Mongolia Trip: Gobi & Terelj National Park Trip 2024
The Mongolian Gobi has a unique landscape; rolling dunes, endless prairie, clear blue skies and the nomadic Mongols who have been living in this area for centuries in great combination with nature keeping their centuries-old nomadic traditions. This 8-day journey takes you deep into the heart of the Gobi desert’s real wilderness. In the course of this journey, travellers will ride Mongolian horses through stunning Yolin Am valley, climb up to Khongor dunes for Gobi’s panorama, walk through Bayan Zag[Faming Cliffs] canyons for photography the place where world-first dinosaur eggs and some other remainings have found. The highlight of this tour is the nomadic family visit. We will visit one of the local nomadic herders’ families in the gobi to experience their traditional way of life. We will spend a day with a nomadic family and will do everything they do in their daily life in the summer.
Itinerary
When you arrive in Ulaanbaatar city, our driver and tour guide will meet you at the airport and drive out to Terelj National Park. The national park is about 80km away from Ulaanbaatar city. On the way to the Terelj NP, you will visit Tsonjinboldog – massive equestrian statue complex of Chinggis Khaan. The statue complex is 40m tall and visitors can walk up on 3rd floor for aerial view, and visit a small museum on its basement floor. Available to take photos in Mongolian traditional rope – deel and also with a hunter eagle near the statue complex. After that, we drive to Terelj National park: we visit Aryapala meditation temple, Melkhii Khad (turtle shaped rock).
- Transfer from the airport to Terelj NP via Ulaanbaatar: approximately 80 km on asphaltic road.
- Meal(s): Lunch + Dinner
- Accommodation:Stay in a traditional superior tourist camp. The accommodation is triple-based..
After breakfast at the ger camp, we head out south to the Mongolian Gobi. Today we visit Tsagaan Suvarga. Once was an ancient sea bed, different minerals give 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 nomadic family’s ger camp near the Tsagaan Suvarga Cliffs.
- Travel:
- 260 km on the asphaltic road and 60-70km on dirt road. Approximately 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 nomadic family offers 3-4 extra “gers” to guests. You will share a ger with 2 to 3 guests. Asian style outside long-drop toilet. No shower is available today.
Today we visit to Dalanzadgad, a provincial town in southern region of Mongolia. Upon arrival in Dalanzadgad, we 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 trek along the canyon for about 2hours, and you may get a glimpse of rarely seen Argali – a mountain sheep, Ibex – wild goat and Lammergeier. After exploring Yoyn Am, we drive north to get to our ger camp where we overnight.
- 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.
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 classic Mongolian eco-friendly ger camp with a low-pressure shower and western toilet. Accommodation is twin based.
On this day, we expand our Gobi adventurenture to Bayanzag, the place is world-renowned for its paleontological remains. Here we explore he clay hills and saxaul forest, and you can walk around where dinosaurs once roamed. the Flaming Cliffs, a classic desert of rock, red sands, scrub, and unbelievable emptiness that has became 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. Overnight in a ger camp near the clay cliffs.
- 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.
Today we head to Kharkhorin town today, where was the former capital for the world’s largest contiguous empire for over 40 years. In Kharkhorin, we visit a museum – has many exhibitions which show the history of the most powerful and consummate empire throughout the world. 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 the mould deities of gold and silver, thankas, split paintings and manuscripts. In the evening before sunset, you have time to wander on the bank of the Orkhon River. Overnight in a ger camp.
- Travel time: 260 km on dirt road. Approximately 6 hours of driving, but have photo breaks en route to Kharkhorin.
- Meal(s): Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner
- Accommodation:You will stay in a traditional ger camp on the historical Orkhon River’s shore. The Ger camp has flush toilet & shower.
After breakfast at the ger camp, we will drive back to Ulaanbaatar. We will arrive in Ulaanbaatar 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. Overnight in a hotel.
- Travel time: From Amarbaysgalant monastery to Ulaanbaatar, 360 km on asphaltic road. Approximately 6-7 hours of driving.
- Meal(s): Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner
- Accommodation: You will stay in a centrally located 4-star hotel – Khuvsgul Lake hotel or similar.
Today is the end of the “Mongolian Gobi” small-group trip. We will transfer you to the airport in time for your international flight. Have a nice trip back to your home and thank you for choosing Way To Nomads.
- Transfer to the airport from the hotel by vehicle.
- 8 Guests: $1150 US per person.
- Accommodation: 1 night in centrally-located good-facility hotel in Ulaanbaatar, 6 nights in superior ger camps, 1 night in a nomadic-family-owned small ger camp.
- Guiding and interpreting service
- Full board meals as mentioned in the itinerary
- Transportation: Travel van – Toyota Hiace
- Entrance fees to protected areas and national parks mentioned in the itinerary
- Museums and cultural performance tickets mentioned in the itinerary
- Horse riding in Yolyn am
- Camel riding in Khongor dunes
- Nomadic family visit
- International airfare(s) to/from Ulaanbaatar
- Personal equipment
- Optional activity cost
- Excess baggage charges
- Alcoholic drinks
- Travel insurance
- Tourist visa fee
Pictures from this tour
Wild horses at Khustai National Park
A solo traveller seeing the vast steppe from Tsagaan Suvarga
Autumn view of Naiman Lakes in central Monglia
Our guests riding Mongolian camels in khongor sand dunes
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