The Mysteries of the Gobi Desert and the Meandering Steppes of Mongolia -11 Days
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Detailed description
Arrival & Ulaanbaatar city tour
Upon your arrival at the airport, our team will be there to greet you. We will escort you to your comfortable hotel, conveniently located in the city center. Ulaanbaatar is a rapidly growing modern metropolis with a population of over 1.5 million residents. Depending on your arrival time, we will arrange a city tour for you. The tour will include a visit to the newly constructed Genghis Khan Museum, the largest museum in Mongolia, which houses over 8,300 artifacts related to the Great Khans of the Mongol Empire and the country’s history from the Xiongnu period to the end of the 20th century. A portion of these artifacts is displayed across nine exhibition halls.
Another highlight is the Bogd Khan’s Winter and Summer Palace, a stunning complex of traditional buildings where the eighth Living Buddha and the last king resided. It now serves as a museum showcasing intriguing artifacts and costumes linked to the last king, along with his collection of stuffed animals.
We will also visit the Gandantegchinlen Monastery, the largest and most significant monastery in Mongolia. Here, we will explore various shrines and admire the magnificent statue of Migjid Janraisig, an impressive 82-foot statue adorned in gold and draped in silk cloths.
To conclude the city tour, we will ascend Zaisan Hill for a panoramic view of Ulaanbaatar. The city sightseeing tour will last approximately 5 to 6 hours.
Accommodation:
- Hotel D
Activities:
- Visit the Bogd Khan winter and summer palace
- Explore the Gandan monastery
- Check out the Genghis khan museum
- Hike Zaisan hill
Gorkhi-Terelj National Park
We will depart from Ulaanbaatar early in the morning, heading towards Terelj National Park, which lies 70 km from the capital. Our journey will take us through a valley surrounded by lush, forested hills and breathtaking granite cliffs. The valley is adorned with vibrant wildflowers and is home to herds of peacefully grazing yaks, horses, goats, and sheep. This picturesque park, featuring granite rocks, pine trees, and a flowing river, is an ideal spot for hiking, horseback riding, swimming, or simply unwinding and soaking in the views. We will explore several notable sites in the area.
Our first stop will be the Genghis Khan Monument, an impressive aluminum statue of Genghis Khan on horseback. Visitors can climb to the top of the monument for stunning panoramic views of the surrounding landscape. Additionally, a small museum offers a comprehensive overview of the Great Mongol Empire’s history, including the lineage of the great Khans and their conquests. We will also visit Turtle Rock and the Aryaval Monastery, a serene meditation spot located at the mountain’s base, where there are excellent opportunities for hiking, climbing, and horseback riding.
Accommodation:
- Guru ger camp with shared facilities B, L, D
Activities:
- Explore the Genghis khan statue
- Discover the Aryapal monastery
- Check out Turtle rock
- Opportunity for horseback riding
Tsagaan Suvarga (450 km about 7 to 8 hours driving)
After breakfast, we will set off on an adventure to the Gobi Desert. The scenery will shift dramatically from lush green grasslands to rugged, lifeless terrain. We expect to arrive at Tsagaan Suvraga by the afternoon. This impressive cliff rises 30 meters high and stretches 100 meters wide, with the wind having intricately shaped this extraordinary formation over millennia.
From a distance, Tsagaan Suvraga resembles the remnants of an ancient town, complete with crumbling structures. Ancient illustrations capture scenes of people hunting ibex with long bows, while petroglyphs of wild animals and cattle are etched into the rocks. Additionally, the caves in this area showcase various Turkic inscriptions, seals, and images.
A fissure stretches from east to west, cutting down from the upper slopes of a mountain into the steppe. Through this crack, one can observe strong mud columns rising from below. The vast chasm resembles the gaping jaws of a mythical creature. Some caves feature multiple chambers, including one that extends over 70 meters in length.
