The Lonely Planet

Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2024 recommends Nomadic Road's signature Mongolia Gobi desert tour, hailed as "absolutely extraordinary" by Annie, the publication company's Creative Director.

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Embarking on the remotest expeditions around the world is a dream cherished by many travellers. To climb the highest mountain, to dive into the deepest waters, or to drive across the largest desert — we, at Nomadic Road, bring these aspirations to life. But not with magic beans or a genie lamp. With a focus on superlative angles, we take charge of the intricate planning and booking details, allowing you the space to focus on steering your destiny.

As Annie Georgia Greenberg from Lonely Planet joined us on our signature Gobi expedition in 2023, she witnessed first-hand the magnificent beauty of Mongolia. The result? An awe-inspiring video film that encapsulates the diverse sensory experiences evoked during the Mongolia Gobi desert tour.

Beyond the film, Lonely Planet presented an interview with Annie, offering readers an exclusive glimpse behind the scenes of capturing a video of this calibre in Mongolia.

For this production, we were lucky enough to be the guests of a Nomadic Road expedition, which, in addition to facilitating jaw-dropping overland journeys for guests from all around the world, provided the architecture of our trip and allowed us to see so much of the country. Not to mention, it allowed us to see it in ways we wouldn’t have been able to otherwise.

READ THE ARTICLE HERE

Diving into the sights, smells, sounds and tastes of Mongolia, the Gobi desert expedition charts a course across the bestial wilderness of the country. This overlanding adventure beckons an awakening for travellers who thrive on mystery and intrigue.

With the landscape changing shades every four to five hours, the terrain becomes the ultimate playground for adventurous souls to test their grit and stay on edge. No Nomadic Road expedition is complete without engaging in several tête-à-têtes with nature's most powerful forces, and the Gobi Desert expedition is no exception.

Describing the sights included in the Gobi expedition is a task more challenging than planning the overlanding adventure itself. You won't anticipate the seamless transition from rolling estates with lush greenery to barren deserts or the emergence of majestic mountains surrounding the road, towering over you from all sides. There will be moments when you won't spot another human being for miles on end. Your only company in those grasslands will be cattle and indigenous animals, reigning over the land untouched by human greed. 

The Mongolia Gobi desert expedition remains at the forefront of Nomadic Road’s diverse offerings owing to its roots in the quintessential nomad lifestyle. From living in gers that can be built and unbuilt quickly, to shifting homes every season, the Mongolian populace embodies the nomadic spirit and inspires us to lead an idyllic life in sync with nature. Even the livestock reared in Mongolia enjoys a semi-wild existence, freely roaming the vast landscapes in exchange for contributing milk and wool to their human counterparts.

But most importantly, the Gobi expedition beckons you to a sensory adventure, a testament vividly captured in Annie's film. Whether it's savouring the melodic tune sung by the sands of Khongoryn Els or delighting in the fragrant allure of wild onions in the lush green plains, Mongolia continually unfolds its generous bounty of nature, leaving you in awe.

If you close your eyes and allow your ears to guide you, you’ll experience your breath levelling with chanting monks, echoing gongs, and throat singers who revel in songs of Mongolia’s rich history and culture. 

Coming to tastes, Mongolia offers meaty meals — quite literally. The belief that the country's flavour is inherently infused in the animals grazing on its vast landscapes is evident in the preparation, where meat is cooked with a simple touch of salt. Nomadic Road adventurers were treated to an array of meats, thoughtfully sourced locally and prepared with genuine care. Travellers also devoured camel milk, a Mongolian welcome drink that dances on the taste buds as a delightful elixir.

Even their sense of smell was indulged, as the dirt roads and expansive farms emitted robust aromas. There were days when the air was filled with the powerful scents of wild sage and pungent garlic fields. Perhaps most notably, travellers found themselves free from the habitual checking of the Air Quality Index (AQI) every few hours, as Mongolia offered them the profound experience of breathing in air that is truly untainted.

Above all else, driving on Mongolian dirt roads gave travellers the greatest taste of freedom. Devoid of wired fences, wooden gates, or trespassing signs, everyone revelled in the freedom to wander, to simply exist. Like the swinging wind that dances to its music, adventurers found their way along the Gobi desert expedition, albeit with a little guidance from the Nomadic Road team.

Annie's take on the Gobi expedition gives you a sneak peek into the pure magic of Nomadic Road's adventure. It's not your typical luxury; it's about savouring time away from screens and going off the grid for a few days. Whether it changes you or not, one thing's for sure – you'll walk away with some seriously cool bragging rights.

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