The Gobi Desert holds the richest deposit of Late Cretaceous dinosaur fossils on earth. Velociraptors, tarbosaurus, oviraptors. We explain where they were found, where you can see them today, and what fossil tourism looks like in 2027.
Tuvshinjargal Batbayar
The Gobi Desert's Late Cretaceous strata preserve complete dinosaur skeletons better than almost anywhere on earth because the arid climate stops decay and the sedimentary layers protect the bones. Roy Chapman Andrews of the American Museum of Natural History led the first major expedition in the 1920s. His teams discovered the first dinosaur eggs in history, at Flaming Cliffs.
The most famous site. Velociraptor mongoliensis and Protoceratops skeletons were found here, along with the first dinosaur eggs. The cliffs are a dramatic red sandstone that glows at sunset. Visit requires a permit but is included on standard Gobi tours.
A harder-to-reach valley with extremely rich fossils. Tarbosaurus, Therizinosaurus, Gallimimus bones have been excavated. Accessible only by 4WD through deep Gobi. Our private 12-day Gobi Palaeontology Expedition visits Nemegt with a working site palaeontologist.
The famous Fighting Dinosaurs specimen (a Velociraptor locked in combat with a Protoceratops) was found at Tugrikin Shiree in 1971. That specimen is now at the Museum of Natural History in Ulaanbaatar. The site itself is a wind-carved sandstone formation with ongoing excavation during the August palaeontology season.
In Ulaanbaatar, this is the best collection of Mongolian dinosaur fossils in the world. The Fighting Dinosaurs, a Tarbosaurus skeleton, oviraptor eggs, a Therizinosaurus claw. Free entry. Allow 2 hours.
Fossil export from Mongolia is illegal under the 2014 amendment to the Cultural Heritage Law. Any fossil you see for sale in local markets is either fake or illegal. Real palaeontology happens with permits, local scientists, and with finds staying in Mongolia. Our expeditions never touch or remove fossils. We document with photography only.
12 days, August only, private, max 6 guests. Led by Dr. Khishigjav Tsogtbaatar of the Mongolian Institute of Palaeontology. Visits Flaming Cliffs, Nemegt, Tugrikin Shiree, plus unvisited Cretaceous sites. 11,800 USD per person. This is our most academically serious trip.