Accommodation:
- Tsagaan Suvarga ger camp with shared facilities B, L, D
Activities:
- Explore the majestic Tsagaan Suvarga cliffs
Yolyn Am (270 km about 4 hours driving)
Today we will be driving to the South Gobi province town Dalanzadgad. The Gobi Desert extends through Mongolia and China, measuring 1,610 kilometers from southwest to northeast and 800 kilometers from north to south. It covers an area of 1,295,000 km2, making it the world’s fifth largest desert and Asia’s largest although most of the Gobi is coated in bare rock rather than sand.
During the winter months, the Gobi is a cold desert with frost snow on its dunes. In addition to being far north, it is situated on a plateau between 910 and 1,520 meters above sea level, which leads to the cold temperatures. The Gobi receives around 194 millimetres of rain per year on average. In the winter, snow blown from the Siberian Steppes enters parts of the Gobi, providing additional moisture. The Gobi experiences temperature extremes ranging from –40°C in the winter to +50°C in the summer due to these winds.
We’ll take a trip through the majestic Altai Mountain Range’s breath-taking gorges. The Yolyn Am located in the Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park, will be visited. Those green valleys were carved by ancient rivers.
Wild Argali sheep, Ibex, desert gazelles, and Golden Eagles are also possible sightings.
Accommodation:
- Khan Bogd Ger camp B, L, D
Activities:
- Visit small museum of the park
- Visit Yolyn am gorge
- Hike through the gorge
Khongoryn Els (180 km about 4 to 5 hours driving)
After enjoying a substantial breakfast, we will journey 180 kilometers west to the Khongoryn Els. This location boasts Mongolia’s largest sand dunes. Reaching heights of up to 275 meters in some spots, these dunes stretch over 100 kilometers from east to west. The sands exhibit alluring curves that culminate in sharp points, creating beautiful wave patterns. Behind the dunes, the striking black rocky formation of Sevrey Mountain stands majestically. The Gobi Desert holds the title of the world’s coldest desert, where frigid winds sweep across the plains throughout autumn, winter, and spring. With little shelter available, inhabitants must rely on extreme survival techniques to endure the harsh conditions. Gobi nomads are renowned in Mongolia for their unwavering commitment to hard work. We will encounter families who breed two-humped camels and discover their simple, humble, industrious, yet remarkable lifestyle.
Accommodation:
- Gobi Togol ger camp with shared facilities. B, L, D
Activities:
- Explore the Khongoryn Els Sand Dunes
- Hike to the tallest dune for those who are interested.
- Visit a family that breeds camels.
Bayanzag, flaming cliff (150 km about 4 hours driving)
Our journey today will take us to Bayanzag, commonly known as the “Flaming Cliffs.” This extraordinary site is where the renowned palaeontologist Roy Chapman Andrews discovered dinosaur bones and eggs. The scenery showcases a breathtaking mix of red sand, rugged formations, and greenery. We will wander around the cliffs, explore the area, visit the museum, and learn about the discoveries and expeditions from the early 20th century.
Accommodation:
- Gobi Tour ger camp with shared facilities B, L, D
Activities:
- Explore the Bayanzag cliffs, the site where dinosaur skeletons and eggs were unearthed
Ongiin monastery (180 km about 4 hours driving)
Today, you will visit Ongi Monastery in northwest Mongolia, where the monasteries lie along the Ongi River. The tranquil Delger Khangai Mountains enhance the area’s beauty. You’ll explore the southern complex with various administrative buildings and 11 temples, while the northern complex, established in the 18th century, had 17 temples and four Buddhist universities. Originally built in the 17th century, these monasteries were destroyed in 1937 and once housed over 1,000 monks. A small monastery now stands among the ruins, with remnants displayed in the Ger Museum.
