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Mongolia is more than two times the size of Texas, and there are only a few roads. Remember, in the middle of the Gobi Desert, you can’t just stop at a gas station.
staying in touch
Seasoned Mongolian drivers and nomads know how to navigate through the desert. So do camels. But for foreign visitors it’s another story. With few roads or landmarks, how do you know where you are going? That’s where technology comes in. The caravan is equipped with several global positioning system (GPS) receivers that tell us our precise location.
caravan to Ukhaa
Driving through the desert requires rugged vehicles that can battle the sand and severe weather conditions. The expedition caravan includes several jeeps and trucks that carry all the fuel for the trip.
to the rescue
During the frequent breakdowns, we rely on Mongolian car mechanics. Tamir Nasankhu was the team's head technician, driver, and mechanic from 1995 to 2018. When the situation seemed hopeless, he would come to the rescue by repairing a damaged clutch or fixing an overheated engine. He received the Skinner Award for Outstanding Service to Paleontology from the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology in 2015.
Credits:
All color photos, courtesy Discovery Channel Online; b/w photo and map courtesy of AMNH