AVAILABILITY: May, Oct

ACCOMMODATIONS: Traditional Mongolian Home, Ger Camps

 

HIGHLIGHTS: Gobi Desert, Hiking in Ice Valley, Dinosaur Site, Camel Rides, Meeting Gobi people, Baga Gazriin Chuluu, Tsagaan Suvarga, Yolyn Am, Khongor Sand Dune, Bayanzag, Ongi Monastery, Karakorum, Tsenkher Spring, Ogy Lake​

 

• DAY 1. Rock Climbing in Middle Gobi (Includes Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner): We’ll start our tour to the semi-arid steppe of Middle Gobi where you may encounter herbs, animals such as wild sheep, ibex, antelope, black tailed antelope, marmot, fox, lynx, wild cat and badger, and birds such as the eagle, kite, swan and sand grouse. After a few hours driving to the south of Ulaanbaatar, we’ll have lunch in a mountainside area called Zorgol Khairkhan. We’ll arrive in Baga Gazriin Chuluu and pass by the small Lake Hairhan. We’ll spend our first night staying with a nomadic family living in the steppe zone.

• DAY 2. Limestone Cliff Tsagaan suvarga (Includes Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner): Tsagaan suvarga is an area of white limestone formations. We’ll drive to a set of eroded limestone cliffs, from where you have a view over the desert floor down below, bearing colors from white and yellow to pink and deep red. Overnight with nomadic family.

• DAY 3. Hiking in Ice Valley (Includes Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner): Today’s destination is Vulture Valley (Yoliin Am), a valley in the middle of the Gobi Desert, with several feet of ice for most of the year. We’ll hike in the valley following the stream, which leads to an ice-filled gorge. At the entrance we’ll visit the small museum and see a collection of dinosaur eggs and bones, stuffed birds and a snow leopard. Overnight at Ger Camp.

• DAY 4. Khongor Sand Dune (Includes Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner): After breakfast we’ll head to the Khongor Sand Dune and have lunch on the way. We’ll have lunch on the way. The Khongor Sand Dunes are some of the largest and most spectacular in Mongolia, up to 1000 ft high, 7 miles wide and about 100 miles long. The Khongor Sand Dune is in Great Gobi National Park, also home to the last remaining wild Bactrian (two-humped) camels, wild ass, and a small population of Gobi Bears, the only desert-inhabiting bears. Overnight at Ger Camp.

• DAY 5. Dinosaur Fossils (Includes Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner): Today our destination is Bayanzag, also known as Flaming Cliffs, an important paleontological area where the first dinosaur egg fossils were discovered, as well as fossils of Velociraptors. We’ll ride the camel to discover the red cliff. Overnight at Ger Camp.

• DAY 6. Ongi Monastery (Includes Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner): Today we’ll drive to 17-century Ongi Monastery, the only monastery in the heart of the desert. Unfortunately, the monastery was ruined during political repression of 1937-1939. The vast majority of the more than 700 monasteries in Mongolia were also destroyed and around 25,000 lamas were killed during the political repression in Mongolia. We’ll hike to explore the ruin of the monastery located in east Shore of Ongi River. Overnight at Ger Camp.

• DAY 7. Ruins of Kharakhorum and Erdenezuu Monastery (Includes Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner): Today we’ll drive to Kharakhorum, the site of the 13^th-century Mongolian empire’s capital, founded by Chinggis Khan. However, Kharakhorum served as the capital for only 40 years before Kublai Khan moved. We’ll visit to the ruins and the Erdenezuu Monastery, the first and biggest Buddhist monastery from 16^th-century. Overnight at Ger Camp.

• DAY 8. Tsenkher Hot Springs (Includes Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner): Today we’ll drive to the Tsenkher Hot Springs to enjoy a natural hot bath at the Ger Camp. Overnight at Ger Camp.

• DAY 9. Ogy Lake (240km) (Includes Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner): Today we’ll drive to Lake Ogy in the Arkhangai Province. You can bird watch by the lake and spend the night in the Ger Camp located on the shore of the Ogy Lake. Overnight at Ger Camp.

• DAY 10. Ulaanbaatar (Includes Breakfast & Lunch): Breakfast at the camp. Arrival in Ulaanbaatar.

  

Transportation

Four-wheel drive vehicles are used for the entire tour along off-roads. Tracks are only asphalt near the capital.

  

Accommodation

Mongolian traditional homes are called Ger, which are tents. Gers are equipped with beds. And showers with hot water are sometimes available here.

 

Food

We serve Mongolian traditional food, but can offer European food and vegetarian options at your request. A traditional dish is called Khorkhog-Mongolian and is meat and vegetables cooked on hot stones.

 

Contribution to the last nomads

In return of the nomads’ hospitality and accepting us as members of their family it is customary for guests to bring prepared presents. If you want to bring own gratitude for nomads please check our suggested gift list.

 

PROGRAM INCLUDES: Meals as per itinerary, Accommodations (including tents, sleeping bags, mattresses), Camping Gear, Guide/Driver/Cook, Fuel, Entrance Fees & Museum Tickets per itinerary, Camel ride, Gratitude to the locals

 

PROGRAM EXCLUDES: Your own gifts to the locals, International flight tickets and airport tax, Visas, Drinks, gratuities and personal expenses