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12 day Classic Mongolia Tour
A journey of a lifetime to Mongolia This journey will take you from the pristine wilderness of the Khentii Mountains to the wide, open spaces of the central steppe. The Baga Khentii Mountain Range, arguably some of the most beautiful peaks in Mongolia, has a landscape of pine and birch forests. In the summer the ground is littered with a proliferation of wild flowers and as the colder months come on the leaves of the trees display a magnificent array of autumn colours. We then journey to one of Mongolia’s largest and most impressive examples of Buddhist architecture, the Erdenzuu Monastery. This is one of the most glorious examples of the revival of the Buddhist religion in Mongolia, where the temples are slowly and lovingly being restored and are once again teaming with chanting monks. The Monastery lies near the town of Karakorum. Although little evidence remains of the great man himself, this was the site from where Genghis Khan launched his army, which eventually created the biggest empire the world has ever known. Also joining this tour you will travel in the footsteps of Roy Chapman Andrews in the Gobi Desert and see the natural beauty of area mountains and valleys among the desert landscape.
Day 1 - Upon arrival in Mongolia’s capital city, Ulaanbaatar, you will be transferred to the Bayangol Hotel. In the afternoon, we will enjoy a leisurely program of sightseeing around the city and a visit to the Natural History Museum and view a variety of fossils from animals and dinosaurs living up to 70 million years ago. Dinner will be at a local restaurant. Overnight accommodations at the Bayangol Hotel. Day 2 - Today we will drive into the Baga Khentii Mountains. The Baga Khentii Mountains are within the bounds of the Gorkhi Terelj National Park. This park is a paradise for nature lovers with an abundance of wild flowers in the spring and summer months. The wildlife is varied and includes musk deer and moose, brown bear, roe and elk. The bird life includes spot whooper swans, spoonbills, great white egrets and numerous raptors. We will drive the short two-hour journey from Ulaanbaatar to the Terelj Valley in the National Park. Here we will have lunch at a local ger camp. In the afternoon will be some easy hike in the hills to explore the interesting rock formations and wild flowers. Dinner overnight at the ger camp. Day 3 - In the morning you will ride a horse to visit Meditation Center on the hill. This is a small Buddist temple building on the hill surrounded by high mountains and beauty of nature. We will provide western saddles for riders. A local horseman will accompany you for riding. Those who don’t want to ride can have a leisure time walking. After lunch at the ger camp we will drive back to Ulaanbaatar for dinner and overnight at Bayangol Hotel. Day 4 - After breakfast this morning we will drive to the west of Ulaanbaatar and across the landscape for which Mongolia is most famous – the endless green steppe, with grazing herds of sheep accompanied by lone horsemen, and white, nomadic gers dotted over the countryside. Our destination is about 6 hours to the west to a place known as Khogno Khan Mountain. Here we will stay overnight in a ger camp. The mountain is a rocky peak in the vast plains, with the ruins of an ancient monastery on its slopes. In the afternoon we will have time to visit a local herdsman’s family to experience Mongolian hospitality and explore their nomadic lifestyle. Return to our camp for dinner and overnight. Day 5 - This morning we will drive to the ancient capital of Mongolia, Karakorum. Very little remains of the place from where Genghis Khan launched his mighty cavalry. What does stand resplendent near the town is the massive walls of the Erdenzuu Monastery. This monastery had to face the onslaught of Soviet desecration during the 19th century but is now being slowly and lovingly restored. We will visit the monastery and head onto the ger camp at the riverbank of Orkhon. Today you can do some art and antique shopping in Karakorum. Meals and overnight at the ger camp. Day 6 - This morning we will drive back to Ulaanbaatar, this will take about 7 hours and we will stop on the way at the Mongol Els sand dunes, which is a long strip of sand stretching all the way from the Gobi Desert into the central regions of Mongolia. Here we have a packed lunch. On arrival you will be taken to Bayangol Hotel. The evening program will be a Folklore show followed by a dinner at a hotel restaurant and overnight at Bayangol hotel. Day 7 - After breakfast we will be taken to the airport for the flight to Dalanzadgad, the center of South Gobi province. The flight takes one and half hour and your guide will accompany you for the flight. On arrival at the local airport our local driver will meet you and take to a ger camp for lunch. In the afternoon you will start your visits in the Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park. Today’s destination is the Flaming Red cliffs at Bayanzag, the place where the American scholar Roy Chapman Andrews did a dinosaur expeditions in 1920s. The dinosaur skeletons found in Mongolia by his expeditions are now kept in the Natural History Museum of America. In the afternoon drive back to the ger camp for dinner and overnight. Day 8 - We will head off in the vehicles to the south-deep into Gobi and make our way to Khongoriin sand dunes, the largest in Mongolia, covering 965km². Meals and overnight is at the ger camp. (180km) Day 9 - Rest day at the sand dunes. We will walk up to the sand hills, visit local family and ride two humped camels along the sand dunes. Meals and overnight is at the previous night ger camp. Day 10 - Today we will set again on our vehicles and drive to Gobi Gurvan Saikhan Mountain to its valley called Eagle Valley. This Valley is nestled deep within the hills and is a haven from the desert heat. Some areas of the valley are continually sheltered from the hot sun and house huge blocks of ice that gradually melt away during the summer. There are wild mountain goats jumping on high cliff walls and big birds of prey circling high in the sky. You will do walking in the valley and have a packed lunch at the site. In the afternoon will drive back to the ger camp. Day 11 - After breakfast in the ger camp you will be taken to the local airport for the flight back to Ulaanbaatar. On arrival in Ulaanbaatar our driver will meet you and tranfer to Bayangol hotel. Lunch at the local restaurant and after lunch will do city tour including National History museum and Fine Art museums. Both museum house impressive displays of Mongolian history and religious art. Dinner at the local restaurant. Day 12 - Transfer to the airport for departure flight.
Tour prices include: All transfers Twin share accommodation at Bayangol hotel while in the city Sightseeing with private bus and an English speaking guide including entrance fees 3 meals a day Accommodation in the traditional Mongolian ger while in countryside Transportation in 4WD Russian jeeps in countryside Horse and horsemen hire as mentioned Camel and camelmen hire as mentioned National Park fees English speaking guide throughout the trip
Tour prices do not include: Alcohol drinks, all items of personal nature, airport taxes and international transportation to and from Mongolia
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