A halt at the edge of Ongi ruins

On the road connecting central Mongolia's steppes to the Gobi desert, Secret of Ongi camp occupies a singular position: it sits in immediate proximity to the ruins of Ongi monastery, in the sum of Saikhan Ovoo, Dundgovi province. Allow roughly 520 km southwest of Ulaanbaatar, and about twenty kilometres from the sum of Saikhan Ovoo. Operating since 2008, the camp runs year-round—a rarity in this part of Mongolia where most facilities close during winter.

Why stop here

Secret of Ongi serves as a logical relay point for itineraries heading toward the Gobi: after several hours on rough tracks, you find a proper restaurant, a hot shower, and the chance to explore a major archaeological site without driving further. The Ongi ruins—two monasteries destroyed in the 1930s whose remains still rise from the riverbanks—deserve half a day of walking.

The camp's scale is another draw: with 45 gers, it is one of the region's largest facilities, allowing it to host groups without straining services.

Atmosphere

The site spreads facing the Ongi river, in open steppe landscape dotted with low hills. The Ongi basin was long a watering place and pilgrimage site; you still sense something of that at sunset, when slanting light catches the monastery ruins and ger roofs. Evenings can be enlivened by a performance of traditional mask dance (Tsam), heritage of Mongolian Buddhist ceremonies.

Accommodation

The camp has 45 traditional gers and can host up to 100 people at once. Toilets and showers are grouped in shared sanitary blocks, available to all guests.

Dining and services

The restaurant is the camp's striking architectural feature: built entirely in natural wood and stone, it seats up to 120 and offers a menu blending Mongolian and European specialties, which eases extended stays.

Other services available on site:

• Conference room
• Craft shop
• Sauna and massage
• Traditional Mongolian games
• Laundry and ironing
• Tsam dance performance (by schedule)

Activities from the camp

• Visit to the Ongi monastery ruins
• Camel trekking
• Horse trekking
• Hiking in the surrounding hills
• Visit to a nomadic family settled in the valley

Location and access

The camp lies in the sum of Saikhan Ovoo, some 520 km southwest of Ulaanbaatar and 20 km from the sum's administrative centre. On a typical itinerary descending toward the Gobi, it fits logically between Karakorum and the desert, as a one- to two-night stop depending on your circuit's pace.

Pair it with other stays

To extend your experience of ger camps in Mongolia, you can connect with other similar stops:

• The Anar ger camp
• The Maikhan Tolgoi camp
• The Böörög camp
• The Eden camp

Plan your trip

Secret of Ongi camp fits naturally into an itinerary combining Karakorum, Ongi, and the Gobi. To build a complete and personalized itinerary, consult our Mongolia journeys.