Absolute Mongolia Expedition

The highest mountain range in Mongolia is the Altai Mountains, which stretch across the western and the southwestern regions of the country on a northwest-to-southeast axis. The Khangai Mountains, mountains also trending northwest to southeast, occupy much of central and north-central Mongolia. These are older, lower, and more eroded mountains, with many forests and alpine pastures. Western Mongolia has some of Asia’s most beautiful and unspoiled wilderness, where the snow-capped Altai Mountains tower above remote forests, lakes, and rivers. The wildlife such as endangered snow leopards and antelope, this region has the most impressive of Mongolia’s mountain scenery, and is a prime destination for adventurous climbers and hikers.

Day 1. Ulaanbaatar

Day 2. Middle Gobi

Day 3. Kharkhorin

Day 4. Tsenkher hot spring

Day 5. Khorgo Volcano

Day 6. Shine Ider

Day 7. Murun

Day 8. Khuvsgul Lake

Day 9. Tes River

Day 10. Telmen Lake

Day 11. Otgontenger Mountain

Day 12. Gobi Altai

Day 13. Sharga Gobi

Day 14. Tsetseg Lake

Day 15. Durgun Lake

Day 16. Khovd city

Day 17. Ulaanbaatar

Day 18. Ulaanbaatar

Day 19. Departures

Day 1. Ulaanbaatar. Arrival in Ulaanbaatar, transfer to hotel and start city tour in Ulaanbaatar, the nation’s capital, 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, Gandan Monastery a centre of Mongolian Buddhism. This monastery is the largest and most important monastery of Mongolia with 500 monks. Overnight and relax in the hotel.

Day 2. Middle Gobi. In the morning, we will drive to Middle Gobi. Picnic lunch on the way. We will drive to the Baga Gazriin Chuluu, a granite rock formation which is 1750m high. This formation contains ruins of Buddhist meditation temple dated back in the 17^th century. We will drive to the Sum Huh Burd, a small island with ruins of ancient temple. Overnight in the ger camp.

Day 3. Kharkhorin. After breakfast, we will drive to Kharkhorin. On the way, we will visit the inscription rock of Prince Tsogt. A well-known poet from the 17^th century, he carved 30 lines of poems on the rock in 1626. This rock is named as “Duut” because the rock tinkles as one hits it. The inscription has been well preserved. We will arrive in Kharkhorin and overnight in the ger camp.  

Day 4. Tsenkher hot spring. We will visit Erdenezuu Monastery, the first Buddhist monastery was founded by Avtai Sain Khaan, on the ruins of Kharkhorin in 1586. The monastery is surrounded by white walls with 108 stupas. We will drive to the Tsenkher hot spring, a sulphur spring that emerges from the ground at 85 Celsius degree. The facility includes outdoor and indoor baths, showers and accommodations. Overnight in the ger camp.

Day 5. Khorgo Volcano. We will drive via Tsetserleg, a provincial capital of Arkhangai province. We will drive through the “Hundred Tree” a sacred tree and the Chuluut River Gorge. We will arrive in Khorgo Volcano in the late afternoon. Khorgo Volcano is located on the east shore of Lake Terkhiin Tsagaan (2100 metres). Overnight in the ger camp near the lake.

Day 6. Shine Ider. After breakfast we will drive to the Khuvsgul lake. We will see high mountain range and alpine landscape. We will overnight in the tent camp.

Day 7. Murun. We will drive to a provincial capital of Khuvsgul via Uishigiin Uvur Valley with many deer stones and rock carvings. Over 550 deer stones have been identified in Mongolia often in association with stone burial mounds called khirgisuur. These stone features have generally been dated to the late Bronze to early Iron Age, approximately 3000 years ago. Overnight in the tent camp.

Day 8. Khuvsgul Lake. We will drive to Khuvsgul lake, the second largest freshwater lake in the Central Asia with depth of 262m. This lake is fed by ninety six rivers and streams but only Egiin River flows out from the lake, joining the Selenge River on the way to its sister Lake Baikal. Overnight in the ger camp near the lake.

Day 9. Tes River. After breakfast, we will drive to Tes river. We will have an opportunity to see wildlife, many birds and floras. We will drive to the Tes River and overnight on the bank of river. This region is famous for race horses and horse trainers.

Day 10. Telmen Lake. We will drive to the the Telmen lake via Uliastai, a provincial capiltal of Zavkhan province. It was founded by Manchu in 1733 and served as a base for Manchu soldiers. Telmen lake is a scenic salty lake which hosts abundant birdlife. The lake lies near the boundary between the forest steppe and steppe ecosystems; surrounded by sand dunes and mountains. Overnight in the tent.

Day 11. Otgontenger Mountain. We will drive to the Otgontenger mountain (4043m). This sacred mountain is located a 100km east of Uliastai. Above the tree line, tundra, alpine-sedge meadows and highland swamps present high mountain landscape. The mountain has a glacial lake called Badar Khundaga. We will overnight in a tent camp near the mountain.

Day 12. Gobi Altai. We will drive to the Gobi Altai province. Gobi-Altai province is located in the western part of the country. This is an area where Gobi steppes join the Altai mountain range for this reason the province is called Gobi Altai. We will drive by a provincial capital Altai, which is located on the dry plain landscape. Overnight in the tent camp on the steppe.

Day 13. Sharga Gobi. We will drive to the Sharga Gobi – one of the 33 Gobi of Mongolia. The Shargiin Gobi is a part of natural reserve which was created in 1994 in order to preserve the habitat of the Mongolian endangered subspecies of the Saiga Antelope. We will have a chance to see the endangered species. Overnight in the tent.

Day 14. Tsetseg Lake. We will drive to Khovd province via Tonkhil village which is located in the western corner of the Gobi Altai. We will drive to Tsetseg Lake in the afternoon. Overnight in the tent near the lake.

Day 15. Durgun Lake. We will drive to the Durgun Lake, which accommodates many species of water birds and waders. We will see unique combination of mountain, lake and sand dunes around the lake. Overnight in the tent.

Day 16. Khovd city. We will drive to the Khovd city. On the way, we will see the Khar Us Lake which lies at an altitude of 1157m, with a length of 72km and width of 27 km. This is a fresh water lake and has a low mineral content. We overnight in the tent.

Day 17. Ulaanbaatar. After breakfast, we will drive to Khovd city to transfer to the airport to fly to Ulaanbaatar. Arrive in Ulaanbaatar in the late afternoon and relax at the hotel.

Day 18. Ulaanbaatar. In the morning, we will visit the Bogd Khaan Palace Museum, known as Summer Green Palace. The palace was built in 1903 dedicated to the 8^th Bogd Gegeen, the last religious and political of Mongolia. The museum has fine collection of bronze castings, silk paintings, paper icons, mineral paintings, Buddhist deities made by Zanabazar. We will visit the Central Market to see local goods. We will watch a performance of traditional folk songs, throat singing, beautiful melody of horse-headed fiddle, ethnic dances and arty contortion. Farewell dinner and overnight in the hotel.

Day 19. Departures. Our Absolute Mongolia Expedition ends here by transferring to the airport.