You have booked your exotic vacation and you are now wondering what it’s like staying in the tourist camps in Mongolia. How comfortable are the Mongolian yurts? What are the facilities like in the Mongolian ger camps? How do I choose where to stay in the Mongolian countryside? What is the food like in the tourist camps in Mongolia? This blog post will help you answer all these questions and a few more.
Traditional Mongolian yurts, locally known as gers, are circular felt tents designed for nomadic life. I use the terms yurt and ger interchangeably in this post.
During my travels across Mongolia, I stayed at nine different tourist camps and ger sites, experiencing first-hand what it is really like to stay in traditional Mongolian yurts across the country. In this blog post, I’ll share a practical, honest look at tourist camps in Mongolia, covering everything from the accommodation, facilities, utilities, food, Wi-Fi and overall comfort. Whether you’re considering a luxury ger camp or a slightly less glamorous one, this guide is designed to help you understand what to expect, how camps differ in terms of quality and how the Mongolian ger camp experience compares across different regions of Mongolia. Finally, I will rank each of the yurt camps at which I stayed on an overall basis and let you know whether I would choose to stay there again if I was to return to Mongolia.
Overall Assessment of Mongolian Yurt Camps
Generally speaking, the Mongolian yurt camps, or ger camps, are acceptable, offering accommodation that is basic yet reasonably comfortable, sporadic power, intermittent Wi-Fi, communal bathing facilities, split between ladies and gents and separated from the yurts by quite a distance, and reasonable food. I did find the lack of power in some ger camps most frustrating and the lack of a reliable Internet connection restricted my ability to stay connected. Only one of the nine yurts at which I stayed had a private bathroom and the walk to the communal facilities was sometimes reasonably long and across sandy paths, so much so that I found it easier at night to urinate using a Gatorade bottle rather than walk all the way to the bathroom facilities across dark paths.
Before I traveled to Mongolia I activated an e-Sim from Airalo but I found that the connection was unreliable outside of Ulaanbaatar. Fortunately my Mongolian tour guide lent me a spare SIM card for use while in Mongolia which saved me many hours of frustration.
Given that you have chosen to visit Mongolia for the overall experience, expecting to stay in five-star hotels in the middle of the Gobi Desert is not something that would have crossed your mind. As they used to say when I traveled with Contiki many years ago, ‘It’s not wrong, it’s just different’.
With that in mind, let’s cover the nine Mongolian yurt camps at which I stayed, in the order in which I visited them, and as shown in the map below (zoom out to see the yurt camps marked).
1) Bayanbulag Tourist Camp
The first Mongolian tourist camp at which I stayed, after spending one night at the Domogt Melkhii Khad hostel near Turtle Rock in Terelj National Park, Bayanbulag Tourist Camp offers a blend of traditional nomadic design and reasonable comfort. Located close to the unique rock formations of Baga Gazriin Chuluu, Bayanbulag Tourist Camp will welcome you with a sense of space and silence. You will be surrounded by miles of grassland stretching to distant hills where nothing interrupts the horizon except grazing horses and the peaceful sky. The camp itself is crafted around classic Mongolian yurts that are spacious, clean and thoughtfully outfitted.
Facilities at Bayanbulag are practical yet comfortable, with a well-appointed communal dining area and reasonable décor that echoes Mongolian cultural motifs. Meals are a highlight, often centered on fresh local ingredients prepared with care, and shared in the communal dining hall. Power was only available for six hours in the evening. Since the Wi-Fi was reliant on the power, Wi-Fi was only available in the evening and only close to the communal dining hall.
The yurts were clean and comfortable, being based on a foundation of cement. The communal bathroom was a reasonably short walk from the yurts.
Find Bayanbulag Tourist Camp on Google Maps.
Recommendation: Overall, my stay at Bayanbulag Tourist Camp was acceptable and I would stay here again if I was to visit this part of Mongolia in future.
Ranking: Number 4 out of the 9 yurts at which I stayed while in Mongolia.
2) Tsagaan Suvarga Tourist Camp
Located near the dramatic white cliffs of Tsagaan Suvarga (White Stupa), Tsagaan Suvarga Tourist Camp is a standout destination for travelers seeking both natural beauty and authentic Mongolian ger camp hospitality. Named after the striking limestone and chalk formations that rise like ancient cathedral ruins from the surrounding steppe, this camp provides a backdrop that feels almost lunar at sunset. The White Stupa cliffs are not visible from Tsagaan Suvarga Tourist Camp but you can drive back to the cliffs to watch a stunning sunset.
