Duration: | 5 Day(s) - 4 Night(s) |
Tour Category: | Culture Tours |
Day 1: Travel to Gurvanbulag – Ride a Horse – Ger Stay
After meeting your guide at 09:00 am in your hotel or another Ulaanbaatar location of your choice board the vehicle for a morning and head west to the northern part of Gobi onto Gurvanbulag, where you will be staying at a guest ger alongside a nomadic family. The drive is mostly on a paved road and should take 4 hours (280km). On arrival, Enter the ger and experience the hospitality and traditional nomadic way of life – you can help milk mares or cows, plus try homemade produce such as yogurt and dried curds or make and taste distilled vodka from milk.
In the afternoon you will have a chance to do a few hours of horse riding in the surrounding hills and the dunes nearby. In the evening enjoy a traditional nomadic meal, you can help with cooking if you want. Overnight stay at a guest ger next to a nomadic family. LD
Day 2: Explore Kharakhorum – Visit Erdene Zuu Monastery
After an early breakfast drive to the ancient Mongol capital of Kharakhorum. Upon arrival, enter the Erdene Zuu Monastery, the most important monastery complex in the country, built in 1586 by Avtai Sain Khan. Take a guided tour of the temples and hear the monks chanting, which takes place from 10 a.m. After that have lunch at the ger camp where you will be staying tonight or at a local eatery, and visit an interesting local museum which showcases the Mongolian past. Visit the local felt workshop or Art Gallery. If you are up for it, you can stroll to the Monument of the 3 Kings overlooking the Orkhon River and the fertility stone on the edge of town. Overnight stay in a standard gear at the ger camp. BLD
Day 3: Travel to Khognokhan – Elsen Tasarkhai Dunes – Ride Bactrian Camel
After a home-cooked breakfast, say goodbye to your hosts and drive for 1.5 hours (80km) to Khognokhan Nature Reserve – the site of the Uvgun temple complex. Khognokhan is an area where taiga meets rolling steppes and north Gobi’s dunes. Hike a short distance to the Uvgun temples which were built in the 17th century by Zanabazar who is the high saint and the first Bogdo, but were destroyed in the 1930s during communist purges.
After coming down to the vehicle drive 25km to the Elsen Tasarsand dunes, where you will stay next to a family of camel herders. Settle into your ger and once your camels are ready, mount up for a 1-hour Bactrian ride into the dunes, taking time for photographs from the camelback. In the evening return to your hosts and enjoy a nomadic meal of khorkhog (mutton seared with hot stones) – you can help with cooking if you wish. Overnight stay at a guest ger next to family of camel herders. BLD
Day 4: Wildlife Tracking – Wild Takhi Horses
After a leisurely breakfast board the vehicle for the journey back east to Hustai. The drive will take 3 hours (190km) and on arrival visit first the park’s information center 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 wild deer or foxes – Hustai offers wonderful wilderness hiking opportunities. In the late afternoon return by vehicle to the camp, take a hot shower, and enjoy a hearty dinner. Overnight stay in standard ger at Hustai ger camp. BLD
Day 5: CHINGGIS KHAAN STATUE COMPLEX
After breakfast set off for 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 and visits the horse culture museum in the complex. Then a short drive to the complex restaurant will have lunch. After lunch, return to Ulaanbaatar where you will be dropped at a location to suit you. BL
HIGHLIGHTS
GURVANBULAG - GER STAY - HORSE RIDING - KHOGNOKHAN - KHARAKHORUM - ERDENE ZUU MONASTERY - ELSEN TASARKHAI SAND DUNES - CAMEL RIDING - HUSTAI NATIONAL PARK - WILD TAKHI HORSES - CHINGGIS KHAAN STATUE COMPLEX
FITNESS LEVEL
ACTIVE: THIS TOUR INVOLVES CONSIDERABLE WALKING AND LONG TRAVEL DAYS.
MEETING POINT
GOOD NEWS! YOU CAN GET PICKED UP FROM A HOTEL OR TRAIN STATION, JUST EMAIL US THE DETAILS. DON'T WORRY IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE ADDRESS YET, YOU CAN PASS IT ON TO US LATER.
SERVICES INCLUDED
ACCOMMODATION IN GUEST GERS NEXT TO NOMADIC FAMILIES AND IN HUSTAI GER CAMP - TRANSPORT BY A 4WD JAPANESE VAN - LOCAL GUIDE - ALL MEALS AS LISTED - ALL ENTRANCE FEES - ALL ATTRACTIONS AS LISTED
SERVICES NOT INCLUDED
TRAVEL INSURANCE - VISAS - SNACKS & ALCOHOL - ITEMS OF PERSONAL NATURE