Khongoryn Els Sand Dunes – Mongolia’s Singing Sands
When people imagine the Gobi Desert, they often picture an endless sea of sand dunes. In reality, much of Mongolia’s Gobi is made up of gravel plains, rocky outcrops, mountains, dry valleys and areas of desert steppe. Sand dunes form only a small part of this immense landscape.
But there are places where the sand dominates, and Khongoryn Els is one of them.
Located in southern Mongolia, within Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park, Khongoryn Els is one of the largest and best-known dune systems in Mongolia. The dunes are also known as Duut Mankhan, or the Singing Sands, because of the deep, resonating sound that the shifting sand can sometimes produce.
Khongoryn Els is undoubtedly one of the Gobi’s most impressive landscapes. But there is more to this area than the dunes themselves. There is the small river that makes life possible along their northern edge, the herding families who live here, the wildlife that has adapted to this environment and the relationship between the sand, wind and surrounding mountains.
Khongoryn Els Sand Dunes – At a Glance
Khongoryn Els is one of Mongolia’s largest sand dune systems, located in the southern Gobi within Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park, in Ömnögovi Province. Also known as Duut Mankhan, or the Singing Sands, the dunes stretch approximately 180 kilometres and reach heights of over 200 metres. The dunes are known for their dramatic ridgelines, the unusual humming sound sometimes produced by moving sand, and the Khongoryn Gol, a small river that supports vegetation, wildlife and local herding families. Visitors can explore the area on foot, spend time with local families or take camel treks through the surrounding landscape. Khongoryn Els is typically included in longer overland journeys through Mongolia’s Gobi Desert.
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A Landscape Shaped by Wind
Khongoryn Els stretches for approximately 180 kilometres, with sections reaching around 12 kilometres in width. The highest dunes rise more than 200 metres above the surrounding valley floor, particularly towards the northwestern end of the dune field. The dunes lie between the Bayan Tsagaan Mountains to the north and the Zoolon and Sevrey mountain ranges to the south. Their position is no coincidence. The surrounding mountains help channel the prevailing winds through the valley. Over time, sand carried by these winds has accumulated into the enormous ridges that dominate the landscape today. Although the dunes appear permanent, the sand itself is constantly moving. Wind reshapes the ridgelines, creates ripples across the surface and shifts grains from one place to another. The overall dune system remains, but its smaller details are continually changing. Even the colours appear to change throughout the day, from pale gold and cream to deeper shades of amber as the angle of the light changes. One of the more surprising features is the moisture that can sometimes be found beneath the dry surface sand. The dunes are not simply an enormous pile of completely dry sand. Their relationship with the surrounding geology, underground moisture and local climate is considerably more complex.Why Are Khongoryn Els Called the Singing Sands?
One of the most distinctive features of Khongoryn Els is the sound the sand can sometimes make. Under particular conditions, when dry sand grains move together down the slope of a dune, they can produce a deep humming or rumbling noise. This is why the dunes are known locally as Duut Mankhan – the Singing Sands.
The sound is created by the synchronised movement and vibration of countless grains of sand. It can resemble a distant aircraft or a low, prolonged musical note.
However, the dunes do not sing all the time. The sound depends on factors including the dryness of the sand and the way the grains move. Some visitors hear it, while others experience only the sound of the wind.
And that is part of visiting a natural landscape. Not everything happens to order.