The gers here are spacious, larger than at Bayanbulag Tourist Camp. However, the gers are not sealed at the top, leading to them being rather dusty and difficult to keep clean. There are no chairs in the gers, meaning that you must sit on the bed, something that seems strange to me.
Meals consist of a buffet breakfast and dinner, with excellent food being served. The showers were only available between 7PM and 10PM, though the bathrooms were open all day. The communal facilities were very far from the yurt in which I stayed, across dusty paths, so I did not venture out during the night.
The Tsagaan Suvarga Tourist Camp is large, with many yurts, allowing guests the chance to mingle with other travelers, especially over dinner and breakfast. Power was reasonably consistent at all times of the day with there being power outlets in the yurts. The Wi-Fi connection was reasonable, especially closer to the main dining area.
Find Tsagaan Suvarga Tourist Camp on Google Maps.
Recommendation: Overall, my stay at Tsagaan Suvarga Tourist Camp was fine but not great. I found the yurt quite dusty and the communal facilities too far from the yurt. The buffet dinner and breakfast was excellent, making up for other shortcomings at the camp. I would probably try and find a different tourist camp if I was to visit this part of Mongolia in future, though I am not sure whether there are too many other options close to Tsagaan Suvarga (White Stupa).
Ranking: Number 7 out of the 9 yurts at which I stayed while in Mongolia.
3) Gobi Erdene Tourist Camp
Situated in the heart of the Gobi Desert, in the Gurvan Saikhan National Park, and close to the stunning Khongoryn Els sand dunes, Gobi Erdene Tourist Camp offers an extraordinary gateway into one of Mongolia’s most iconic landscapes. This camp hosts classic Mongolian ger accommodation but has various shortcomings.
I stayed at Gobi Erdene Tourist Camp for two evenings during my travels around Mongolia. There are two types of accommodation on site, namely the traditional Mongolian yurts in which I stayed, and wooden cabins that stand alone away from the gers. There was no Wi-Fi in the restaurant, except for a few hours per day. Reception was spotty at best. There are no power outlets in the yurts and guests resort to charging their devices in the restaurant. The communal bathrooms are separate from the communal showers, but close by to each other, and not too far from either the yurts or the wooden chalets.
There is a beautiful, yet possibly somewhat unstable, rooftop terrace from which you can watch the sunset, making that a peaceful addition to the yurt camp. There is the opportunity to do laundry at the camp, arranged by the camp staff, though I did find it reasonably expensive.
The reasonably short walk to the bathrooms, across a paved yet dusty pathway, was fine, and not as long as at some of the other yurts at which I stayed.
Food was served buffet style, both for dinner and breakfast, and the food was plentiful and tasty.
Find Gobi Erdene Tourist Camp on Google Maps.
Recommendation: Overall, my stay at Gobi Erdene Tourist Camp was acceptable, given its remote yet beautiful location. You cannot see the Khongoryn Els dunes from the camp so you will drive for around 20 minutes across the desert to the dunes. I visited the dunes twice during my stay, once in the morning and again in the evening, expecting to walk up the dunes for sunset.
Overall, despite various shortcomings due to the location, I would choose to stay at Gobi Erdene Tourist Camp again if I find myself in this part of Mongolia. What I would probably do next time, and what you should consider, is stay in the wooden chalets rather than the yurts, though I did not get the chance to see the inside of the chalets.
Ranking: Number 5 out of the 9 yurts at which I stayed while in Mongolia.
4) Gobi Oasis Tourist Eco Camp
Situated close to the stunning Bayanzag (Flaming Cliffs) and the fascinating Bactrian Camel Statues, in the heart of the Gobi Desert, the Gobi Oasis Tourist Eco Camp is a reasonably small camp, certainly not as big as some of the other camps at which I stayed. Having grown accustomed to what to expect in terms of Mongolia yurts, this tourist camp was in the mid-range of what I experienced of the nine yurts in which I stayed.
The Gobi Oasis Tourist Eco Camp has 24/7 power which was a refreshing change to what I had come to expect. The Wi-Fi was sporadic, however, with the best signal being found in the communal dining room. Other than one other traveler, I was pretty much alone at the tourist camp on the evening that I visited. The staff, however, were excellent and, surprisingly in Mongolia, communicated well in English.
