6 days in Khongor sand dunes too much?

Do you mean Khongrin Els in the Gobi. If so then 6 days is too long to stay just there, but in the area is Yolyn Am, Bayanzag, Bayandalai and a few other places woth visiting.
5/6 days in total is about enough.

Hi Ben

You wrote:
planning to stop at the Khongor sand dunes for about 6 days.. I wondered if 6 days was too long... places to get food and water..."

Standard reply
Most travelers stay 1-2 nights at one of the few tourist camps alongside the sand duns (i.e Khongor camp 2Km from the sand dunes).

Dalanzadgad - about 180Km from the sand dunes, is a small town where you can stock up for food and water.
At the sand dunes you will only find the tourist camps and a few camel herders waiting for tourists.
The distances between the popular highlights in the Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park are large
Dalanzadgad - to Yolyn am (the ice canyon) 42km
Dalanzadgad - to Khongor sand dunes 180Km

The less popular reply
Let me take your question a step further.
Staying 6 days in one area brings a whole new aspect to traveling in Mongolia.
See a question above by Will titled "Travellers In Mongolia Who Are Not In A Hurry"

A lady woke up in a tourist van, looked out, and asked - what day is it? why do you ask? replied her husband, well she said, if it is Sunday so this must be a camel at the sand dunes, and if it is Monday so this is a dubble humped Yak at Huvsgol.

Mongolia calls for a slow travel paste, take your time, doing less in Mongolia is doing more.

Sit at the top of the sand dunes for several hours during sunset or sunrise for a few days and you will get spectacular sand dune shadows and colors most tourist miss.
If you come across a herder family, stay with them for a few days helping out with routine chores.

Links
Lucie Debelkova - non standard pictures of the sand dunes

Have a nice few days at any place in Mongolia or at the Khongor sand dunes also known as the Singing Dunes

Dan

Dan?

Singing Dunes is wrong translation though! In Mongolian it is Soundy Dune, also Vultures Valley is translated as Eagle Valley or Vultures Mouth on some travel books. Wrong translations sound funny, hope you will correct them on your informations.

#3 I disagree with you. I do not feel Dan has to correct anything. I think the translation of Singing Dunes is correct in the english language.we knows what it means

#4 Dan, thanks a lot for the link to Lucie's gallery. Her pictures are beautiful and the comments reflect my own feelings when travelling; I don't consider myself to be a tourist and am looking forward to stay some time with different herder families and help out

Your posts are always helpful and very much appreciated

Julie

He he, trust me. I am a Mongolian. Does Sand Dune sing a song or Does Sand Dune make sound?
Khongor SandDune is also called Duut Mankhan in Mongolian, means The Soundy Dune!
There are few other Dunes has same names in other parts of Mongolia.

Thanks for the replies!

Dan: I prefer the less popular reply.
Do you know the area well? Do I have a good chance there of coming across some families that I could help out/stay with? ...or should I have a back up plan just in case?

Thanks for the help and the photos are brill

Ben

Hi Ben

The population density in south Gobi is extremely low
According to Britannica population density map 0.6 persons per Sq Km.
During summer some families do come closer to the more popular tourist spots in the Gobi.
Ask around at the tourist Ger camps, they will point you in the right direction.

You wrote: I'm going to be travelling around central and southern Mongolia
In central Mongolia you will come across more nomadic families.

Map
To get a feel of the low population density I created a map
comparing 2 patches on Google maps where the resolution is relatively higher and you can actually see the Gers and herds.
I have chosen 2 regions with nomadic population -
Along the Orkhon valley in central Mongolia the Gers are separated about a mile between them, and are in clusters of 2-6 Gers,
and in Khanbogd Sum in the Gobi  the distances are about 3 miles between them and 1-2 Gers in a cluster.
The distances in the Gobi between populated areas are large, about 40-100 miles.

To see the Grers zoom in up to one level before the maximum level.
The yellow pins are just for orientation, of a few place names you mentioned and a few you might have read about

The round fences near the Gers are for the herds at night, and the brown color is the herd dung.
Enjoy your virtual tour of Mongolia as seen from space.
Google map with Ger locations

Dan

Hello,

I will be traveling in Mongolia with one friend in July. We would like to make a trip from Dalanzadgad to Khongoryn Els and spend one night in Khongoryn Els. We can fly from UB to Dalanzadgad. Can someone suggest a person or agency who can help us arrange a vehicle to take us from Dalanzadgad to Khongoryn Els and return? Or will it be possible for us to find a ride when we get to Dalanzadgad?

Thank you,
Albert