Grand Mongolia Adventure

Today, we’ll drive 4.5 hours south to discover Baga Gazriin Chuluu in the Middle Gobi. Once we leave Ulaanbaatar, endless steppes, blue skies, and herds of sheep and cattle will fulfill all your grassland fantasies. The notion that the Gobi is merely a barren sandy terrain will be disproved as we move into the Middle Gobi: the vast expanse of gravel and sparse vegetation actually boasts a stark, magnificent grandeur. Upon arrival, hike up the rocks to admire its massive granite formation, some of which even feature Bronze Age (3300-1200 BC) carvings of deer and wild goats, and explore the tree-filled valley with ruins of a small monastery and hidden caves used as refuges by monks. Moreover, discover the "Eye Spring" about 10 cm in diameter within a rugged granite rock emitting a mysterious aura. It’s said that the water has a remarkable effect on the eyes. The Gobi is windy, and you can wear a hat with a strap and apply moisturizer and sunscreen.

At last, your guide and the driver will escort you to your ger camp. Watching the starry Milky Way over the vast grassland will be an unforgettable experience.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Baga Gazriin Chuluu Ger Camp or similar

In the morning, your guide and the driver will accompany you to Tsagaan Suvarga, a series of layered rock formations that were an ancient ocean floor millions of years ago. Standing on the summit, admire the stunning sedimentary limestone cliffs of pink, light orange, light purple, and white, taking on the shapes of forests, spires and isolated peaks. Many of them resemble white pagodas from a distance, which locals call "White Stupa." To get a closer look at the rock strata, your guide can accompany you to down a hidden path to the foot of the cliffs. We also won’t miss its stunning view at sunset, when the rocks shift through a spectrum of colors into fiery orange-red. It’s dry here, so bring lip balm and stay hydrated. Finally, your guide and the driver will escort you to the nearby ger camp.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Tsagaan Suvarga Tourist Camp or similar

After breakfast, enjoy a 3-4-hour private transfer to Eagle Valley, aka Yol Valley. Upon arrival, follow your guide on a 2-hour hike. The Gobi’s scorching heat fades away when we step into the valley. As you follow the sound of a rare desert stream farther into the valley, where the sheer cliff walls thin, you may spot pikas hauling dry grass into rock crevices to store for winter, and bearded vultures and eagles circling above. In addition, the valley is famous for its once year-round ice layers covering the valley floor, making it the most magical sight! However, due to climate change, the ice now lasts only until mid-July. Finally, your guide and the driver will escort you to your ger camp.

► Tips:
1. We can hike only halfway or explore on horseback if the entire hike is too long for you.
2. The depth of the valley is about 5-10°C (41-50°F) cooler than outside, so bring a jacket. Besides, wear sturdy, non-slip hiking shoes, as the trail involves some wading and possibly walking on ice.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Juulchin Khanbogd Tourist Camp or similar

Today, your guide and the driver will accompany you to explore the Khongor Sand Dunes. They are Mongolia’s most spectacular dunes, resembling a golden belt backed by towering mountains stretching across the Gobi Desert, with an oasis parallel to the dunes thriving under the nourishment of the Khongor Gol River.

★ Special Experience: Visit a Local Nomadic Family & Ride a Camel

Upon arrival, follow your guide to a local herder family. They typically have two or three gers, an old pickup truck, motorcycles, a large number of livestock, and several guarding Bankhar dogs, as well as the endurance camels, reliable assistants in Gobi Desert life. After entering the ger, sip the savory, rich camel milk tea that hosts treat you. Mongolians love tea, particularly black tea, as it aids digestion and provides vitamins. A few tea bricks may even be exchanged for a cow during the hard times! To save expenses, herders make tea with milk, and it has since evolved into a part of their diet. Afterward, take a Bactrian camel ride to fully experience the exotic Gobi ambience. Long, worn-out pants are advised to prevent soiling. With the camel bells’ “cling-cling” and the sand’s rustling, enjoy the ripples left on the sand by the wind.

