Discover Mongolia: Nomadic Wonders and Endless Horizons

Explore one of the last remaining countries, spread out over huge areas of unspoiled nature. Vultures, antilopes, foxes and wolves still live here undisturbed in the wild. Here and there you will find a few nomad families at their temporary ger camp and you will even visit these families several times, allowing you to get acquinted with their simple way of living and customs. The Gobi and Green Route will take you to breathtaking mountain ranges, rivers and lakes, through the enormously vast steppes and grass lands of north-west Mongolia and will give you the unique opportunity to explore the famous Mongolian Gobi Desert.

Highlights:
♦ Ulan Bator - experience the fast growing Mongolian capital with the great monument of Ghingis Khan;
♦ a trip through the Gobi Desert with visits to the nomads;
♦ a visit to the remains of the amazing ancient capital Karakorum

Itinerary:

Day 1. Ulan Bator
Arrival in Ulan Bator. Transfer to a hotel for accommodation. City tour, dinner and folklore show in the evening. Overnight.

Day 2. Ulan Bator - Gobi Desert
After breakfast the Gobi Desert trip starts. You will have a transfer to Ikh Gazaryn Chuluu, where you will stay overnight in ger (yurt) camp.

Day 3. Gazaryn Chuluu - Dalanzadgad
After breakfast transfer to Dalanzadgad the capital of Ömnögov. The town has a small museum with some remains of dinosaurs which were found in the Gobi Desert. Stay with a nomad family in the region of Eagles valley.

Day 4. Eagles's Valley
You will be taken on a daytrip to the most interesting sight of the area - the Eagle's Valley with its wild goats, a glacier (in the middle of the desert!!) and various birds. Transfer back to the nomad family place for overnight.

Day 5. Eagle's Valley - Tsagaan Ovoo
Transfer to Tsagaan Ovoo. Visit of Ongii Khiid monastery. Overnight in ger camp close to the monastery.

Day 6. Ongii Khiid - Kharkorin
The trip continues towards the ancient capital Karakorum (now Kharkhorin). Overnight stay in a ger camp.

Day 7. Erdene Zuu - Tsenker Hot Springs
Today we will visit the fantastic monastery of Erdene Zuu (“One hundred treasures”). The monastery was the first Buddhistic monastery in Mongolia. During the Stalinistic period, the temple was heavily damaged and all religious rituals were forbidden. Subsequently we will drive to Tsenkher hot springs. You will stay in ger camp close to the springs.

Day 8. Tsenker Hot Springs - Khorgo Vulcano
Departure to the Khorgo volcano in Khorgo-Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur National Park. Top top of the volcano is 2.965 meter high. Overnight stay in with a nomad family.

Day 9. Khorgo Vulcano - Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur
We are going on a day trip to the dead volcano and lake Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur. In this lake (also called the White lake) you can do some swimming and fishing. Overnight stay with the nomad family.

Day 10. Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur - lake Ogii
We head back to civilization and the capital Ulan Bator. Overnight near the lake Ogii.

Day 11. Lake Ogii - Ulan Bator
Drive to Ulan Bator and accommodation in a hotel.

Day 12: Departure.

Good to know: The Mongolian roads are rather primitive – many places it is just car tracks. Driving can be strenuous and it takes hours. ►THE CAMPS Gers or yurts are made of canvas and felt as bricks and wood obviously are scarce in the nomad living areas. A ger can be built up in 3 or 4 hours (depending on its size) and usually they are more comfortable then they might look on first sight, although they don't have electricity or water (apart from the ones in urban areas). Gercamps often have a bath house and a toilet, serving the whole camp. Gers are usually equipped with a wood or dung fuelled stove, that is used for both cooking and heating. The internal setup of the ger is universal in whole Mongolia by tradition. From the viewpoint of the entrance (which always faces the south) the men's area is on the left, the women's area on the right, the visitor's area on the left-backward side and old people's area on the far side. The stove is located in the middle, as it has a pipe through the ger's roof. Nomadic people who live in gers are very welcoming people, although for a foreigner it will be hard to communicate with them, especially as nomads have many rituals and are very supersticious people; ►we recommend that you bring stomach disease pills.

How to get there: Please, contact us if you would like us to help you find suitable flights at the best price. When helping you to find flights we always try to find the best price for you according to the departure and arrival times. Prices vary depending on the airline and current availability. However, remember that the cheap airfares are often difficult or impossible to reschedule or cancel. Payment of the ticket is with your own credit card directly to the airline or travel agent airline, which also sends out confirmation of booking. A service charge (non-refundable) will be added if you want us to help you find the appropriate plane ticket.

Price Includes:
all transportation and entrance fees as per program
2 nights with breakfast in a standart hotel in Ulan Bator
9 nights in a ger and full board with mineral water during the roundtrip in Mongolia
English speaking local guide throughout the trip
tour leader from the agency (at min. 10 people)
transfers airport – hotel – airport.

Not Included:
flight tickets to/from Ulan Bator
visa
food and drinks not mentioned in the program
tips and personal expenses

Additional Services:
Supplement for smaller group: on request

Vacation Extensions:
The Ultimate Steppe Riding Tour (Mongolia)

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