especially when leaving town. See my Tsaatan Tribe blog post for more information!

Day 17: Horseback Ride to Tsaatan Camp

You’ll be meeting up with Zaya in Tsagaannuur. This means the planning is now officially out of your hands. The journey by horseback will begin today and should take anywhere from 4-8 hours depending on the location of the nomad’s camp.

Day 18: Tsaatan Camp

You’ll spend the full day today at the nomad camp. When you book with Zaya you should stay for a minimum of 2 nights.

If you would like to stay an extra day, I highly recommend it. If you have skipped a day earlier on or at Khuvsgal Lake/Yolyn Am you can use it here. Or if you don’t plan to visit the Altai Mountains.

Day 19: Return to Tsagaannuur

You’re in for another 4-8 hour horseback ride to Tsagaannuur today. This is one of the reasons a two-day stay with the nomads is preferred, so you don’t have to subject your butt to this ride two days in a row. Zaya will set you up with a place to stay again in town.

Day 20: Tsagaanuur to Tugal

Fortunately, you are now very familiar with this route. Today begins a 2-day long 300 KM backtrack from Tsagaannuur to Murun. This day will be the exact same as day 16.

Note: If you are short on time and don’t want to stay in Tsagaannuur for another night you could cram this journey into yesterday. But only if you arrive by horseback early in the afternoon. You don’t want to be making any off-road drives after dark.

Day 21: Tugal to Murun

Same as Day 15. Get ready to say hello to the pavement again. You are pretty much finished with the off-road portions of this self-drive Mongolia itinerary.

Day 22-27 Murun to the Altai Mountains & Back

Olgii is the gateway to the Altai. Its distance from Murun, however, is a whopping 980 km. Because the roads are relatively good (we hear) you might be able to crush this distance in two very long drive days. But I make no promises. As we had taken our time (got stuck in a river), we did not have enough wiggle room to head in that direction on our self-drive Mongolia itinerary. I’m including this in the itinerary because if you want to experience all the diverse landscapes of Mongolia and love to hike…you cannot miss the Altai Mountains.

Unfortunately, we don’t have any first-hand information on visiting the Altai region. So, I’ll leave you to your own research.

Note: I do know that trekking in the Altai region involves lots of permits and regulations. I recommend getting a guide for this portion of your adventure. But you can wait until Olgii to orchestrate that.

Day 28: Murun to Bulgan (or camp somewhere along the way to the next destination)

Drive Time: 5.5 hours for 400 KM

Bulgan is just a stopover on the way back to Ulaanbaatar. It sits about halfway between Murun and Ulaanbaatar.

Road Conditions to Bulgan

The road back toward UB from Murun is completely paved. The off-road adventures are almost totally behind you at this point in the trip.

Where to Stay in Bulgan

We camped near the river just off the main road rather than staying overnight in the actual town of Bulgan. This is probably your best option because lodging here is sparse and uninspiring. Savor the opportunities to camp.

Day 29: Bulgan (or Camp) to Amarbayasgalant Monastery

Drive Time: 4.5 hours for 275 KM

A stunning ancient monastery set back on a hillside in the middle of a remote steppe. This place was one of my very favorite in Mongolia. I recommend exploring the interior of the monastery and hiking to the hilltop to take in the views from above. We did this at sunrise after camping in the valley and the lighting was incredible.

Read More: My full guide to Amarbayasgalant Monastery & why I loved this area so much.

Road Conditions to Amarbayasgalant Monastery

This road is easy and paved until the last 30 or so KM. Then it quickly deteriorates into a rutted mess. But if you follow the clearly traveled tracks through the grassland carefully you’ll end up in a vast basin with several rivers and a stunning hillside monastery to navigate toward.

Where to Stay at Amarbayasgalant Monastery

Right at the base of it. This was my single favorite place to camp in all of Mongolia. You can camp in the endless grasslands near the rivers OR you can spend $15 for two and stay in one of the local gers right outside the monastery.

Day 30: Amarbayasgalant Monastery to Hustai National Park

Drive Time: 6.5 hours for 300 KM

Hustai National Park is another vast grassland that contains a bunch of wildlife. Specifically, ancestors to the domesticated horse. The missing link between wild and domesticated if you will. Here you can stay overnight and then tour the park by car hoping to spot deer, antelope, the Przewalski’s Horse, and marmots.

Read More: My full guide to Hustai National Park.

Road Conditions to Hustai National Park

It’s paved up until the last 9 KM. Aside from the backtracking you’ll do on your way back to the main roadway from the monastery, that is. Here you’ll turn off the pavement onto a wide and easily traversable off-road section. It’s a super easy road as far as Mongolia is concerned and labeled clearly with one massive signage on the main road and several smaller ones guiding you to the entrance of the National Park.

Where to Stay at Hustai National Park

There are at least 3 ger camps (all on the higher priced and luxury end of gers) between the paved road and the park entrance. There is a massive ger camp at the park entrance is the best place to go and you should probably make a reservation by phone. Unfortunately, as there is little to no information about these Gers online you’ll need to talk with the owner of one of the guesthouses in UB to make this booking. Or just turn up and hope that they aren’t fully booked for the night.

Budget Option: You can also camp in the grass right across from the Gers at the park entrance. They also have beer you can buy and let you use their bathrooms– so that’s a plus. This isn’t super remote obviously but it’s comfortable and gives you easy access to the park in the wee hours. 

Day 31: Hustai National Park to Ulaanbaatar

Drive Time: 2 hours for 100 miles

From here it’s just a quick jump to UB and your flight home. Since the drive time is short you can decide how long to soak in the sunshine on this last morning in Mongolia’s wilderness.

Road Conditions to Ulaanbaatar

Paved. Nothing more to say about it. This is one stretch of road you can always count on to be well-maintained.

This ends your month-long self-drive Mongolia itinerary!

Important: Maps.Me Off Road Route Map

As I have stated Google Maps can be a little unreliable in off-road situations. Fortunately, I detailed the EXACT route we took on Maps.me through the middle of the country and downloaded it for you here. Unfortunately, I did not have the good sense to do that for our WHOLE route. But there is only one other section you would need off-road help anyway and I cover it in my blog post on the Tsaatan Reindeer Tribe and above.

I took a screenshot of what the route will look like when you have downloaded it correctly onto Maps.Me so there is no confusion.

This will take you from the Khorgo volcano crater through all the sights of the Gobi to Ulaanbaatar (or in reverse). So essentially this is either the first or last 11 days of your trip, depending on which way you choose to complete the loop. I *suggest* this be the first (the way I outlined the route above) so you gradually work your way up to more difficult and isolated roads.

The only way for me to send you the maps.me files of my self-drive Mongolia itinerary is for you to join this Mongolia email list! I won’t send you anything else, just one quick message with the Maps.Me files and if you have any trouble viewing it at all be sure to reach out to me at geena.truman@gmail.com.

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