Tour Scope: Southern Mongolia and Northern Mongolia Tour Route: UB-Gobi Desert-UB-Huvsgul Lake-UB-Terelj-UB
Highlights: Bayanzag (Flaming Cliffs), Khongoryn Els Sand Dunes, Yol (Eagle Valley), Huvsgul Lake, Turtle Rock, Chinggis Khaan Statue
Tour Season: 15 June- 15 September Tour Level: Leisure
Day 1. Ulaanbaatar
Day 2. Flight to the Gobi Desert & Bayanzag (Flaming Cliffs)
Day 3. Khongoryn Els Sand Dunes
Day 4. Yolyn Am (Eagle Valley)
Day 5. Flight to Ulaanbaatar
Day 6. Flight to Murun and Huvsgul Lake
Day 7. Huvsgul Lake
Day 8. Huvsgul Lake
Day 9. Flight to Ulaanbaatar, Chinggis Khan Statue and Terelj
Day 10. Ulaanbaatar
Day 11. Departure
Accommodations: 3 nights in hotel and 7 nights in luxury type gers at tourist camps Meals: Inclusive meals are indicated in itinerary (B = breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner)
Transport: 4WD Japanese Minivan or 4WD Japanese Jeep Optional activities: Camel riding, Horse riding
Staffs: Visit Mongolia Team (Tour guide and driver)
DAY 1 ULAANBAATAR
A professional Visit Mongolia team will meet you at the Chinggis Khan International Airport or a the train station and transfer to the one of the best quality hotels. After relaxing, we start our first day exploring Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia. Sukhbaatar Square is the heart of Ulaanbaatar and famous for its surroundings including Parliament House, National Opera Theatre, Cultural Palace and House of City Council. We will then visit Gandan Monastery to experience the influence of Buddhism in Mongolia and see outstanding and impressive 24m golden plated statue of Megjid Janraiseg Buddha. From here we will head to the Zaisan Hill which offers great views of the Ulaanbaatar. Optional visit to National History Museum of Mongolia. In the evening, you will attend a performance of traditional dancing and khoomii (Mongolian throat singing). Overnight in a hotel. (L,D)
DAY 2 GOBI DESERT/BAYANZAG (FLAMING CLIFFS)
Approximate distance covered and estimated travel time: 1.5 h flight and 100 km 2-3 hours drive
We will start our trip with a short flight to the Dalanzadgad, South Gobi’s province center. After arrival in the Gobi, drive to Bayanzag, more commonly known as the legendary “Flaming Cliffs”. Through the journey we will see arid steppe landscape with many camel herds and herding families. Bayanzag is a red rock creation, formed 60-70 million years ago, made famous by an American explorer Roy Chapman Andrews’s discovery there of complete dinosaur skeletons and eggs in the 1920s. Overnight in a ger camp. (B, L, D)
DAY 3 GOBI DESERT/KHONGORYN ELS SAND DUNES
Approximate distance covered and estimated travel time: 180 km, 4-5 hours
Travel to Khongoryn Els Sand Dunes, Mongolia’s largest sand dunes, reaching a height of 800 meters in the highest areas and known as the “Singing Dunes”. Evening visit to a camel-breeder’s family with a chance to go camel riding. Overnight in a ger camp. (B, L, D)
DAY 4 GOBI DESERT/YOLYN AM (EAGLE VALLEY)
Approximate distance covered and estimated travel time: 200 km, 5-6 hours
Travel to Yolyn Am, or ‘Eagle Valley’, located in the foothills of the Altai Mountains. The valley’s remnant streams create ice formations which one may find in the mouth of the valley as late as July. The mountains surrounding the valley also provide habitat for Argali wild sheep (one of the last wild great-horned sheep) and ibex, which may be spotted in the early morning as they walk along the mountain ridges. Visit the Gobi Museum and trek through the valley. Overnight in a ger camp. (B, L, D)
DAY 5 ULAANBAATAR
Approximate distance covered and estimated travel time: 50 km, 1 hour /driving/ and 1.5h /flight/
Drive to Dalanzadgad airport for a 50 km to fly back to Ulaanbaatar. After lunch, visit the Bogd Khan Palace Museum. Overnight in a hotel. (B, L, D)
DAY 6 HUVSGUL NATIONAL PARK
Approximate distance covered and estimated travel time: 1.5 h flight and 110 km 2-3 hours drive
Flight to Murun town, the center of Huvsgul province. Drive to Huvsgul Lake, 110 km away from Murun. Lake Huvsgul is Mongolia’s largest lake and the largest tributary stream of Lake Baikal in neighboring Siberia. The deepest lake in Central Asia and the world’s 14th largest source of fresh water, Lake Huvsgul is 1,645 m above sea level and frozen from January until April or May. Overnight in a ger camp. (B, L, D)
DAY 7-8 RELAX & VISIT TSAATAN FAMILY
Spend two full days at Lake Huvsgul. There different activities can be offered as kayaking, horse riding, fishing and visiting a Tsaatan nomadic family. Your guide will help you book your desired activities. Overnight in a ger camp. (B, L, D)
DAY 9 ULAANBAATAR-TSONCHINBOLDOG-TERELJ
Approximate distance covered and estimated travel time: 110 km drive + 1,5h flight and plus 90 km drive
Drive back to Murun for a flight back to Ulaanbaatar. Upon arrival in Ulaanbaatar, travel to the Tsonchinboldog, where you will visit the Giant Statue of Chinggis Khan. Then we continue our journey to Terelj National Park, one of the most visited sites near Ulaanbaatar. Terelj is set in the picturesque valley of granite mountains and the beautiful Terelj River. Transfer to tourist ger camp. We will then visit the Turtle Rock and the Temple of Meditation “Aryabala”. Hike around. Overnight in a ger camp. (B, L, D)
DAY 10 ULAANBAATAR
Approximate distance covered and estimated travel time: 70 km, 1-2 hours
Drive to Ulaanbaatar. In the afternoon, we will visit some interesting museums including the Winter Palace of the Bogd Khan. The remainder of the day is free for shopping for cashmere or independent touring. Farewell dinner. Overnight in hotel. (B, L, D)
DAY 11 DEPARTURE
After breakfast, transfer to departure (B) eggs in the 1920s. Overnight in a ger camp. (B, L, D)
Visit Mongolia’s policy is to provide top quality service to our customers at reasonable prices. We will pleased to provide detailed price quotes for those interested in specific tours.
