Khermen Tsav

Khermen Tsav is a canyon system cut into red and ochre sediments in the far west of the southern Gobi, some hundred metres deep and running for tens of kilometres, with fins, towers and side gullies weathered out of the soft rock. It lies a long way from anywhere, on tracks that take many hours from the nearest settlement, and the isolation is a large part of what people come for: nothing is visible from the rim except desert to the horizon. The sediments are rich in fossils and expeditions have worked here for decades. Saxaul grows on the canyon floor and small springs support wildlife. There is no infrastructure of any kind, so visits mean camping with all water carried in. The name refers to the wall-like formations along the rim.

What's there

• The red canyon - a hundred-metre gorge cut into soft sediment.
• Weathered towers - fins and pinnacles standing along the walls.
• Saxaul on the floor - desert scrub in the canyon bottom.
• Total emptiness - no settlement or structure in any direction.

When to go

May to September, avoiding the worst midsummer heat. Late September is often the most comfortable. Morning and evening light give the strongest colour. Winter access is effectively impossible.

Good to know

Getting here is a serious undertaking: many hours of desert track, a driver who knows the route, and self-sufficiency in fuel and water. There are no facilities, no phone signal and no help. Camping is the only option. Fossils are protected and must be left alone.

Nearby

Nemegt basin lies northeast; Gurvantes is the nearest settlement.