1. Day 1 Arrival in Ulaanbaatar

   We’ll begin our adventure meeting at the designated spot in Mongolia’s capital, Ulaanbaatar. For information regarding airport transfers, contact your Tour Manager.

   Once you’ve had a chance to relax, we’ll head out into the city for a bit of light exploration. Visiting the nation’s heart, Sukhbaatar Square,  surrounded by important buildings such as the government palace, central banks, theatres, and the post office, all in their original Soviet design. There is an equestrian statue of Sukhbaatar and a massive bronze monument of Genghis Khan flanked by two of his many sons and two of his most important generals.

   After a brief look around the city centre, it’s off to dinner for our first group meal.

    

   Accommodation: Hotel 9, Ulaanbaatar

   Included Meals: Dinner

2. Day 2 Hustai National Park & the Perzevalski Horse

   This morning the adventure begins as we leave Ulaanbaatar and drive out into Mongolia’s beautiful countryside, making our way to Hustai National Park.

   Hustai National Park (Khustain Nuruu) has been a protected area since 1993, a unique landscape containing both mountains and steppe within a relatively small area. The national park is home to the rare Mongolian wild horse known as Perzevalski or Takhi; once extinct in the wild, the Perzevalski Horse is a true conservation success story with captive breed horses released into, and then surviving in the wild.

   On the way to the park, we’ll be sure to stop by and visit a local herder family and pay a visit to an area known as the ‘Mini Gobi’, a collection of rolling dunes that look out of place surrounded by green steppe.

   Once we arrive at the park, we’ll check into our Gers before grabbing a spot of lunch at the camp restaurant.

   Following a hearty meal, we’ll have a little time to view the onsite visitors centre to learn a little more about the region, the horses and various other flora and fauna resident to Hustai National Park.

   Mid-afternoon offers us the best time to catch a sighting of the beautiful Takhi horses, so we’ll pile into our trucks drive out into the rolling terrain to spot them come down from mountains for water at the nearby river. As well as the famed Perzevalski horse, it is also possible to see fox, red deer, roe deer, eagles, and other various animals.

   Once we’ve finished our Mongolian safari, it back to the camp for dinner and to spend our first night under canvas in our authentic Mongolian Ger.

    

   Accommodation: Hustai National Park

   Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

3. Day 3 Karakorum and Erdenezuu Monastery

   After breakfast, we’ll continue the adventure with a drive to the ancient capital of Karakorum and Erdenezuu Monastery.

   Karakorum was the former capital of the Mongolian Empire. At its height, it was from Karakorum that Genghis Khan’s son, Ogedei Khan, would rule the largest land empire the world has ever known.

   During Karakorum’s golden age, much of the city was comprised of tents, and, as the Mongolian Empire went into decline, the city’s decay was rapid. These days, all that remains of this once great settlement is the impressive Erdene Zuu Monastery, as well as a few scattered but not unimpressive archaeological finds.

   Once we arrive at Karakorum, our first stop will be Erdene Zuu Monastery; it may be a shadow of its former self; however, it is still impressive. We’ll hopefully catch the resident monks in their afternoon prayer. Following our monastery visit, we will call at the unique archaeological museum to see some recent historical finds.

   These days Karakorum has a real melancholic feel to it, and before we head to our Ger camp for the evening, we’ll be sure to cut through its centre so that you can gain a snippet of life in this once grand settlement.

    

   Accommodation: TBC

   Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

4. Day 4 Orkhon Valley and Falls

   Today we depart our Ger camp early, stopping at a nearby shop to stock up on supplies for the journey; we continue south following Mongolia’s ever-changing scenery trailing the famed Orkhon River and its UNESCO listed valley.

   The drive to Orkhon takes us through the Khangai mountain range, offering beautiful landscapes comprising of gorges, river valleys and green steppe.

   We leave the main track for a small mountainous trail that leads to the Tovkhon Monastery.

   Perched atop the sacred Shireet Ulaan mountain, Tovkhon monastery is only reachable on foot: it is from this monastery that the first religious leader of Mongolia Zanabazar composed the Soyombo script. The Soyombo symbol used in that script has become the countries national symbol present on the Mongolian flag and a source of much national pride.

   At 2,312 meters above sea level, the monastery offers breathtaking views of the Khangai mountain range and the surrounding area.

   From the monastery, we continue the adventure with one final visit of the day to the Orkhon waterfalls.  The Orkhon falls were formed more than 20,000 years ago by a rare combination of earthquakes and volcanic activity; these 16 meter high waterfalls are Mongolia’s largest waterfalls and are simply magical.

    

   Accommodation: TBC

   Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

5. Day 5 Ongi Temple

   Today, we transit from the green mountains of Khangai into the Gobi landscape. As we journey, the scenery still impresses as we pass lush green winding river valleys that transition into the Gobi region’s scrub filled desert region.

   We pass into Saikhan Ovoo, a small province in Mongolia’s heartland patchworked with green steppe, rugged rock formations and martian landscape type terrain.

   Our destination? A place of quiet solitude on the Ongiin Gol river known Ongi Temple. The ruins of two monasteries, Barlim and Khutagt, remain on the north and south shores of the river. We visit this site, commonly collectively known as the Ongii lamasery and its little museum.

   Ongi used to be one of Mongolia’s most extensive monasteries and home to over a thousand monks until the destruction in 1937 by the Soviet army. In 2002, some monks returned and began restoration work with a small budget, making up for what they lacked monetarily with inspiring spiritual fervour.

   This evening, our Ger camp is located only a stone’s throw from the temple and offers a chance of serene relaxation, further hiking, or exploration.

