Editors' Picks

Three Camel Lodge

Serene, authentic Gobi living gone rustic chic

Булганаас - Баяндалай, Mongolia

800-998-6634

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At a Glance

Located on the steppe of the South Gobi Desert, this 40-room camp is the most luxurious ger (Mongolian yurt) accommodation in Mongolia and a singular lodge experience the world over.

Indagare Loves

  • Colorful and charming deluxe gers
  • Nightly stargazing with the resident astrophysicist
  • The Lodge’s fantastic front porch, excellent for watching the sunset or as a rainstorm forms on the seemingly endless horizon

Review

Owned by Jalsa Urubshurow, an American-Mongolian businessman who first visited his native country in the early 1990’s, The Three Camel Lodge is Mongolia's most luxurious tented camp and premier eco-lodge. Urubshurow fell in love with his homeland upon visiting and the Three Camel Lodge—the first luxury property in the Gobi—focuses on environmental and cultural sustainability. The property was built to utilize renewable energy sources and to complement its stunning surroundings. Many staff members are Gobi natives, eager to share their knowledge and love for this beautiful part of the world.

Located an hour's drive from the Dalanzadgad airport in the Gobi Desert, the property is set at the base of a small volcanic crater and centers around a spectacular main dining ger as well as a wooden lodge with a stylish bar and lounge that would not be out of place in the American West. Surrounding the main lodge are 40 gers – latticed wood structures covered with layers of felt and canvas. Each circular structure is decked out with a wood-burning stove, wool rug, traditional furniture and décor like ornate saddles, all with intricate designs and in customary shades of orange and red. A discreet attendant delivers a thermos of hot water at night and lights the wood burning stove first thing in the morning. Deluxe gers are attached to large, private slate bathrooms, while standard gers share a communal spa-style bathroom and shower facility in the main lodge. The accommodations are an authentic and comfortable way to experience living in what is a traditional Mongolian home throughout the country.

While Mongolia is not an international culinary destination, meals at Three Camel Lodge are among the best in the country. The talented chef updates and lightens the local cuisine with fresh vegetables from an onsite greenhouse. The Lodge also has a tranquil spa with an excellent masseuse trained in ancient Chinese massage who uses local Mongolian herbs and technique.

The guided excursions to spectacular sites in the Gobi Desert are not to be missed and worth the drives, which range from 30 minute to three hours. Opportunities include climbing the highest sand dune in the Gobi (best done after a light rain), searching for ancient petroglyphs and dinosaur bones, hiking the craggy juniper-clad peaks of the Altai Mountain range, camel trekking, discovering the surprisingly colorful desert flora and lakes and enjoying a sunset dinner at the base of the red sandstone Flaming Cliffs, where Roy Chapman Andrews discovered the world’s first Oviraptor eggs in 1923. This mystical, exotic, and endless land is meant for exploring.

Who Should Stay

Anyone looking for an incredibly unique, special experience and who is willing to rough it a bit. The camp provides an authentic taste of Mongolian culture and access to a remote region not seen by many.

Impact

Indagare Impact hotels have been carefully vetted according to our Impact Hotel Criteria.

There is a distinct feeling of pride at Three Camel Lodge that extends to all the various accomplishments the organization has under its belt. Its golden eagle program has helped to revitalize the art of eagle hunting. Its breeding program is bringing back the once almost-extirpated Bankhar dog. The guides at the property work continuously with the paleontological society to retrieve dinosaur bones from dig sites, and protect them from poachers while still in the ground. The lodge provides scholarships to local children studying dying Mongolian art forms. The fact that the property can put on such a wonderful experience with so much impact on such a small footprint is something to be proud of indeed.

Written by Indagare

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