Gobi Safari

Two things that shocked me was: firstly, the lack of sand - you'd think desert in a classical sense equals sand but nope not the case (to be revealed later); secondly, ho much life there was in this harsh place. It was bleak and wild and it was tough but everywhere I looked I could see life - birds flying high, gnarled bushes, twisted grass weed, wild gazelle, camels, goats. Bearing in mind that its probably -15C/-20C at this point with absolutely NO wind shelter from the biting cold it's astonishing that anything survives in this and then Bimba tells us that the gazelle actually migrate here during the winter...they voluntarily put themselves through this blitz environment rather than migrating north like all the people to find shelter. Couldn't believe it! Now the kicker is that even though Rach and I were crazy tourists coming in Winter and roaming the country when the locals were hunkered down from the cold we actually got to see sights that do not exist at any other time of the year. Driving through the Gobi in a 4x4, off roading, with packs all over the place of gazelles running with us is something that I will never forget. It was almost like a winter safari with the humans gone (all 10 of them) nature tool over. Condors, yaks, arctic foxes, some of the last of the wild goats, snow leopards (I wish...kind of), sights that those jelly balls in your head cannot behold if you were to visit The Land of the Blue Sky during any other time of year. It was truly magical to be a part of, stepping into their world just for a little peek, yep...magical.Read more