Exploring Gobi and Northern Mongolia

Day1:

Tsagaan Suvarga Cliff – colorful earth wall

In the morning, we will pick you up from your accommodation and drive to Tsagaan Suvarga Cliff (470 km – 6 hours on paved road). It is sheer slope and was an old seabed with sedimentary structure created by millions years and the different colors of the ground represent different times. The formation is over 50 m in its highest point and continues 400 m and looks like an ancient ghost city form a distance. There is no clear date of geography research work and it is good spot take rest and overnight place driving to South Gobi desert from Middle Gobi desert. We will do some hiking around the site. Overnight there.

Day2:

Yol Valley /Bearded Vulture Valley/ 

After breakfast time, we will drive to Yol Valley (200 km – 3 hours on paved road). Yol means bearded vulture in Mongolian and the valley is located in Gurvan Saikhan Mountain range & stretches over 10 km. The narrowest part, only 3 or 4 person can pass in same time, of the valley is completely shaded from the direct sun shine by high cliff walls. Also, the valley is famous for the fact that there is ice created in winter by small stream of the valley present there even during the hot summer months until mid of Jul. We will do an hour hiking there & then also visit to the small natural museum. Overnight there.

Day3:

Khongor Sand Dune – ride a camel.

After breakfast, we will drive to Khongor Sand Dune (180 km – 4 hours on off road). Khongor is biggest sand dune in the Gobi Desert that extend from 5 to 10 km in width, nearly 100 km long, with crests rising 80 to 300m above the surrounding landscape. The booming sound produced by the masses of moving sand can be heard from afar when occurs windy day. Hence locals called it as Sound Dune. Near Khongor River at the northern edge of the dunes, there is an oasis. We will ride camels today to explore these massive sand-dunes and explore the area where climbing one of the dunes affords the energetic traveler with an unforgettable experience of endless vistas across a sea of sand. Overnight there.

Day4:

Bayanzag Flaming Cliffs – dinosaur site

After breakfast, we will drive to Bayanzag (150 km – 4 hours on off road). American zoologist Roy Chapman Andrews discovered this place and named as Flaming Cliffs. A lot of dinosaurs’ findings such as Protoceratops & dinosaur’ eggs have been found there in first time. The red colored cliffs themselves are very imposing from a distance, and are particularly fiery in the light of the setting sun. We will walk around the site. Overnight there.

Day5:

Ongi Monastery Ruin

After breakfast, Ongi Monastery, was founded in 1660 and consisted of two temple complexes on the North and South banks of the river Ongi. At its heyday, Ongi monastery consisted of over 30 temples, 4 big Buddhism universities and over 1000 monks at a time and destroyed in 1937 by communist purges. Located on the shore of the Ongi River, the monastery was formerly one of the largest monasteries in Gobi Desert. Raw violence of the destruction at the site was still visible, still palpable, even though it happened over years ago. We will hike to the ruins for visiting to local ger museum displayed survived objects of destroyed monastery and a small lovely and active Buddhist temple. Overnight there.

Day6:

Visit to nomadic family & Karakorum- former capital city of Chinggis Khan

After breakfast, we will drive to a nomadic family in Central Mongolia (217 km). Enjoy the joyful atmosphere and learn the clever nomads’ way of life by taking every chance of taking part in the nomadic life activities like a nomad. Experience the milking cows or goats. Watch how they produce tasty and nutritious dairy products.

Taste their drink fermented mare milk. Then, participate in the nomads’ daily chores – prepare dried dung from a nearby mountain for the family’s household use for making fire. After lunch, we will drive to Karakorum (44 km). Karakorum, the capital of Great Mongolian State where today there is a small local township.

The city of Karakorum was founded in 1220 in Orkhon River Valley by order of Genghis Khan and after collapse of Yuan dynasty of Khubilai Khan, Min state’s invaders sacked the city in 1388 and ruined it. After 200 years in 1586, Erdene Zuu, the first Buddhist monastery have been built there by remained ruin of Karakorum as construction materials. In the 18th century, the complex of ornate gardens and 62 temples were home to over 1000 lamas. But in 1937, the most monasteries destroyed by communist purges. We will visit to Karakorum Museum, Karakorum Open Museum and Erdene Zuu Monastery respectively. Overnight there.

Day7:

Tuvkhun Monastery – hike in the larch forest & Orkhon Waterfall – horse ride

After breakfast, we will drive to Tuvkhun Monastery (65 km). The monastery is located on the peak of the densely forested and instagramable mountain Shiveet at the elevation of 2000m. Mongolian first bogd (head of the Buddhism) Zanabazar’s followers built the temple in 1653 for meditation and art studio purpose. There is several interesting things to see. Meditation caves, foot print of Zanabazar on the rock, first drawn version of soyombo /Symbol on Mongolian Flag/, independence symbol, etc. We will hike from the bottom of the mountain to the top or the monastery.

After lunch time, we will drive to Orkhon Waterfall (54 km). Over 25 m high and 10 m wide Orkhon Waterfall is the biggest waterfall in the country and one of the most attractive destination in Orkhon River Valley, UNESCO World heritage site. The surrounding areas of the waterfall was formed by volcanic activities dated back approximately 20,000 years and covered by over 10 m thick lava layer with interesting shapes of bubbles which created smaller waterfalls with 4-5 m heights. After dinner time, we will ride horses and walk for seeing the big and small waterfalls. Overnight there.

