MONGOLIA JOURNEY

Northern Mongolia has more in common environment with Siberia than the rest of Mongolia, with long and cold winters and wildflower-dotted summers. This is the adventure playground of Mongolia, with superb opportunities for horse riding, hiking, mountain biking, kayaking and boating along the glorious shores of Lake Khuvsgul – home to the Tsaatan reindeer herders doing their best to preserve their traditional lifestyle.

Day 1. Ulaanbaatar

Day 2. Terelj National park

Day 3. Ulaanbaatar

Day4. Bogd Khaan National Park

Day 5. Ulaanbaatar

Day 6. Gobi desert/ Yoll Valley

Day 7. Khongor sand dunes

Day 8. Bayanzag/Flamming Cliffs

Day 9. Ruins of Ongi Monastery

Day 10. Ongi/ Kharkhorin

Day 11. Kharkhorin

Day 12. Tsenkher hot spring

Day 13. Tsenkher hot spring

Day 14. Terkhiin tsagaan lake/Khorgo Volcano

Day 15. Terkhiin tsagaan lake

Day 16. Shine Ider

Day 17. Khuvsgul lake.

Day 18. Khuvsgul lake.

Day 19. Hutag Undur/Bulgan

Day 20. Amarbayasgalant monastery

Day 21. Ulaanbaatar

Day 22. Departure.

Day 1. Ulaanbaatar. Arrival in Ulaanbaatar, transfer to hotel and start city tour in Ulaanbaatar, visit Chinggis square, Zaisan Hill; Museum of National History, famous for its exhibition for Stone and Bronze Age, Turkic and Mongol Empire, rise of Buddhism and communist regime. Traditional cultural performance with traditional folk songs, throat singing, beautiful melody of horse-headed fiddle, ethnic dances and arty contortion. Overnight and relax in the hotel.

Day 2. Terelj National park. Drive to the Terelj National Park after breakfast. The park lies at 1600 meters high and offers great opportunities for hiking, horse, camel and yak riding and rafting and rock climbing. The park is over 1.2 million acres large. Explore amazing egg-shaped granite rock formation and beautiful wildlife and Alpine flowers. Overnight at the ger camp.

Day 3. Ulaanbaatar. After breakfast at the camp, drive back to Ulaanbaatar. Free leisure time in the afternoon. Dinner and overnight in the hotel.

Day4. Bogd Khaan National Park. After breakfast at the hotel, drive to Manzushir Monastery. The monastery was built in the 18^th century but was in ruins after the communist purges of 1930s. This monastery was known in Mongolia for its religious services and Tsam mask dancing. The monastery accommodated 350 monks in 20 temples including school of medicine, astrology and Buddhist philosophy. Overnight at the ger camp.

Day 5. Ulaanbaatar. After breakfast at the camp, drive back to Ulaanbaatar. Visit to the Museum of Fine Arts Zanabazar. After dinner drive to the Star Observation center to see the star. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 6. Gobi desert/ Yoll Valley. Breakfast at the hotel. Transport to the airport for the flight to Gobi   Desert. We will drive to the Yoll Valley National Park for trek and opportunity to photography the stunning landscape and wildlife. Camel and horse riding opportunities in the canyon. Dinner and overnight at the camp.

Day 7. Khongor sand dunes. We will drive to the Khongor sand dunes that stretch for 180 kms, sometimes as wide as 7-20km. The dunes lie on the northern part of Sevrei and Zuulun mountains. The sound of sand masses can be heard from the long distance, therefore it is called as “Singing Dunes”. We will have an opportunity to ride two humped Bacterian camel named by locals as Living Dinosaur and visit camel breeder’s family. Overnight at the ger camp.

Day 8. Bayanzag/Flamming Cliffs. After breakfast, we will drive to Bayanzag known as a Flamming Cliffs to the world. Picnic lunch. We will arrive at the ancient red rock creation, Bayanzag formed 60-70 million years ago, famous as Flamming Cliffs named by Roy Andrew Chapman, an American explorer who visited Mongolia in 1920s in the afternoon. The red Bayanzag cliffs have dinosaur fossils, eggs and bones all over the place. We will do trekking and overnight in the ger camp.

