Treasures of Mongolia

Meet your guide at a prearranged location at 08:30 at your hotel or another Ulaanbaatar location of your choice, board the vehicle and drive south towards the Gobi. Rock formations of the Baga Gazriin Chuluu, located 300km away, are your first stop. After a 5 hours drive enter first your ger camp where you will be staying tonight and have lunch, then venture to explore the caves, streams, and shrines that dot this sacred site. The scenery is beautiful, and the area has abundant wildlife unique to the Gobi, both flora and fauna. In the evening return to the camp, have dinner settle into your ger in the peaceful wilderness of the Gobi.

In the morning it’s back on the road – today you head further south to the imposing cliffs of Tsagaan Suvarga, translated into English as “White Stupa”, named after its looks. Drive there will take 4 hours (210km), and after arriving, have lunch and venture to the rock formations for some great opportunities for photography.

After a leisurely breakfast continue your drive south, after 2 hours (100km) first stop at the important mining outpost of Dalanzadgad. Take a short tour of the city, including the Aimag museum and visit the local market. Have lunch and then continue for 50km to the Yol Valley. The vehicle will be left at the gorge’s entrance, from where you will need to venture on foot. Yol Valley is notable for its deep ice field, which is several meters thick by the end of winter and is several kilometres long. In the summer there is usually less ice, but you should still be able to walk on it. The area is also a habitat of ibex and birds of prey, and you may be able to spot wildlife on top of the cliffs.

Today you leave the paved road and venture deeper into the Gobi Desert, to the largest sand dunes in Mongolia, Khongor Els. Keep a lookout for gazelles and birds of prey as you drive – the scenery is beautiful and populated by a plethora of wildlife. The 130km drive will take good 4-5 hours, but you will stop for a picnic lunch and photos on the way. On arrival at the camp have short rest and venture out to the sand dunes for a spectacular view from the top.

Before breakfast, if you didn’t see the sunset last night, drive a short distance to the dunes for the spectacular sunrise. Otherwise, enjoy home breakfast in the camp’s restaurant and afterwards drive a short distance to visit a nomadic family of camel herders who spend the summers near the water springs close to the dunes. Enter one of the gers, sample camel milk and learn about the traditional way of life in those harsh desert regions. Your camels will be then prepared outside and mounted up for a 2-hour ride alongside the dunes. In the afternoon the schedule is flexible: Alternatively, you may want to go for a longer hike in the area, along the river or to the dunes and take amazing photos, or just rest and enjoy the beautiful scenery – discuss your preferences with your guide.

After breakfast, travel 5 hours (150km) off-road to Bayanzag. During the scenic drive, there might be a possibility to see wild gazelles as they run along – it’s difficult for vehicles to catch up with them! On the way, you will stop at an ancient sacred site of Khavtsgait, where on top of a rocky hill there are hundreds of ancient stone engravings, called petroglyphs. Some of them are as old as 3000 BC and were painted by hunters while waiting for prey. The site also offers wonderful views over the desert. You will arrive in time for lunch at Bayanzag Flaming Cliffs. It was here that the first dinosaur eggs were discovered by an American explorer Roy Chapman Andrews, and the area remains one of the most famous paleontological dig sites in the world. Stroll for an hour or two among the flaming-red cliffs and explore this unique area where the dinosaurs once roamed. In the evening, weather conditions permitting, enjoy the look at the foothills of the Flaming Cliffs with the spectacular sunset backdrop bringing out the red hues from the rocks.

Today we will drive to the north of the Ongi temple ruins. You will arrive at the Ongii temples in the afternoon – after refreshing at the ger camp take a walk among the ruins and see the reconstructed temples. Ongi is a ruined and partially rebuilt monastery founded in 1760 to commemorate Dalai Lama’s first visit Dalai Lama to Mongolia, It’s available to see the stupa displaying the names of the victims and perhaps meet the local monks.

Today’s drive will take you away from the Gobi plans and into the rolling steppes and pastureland of the Orkhon Valley. On the way have lunch stopping at the Temeen Chuluu burial stones that date from the first millennium BC. In the afternoon you will arrive in Orkhon Valley, which is a UNESCO-listed heritage site and the ancestral nomadic heartland of Mongolians. Arrive at a local yak herder family where you will be staying tonight in an authentic guest ger a just mile from the Orkhon Waterfall. Enter the gers and experience the nomadic hospitality – you will have the opportunity to try your hand at traditional Mongolian cooking, learn how to prepare Buuz (steamed dumplings) or Huushuur (fried meat-filled pastry), and socialize with your hosts over mare’s milk and milk tea in the evening.

Have a home-cooked breakfast, and if you are up for it, saddle up on a horseback excursion to the nearby Orkhon Waterfall. If you would rather walk – it’s fine too. Mongolian horses are small and if you don’t have horseback riding experience your horse will be led by an experienced wrangler. Orkhon waterfall is a scenic cascade on the Ulaan Tsutgalan river, 20m high and 10m wide. After exploring the area return to the family encampment for lunch. In the afternoon get involved in the activities of your family – help with milking yaks and watch the nomads making curds and yoghurts. There will be also time for games and perhaps a cooking lesson, discuss your preferences with your guide.

After an early breakfast, part with your hosts, perhaps exchanging gifts, and off-road drive to reach the ancient Mongol capital of Kharakhorum the ancient capital of Mongolia where Chinggis Khan established his headquarters in 1220. In 1235, his son and successor, Ogodei built a palace enclosed by walls. You will visit the newly built Kharakhorum Museum and Erdenezuu monastery, the largest and first Mongolian Buddhist temple complex built on the remains of 16th-century Kharakhorum city. Take a guided tour of the temples and hear the monks chanting, which takes place in the late morning. After that have lunch at the ger camp, and visit an interesting local museum which showcases the Mongolian past. Then we will visit a local cooperative to attend a workshop for making felt items by hand or an art gallery.

After a leisurely breakfast board the vehicle for the journey back east to Khustai. The drive will take around 3 hours and on arrival visit first the park’s information centre where you will learn about the plethora of wildlife roaming the National Park. Have lunch in the ger camp where you will be staying tonight, located right at the park’s entrance, then venture into the park to see the wild Takhi horses. Your guide will be in contact with the park rangers who will relay the animals’ location, and you have a high chance of seeing them close. You can also venture deeper into the park on foot if you wish, perhaps to track other animals, such as wild deer or foxes – Khustai offers wonderful wilderness hiking opportunities. In the late afternoon return by vehicle to the camp, take a hot shower and enjoy a hearty dinner, before settling into your gers for the night.

After breakfast travel to the remarkable Chinggis Khaan Statue complex. Once you arrive, climb up inside until you reach the exterior staircase which runs up the mane of the horse to a viewpoint overlooking the Tuul River, Terelj & the hills of the Khan Khentii. Then have lunch in the complex's restaurant. After lunch, board the vehicle and drive back to Ulaanbaatar, where you will be dropped off at a location to suit you (we can do multiple drop-offs if required).