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 the Gandan Monastery. The monastery is the largest and most significant Buddhist monastery in Ulaanbaatar city with over 200 years old. If time permits, we will visit Zaisan Hill memorial, the hill provides a panoramic view of Ulaanbaatar. Overnight in a hotel.

• 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.

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.

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.

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.

On this day, we will expand our Mongolian adventure 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: 160 km on a dirt road. Approximately 5 hours of driving. An average pace of 60 km/hour, depending on weather and road conditions. 
• 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.

Our team will head to Kharkhorin city. The city had existed as a capital for the world’s largest contiguous empire through over 40 years. In Kharkhorin city, we will visit a museum, has many exhibitions which show the history of Mongolian nomadic life from hunter gatherers’ period till most powerful and consummate empire throughout the world. After the museum, we will 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. 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 Orkhon River’s shore. The Ger camp has a western toilet & shower. 

This morning, we will have breakfast at the ger camp, and continue our journey to Tsenkher hot spring. The host spring is the 2nd hottest spring in Mongolia, elevated at 1860 m above sea level. Water from this geological spectacle emerges to the ground at 87°C with a flow rate of 101/sec. The composition of sodium carbonate, hydro-carbonate, sulphur and other chemical ingredients have healing properties for some ailments. Facilities include outdoor pools (separately for men and women), showers, and both cosy gers and houses. In the afternoon, we will drive to a village for visit to Zayan Gegeen Monastery, founded in the 17th century, housed over 1000 monks before its closing in the 1930s. Overnight in a ger camp.

• Travel time: From Kharkhorin to the hot spring, approximately 120 km on the asphaltic road and 40 km on a dirt road.
• Meal(s): Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner
• Accommodation:: We will stay in a hot spring-based Khan Khujirt Resort. (2 guests in a twin room or in a ger). Shower, and western toilet.

On this day we will drive to Terkhiin Tsagaan Lake also called “White Lake, which is elevated at 2,060 m above sea level, and surrounded by an extinct volcano named Khorgo, which contains spectacular combinations of ebony forest-covered mountain scenery and rocky formations formed by volcanic eruptions. The Terkhiin Tsagaan Lake is registered in Ramsar’s Convention because many rare species of birds including whooper swan, shelduck, common heron, great white egret, and bar-headed goose gather here. Once we arrive in Khorgo – Terkh National Park, we will climb up to the extinct volcano, and saunter on the shore of the lake for bird watching. Overnight in a ger camp.

• Travel time: From the hot springs to the Terkhin Tsagaan Lake approximately 190 km on the asphaltic road and 30-40 km on a dirt road.
• Meal(s): Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner
• Accommodation: We will stay in a community-based eco ger camp on the lakeshore. 2 guests will stay in one ger.

After breakfast, we will pack up and head for an off-road journey to the village Shine-Ider in Khuvsgul province. At the end of approximately 5 hours of driving, we will reach a nomadic family. When we are in a nomadic family, you have an opportunity to learn about their lifestyle including how they milk cows, how they take care of their herds in the vast pasture land, and also you will get a chance to try what nomadic people do in daily life. Overnight in a ger with a nomadic family.

• Travel time: From the lake to the nomadic family approximately 160 km on a dirt road. An average pace of 40-60 km/hour, depending on weather and road conditions. 
• Meal(s): Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner
• Accommodation: Today we will be invited by our community-based tour programme member, our long term cooperative family. The host family offers 3 extra “gers”, our group will share a ger with 2-4 other members of the group. Mongolian traditional “ger” – a round-shaped felt dwelling with no separate rooms, and no shower, no water from the wall, and no western toilet. Asian style outside long-drop toilet.

After having breakfast, we drive to a nomadic family near Tsagaan Nuur soum, the northernmost soum of Mongolia. En route to the nomadic family, you will enjoy the stunning backdrop as drive around 4-5 hours north, towards the breathtaking alpine-like scene. Once we reach the home of the nomadic family, you have an opportunity to learn about their lifestyle including how they milk cows, how they take care of their herds in the vast pasture land, and also you will get a chance to try what nomadic people do in their daily life. Overnight in a ger with a nomadic family.

• Travel time: From the valley to the nomadic family, approximately 5-6 hours on a dirt road. In a rural area, the road condition is not good and bumpy. The average pace will be 40-60 km/hour, depending on the road and weather conditions due to safety reasons.
• Meal(s): Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner
• Accommodation: Mongolian traditional “ger” – a round-shaped felt dwelling with no separate rooms, no shower, no water from the wall, and no western toilet. We will spend the night in the same ger with the nomadic family.

