Tour Description

Explore Mongolian Gobi Tour 2022

The Mongolian Gobi is one of the top travel destinations throughout the world with its unique vast beautiful landscape, and the last surviving nomadic culture within the home for many endangered animals including the Gobi bear Mazaalai, snow leopard, mountain sheep, ibex, and Mongolian Khulan – The Mongolian wild ass (Equus hemionus hemionus). Once there, you can ride a two-humped camel, explore dinosaur boneyards, climb up to sand dunes, and acquaint the unique nomadic life.

Tour Itinerary

DAY 1:

ARRIVAL IN ULAANBAATAR CITY

Upon arrival in Ulaanbaatar city, our driver and English-speaking guide will pick you up from the airport and be transferred to your hotel in downtown. After you settled in, we will start a sightseeing tour including a visit to Sukhbaatar’s square. The Square is in the centre of Ulaanbaatar, in front of the Mongolian Parliament House. Across from the central square, we will visit the National Museum of Mongolia, the biggest museum with over 54000 exhibitions from the prehistoric period to the 21st century. Our next stop will be Zaisan Hill Memorial. This hill provides a panoramic view of Ulaanbaatar. In the afternoon, will enjoy the Deeltei Mongol Naadam, the traditional costume parade. You will see all different types of ethnic clothes and see every local in their traditional costumes.

• Transfer to Hotel from Ulaanbaatar New International Airport, about 35 km, and Ulaanbaatar City tour
• Meal(s): Lunch + Dinner 
• Accommodation: You will stay in a centrally located 4-star hotel – Khuvsgul Lake hotel or similar. The accommodation is twin-based. But if you prefer to stay alone just tell us before the tour, we will provide you with no extra single-supplement charge. Also, if you prefer a different type of accommodation, we have more options from a 5-star hotel to a home-stay.

DAY 2:

TRAVEL TO TSAGAAN SUVARGA CLIFFS- WHITE STUPA IN MONGOLIAN GOBI DESERT

After breakfast at the hotel, our team will pick you up and begin our journey to the Mongolian Gobi. Today we will visit Tsagaan Suvarga. En route to the Tsagaan Suvarga, we will drive through Baga Gazryn Chuluu, a granite stone formation with an ancient stone temple and a cave and will continue our journey to the Tsagaan Suvarga. Once was an ancient sea, different minerals giving rise to different colours form the face of the cliffs. Enjoy hiking through the colourful natural cliffs. The Gobi sunset offers you an opportunity to shoot incredible photos and take an advantage of the moment. Overnight in a ger camp near the Tsagaan Suvarga Cliffs.

• Travel: 200 km on the asphaltic road and 30-40 km on a dirt road. Approximately 5-6 hours of driving.
• Meal(s): Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner 
• Accommodation: Stay in a local nomadic camel breeder family, one of our long term cooperative families The family offers 3-4 extra “gers” to guests. You will share a ger with 2 guests. Asian style outside long-drop toilet. An option for a (brilliantly engineered) cold shower.

DAY 3:

TRAVEL TO YOLYN AM, A JEWEL IN THE GOBI

Today we will head to Dalanzadgad, a provincial town in southern Mongolia. Upon arrival in Dalanzadgad, we will explore ‘Yolyn Am Valley’, a jewel in the middle of the Gobi. The valley has a narrow canyon with a stream that flows through the Zuun Saikhan Mountain. The sheer rock walls stand 200 m, and the canyon has stunning green meadows with a thick glacier layer that is deeply set between the walls. Then we will trek along the canyon, and you may get a glimpse of rarely seen Argali – a mountain sheep, Ibex – wild goat and Lammergeier. After visiting the Yolyn Am, we go to Bayanza – the Flaming Cliffs, a classic desert of rock, red sands, scrub, and unbelievable emptiness that has become known to the world as the “Cemetery of Dinosaurs”. The red sandstone cliffs and canyons of Bayanzag are where the American palaeontologist Roy Chapman Andrews first discovered fossil beds of dinosaur bones and first-ever recorded dinosaur eggs in 1922 – discoveries that made world headlines.

• Travel time: 210 km on the asphaltic road and 60 km on a dirt road. Approximately 5-6 hours of driving. Short photo stops and tea breaks are available en route to the Yolyn Am Valley
• Meal(s): Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner 
• Accommodation: You will stay in a classic Mongolian eco-friendly ger camp with a low-pressure shower and western toilet.

DAY 4:

EXPLORE KHONGORYN ELS – SINGING DUNES

This morning, we will have breakfast at the ger camp, and continue our Gobi journey to Khongor sand dunes. En route to the sand dunes, you will enjoy the stunning backdrop as you drive around 5 hours west, towards the vast Gobi landscape. Witness the remarkable desert landscape and explore the sand dunes both by 4WD and on foot. We will visit a camel breeder family and familiarize ourselves with their nomadic lifestyle. Once we visit, we will do a camel trekking through the Khongoryn Els dunes and Khorngyn River. There will always be time for climbing and exploring the dunes – best at sunrise or sunset.

