Tour Description

Mongolia’s Gobi Desert Highlights 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, and 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 the Ulaanbaatar city 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 till 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 YOLYN AM, A JEWEL IN THE GOBI

Today we will fly off to Dalanzadgad, a provincial town of southern Mongolia to start the Mongolian Gobi tour. 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.

• Transfer: Transfer to the airport from the hotel to catch a domestic flight to the gobi desert
• Meal(s): Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner 
• Accommodation: You will stay in a classic Mongolian eco-friendly ger camp with alow-pressure shower and western toilet.

DAY 3:

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 ride 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, but have photo breaks 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 4:

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 centuries, 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 5:

DRIVE TO TERELJ NATIONAL PARK

Today’s morning, we will drive a long journey to Terelj National Park near Ulaanbaatar city. Terelj National Park. After you settle in your ger, we will begin our journey in the National Park. The area protected as National Park since 1998 in order to conserve some rare species of both plants and animals. Mountains in the national park are averagely elevated at 2200 m above sea level and contain granite stones formed into distinctive shapes as a consequence of weathering. In course of the tour, we will visit Genghis Khan Grand statue; the biggest equestrian statue in the world, and Aryapala, a meditation temple with stunning surroundings, and shortstop for a photo next to the Turtle rock; a unique shaped granite stone

• Travel time: Approximately 350 km on paved road, today we will do a long journey, averagely 7-8 hours of driving
• Meal(s): Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner
• Accommodation: We will stay in Terelj Star resort with good facilities: western toiled and good shower.

DAY 6:

DRIVE BACK TO ULAANBAATAR CITY

After breakfast at the ger camp, we will head back to Ulaanbaatar city. Upon arrival in the capital city, you have some time for shopping including the world’s number one cashmere store and more.

• Travel time: 80 km on the asphaltic road. Approx 2-3 hours of driving.
• 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 7:

DEPARTURE

Today is the end of the Mongolian Naadam Festival & Gobi Desert Short 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 Expedics Travel Mongolia.

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

Tour Ratings