Accommodation:
- The Ongi Energy ger camp with shared facilities B, L, D
Activities:
- Explore the remnants of the Ongi Monastery
Orkhon valley and waterfall (300 km about 7 hours driving)
Today, we will head west into the Orkhon Valley, where the Orkhon River meanders. This valley has been recognized by UNESCO as a world cultural heritage site due to its ancient artifacts that date back to the early 6th century and even earlier. In addition, the great Mongol Empire established its capital, Karakorum, here during the 12th and 13th centuries. The nomadic lifestyle of the pastures has continued, maintaining both historic and nomadic views on life. During the Quaternary period, a volcanic eruption occurred near the mouth of the Tsagaan Azarga, or the White Stallion River, causing lava to flow down the Orkhon Valley and creating a thick layer of basaltic rocks, approximately 10 meters deep. The Orkhon River has cut through this basalt layer twice, leading to the formation of the canyon.
Accommodation:
- Khosog ger camp with shared facilities B, L, D
Activities:
- Explore the Orkhon Valley
- Discover the stunning Orkhon Waterfall
- Engage with a nomadic family that breeds horses and yaks
- Enjoy the opportunity for horseback riding
Karakorum, the former Mongolian capital (120 km about 3 to hours driving)
Today, we explore Karakorum, the capital of Genghis Khan’s Mongolian Empire in the 13th century. Established in 1220 on the ruins of Turug and Uigur cities in the Orkhon Valley, it was completed 15 years later under Ugedei Khan, known for its multiculturalism. The silver tree from Möngke Khan’s palace became a symbol of the city, which thrived from 1220 to 1260 as a political, trade, and cultural hub.
However, from 1260 to 1380, it lost its capital status when Kublai Khan moved the capital to Beijing, reducing Karakorum to an administrative center in the Yuan Dynasty.
After the Mongolian Yuan Dynasty collapsed in 1368, the government returned to Mongolia, allowing Karakorum to regain some significance. However, in 1388, Ming troops destroyed the town, leaving no trace of it. In 1580, Abtai Sain Khan and Lord Tumenkhen sought the 3rd Dalai Lama’s counsel on building a temple, leading to the restoration of the Main Zuu temple in Erdene Zuu monastery in 1588.
Erdene Zuu Monastery, once a large complex with 100 temples and over 1,000 lamas, now comprises three remaining temples: Dalai Lama, Zuu of Buddha, and Lavrin Temple, all within 400 m X 400 m walls. Visitors can explore the monastery grounds.
The Karakorum Archaeological Museum, though small, features a well-designed space with good lighting and clear English labels. It showcases hundreds of artifacts from the 13th and 14th centuries, as well as prehistoric tools, pottery, bronzes, coins, religious sculptures, and stone inscriptions from various archaeological sites.
A half-excavated kiln is set into the museum floor, alongside a scale model of ancient Karakorum from the 1250s, inspired by William of Rubruck’s descriptions. Another chamber features a Turkic noble tomb with wall paintings, gold objects, and jewels, accompanied by a short video of the burial site.
You can also visit the Turtle Rock and the Phallic Rock, as well as a small market that showcases local artists’ work.
Accommodation:
- Monkhtenger ger camp with shared facilities. B, L, D
Activities:
- Explore the Erdene Zuu monastery
- Discover the Karakorum Archaeological Museum
Drive back to Ulaanbaatar (360 km about 5 to 6 hours driving)
The moment has arrived to depart and make your way back to Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia. You are free to spend your afternoon as you wish. You will have the opportunity to enjoy a beautiful cultural performance, featuring talented contortionists, while you take in the vibrant and rhythmic dances of Mongolia.
Accommodation:
- Hotel B, L, D
Activities:
- Attend folklore show with throat singers
- Shop for souvenir or cashmere
Departure
Transfer to the airport.
- B
INCLUDED
- 2 nights hotel in Ulaanbaatar
- 8 nights Ger camps
- Tour Guide
- Land Transportation by 4X4
- Meals: B10, L10, D10
- National park, museum, monastery entrance tickets
- City tour
- Mineral water
NOT INCLUDED
- Medical & trip insurance
- Soft & alcoholic drinks