In the afternoon, ascend to the summit of a dune to take in the setting sun dyeing the rolling sand dunes into an orange-red hue and then into a deep rose color. Remember to bring a windproof mask, sunglasses, and protective covers for your camera and phone. At last, your guide and the driver will escort you back to your ger camp.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Gobi Discovery Ger Camp or similar

Today, make our way to Bayanzag, a combination of natural wonders and archaeological value. It’s named for the saxaul trees, whose greyish-green foliage is sparsely scattered across rust-red earth, bringing vitality to the barren Gobi. After checking into today’s ger camp, your guide will accompany you to explore this enigmatic Mars-resembling area at sunset, when it reaches its peak of beauty. Take your time admiring the cliffs’ gullies and folds being cast into deep, dramatic shadows as the angle of the setting sun alters, with the hues of red, orange, gold, and brown blending like a mass of flames – this is why they are also nicknamed the Flaming Cliffs. Apart from its natural beauty, what put Bayanzag on the map was an explosive discovery: the finding of dinosaur egg fossils, revealing that this area had been a dinosaur habitat over 70 million years ago. You can bring a magnifying glass and a spray bottle to search for those darker-colored, textured stones that might feature imprints of ancient shells or living things! Finally, your guide and the driver will escort you back to your ger camp.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Mongol Gobi Ger Camp or similar

After exploring the Gobi’s vast, stark beauty, today we’ll head northward across the open Ongi steppe to discover Ongi Monastery, which was formerly one of Mongolia’s largest Buddhist monastic complexes. It began as a modest temple in 1660, expanded into two complexes along the banks of the Ongi River with administrative buildings and four schools, and peaked in the 18th century, with more than 1,000 monks learning there! Even though it suffered significant damage in 1939 due to anti-religious actions, its previous grandeur may still be seen in the dispersed stone walls, temple foundations, and intact stupa bases.

After the escorted sightseeing, we’ll leave the rest of the day for you to explore the area at your own pace. The surrounding rolling hills and meandering river provide ideal trekking trails, and you can climb the hill behind the monastery for a sweeping view of the Ongi River. If interested, you can also experience the sauna or massage services provided by the campsite.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Secret of Ongi Tourist Camp or similar

Today, enjoy a 6-hour private transfer to the UNESCO-listed Orkhon Valley. En route, take a lunch break at a local canteen. Once we reach the valley, kick off our tour in Karakorum. This strategic location, chosen by Genghis Khan as the capital of the Mongol Empire (1206-1368 AD), became a global political hub in the 13th century, flooded with wealth dedicated to the Mongol khans and looted from other nations, and people from Persia, China, India, and Europe. After the empire’s collapse, it gradually fell, leaving only the remnants of earthen walls, folk residences, and the turtle stones that once supported the Imperial Palace’s pillars strewn across the wide-open grassland. Follow your guide to the Karakorum Museum for a clearer understanding of the city’s original layout through its scale model and other valuable artifacts, including Buddha sculptures, ceramics, and old coins.

Then, proceed to another major site, Erdene Zuu Monastery. This sacred place has a history of 440 years, marking the start of the Mongol's full embrace of Tibetan Buddhism. Even though most of its 62 temples were destroyed during the Great Purge in the 1930s, its grandeur still lingers within the enclosure adorned with 108 white stupas. Stroll around the three main halls that serve as lamas’ chanting grounds and see if we’re lucky to hear the evening chanting, and browse the precious Buddhist artifacts from the 16th to the 18th centuries. Finally, your guide and the driver will escort you to a nearby ger camp.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Urgoo Tourist Camp or similar

Today, we’ll continue exploring the Orkhon Valley. Our first stop is the Orkhon Waterfall. Witness a massive crater emerge on the flat steppe, and small streams converge to produce this waterfall. Your guide will accompany you along the steep stone steps to the bottom of the 24-meter (79-foot)-high cliff. The fall reaches its peak in summer, when the water vapor blows towards you, and you can take in the stunning rainbows in the mist. It turns into an ice waterfall in winter, and every first weekend of December brings the Karakorum Ice Festival with races of ice climbing, archery, and speed skating.

Then, drop by a local herder family. Nomadic life in the lush Orkhon Valley differs from that in the Gobi. Early in the morning, the host fetches water from the nearby river; the hostess prepares food and milk tea in the ger while listening to Ulaanbaatar news on the radio; and well-behaved children ride horses to herd the livestock - they ride firmly on horses without saddles or stirrups, a true testament to a horse-backed culture!

★ Ride a Horse across the Steppe like a Nomad!