    

    

   Accommodation: Secret of Ongii Camp

   Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

6. Day 6 Flaming Cliffs of Bayanzag

   After breakfast, we depart our Ger camp and head into the Gobi Desert proper. We journey past the ”Three Beauties”, mountain range derived from the three subranges, the easternmost ‘Zuun Saikhan’, the central ‘Dund Saikhan’ and the westernmost ‘Baruun Saikhan’.

   The Gobi Desert is vast, and our foray onto its plains today only gives us a snippet of its actual size, for the Gobi Desert reaches into six Mongolian provinces (aimags) and crosses into China. The Gobi is the sixth-largest desert globally and the second in Asia, a wide-open place of extremes; our first stop is one of these extremes.

   Our main destination for today, Bayanzag – (the Flaming Cliffs), is stunningly beautiful with its flame-coloured sandstone cliffs and canyons. Aside from its obvious wow factor, Bayanzag is also where American palaeontologist Roy Chapman Andrews first discovered the world’s first-ever recorded dinosaur eggs and a mightly haul of various other fossils. A walk along the cliffs here is a walk in the footsteps of the man whom Indiana Jones was modelled on!

   Once we have finished our exploration, it’s off to the nearby Ger camp where we can relax, drink, and maybe return to the cliffs to catch the changing colours as sunsets, making a perfect end to an exciting day.

    

   Accommodation: Gobi Oasis

   Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

7. Day 7 Journey to Khongor Sand Dunes

   The adventure continues as we bid farewell to the Flaming Cliffs, board our vehicles and journey onwards through the wilds of the Gobi Desert to the Khongor Sand Dunes (Khongoryn Els) also known as the Singing Sands.

   Along the route, we pass some of the typical Gobi terrain, a loose mix of pebbles, gravel and fine sand; however, we will cross a fertile area of steppe where we’ll be sure to visit one of the traditional nomadic families who call this desolate region home.

   The Khongor Sand Dunes, as the name suggests, are a dune system found within the Gobi; as only around 3% of the Gobi desert is covered in sand, the sight of these 300 metre high gigantic dunes is something to behold. The shifting sands of Khongoryn Els stretch out for over 180 km, although we arrive in the most impressive area and stay at a Ger camp with views across these giants.

   Once we have eaten lunch and waited for the day to cool a little, we’ll continue our adventure and visit one of Khongor’s resident camel herder families. Although most of these herder families are now in this region to supply camels to tourists, we can think of no better way to approach these monstrous sandy giants. After arriving, we will have time enough to climb and explore the dunes; it may take a little longer than you think to climb the amazing giants.

   If you are fortunate, you may also experience why they have the name the singing dunes, as when the wind blows across the sand’s surface in the right direction, an eerie sound is emitted, sounding like an aircraft to some and a hidden being to others.

   Another day nearing its end, but with much of the Gobi Desert’s natural scenery, the Khongor Dunes come alive at sunset. Maybe view them from the top of the dunes or the comfort of our relaxing Ger camp while enjoying a cold drink after dinner.

    

   Accommodation: Gobi Erdene Ger Camp

   Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

8. Day 8 Yolyn Am Valley

   After enjoying a filling breakfast in our Ger camp, it’s back aboard our vehicles as we continue the adventure.

   This morning it’s bumpy going as we leave the Khongor area, making our way to today’s destination, the Yol Valley.

   As we travel, we will stop for photos along the way as the landscape transitions from a typical sandy desert, hard clay, rock, stone and steppe, summing up how diverse the Gobi Desert really is.

   We’ll eventually arrive at the Gurvansaikhan Mountains heading into the Yolyn Am Gorge. Yol Yolyn Am means’ Vulture’s Gorge’. Yolyn Am is a magnificent mountain valley 40 km long and offers those who want to walk an exciting path.

   We begin at the valley’s wide entrance, following the small river into the canyons, narrowing cliffs eventually. As the step-sided walls cut the sun from the canyon’s bottom, we will catch a glimpse of the locally famous frozen river. Over the winter months, the river builds up a thick layer of ice, which thaws slowly and, at times, remains long into the summer months. As you follow the winding path, eagles rise to circle in the thermals high above the canyon whilst wild goats can be seen perched on the high valley walls and picas scurry amongst the rocky terrain.

   For those who may have used all of their energy climbing the dunes yesterday, there are plenty of horses for rent at the entrance of the canyon.

   Once we have finished at the Yol Valley, we will drive to our accommodation for tonight, another well-appointed Ger camp where we will have a chance to chat about our adventures over a drink or two.

    

   Accommodation: Gobi Oasis 1

   Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

9. Day 9 Exploring Ulaanbaatar

   After an early morning start, we say a fond farewell to the Gobi Desert and board a flight returning to Mongolia’s capital, Ulaanbaatar.

   However, our tour isn’t over as we’re off into the city to explore some of Ulaanbaatar’s must-see sites, the first stop Gandan Monastery.

   Gandan Monastery is Ulaanbaatar’s largest and most impressive Buddhist monastery; the complex is comprised of varying temples from different periods; one of the highlights is viewing the 26-meter-high gold-coated indoor buddha.

   From temple to ,useum, we head further into the city and stop at the National Museum of Mongolian History to see artefacts from Mongolia and Central Asia dating as far back as the Stone Age to the present day.

   In the evening, we have one last visit, the ”Wonders of Mongolia” folklore show fronted by the locally famous Tumen-Ekh ensemble – in Mongolia, it is one of the most successful folk art groups, performing traditional Mongolian music.

    

   Accommodation: Hotel 9, Ulaanbaatar

   Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

10. Day 10 Departure Day

    Today, it’s time to bid goodbye to Mongolia. Although the tour is over, we hope you’ll be flying home with a head full of memories and stories to share with your friends and family!

     

    Included Meals: Breakfast

    END OF TOUR

Gers, Gers, Gers