Discover Mongolia by its capital Ulaanbaatar, breathtaking nature of World Heritage Orkhon Valley and Singing sand dune.
This tour combines all the highlights of Mongolia – from the busy capital Ulaanbaatar to the Gobi Desert and the land of Orkhon Valley. We hope this trip shall be memorable and adventurous to you. All the attractions you might want to see and visit are included in this tour.
A Gobi journey always leaves you with unforgettable impressions: Fatamorgana, fascinating mountainous landscapes, foothills with deep gorges, oases with lush green meadows, magnificent sand dune fields under the sun, camels and their cattle herds.
The Mongolian government established the Great Gobi National Park in 1975 and the UNESCO designated as the Great Gobi as the fourth largest Biosphere Reserve in the world in 1991. Mongolians consider that there are 33 different Gobi , where sandy desert occupies only 3 percent of the total territory. The area is often imagined as a lifeless desert like in many other parts of the world. Gobi Desert is a land of dinosaurs and it is the home for camel breeders rich with wildlife and vegetation. Dinosaur skeletons and their petrified eggs have been preserved here to the present day. Wild asses, camels, snow leopards, mountain sheep and gazelles flourish here, as do different types of flora.
Central Mongolia: Here is the UNESCO world cultural heritage – Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape: Archaeological discoveries show that the Orkhon Valley has been continuously inhabited during the last 100,000 years. The Orkhon Valley is considered the cradle of Central Asian nomadic civilizations. Various peoples of antiquity, including the Huns, the Uighurs and the Turks, settled here since the 3rd century BC.
In Orkhon Valley large urban centers were established, serving as military, commercial and administrative bases of the respective empire. The most important among them was Karakorum, the capital and center of the vast Mongol empire in the 13th and 14th century, built in 1220 under Gengis Khan. From Kharakhorum the entire empire was governed during this time, and the Silk Road trade between Europe and Asia was controlled. The Orkhon Valley also houses numerous archaeological, historical and cultural sites that document the origin and development of Central Asian, and especially Mongolian, urban development
Khustai Nuruu National Park is famous for its recreation program of the Ur-Wildpferde. They are also known as Przewalski horses. There are 217 bird species. The park offers numerous recreation possibilities for tourists.
Ulaanbaatar – Tsonjin Boldog – Dundgobi – Umnugobi – Uvurkhangai – Mongol Nomadic – Ulaanbaatar (14 Days / 13 Nights)
Highlights
- Explore Central Mongolian Nature
- Explore Unesco world heritage Orkhon valley National Park
- Discover Gobi Desert and its beauties
- Visit ancient capital city of Great Mongol Empire “Kharkhorin”
- Experience nomadic lifestyle
- Stay in local Ger camps and Lodge
Our Price Includes
- 2x Transfer to the Airport/Trainstatiom
- 11 overnights in Ger Lodges (twin/double bed)
- Entrance fees and taxes of National Parks, museums and tourist attractions according to the program, travel permits
- 2 overnight in hotel
- Car with driver from 2nd day to 14th day
- All meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) except alcoholic drinks
- Farewell dinner
- Guide
Not includes
- International flight tickets
- Soft and alcoholic drinks
- Personal expenses
- Any activities not mentioned in our program
- Personal travel and cancellation insurance
- Everything not mentioned as inclusive
- Insurance
- Any tippings
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Ulaanbaatar, Ulaanbaatar
Stay in Hotel Bayangol
Pick up at Airport and drive directly to Ulaanbaatar. After check in at the hotel and refreshment we will have a lunch at local restaurant and start our city tour from National museum.
/D
Day 2: UB, Tsonjin Boldog, Mongol Nomadic Camp
Stay at Mongol Nomadic lodge.
Today our tour will head to Tsonjin boldog.
Equestrian Statue at Tsonjin Boldog. The complex is 10m tall, with 36 columns representing the 36 Khans from Genghis to Ligden Khan. We can walk up to the head of the horse through it’s neck and can have a nice view of the complex. The complex has leisure activities such as dressing as old Mongolian warrior and queens to take photos, watching historical videos and visiting the museum of Great Mongol Empire era.
The statue was built on a legendary location of where Genghis Khan himself found a golden whip, which gave the idea for the concept and directed the statue towards his birthplace.
B / L as snack /D
Day 3: Mongol nomadic, Baga Gazriin Chuluu
Stay in Ger camp
Breakfast: Nomadic live show – Lunch – to Baga gazriin chuluu
At the Lodge you will see “Mongolian nomads” show which demonstrates traditional living way of real Mongolian nomads and breeding and using of five kinds of livestock and movement from one place to another using ox, yak, camel and horse carts which are the carts. Also Mongolian ger is made of by traditional making and all furniture pots and clothing are antiques reflecting the feature and manner of Central Khalkhs in the beginning of 20th century.
After Lunch we start our trip to the Gobi Desert. We will make stop at Baga Gazriin Chuluu, a beautiful rock formation in Dundgobi province. Once this rock encampment was home to a small monastery with a few dozen monks. These granite rocks with yellow sandy plains reminded some of our tourists of the cartoon of Lucky Luke.
B/L/D
Day 4: Baga gazriin chuluu - Yoliin Am - Gobi Mirage camp
Breakfast at camp -picnic lunch – Dinner at camp
The eagle valley a protected site in 1965, is 62 kilometers north-west of Dalanzadgad, in the centre of South Gobi aimag very wide entrance, it narrows gradually into a remarkable gorge. The mountains of the most southerly foothills of the Gobi-Altai reach an altitude of up to 2825 m. The national park has a size of 26 947 km2 and was founded in 1993. The Yolyn Am Gorge (Geierschlucht) is located between the peaks of the Three Peaks. When hiking here you are most likely to see the Lamming Vulture and its relative Moth Vulture.