The yurts tend to get really hot in the baking afternoon sun, making them reasonably uncomfortable if you are trying for that sneaky afternoon snooze before heading back to the Flaming Cliffs for sunset. There is no pathway across from the yurts to the communal showers / bathrooms, or to the restaurant, meaning that you must walk across the sandy desert through the camp.
I found the mattress in the ger really hard and the pillow was most uncomfortable. Also, the water pressure in the shower was really poor though the bathroom itself was reasonably well maintained despite outward appearances.
The food served at the camp was excellent, both for dinner and for breakfast. Given the few travelers at the camp when I was there, my tour guide and I ordered dinner and breakfast from the staff at the camp and it was well prepared and really tasty.
For sunset, I chose not to return to the Flaming Cliffs, though in retrospect that would have been an excellent addition to my vacation. Instead, I took my bottle of Australian Yellowtail Shiraz and enjoyed sunset behind the restaurant while chatting to a fellow traveler.
Find Gobi Oasis Tourist Eco Camp on Google Maps.
Recommendation: Overall, my stay at Gobi Oasis Tourist Eco Camp was challenging, though the food was excellent. If I was to return to the Flaming Cliffs in Mongolia, which to me were absolutely stunning, I would probably try to choose a different tourist camp in the area, although I am not sure whether there are too many other options.
Ranking: Number 6 out of the 9 yurts at which I stayed while in Mongolia.
5) Secret of Ongi Tourist Camp
Secret of Ongi Tourist Camp is a uniquely atmospheric stop nestled near the historic Ongi Monastery ruins in central Mongolia, offering a blend of cultural immersion, natural beauty and authentic ger camp living. Set against the serene backdrop of rolling steppe and distant hills, with views over towards Ongi Monastery, this camp provides travelers with a peaceful base from which to explore the spiritual remnants of one of Mongolia’s most significant monasteries and the surrounding landscape.
The gers at Secret of Ongi are comfortable and thoughtfully arranged, giving guests a chance to rest well after days spent wandering ancient sites, photographing sunset skies or engaging with local nomadic traditions. What I liked about Secret of Ongi Tourist Camp was that the camp has 24/7 power, the water is always hot and the Wi-Fi signal is reasonably strong once you are at the restaurant, extending out sometimes to the first line of yurts as well.
I found the water pressure in the communal showers to be somewhat sporadic but the water was always hot. What I liked was that the camp has both a spa and a sauna, though I did not use either of these. The camp has a proper reception area and a small shop at which you could buy some souvenirs.
Every evening, they have a Mongolian clothing fashion show, allowing travelers the chance to take part in cultural immersion and parade the clothes alongside the staff from the camp. I was the only traveler who volunteered to take part in this activity, and I managed to get some good photos as a result. Make sure that your Mongolian tour guide is aware that this activity is possible and coordinates with the staff to get you involved.
The Secret of Ongi Tourist Camp had many travelers when I visited. This seems to be a reasonably popular camp in the area. Dinner and breakfast are served in the communal dining room, arranged by tour group whereby each group has its own table.
Find Secret of Ongi Tourist Camp on Google Maps.
Recommendation: I enjoyed my stay at Secret of Ongi Tourist Camp, with the highlight being the chance to take part in the evening fashion show. I would definitely stay here again on a return visit to this part of Mongolia.
Ranking: Number 3 out of the 9 yurts at which I stayed while in Mongolia.
6) Durvun Berkh Camp
In a quiet corner of the Orkhon Valley National Park, Durvun Berkh Camp is a standout destination for travelers seeking an authentic yet comfortable Mongolian desert experience. Surrounded by lush greenery and stunning lava fields, Durvun Berkh Camp had the best coffee machine on all my travels in Mongolia.
Nestled amid the rugged terrain and rolling hills of central Mongolia, this camp offers a peaceful base from which to explore dramatic landscapes, nomadic culture and the wide-open steppe that defines the region. With just 20 yurts on the property, I was immediately impressed by the quality and serenity of Durvun Berkh Camp, especially after the long and tiring drive from Ongi Monastery earlier in the day.