For a quintessential grassland experience, enjoy a 1-hour horseback ride. The boundless steppe has no fences and running pathways, but only the wind howling in your ears, clouds floating in the azure sky, and horses clip-clopping at random! This immersive sense of freedom is something that cannot be replicated in the city. Perhaps you can also invite the herder youngsters to join your gallop!

At last, your guide and the driver will escort you to your ger camp.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Urgoo Tourist Camp or similar

Today, enjoy a cozy relaxation at Tsenkher Hot Spring! This is Mongolia’s second-hottest outdoor hot spring, with water temperatures ranging from 65 to 90°C (149 to 194°F). It lies at the base of a valley in the Khangai Mountains, where Mongolia’s largest river, the Orkhon River, originates. Adorable yaks graze leisurely before gers and sloping-roofed cabins. It’s a local wellness retreat in summer, and soaking while enjoying the snow is quite a unique experience in winter. After days of traveling over steppes and the Gobi Desert, soaking in warm water makes Tsenkher a real paradise.

After unwinding, follow your guide on a hike in the nearby Khangai Mountains, and breathe in the fresh air as you stroll through verdant fir forests dotted with purple lupines. Finally, your guide and the driver will escort you to your ger camp.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Duut Resort or similar

Today, let’s travel to Terkh White Lake National Park, a scenic spot combining a clear freshwater lake, dormant volcanoes, and verdant forest and grasslands. After arriving, trek for less than 30 minutes to admire Khorgo Extinct Volcano. Stroll around the 200-meter (656-foot)-wide crater rim for a stunning view of the inverted cone covered in rich flora and broad views of the park. Enjoy the natural beauty of Terkh White Lake, featuring reflections of the blue sky and rolling clouds, herds of horses and yaks grazing along its banks, and an abundance of fish and birds. In winter, it transforms into a stunning expanse of transparent ice resembling a silver-blue crystal with bubbles and fissures visible beneath. Furthermore, the park boasts trails suitable for horse riding, and we can tailor a trip for you if you wish. Please bring insect repellent, as summertime brings an abundance of mosquitoes. At last, your guide and the driver will escort you to the nearby ger camp.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Maikhan Tolgoi Tourist Camp or similar

After a wonderful night by the White Lake, let’s continue our excursion towards Mongolia’s northern region today. Leaving the lake, travel over several mountain passes, open valleys dotted with gers and herds of livestock, meandering streams, and taiga woods. En route, stop for a traditional Mongolian lunch at a local camp and then head to Jargalant Hot Springs. With sheep and yaks grazing on the lush slopes, this sulfur-rich outdoor spring is a veritable delight for the body and spirit. In winter, the fog coats the surrounding trees in a crystalline layer of frost, making the spot a fairyland.

We'll keep traveling after the break until we reach today's ger camp. With little light pollution, stars shine in profusion against the night sky, and the Milky Way seems within reach. It may be clear why many herders still prefer to live on grasslands in this age of advanced technology.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Ulziit Khishig Tourist Camp or similar

Today, your guide and the driver will accompany you to Khovsgol Lake, dubbed Mongolia’s "Blue Pearl"! After lunch in Murun Town, a transportation hub of Northern Mongolia, continue with a 1.5-hour to today’s ger camp beside the lake. Once we've settled down, let’s explore Khatgal Village, a gateway to the lake on the south shore. Your guide will show you around its local market, the main port, and the breathtaking Khovsgol Lake, featuring crystal-clear waters and surrounded by green steppe and dense forests. It’s Mongolia’s second-largest freshwater lake and one of the few glacial lakes remaining from millions of years ago. Finally, your guide will escort you back to your ger camp.

► Insider Tips in Khovsgol Lake:
1. It features rather cold mornings and evenings even in summer, so pack a windbreaker or a thin down jacket and a hat. Other essentials include sunglasses, sunscreen, and lip balm. Winter temperatures here can drop to -30°C (-22°F), requiring ultimate cold-weather gear.
2. The Tsaatan reindeer tribe and the Buryat people reside near the lake. If you encounter them, ask for permission before taking photos. If you’d like to spend more time exploring the remote reindeer tribe hidden in deep forests, which typically takes about a week, we can customize a tour for you.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Khuvsgul Eco Tour Tourist Camp or similar

