One of the world’s great deserts, much of the Gobi is a daunting place of bare rocky mountains, sand dunes, and huge desert flats, relieved by well-watered oases. The climate is harsh, from 40C in summer to -40C in winter, and ravaged by savage winds and dust storms up to 140 kilometers per hour. Gobi is home to desert animals, such as Wild Camel, Gobi Bear and 11 species of nocturnal Jerboa. Oases and sheltered areas support mammals typical of the Desert-Steppe Zone. Rocky Desert Mountains are home to Ibex and Gobi Argali. The harshness favors lizards such as Geckos and snakes such as Tartar Sand Boa. Vegetation is sparse, with Poplar trees fringing oases, and 4.5 million hectares of “Saxaul Forests”. Saxauls a woody shrub (Haloxylon ammodendron), 2 to 4 meters high, crucial to the desert ecology.

Suikhent
This area covers 4,830 hectares of Mandakh soum of Dornogobi aimag. It was placed under protection by Parliament Resolution No. 43 of 1996. Suikhent is a rare natural spectacle with petrified trees, which do not often occur in Mongolia.

Gobi Gurvan Saikhan
Gobi Gurvan Saikhan is situated in the west of the Dalanzadgad city. The park encompasses the series of ridges and valleys that make up the eastern end of the Gobi Altai Mountains. PGH Presidium Resolution No. 17 initially protected it in 1965. Then in 1993, by Parliament Resolution No. 83 its territory was extended by further including territories of Sevrei, Bayandalai, Bulgan, Khankhongor, Khurmen and Gurvantes soums of South Gobi aimag, which comprise 2,171,737 hectares of area. In 1995, the protected area was approved as a national park by Parliament Resolution No. 26. In 2000, by Parliament resolution No. 29, the national park has been further extended by including a territory of 523,000 hectares in Bayanlig, Shinejinst, Bayangobi soums of Bayankhongor aimag.

The park preserves the main natural characteristics of the Gobi-Altai mountain range. It has various landscapes, such as high mountains, mountain valleys, arid steppe and desert. Its main purpose is to carry out tourism activities in Gobi regions that will not be detrimental to the environment.

Small Gobi
This SPA consists Of “A” and “B” parts and occupies 1,839,176 hectares of land in Nomgon, Bayan-Ovoo and Khanbogd soums of South Gobi aimag, and Borzon, Zeemgene and Kharmagtain Gobi areas, which are the southern part of Khatanbulag soum of Dornogobi aimag. In 1993, it was established as a strictly protected area by Parliament Resolution No. 83. This area represents the main characteristics of the southeastern Gobi region of Mongolia and has relatively preserved its original natural features and conditions. It is the main habitat for rare and very rare wildlife of the world, such as Khulan (wild ass), black-tailed gazelle, argali (mountain sheep), and ibex. About 50% of the Khulan population of our country inhabit in this area.

Great Gobi
The Great Gobi SPA protects a largely undisturbed part of the vast Gobi desert and provides the last refuge for a representative of the ancient terrestrial fauna of Central Asia. In recognition of its unique qualities, the Government of Mongolia established the Great Gobi Strictly Protected area in 1975 by PGH Presidium Resolution No. 84, and in 1995 it was approved as a strictly protected area by Parliament Resolution No. 26, in accordance with the Law on Special Protected areas. The SPA encompasses 5,311,730 hectares of land and consists of two parts. ‘A’ part includes Altai, Tsogt and Erdene soums of Gobi Altai aimag, and Bayan Ondor and Shine Jinst soums of Bayankhongor aimag. ‘B’ part includes Uyench and Altai soums of Khovd aimag, and Tonkhil and Bugat soums of Gobi Altai aimag.