The gers at Durvun Berkh are thoughtfully arranged and well appointed, providing a restful retreat after a day of adventure. The quality of the duvets and linen was a step-up from all previous yurts at which I stayed in Mongolia. With cozy interiors and practical amenities, you will enjoy a sense of comfort that complements the beauty of the surrounding environment. Communal dining in a beautiful dining hall brings travelers together over hearty Mongolian meals prepared with fresh, local ingredients. The dinner was excellent, being a tasty beef soup and a local bun. Breakfast was just as good – oatmeal, followed by eggs and sausages. They also have the best coffee machine of all the tourist camps in which I stayed in Mongolia, and your morning cappuccino will go down well before continuing your travels.
The communal bathroom facilities are set away from the yurts, across an open grass field rather than concrete pathways. The bathrooms were fine, clean and tidy. The Wi-Fi connection at the camp was good and I was able to connect with family and social media.
Find Durvun Berkh Camp on Google Maps.
Recommendation: I enjoyed my stay at Durvun Berkh Camp. Ideally, more tourist camps in Mongolia should be like this one but that’s not always possible given the remote locations to which you will be traveling. I would definitely stay at Durvun Berkh Camp again if I visited Orkhon Valley National Park. You will not be disappointed if you choose Durvun Berkh Camp for your visit to this part of Mongolia.
Ranking: Number 2 out of the 9 yurts at which I stayed while in Mongolia.
7) Secret of the Silk Road Resort
By far, and it was not even close, the nicest ‘tourist camp’ at which I stayed in Mongolia, Secret of the Silk Road Resort, was truly a treat. After a long day exploring the Tuvkhun Monastery followed by the Erdene Zuu Monastery, arriving to the Secret of the Silk Road Resort was such a pleasure.
This was the only yurt in which I stayed in Mongolia that had a private bathroom and shower inside the yurt. With a selection of 40 en-suite deluxe gers, 10 en-suite deluxe hotel rooms and 15 standard gers, the Secret of the Silk Road Resort is of a completely different standard from the other tourist camps around Mongolia.
I stayed in one of the deluxe en-suite gers. This ger was large, by far the largest one in which I stayed in Mongolia. It even had an oil heater to warm the yurt, and, for some reason, a telephone. Though the private bathroom was rather cramped, it was a welcome addition to the yurt after not having private facilities since leaving Domogt Melkhii Khad hostel near Turtle Rock in Terelj National Park.
The resort has a large communal dining room, capable of serving up to 200 people for a buffet meal. Dinner was a large choice of Mongolian and western food, both equally tasty and well prepared. Given the popularity of the resort, many travelers were staying there and dining at the same time, leading to a sense of organized chaos. Prior to dinner, there was a cultural display by local artists, eagerly enjoyed by the large number of travelers.
What I enjoyed about Secret of the Silk Road Resort was the art gallery and souvenir shop located on the bottom floor of the resort. I was particularly tempted by a beautiful oil painting of two Mongolian horses but in the end I could not justify the 800 US dollar price tag.
For some reason, for a resort of this quality, the Wi-Fi connection was not extended to the yurts. The Wi-Fi connection in the hotel and the restaurant was fine but beyond that the connection was sporadic at best.
What you may want to do when you visit the resort is wake up early and walk down the road to the main entrance. There you will find a beautiful gold and silver welcome sign, glistening in the morning sun. Take many photos as you walk back to the resort.
Find Secret of the Silk Road Resort on Google Maps.
Recommendation: I really enjoyed my stay at Secret of the Silk Road Resort and would absolutely recommend staying here when you visit Kharkhorin in Mongolia. Though much more expensive than the other Mongolian tourist camps, it’s worth treating yourself for a few nights while in the area, especially if you would like a refresh after many nights of staying in other yurts in the remote Mongolian countryside.
Ranking: Number 1 out of the 9 yurts at which I stayed while in Mongolia. Book your accommodation at Secret of the Silk Road Resort.
8) Altan Nutag Tourist Camp
Having experienced the ultra-luxurious Secret of the Silk Road Resort, and having had my expectations raised, I then stayed at Altan Nutag Tourist Camp near the Tshenkher Hot Springs. My Mongolian tour guide and I were the only travelers staying there for the one night that we visited.