• Travel time: Approx 160 km on a dirt road. Approximately 5-6 hours of driving, Short photo stops and tea breaks are available en route to Khongoryn Els. 
• Meal(s): Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner 
• Accommodation: You will stay in a traditional camel breeder nomadic family, our long term cooperative family The family offers 3-4 extra “gers” to guests. You will share a ger with 2 guests. Asian style outside long-drop toilet. An option for a (brilliantly engineered) cold shower.

DAY 5:

KHONGOR SAND DUNES TO BAYANZAG, THE FLAMING CLIFFS

On this day, we will expand our Gobi Discovery tour to Bayanzag, the place is world-renowned for its paleontological remains. Here we will explore the clay hills and saxaul forest, and you can walk around where dinosaurs once roamed. Overnight in a ger camp near the clay cliffs.

• Travel time: 190 km on a dirt road. Approximately 5-6 hours of driving. An average pace of 40-60 km/hour, depending on weather and road conditions. 
• Meal(s): Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner 
• Accommodation: We will stay in tents. We provide a kitchen tent, a toilet tent and VANGO tents.  There are no single supplements – each traveller gets their OWN tent.  Don’t worry about the lack of showers – we provide heated water for washes en route.

DAY 6:

VISIT ONGY MONASTERY RUIN

Depart to Ongy monastery ruin, a journey of approximately 5 hours driving. Upon arrival, you will explore the ruin of the Buddhist monastery, which once was a bustling pilgrimage area for Buddhists in the 18-19th century, before it was affected by anti-religious purges. En route to the Ongy Monastery, we will stopover at Bayan Zag – the “flaming cliffs” for a photo stop or a coffee break.  After we arrive at Ongy Monastery, you will walk around 30 minutes up a dirt path to the ruins. Also, it is possible for sightseeing excursions between hills, and on the shore of the Ongy river, the main source of drinking water for the Gobi people.

• Travel time: 200 km on a dirt road. Approximately 5-6 hours of driving. An average pace of 40-60 km/hour, depending on weather and road conditions. 
• Meal(s): Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner 
• Accommodation: We will stay in a ger camp with good facilities including a western toilet, shower and body massage.

DAY 7:

VISIT KHARKHORIN CITY

Today we visit Kharkhorin. The city had existed as a capital for the world’s largest contiguous empire for over 40 years. In Kharkhorin city, we will visit a museum, that has many exhibitions which show the history of Mongolian nomadic life from hunter gatherers’ period till the most powerful and consummate empire throughout the world in the 13th century. After the museum, we visit Erdenezuu monastery, the biggest Buddhist Monastery Museum in Mongolia. Which has many expensive and precious Buddhist artworks from the 17th century including mould deities of gold and silver, thankas, split paintings and manuscripts. Overnight in a ger camp.

• Travel time: 130 km on a dirt road. Approximately 5-6 hours of driving. An average pace of 40-60 km/hour, depending on weather and road conditions. 
• Meal(s): Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner 
• Accommodation: You will stay in a traditional ger camp on the Orkhon River’s shore. The Ger camp has a western toilet & shower.

DAY 8:

DRIVE TO KHUSTAI NATIONAL PARK

We will pack up and continue our journey to Khustain Nuruu National Park. The national park is famous for its unique inhabitants such as the world’s last species of truly wild horses named ‘Przewalski’s horse’, Asiatic red deer, wild mountain sheep ‘Argali’, ibex, and lynx. Once we arrive at the Khustain Nuruu National Park, we will explore the national park and observe the wildlife, and you have a chance to see the last species of wild horses in nature. Overnight in a ger camp in the national park.

• Travel time: 300 km on the asphaltic road. Approximately 6-7 hours of driving. An average pace of 50-80 km/hour, depending on weather and road conditions. 
• Meal(s): Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner
• Accommodation: We will sleep in a ger camp. (2 guests in a twin room). Shower, and western toilet.

DAY 9:

A LEISURE DAY IN ULAANBAATAR

In the morning, we will have breakfast at the camp and drive back to Ulaanbaatar city. En route to the capital city, we will behold the Mongolian pristine steppe landscape. We will arrive in Ulaanbaatar city in the afternoon, and you have time for visiting the world’s number one cashmere store and Mongolian souvenir shops or relax in your hotel until dinner. In the evening, our farewell dinner will take place in a restaurant. Overnight in a hotel.

• Travel time: 80 km on the asphaltic road. An average pace of 50-80 km/hour, depending on the weather and road conditions.
• Meal(s): Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner 
• Accommodation: You will stay in a centrally located 4-star hotel – Khuvsgul Lake hotel or similar. The accommodation is twin-based. But if you prefer to stay alone just tell us before the tour, we will provide you with no extra single-supplement charge. Also, if you prefer a different type of accommodation, we have more options from a 5-star hotel to a home-stay.

DAY 10:

DEPARTURE

Today is the end of the Mongolian Gobi Exploration tour. Our team will transfer you to the airport in time for your international flight. Have a nice trip back home and thank you for choosing Way To Nomads.

• Meal(s): Breakfast
• Transport: Transfer to the airport from the hotel by vehicle.