Crossing Mongolia: A Land of Mystic Serene Steppes
Crossing Mongolia: A Land of Mystic Serene Steppes
10 Nights / 11 Days from $ 0 per person
Limited to 15 guests
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INCLUDED:
14 days
Destination: Tuv, Uvurkhangai, Dundgobi and South Gobi
Hot spots: Mini Naadam, Bayangobi, Kharkhorin, Ruins of Ongi Monastery, Khongor sand dunes, Eagle Valley and Flamming Cliffs
Lengths: 10 nights/11 days
Adventure level: Moderate
Total driving km: 2800 km
Vehicle type: drive-fly, (4 wheel driving Japanese jeep)
Itinerary at a Glance
Nation’s Capital - Ulaanbaatar
Bayangobi/Ruins of Uvgun Monastery.
Kharkhorin/Erdenezuu Monastery.
Khustai National Park/Ulaanbaatar city.
Khongoryn Sand dunes.
Bayanzag/Flamming Cliffs.
Yol Valley/Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park.
South Gobi/Ulaanbaatar
Ulaanbaatar city
Departure
Nation’s Capital - Ulaanbaatar
You will be met by a professional Juulchin World Tours team at the “Chinggis Khan” international airport and transfer to the one of the best quality hotels in the downtown of Ulaanbaatar. After resting in your hotel room for few hours, we start our tour around Ulaanbaatar city with visit to Sukhbaatar Square surrounded by the Parliament House, National Opera Theatre, Cultural Palace and House of City Council and National History Museum, famous for its excellent exhibitions beginning with Stone and Bronze Age, Turkic and Mongol Empire, rise of Buddhism and communist regime. Enjoy lunch in a local restaurant. Then we visit Zaisan hill which provides wide open view of Ulaanbaatar city. It is the memorial to Russian soldiers who fought during the World War II. Tour a cashmere factory to learn how the cashmere is processed. Peaceful overnight in the hotel.
Bayangobi/Ruins of Uvgun Monastery.
After early morning breakfast, we start to drive to Bayangobi. It is a unique place with many different forms of natural landscape; combination of a Gobi sand dunes, forests and rocky mountains. Opportunities to hike in the small sand dunes and riding a camel. Lunch in the ger camp. In the afternoon we visit Erdene Khambyn Khuree which is 20 kms drive from the camp. The monastery is located in the majestic looking Khugnu Khaan mountain. Enlightened Bogd Gegeen Zanabazar, a religious leader, philosopher, artist and sculptor was founded these Uvgun and Zaluu temples for his religious teacher. The soldiers of Oirad nobleman Galdan boshigt destroyed the monasteries and assassinated the monks in 1688. We have wonderful opportunities to visit horse breeder’s family and experience making of airag, the Mongolian traditional drink made by mare’s milk. Horse riding opportunities on true Mongolian wooden saddles. Overnight in the ger camp. (Hoyor Zagal camp)
Kharkhorin/Erdenezuu Monastery.
We drive to the Shankh Monastery, the oldest monastery in Mongolia, founded in 1647 by Zanabazar, a revered sculptor, politician, religious teacher, diplomat and living Buddha, who became Mongolia’s first Bogd Khaan. Known as the West Monastery, it was one of the foremost seats of Buddhist teaching and practice in the country for almost three centuries. Shankh Monastery consisted of several schools specialized in Tantric rituals, philosophy and astrology. In 1937, the monastery was closed, its temples burned and monks were executed or sent to labor camps in Siberia. In the afternoon we explore the ancient capital. Tour Erdenezuu monastery and Kharkhorin museum. If time permits, short visit to the local market. Return to camp for overnight. (Hoyor Zagal camp)
Khustai National Park/Ulaanbaatar city.
Early morning breakfast we start our day trip to the Khustai National Park. On the way we explore forest steppe and steppe landscape with cool temperature and many wild birds and flowers. Arrive in the camp and lunch there. The park lies in the foothills of southern Khentii mountain range and it is the place where you can see wild horse called Takhi known as Przewalski horse to the world. The wild horses survive in nature by themselves because they have been reintroduced successfully to their homeland after 40 years of extinction. Currently, the number of Takhi has already reached more than 170. Drive back to UB
Khongoryn Sand dunes.
We catch an early morning flight to Dalazadgad, center of South Gobi province. Then we start drive to the sand dunes. The ride is through amazing desert scenery with plain, stony and sandy landscape; arid land vegetation, countless interesting rock structure and herds of speedy wild antelopes across the land of desert. We will reach the dunes in the afternoon. Afternoon will be full of sand dunes, here we spot marvelous Khongoriin Els Dunes that stretch for an extraordinary 180 kms, sometimes as wide as 7-20km. The dunes lie on the northern part of beautifully formed mountain range Servei and Zuulun. The sound of masses of wind-blown sand can be heard from the long distance. This sound is so melodic so 200m high sand dunes called as “Singing Dunes” or “Sand that sings”. There is an oasis called Khongor river with stunning greenery in the summer. Here we have an opportunity to ride two humped Bacterian camel named by locals “Living Dinosaurs” and “Prince of Gobi” and see camel breeder’s every day life. Overnight at the ger camp. (Gobi Erdene camp)
Bayanzag/Flamming Cliffs.
During the breakfast at a local camp we enjoy a short lecture by a paleontologist. Today is a day to explore the place called Bayanzag known as a Flamming Cliffs to the world. Through the journey we witness the dramatic changes of steppe landscape to the arid desert including camel herds and herding families. Picnic lunch on the soil of Gobi. In the afternoon we arrive in 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. The striking red Bayanzag cliffs have dinosaur fossils, eggs and bones all over the place and neighbored by bushy Saxual tree forests. We do trekking around surrounding areas and overnight in the ger camp. (Gobi Naran lodge)
Yol Valley/Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park.
After breakfast we drive to the majestic Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park where we will enjoy incredible “Yol Valley”. In the afternoon we will explore the valley. The valley is the unusual narrow canyon of a river that flows through the Zuun Saikhan Mountain. The sheer rock walls stand 200m and the canyon has stunning green meadows with thick glacier layer that is deeply set between the walls. During the summer rainfall water runs from the top of the walls forming waterfalls. We can trek along the canyon and may have an opportunity to glimpse rarely found wild sheep Argali, mountain goat Ibex and Yol Lammergeier. Overnight in the ger camp. (Gobi Naran lodge)
South Gobi/Ulaanbaatar
After breakfast we relax and enjoy the Gobi sun shine then transfer to airport to catch our flight to Ulaanbaatar. Arrive in Ulaanbaatar city and drive to Terelj National Park, located in the Khentii Mountain range. This park is the popular getaway destination because of its gigantic granite rock formations, a famous “Crawling Turtle Rock”, alpine forests and flower scenery. After lunch enjoy Mini Naadam festival which includes Mongolian traditional wrestling, horse racing, archery and cultural performances. Overnight at Alungoo lodge.
Ulaanbaatar city
Drive back to Ulaanbaatar city. En route visit Chinggis Khaan monument. Free afternoon for last minute shopping. Before dinner, we will witness fascinating performance of traditional folk songs, throat singing, and beautiful melody of horse-headed fiddle, ethnic dances and arty contortion.
Departure
Our crossing adventure in Mongolia is now complete and we end up our adventurous journeys by transferring to the “Chinggis Khaan” International Airport with professional Juulchin World Tours Team.
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