In Ulaanbaatar:
Hotels are available in different ranges of quality and service. The package cost includes all services except accommodations in Ulaanbaatar (UB). We do give “choices” for our clients to pick their appropriate accommodations in Ulaanbaatar. However we encourage group travelers to pick the same property. We will provide hotel rates for Visit Mongolia customers for your selection. Please select hotel and room type and let us know.
In the Countryside:
– Ger Camps
While touring in the countryside, the most common accommodations outside cities on our tours are called ger camps. A ger is the traditional felt tent of nomadic herders. Accommodation in the ger camps is based on two people sharing one ger. Each ger is heated by a wood stove and has two wood-framed beds.
The camp restaurant and western-style toilet/shower facilities are located in the middle of the camp or close by. All camps supply towels. The ger camps provide all bedding and clients will not be expected to bring their own sleeping bags if they stay overnight in the ger camps. Staying in a ger is a memorable experience of Mongolian culture.
– Tented camping
We use tented camps on our adventure journeys to more remote areas. The tents are either 2 or 3 person tents. A sleeping mat will be provided to each person staying in a tent but clients are asked to bring their own sleeping bags. Our expedition staff sets up camps and prepares meals and takes care of all your needs. Tented camps allow you to interact more with the nature and visit the remotest areas of the country.
We use different types of vehicles depending on the nature of tours, destination and final number of travellers.
– For jeep overland adventure tours we use Japanese 4WD vans and SUV’s (Mitsubishi, Toyota, Nissan), which is the best available for its type
– A bus or mini-bus serves group tourists within Ulaanbaatar
– In some remote areas where we have to fly, we arrange local vehicles most of which are Russian 4WD jeeps or minivans. Daily driving distance will be appr. 200-250km.
– For sightseeing in Ulaanbaatar we use deluxe coaches, vans and sedans.
All Visit Mongolia drivers have many years of experience. They know their way around the Mongolian countryside including many places where they are no marked roads. They are all skilled mechanics which is crucial in remote places. Technical inspections on the vehicles are made regularly.
An English speaking Mongolian guide will accompany the entire time of your trip. The most of our guides have a wonderful and outstanding reputation among our clients. They have an in depth knowledge of Mongolian history, nomadic civilization, customs, traditions, and nature memories. After every tour we get feedbacks and emails about our guides.
Meals are included in the cost. Visit Mongolia provides the selection of the best available local restaurants on cities and popular destinations.
When you are in Ulaanbaatar, you can eat out in number of restaurants as serving Indian, Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Italian, English, French, German, Russian, Latin American and of course Mongolian cuisines. FYI, basic foodstuffs for Mongolians are beef, mutton and noodles.
When you stay in tourist Ger camps, the most camps provide meals as western cuisine. During excursions to remote areas we provide services of professional chefs who normally accompany the group. Arrangements can be made for vegetarians and those with special dietary needs with advance notice.
Mongolia’s climate is continental and extreme. With more than two hundred days of full sun per year it has been given the nickname of ‘the’ Country of Blue Skies’.
The tourist season in Mongolia is between the months of May and September. The weather during this time varies considerably from region to region. The highest rainfall period is in July and August, however, there are still days of glorious sunshine during this time. The Gobi usually has the hottest temperatures. Summer evenings in the Gobi can be cool because of Mongolia’s high altitude. The best time to visit the Gobi is June and September. The spring is a time of strong winds, especially difficult in the sandy areas of the Gobi.
Most travelers come to Mongolia in mid-July for the annual National Naadam Festival.