Unfortunately, my expectations came crashing down rather rapidly. The Altan Nutag Tourist Camp is acceptable but the yurts are small and the bathrooms / showers are very far from the yurts. What I did like about the camp, however, were the hot springs where I spent about three hours relaxing on the afternoon that we arrived. The yurts are rather small, cramped and could do with an upgrade, though the views over the countryside were good.
Dinner is served in the restaurant alongside the hot springs. The food was excellent, traditional Mongolian fare. The power was consistent but the Wi-Fi was non-existent. The water pressure in the shower was good and the water was hot, though, due to the proximity to the natural springs, there was a strong smell of sulphur from the water.
Find Altan Nutag Tourist Camp on Google Maps.
Recommendation: Despite the calming pools of the Tshenkher Hot Springs and the beauty of the surrounding countryside, I did not particularly enjoy staying at Altan Nutag Tourist Camp. On the drive to the camp, I noticed many other accommodation options around the Tshenker Hot Springs, such that I would likely choose to stay elsewhere if I was to return to this part of Mongolia.
Ranking: Number 8 out of the 9 yurts at which I stayed while in Mongolia.
9) Tsagaan Nuur Tourist Camp
Having moved from the beautiful Secret of the Silk Road Resort to the Altan Nutag Tourist Camp I thought for this yurt that the quality may improve again. Unfortunately, I was wrong.
Despite its stunning location in the Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur National Park, and the beautiful sunset views, the camp itself is rather derelict and unloved. The yurt in which I stayed was the only one in which I had to light a fire to keep the yurt warm overnight. Unfortunately, the heat from the fire only lasted for a few hours before the fire had to be restoked and I eventually ran out of firewood in the middle of the night, making for a restless and chilly night’s sleep.
The restaurant has a great location, overlooking Tsagaan Lake, but the windows are cracked which allows cold wind in and spoils the view. The food was good and plentiful, being lamb with potatoes and carrots. There was no Wi-Fi at the camp’s restaurant though for some reason I was able to get a connection inside the yurt. The toilet facilities are quite poor and there was no hot water in the toilet area. There is only one basin in the communal toilet area for some reason. However, the water pressure in the separate shower area was good and the water piping hot.
Recommendation: Despite the beautiful views over Tsagaan Lake, Tsagaan Nuur Tourist Camp is too run-down and I would not choose to stay here again. I did notice other tourist camps around Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur National Park so consider these when choosing your accommodation in this part of Mongolia.
Ranking: Number 9 out of the 9 yurts at which I stayed while in Mongolia.
Find Tsagaan Nuur Tourist Camp on Google Maps.
Conclusion
I trust that this blog post, despite its length, will have given you an idea of what to expect when choosing a yurt for your travels around Mongolia. Some of the yurts are really impressive, such as the luxurious Secret of the Silk Road Resort. Some of the Mongolian yurts present unique travel challenges but this is to be expected when traveling to remote parts of the world.
The food was always excellent with a great selection of Mongolian and western dishes. You will not go hungry on your travels around Mongolia. Accommodation was generally comfortable, though tended to be rather dusty if the yurts were constructed on hard sand rather than a concrete base and / or if their top was open to the desert air. I found the mattresses quite hard in most of the yurts and the pillows were not always very comfortable.
The shared bathroom and showering facilities were reasonably far away from the yurts, requiring a walk over concrete, sand or grass paths, sometimes with minimal lighting. The Wi-Fi connections were generally sporadic but this can be overcome with an e-Sim from Airalo or borrowing a SIM card from your Mongolian tour guide. Power was not always available in the yurts though I did not have any difficulty with my electronic items beings without battery power.
I truly enjoyed the unique experiences of traveling around remote Mongolia, staying in the yurts in the Mongolian tourist camps and dealing with the frustrations of not everything being as efficient or as comfortable as it is in Ulaanbaatar for example. I would absolutely recommend these experiences to anyone interested in seeing a new country and meeting the fantastic Mongolian people.
For more information on staying in yurt camps in Mongolia, consider reading the blog post called ‘Staying in a Yurt (Ger) in Mongolia: What it’s like & What to Expect’ by ‘Zimmin Around the World’.
My visit to Mongolia, outside of the capital, was coordinated by Molomjamts Naranzul, someone who I now consider a good friend. Find Molomjamts Naranzul on Instagram, from where contact may be started by direct message.
Consider reading the other posts on Mongolia by Two Passports Packed.
(Visited in June 2025)