Elsen Tasarkhai Mongolia — Best Desert, Camel & Hot Spring Ever

If you haven’t read the preious episode yet, click here first.

Elsen Tasarkhai Mongolia — this was our first stop on the group tour.

Two days in Terelj — done.

Mongolia is stunning, but let’s be real:
most of your time is just sitting in a car going somewhere.

(Would I go back? I’d probably pick somewhere else next time. Honest.)

Today was the day we finally met our tour group —
a guide plus 6 Koreans total, us included.

We found them through LoveMongolia —
no pre-meeting, no group chat, no awkward Zoom call.

Just showed up in Mongolia and figured it out on the spot.

Somehow it worked perfectly.

Turns out, nothing bonds strangers faster than
4.5 hours in a van heading to a desert together.

By the time we left Elsen Tasarkhai, we were already a proper crew.

1. Elsen Tasarkhai Mongolia — Getting There Wasn’t Easy

Tour cost: $980 per person (around 1.35M KRW at Sept 2025 rates).

We did some group grocery shopping, sorted payments, and headed straight toward Elsen Tasarkhai, Mongolia’s mini desert.

The drive? 4.5 hours.

First-day energy carried us though — we arrived at the ger near Elsen Tasarkhai and immediately ran around like excited kids.

That night: high-end ger accommodation. Clean, comfortable, zero bugs.

(All those insect repellent products I packed — completely useless in Elsen Tasarkhai.)

Dinner was chicken steak. One of the best meals of the trip. No photos. I deeply regret this. 😔

2. Elsen Tasarkhai Desert — The Slide That Destroyed My Legs

Next morning, we headed into the Elsen Tasarkhai sand dunes early.

Our guide casually said: “Three slides maximum.”

I didn’t understand why — until I tried climbing back up.

The slope at Elsen Tasarkhai was steep. Every step sank deep into the sand. Felt like a gym stairmaster set to maximum difficulty, made entirely of sand.

Three times was absolutely enough.

My legs were done.

3. Elsen Tasarkhai Camel Ride — My Wife’s Camel Had Other Plans

Right after the dunes, camel riding time.

Only 20 minutes — just a quick ride before moving on.

My wife’s camel, however, completely refused to cooperate.

Screamed. Loudly. Repeatedly.

Had to be swapped for a different one immediately.

(That camel had very strong opinions about working on a Monday morning.)

Still — unique, hilarious, and honestly one of the best memories from Elsen Tasarkhai Mongolia. 🐪

4. Mongolia Hot Spring — 3.5 More Hours in the Car

Another 3.5 hours of driving after Elsen Tasarkhai.

Scenery was stunning for the first three days. After that, I just slept through it.

We arrived at Duut Resort — a guesthouse with actual hot springs.

No internet the whole trip, so evenings were simple: walk with my wife, gather at 7PM, eat together.

Mongolia was starting to feel manageable.

(It was not manageable.)

5. Mongolia Hot Spring Night — Horses, Warm Water & Open Sky

After dinner, we hit the hot springs.

Warm water. Open sky. Complete silence.

And then — horses just started wandering past.

At night. Right next to the hot spring.

First time: mildly terrifying. By the end of the trip: completely normal.

That’s Mongolia.

Two days after Elsen Tasarkhai — roughly 500km covered. Mini desert ✅ Camel ride ✅ Hot spring ✅

Looking back, Elsen Tasarkhai Mongolia was the perfect start to the tour.

It threw us straight into the deep end —
long drives, sand dunes that destroyed our legs,
a camel with an attitude problem,
and a hot spring surrounded by horses at midnight.

Not exactly what most people picture when they think “group tour.”

But that’s exactly what made it memorable.

If you’re planning a Mongolia trip and wondering whether to include Elsen Tasarkhai —
do it.

Just stretch your legs before the sand dunes.

Trust me on that one.