Day8:

Tsenkher Hot Spring – relaxing

After breakfast, we will drive to Tsenkher Hot Spring (95 km). Tsenkher’s abundant therapeutic natural hot spring, flows out from the ground at +86°c, have been identified as amongst the best in the Mongolia in terms of healing qualities, radio energy & temperature variance & water supply, and are particularly effective in treating a multitude of ailments and skin diseases because they can accommodate many different forms/strengths of therapy. There is several tourist ger resorts which provide hot pools by hot water from the Tsenkher geothermal area. We will do hiking to the scenic Shiveet Mountain or Tsenkher Valley which is home of yaks and stay in pool in the evening. Overnight in the tourist ger camp.

Day9:

Khorgo-Terkh National Park – study volcanic activities

After breakfast, we will drive to Khorgo-Terkh National Park (212 km). On the way, we will see Chuluut River Canyon. The volcano erupted in the Quaternary Period and its lava closed the water stream of a river and result of this meeting has created a truly incredible landscape, Khorgo Extinct Volcano and Terkh White Lake, large placid lake is ringed by sandy beaches. There is a number of small or big circuit valleys, Shar Nokhoin Tam & Solo Person’s Cave etc, and complete or not complete erupted 13 volcanoes and rock formations with fast flowing rivers and cascades. From the top of the volcano panoramic view is superb. We will climb up to the top of the volcano and walk discover the circuit valley. Overnight there.

Day10:

Shine Ider sub-province

After breakfast time, we will drive to Shine Ider sub-province (170 km). On the way, we will see instagramable and high Orookh Mountain Pass. Overnight in the tourist ger camp.

Day11:

Uushig Deer Stones – ancient burial site & Khuvsgul Lake – reindeer people

After breakfast, we will drive to Uushig Deer Stones (109 km). A complex of 30 deer stones of Uushig Valley and its burial mounts belong to the ancient Huns period and over 3000 years ago. The Bronze Age funeral practice, sacrificial ritual and ideology and animal style art, which were spread among ancient nomads, are all together represented through deer stones made by long block of granite. Highly artistic illustrations of deers and other images are symbol of Shamanism.

Especially, statues with images of human face draw attentions of many scientists and considered one of the rarest statues. We will walk and explore the site. Then we will drive to Khuvsgul Lake National Park (132 km). About midway along border between Mongolia and Russian Siberia, in a gigantic stone bowl nearly 110km long and almost 40km wide, lies 3% of the all the fresh water on earth – Lake Khusgul. The lake region is home to an enormous variety of plants and animals. Since 1990s Lake Khuvsgul and the entire surrounding area have been designated as a national park, and Khuvsgul is today a naturalist’s paradise and an idyllic holiday destination. The water in the lake is so clean and clear that one can easily catch sight of ground. After dinner time, we will do small leisure hike along the shore of the lake.

Day12:

Khuvsgul Lake National Park – full day horse trek

After lunch, we will enjoy an exhilarating horseback pack trip through untamed wilderness and panoramic scenery. The horseback riding enthusiast will experience an unforgettable excursion through timbered ridges and mountain meadows. We offer horse pack trips suited for all ages and abilities with rides varying in length. Horse pack trips allow you to reach deep into the southern Siberian wilderness.

Horseback riding and fun are the main objectives on horse pack trips combined with good nomad’s Mongolian hospitality. Saddle up the whole family for an unforgettable horseback riding adventure. After dinner time, we will visit to the reindeer herders. They are Tuvan people who migrated to the northern most edge of Mongolian territory from Russian Tuvan Republic around 1920s by the various reason. Dukha (another name) are one of the last groups of nomadic reindeer herders and about 40 families left. Their living place is Ulaan Taiga and Darkhad Valley area but few reindeer people move to south to the lake area in touristic season for selling handmade souvenir to tourists and brought their reindeers for photo. Overnight there.

Day13:

Uran Extinct Crater– hiking

After breakfast, we will drive to Uran Extinct Crater (408 km). On the way, we will see instagramable Ikh-Uul Mountain. Uran means “Artistic”, Mongolians named it so because its ridge of the crater is one of many examples of circles that arise in nature resembled a nice creature of a craftsman. A circle-shaped ridge about 500 m across that contains a crater lake at about 20 m wide and 1.5 m deep. There is also another recognizable volcano with broken craters such as Tulga, Jalavch and Togoo. We will climb up to the top of the volcano. Overnight there.

Day14:

Back to Ulaanbaatar.

We head back to Ulaanbaatar (561 km) on the paved road. On the way we pass Erdenet and Darkhan industrial cities.

What Includes:

Accommodation: Hotel***,* ger camp, tented camp
Guiding and interpreting service
Full board meals
Transport: vehicle 4×4 or minivan
Entrance fees to protected areas and national parks
Museums and cultural performance
local guide
Horses
Camping equipment

Not Includes:

International airfare
Personal equipment
Optional activity cost
Excess baggage charges
Single room supplement
Alcoholic drinks
Sleeping bag
Travel Insurance