Today, spend the entire day immersing yourself in the pristine nature of Khovsgol Lake. Known as "the Switzerland of the East," it presents different beauty changing with the seasons: in summer, the water is deep blue against vast forests and rolling hills; in autumn, colorful mountain reflections create a painter’s palette; in winter, the lake freezes over, with an ice layer up to several meters thick! Follow your guide on a lakeside walk in the morning. Perhaps you’ll see swans and cormorants frolicking in the water, as Khovsgol Lake is home to many fish and waterbirds. An interesting local folklore says that the fish in the lake are so sluggish that you can almost grab them with your bare hands! Some locals can catch a fat fish in less than two minutes! Each February to March, the Blue Ice Festival is held on the frozen lake, featuring ice sculpture competitions, horse and dog sled races, camel sleds, and an ice food festival.

In the afternoon, explore this natural paradise at your own pace. You can participate in optional activities like fishing, boating, and horseback riding on your own, or hike into the nearby mountains and look for the traces of wild goats and reindeer. If you come across an ovoo, a shamanic stone cairn, consider adding a stone and walk around it three times for good fortune.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Khuvsgul Eco Tour Tourist Camp or similar

After breakfast, enjoy a 4 to 5-hour private transfer to Uran Togoo Mountain Natural Reserve, a dormant volcano with a crater about 500 meters (1,640 feet) in diameter and over 50 meters (164 feet) deep. Being sparsely populated, the spot embraces a raw and natural beauty, with no paved roads but only tracks left by former vehicles. Upon arrival, we’ll hike to explore the volcano. The path to the summit is steep, making the hike a little bit difficult. We advise that you slow down your pace to take in the scenery and snap some photos. Once reaching the summit, prepare to be wowed by the stunning views of the serene emerald lake inside the crater and the surrounding rolling forests. The reserve is also home to many wild animals like argali sheep, roe deer, and muntjac, as well as wild berries, and your guide can show you how to identify them. If there is a strong wind, please avoid walking along the crater’s edge. At last, your guide and the driver will escort you to today’s ger camp.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Unit Tourist Camp or similar

Today, let’s discover Amarbayasgalant Monastery, one of Mongolia’s three largest Buddhist monasteries. After a 200-kilometer (125-mile) private road trip deep into the northern steppes near the Mongolian-Russian border, arrive at the monastery nestled serenely in the Iven Valley amid rolling mountains. The Yongzheng Emperor of China’s Qing Dynasty (1644-1912 AD) ordered its construction in 1727 to honor the Mongolian Buddhist leader. Thus, the symmetrical complex is exquisitely adorned with Chinese-style red walls, upturned eaves, and designs of auspicious clouds and dragons. It once boasted over 40 temples, but only 28 survived the Great Purge (1937-1939 AD), along with the plaque inscribed by the emperor. In mid-August, the grand Gongor Bumba Ceremony, a highly revered event for Tibetan Buddhists, is held, involving eminent monks and the living Buddhas blessing the faithful by touching their heads. You might also see locals crawling through a small stupa, which symbolizes rebirth. At last, your guide and the driver will escort you to your ger camp.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Amarbayasgalant Urguu Tourist Camp or similar

Today, enjoy a 6-hour private transfer back to Ulaanbaatar. An escorted visit to the Zaisan Memorial Hill awaits upon arrival. Ascend to its peak to admire the giant circular mural with a diameter of 22 meters (72 feet), vividly depicting Mongolian-Soviet brotherhood, including their joint victory over foes and peaceful space collaboration. It also offers a panoramic view of the city's blend of modernity, Soviet-era imprints, and nomadic culture: the Blue Sky Tower in the city center soars into the sky, while outside are aging Soviet-style residential buildings and bumpy dirt roads, and thousands of gers and simple wooden houses are scattered on the hillsides on the outskirts.

Afterward, your guide and the driver will escort you back to your hotel. The rest of the day is at your command. Maybe visit the downtown State Department Store for fine cashmere goods and souvenirs.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Grand Hill Hotel Ulaanbaatar (4 stars) or similar

Today, your guide and the driver will pick you up from your hotel at the scheduled time and escort you to the airport for your flight home. Have a nice trip!

Fascinated by the epic Trans-Siberian Railway? Consider extending your trip to Russia to admire the stunning Lake Baikal by the railway, or to China to conquer the Great Wall! Feel free to contact us, and we’ll tailor an itinerary for you!

Meal: Breakfast