In 2008, Daphne and I spent ten days driving into the Gobi Desert on a journey organized by our friend Mendee, who had been working there. It was an extraordinary trip through one of the world’s great remote landscapes — a vast desert of open horizons, changing light, and a powerful sense of isolation.

The journey began in Ulaanbaatar, where one of the highlights was experiencing the Naadam Festival. With its wrestling, horse racing, and archery, Naadam offered a vivid introduction to Mongolia’s traditions and national identity before we headed south into the desert. The contrast was striking: from the energy and color of the festival to the immense quiet and emptiness of the Gobi.

Traveling through the Gobi was less about a single destination than about immersion in the landscape itself. Long drives across степpe and desert, distant mountain ridges, dramatic skies, and the feeling of being far removed from the rest of the world made the journey unforgettable. It was a place that felt both harsh and beautiful, shaped by space, silence, and resilience.

Looking back, this remains one of the most memorable desert journeys I have made — made even more special by sharing it with Daphne and by having Mendee’s local knowledge and connection to the region. These photographs capture some of that experience: the cultural richness of Naadam, the scale of the desert, and the atmosphere of travel through one of Mongolia’s most remarkable regions.