Day 9. Ruins of Ongi Monastery Breakfast, we will drive to the direction of the ruins of Ongiin Monastery. We will visit the ruins of monastery and small local ger museum and experience a stunning sunset from the top of a nearby hills. Overnight in the ger camp.

Day 10. Ongi/ Kharkhorin. Breakfast at the camp. We visit the ruins of Ongyn Khiid Monastery. Continue driving to the north to the direction of Karakorum. Arrive in Karakorum in the late afternoon and overnight at a camp.

Day 11. Kharkhorin Today we will have a day excursion in Kharkhorin; an ancient Capital of Great Mongolian Empire and Erdenezuu Monastery. Kharkhorin was established in the valley of Orkhon river in 1220. We will see 800 years old Turtle Rock near the temple. Erdenezuu Monastery is the first Buddhist monastery was founded by Avtai Sain Khaan, in 1586. The monastery is surrounded by white walls with 108 stupas. Explore small town Kharkhorin and visit local market. Drive to Orkhon valley. Overnight at the ger camp.

Day 12. Tsenkher hot spring. After breakfast, we will drive to Tuvkhun monastery. It is situated on a forested rocky mountain, on the border of Uvurhangai and Arhangai provinces.
Enlightened Bogd Gegeen Zanabazar chose the place to build a monastery in 1648, when he was 14 years old. The construction of the monastery started in 1651. He made his famous creations in the monastery. Picnic lunch. Drive to Tsenkher hot spring. Overnight at the ger camp.

Day 13. Tsenkher hot spring. All day enjoy the beautiful scenery, yak ridng or horse session upon request, hot spring water treatment. Overnight at the ger camp

Day 14. Terkhiin tsagaan lake/Khorgo Volcano. We will drive to Terkhiin Tsagaan Lake. On the way, we will pass Tsetserleg town, Chuluut river gorge and Zayan Gegeen Huree – a large old Buddhist monastery remarkable intact and local museum, which contents magnificent treasures, clothes, seals and masks. Arrive in Terkhiin tsagaan lake and overnight at the ger camp.

Day 15. Terkhiin tsagaan lake. Full day exploration around fresh water lake with abundant wildlife. Khorgo Volcano is located on the east shore of Lake Terkhiin Tsagaan (2100 metres). From its summit, which is covered in ovoo, one has splendid view over the whole region and the lake. The latter, a lake about 20 km long, was formed when volcanic lava dammed the Suman River, cutting a large gorge through basalt. We have a good opportunity to ride a horse and trek on the shore. Overnight in the ger camp.

Day 16. Shine Ider. After breakfast, we will drive towards Khuvsgul lake. Local explorations and photo opportunities. Overnight at the ger camp.

Day 17. Khuvsgul lake.   After breakfast we will drive to Khuvsgul lake through the beautiful natural scenery. On the way, we will pass by provincial capital Murun city. Arrive at the lake in the afternoon. Overnight at the ger camp.

Day 18. Khuvsgul lake. Breakfast at the base camp. Full day to explore the breathtaking shores of this beautiful lake. There is an ample opportunity to discover local nomad’s lifestyle. Free hiking and photo session along the shoreline. Dinner and overnight at the ger camp.

Day 19. Hutag Undur/Bulgan. After breakfast, we will drive to the Bulgan province.. We overnight in the ger camp.

Day 20. Amarbayasgalant monastery. After breakfast, we will drive to Amarbayasgalant Monaster. It is a beautiful monastery which was built in 1736 by Zanabazar, the first Bogd Khaan, a religious and cultural leader. The overall design is Chinese despite some Mongolian and Tibetan influence. In the early 1900s, the 8000 monks were practiced Buddhist philosophy, astrology and medicine. In 1937, all high ranked monks and religious leaders and intellectuals were executed and monastery was abandoned for 50 years. Overnight in the ger camp.

Day 21. Ulaanbaatar. After breakfast, we will drive to Ulaanbaatar. Arrive in the city transfer to hotel and relax and overnight.

Day 22. Departure. Breakfast at the hotel. Our Go Wild Mongolia tours ends here by transferring to the airport.