B/L as snack/D
Stay in Ger lodge
Day 5 and 6: Gobi Mirage camp - Khongor Sand Dunes
Today we will drive through vast terrains of the Gobi Desert to our next destination, Khongor Sand Dunes, tallest sand dunes in Mongolia. These dunes are 20km wide and 100km long. The Khongoriin river flows along the sand
Dunes and gives birth to oases. The sand dune change the color with each hour of one day, from yellow to silver to rise colored at dawn. The dunes make sound like plane engine in a windy day so it had been named as ‘’The Singing Dunes”
The largest and most spectacular sand dunes, Khongor Sand Dunes are also known as the “Singing dunes”. You could ride camels or climb the tallest part of the dunes where you can see beautiful sunset.
2x B/1x L as snack, 1x L at lodge/2x D
Stay in Ger lodge
Day 7: Khongor Sand Dunes - Bayanzag
We continue our trip to Bayanzag, bottom of Ancient Sea which excited 60-70 million years ago where a lot of Palentological findings have been discovered.
The place is known as Flaming Cliffs so named by Roy Andrew Chapman American explorer, who had visited Mongolia in 1920. During the 2 years he searched through the Mongolian Gobi Desert & he found dinosaur fossils from Bayanzag, Nemekht. He brought his palentological findings on 70 camels. Chapman presented Mongolia one large skeleton on show in the Ulaanbaatar Natural History Museum. He found 10 kinds of dinosaurs 8 were found from Mongolia
B/L as snack/D
Stay in Ger camp
Day8: Bayanzag - Ongi Monastery
After breakfast we move to our next destination across the Ongi river in Saikhan Ovoo, district of Dundgovi province, in south-central Mongolia.
Ongi monastery Formerly one of the largest monasteries in Mongolia, was founded in 1660 and consisted of two temple complexes on the north and south banks of the Ongi River. But during 1930s the monastery was completely destroyed and over 200 monks were killed by the communists. After democracy of Mongolia in 1990, monks returned to Ongi monastery where they had begun their Buddhist education as young children some 60 years prior. These monks started laying new foundation upon the old ruins, with a vision to restore Ongi monastery and revitalize Buddhism in Mongolia.
B/L as snack/D
Stay in Ger lodge
Day 9: Ongi Monastery - Talbiun Lodge
After breakfast we will go to Talbiun Lodge. The lodge is located at the beautiful scenario of Khaalgan Denj, Khujirt sum of the Uvurkhangai province, the heartland of ancient nomads. We will settle in our ger lodge and have a lunch.
B/L as snack/D
Stay in Talbiun Lodge
Day 10: Talbiun Lodge - Orkhon Waterfall - Tuvkhun Monastery - Talbiun Lodge
Today we visit Tuvkhun Monastery and Orkhon waterfall by making quick stops at Uurtiin tokhoi and Temeen Chuluu.
Tuvkhun Monastery. It was built in 1654 by Saint Zanabazar, one of the biggest representative of Buddhism in Mongolia. He chose this particular place to build the one of the most beautiful monastery when he was 14 years old. It is situated on a forested rocky mountain at the border of Uvurkhangai and Arkhangai Provinces. The monastery was destroyed once in 1688 and was restored in 1773.
Uurtiin tohoi. Mongolian for “Eternal Elbow”, this is a steep cliff bordering a right angled bend of Orkhon River. Located at 1630 meter above sea level and originally named Khuurtiin Tokhoi, the cliff offers a marvelous view over Orkhon Valley.
Grave stones Temeen Chuluu: Temeen Chuluu burial site is on the many burial sites around camp Talbiun. The surrounding area has many tombs and burial mounds belong to the Bronze Age.
Orkhon waterfall The remarkable waterfall lies in the significant Orkhon Valley and it was formed some 20000 years ago from earthquakes and volcanic eruption. Orkhon is the longest river in Mongolia and Ulaan Tsutgalan is the biggest at a height of 26 metres.
B / L as snack / D
Stay in Talbiun Lodge
Day 11: Talbiun Lodge - Kharkhorum
After breakfast at the lodge we drive to Kharkhorum, the capital city of ancient Great Mongol Empire. The city was established in 1220. Kharkhorum was the capital of Mongolia for 140 years and the capital of the Mongol Empire for 32 years. The Erdenezuu monastery and the ruins of Kharkhorin were registered by UNESCO as world heritage in 1996. Major tourist attractions include Erdenezuu monastery, newly built Kharkhorum museum, open museum and mosaic map of Chinggis Khaan.
B/L as snack/D
Stay in ger camp
Day 12: Kharkhorum to Khustai national park
Today we drive to the Khustai national park, where the rare wild animals living in wild nature.
This National Park is a fine example of the wide river valleys separated by hilly terrain that characterize forest steppe. There are dozens of wild animals such as wolves, deer, and Przewalski horse which was reintroduced in 1990 with a cooperation of the Foundation Reserves for the Przewalski Horse and the support of Dutch Government.
B/L as snack/D
Stay in ger camp
Day 13: Khustai - Ulaanbaatar
Today we drive back to the capital Ulaanbaatar and check into a hotel. After refreshing from the trip we will have a folk concert and dinner hosted by A Star Mongolia in local restaurant.