Today we will have breakfast with a nomadic family, then load our luggage on a horseback, and head to the Taiga forest by horseback riding, which is the only way to reach Taiga. After approximately 6 hours of horseback riding, we will reach the Taiga forest, and meet the Reindeer herders’ family. En route to the Taiga, we will cross rivers, muddy mountains, and dense forest covered steep mountains. Once we reach there, we will meet one of the reindeer herders’ families and shamans and learn about their life in the Taiga region. Overnight in a teepee in the Northern Mongolian Taiga.

• Travel time: From the nomadic family to the Taiga forest, approximately 5-6 hours by a horseback ride through beautiful Boreal forests and mountain steppe.
• Meal(s): Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner
• Accommodation: Reindeer herders’ teepee – we call it “ortz” or “urts”. We will spend 2 nights being hosted by the Reindeer herder(Tsaatan people) family. Our accommodation will be basic as the life of the Tsaatan is basic. We do not try to change the Tsaatan or their way of life for our own benefit or comfort.  The Tsaatan people live in canvas teepees. We will sleep in a separate “ortz” provided by the family. The number of people in 1 teepee will depend on the Tsaatan Family’s possibility. In our previous tours, an averagely of 3 guests stayed in 1 teepee. Even you may sleep in the Tsaatan family’s home with the family. In either circumstance, you will more than likely have to sleep on the floor on your Thermarest.

Today is a free day in the Taiga Forest with the Tsaatan Family. Today we will be a part of the Tsaatan family by having breakfast with the Tsaatan family, talking with the family members, helping them to do their daily routine, helping them to herd their reindeer, wandering through the boreal forest and photographing, experiencing the real wilderness and experiencing the Tsaatan people’s everyday way of life. The Tsaatan people do ride their reindeer but this is not for tourism entertainment and we do not promote it to our guests. As our animal welfare policy, reindeer should not carry more than half their body weight, and we should consider our body weight. However, at times our guests are invited to ride on a reindeer at the invitation of the owner of the reindeer. It is not something we pre-arrange as we do not arrange any artificial experiences as they damage the culture, the way of life and the animals.  Often the Tsaatan people sell items made from the reindeer antlers but they are careful to harvest only from healthy animals. We support the purchasing of these items as they do not endanger the survival of the reindeer and also help to contribute directly to the local economy.

• Meal(s): Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner
• Accommodation will be the same teepee you sleep in the last night.

It is time to say goodbye to the reindeer and reindeer herders’ family and load our luggage on the horseback and head back to our vehicle in the Tsagaan Nuur soum for our next destination. At the end of the day, we will meet again the nomadic family and stay with the family once again. Overnight in a ger with a nomadic family in Northern Mongolia.

• Travel time: From Taiga Forest to the nomadic family, approximately 5-6 hours by horseback ride through beautiful Boreal forests and mountain steppe.
• Meal(s): Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner
• Accommodation: Mongolian traditional “ger” – a round-shaped felt dwelling with no separate rooms, no shower, no water from the wall, and no western toilet. We will spend the night in the same ger with the nomadic family.

After breakfast, we will pack up and head for an off-road journey to Darkhad Valley in Khuvsgul province. At the end of approximately 5 hours of driving, we will reach Darkhad depression,  we will set up a tent camp on a picturesque riverside.

• Travel time: From nomadic family to Darkhad valley, approximately 5  hours of drive on a dirt road. An average pace of 40-60 km/hour, depending on weather and road conditions. 
• Meal(s): Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner
• Accommodation: Today we will sleep in tents. We provide a kitchen tent, a toilet tent and VANGO tents. 

Today we will have  breakfast at riverside. After breakfast, we will pack up and head to Khuvsgul Lake. The Lake is the deepest and the 2nd most voluminous freshwater lake in Asia. The lake is surrounded by snow-topped mountain ranges from its west side, and by flat-topped mountains with slopping mountainsides, covered by forest from the east side. Once we reach Khuvsgul Lake, we will check-in to our ger camp on the west shore of Khuvsgul Lake which means you will see the view of the lake just outside of your ger’s door. Overnight in a ger camp on the lakeshore.

• Travel time: From the Darkhad valley to Khuvsgul Lake, approx 4 hours drive on a dirt road.
• Meal(s): Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner
• Accommodation: We will stay in an environment-friendly ger camp on Khuvsgul Lake’s shore. One ger will be shared with 2 guests.

We will have breakfast at the camp, and today you have options for the excursion including a boat cruise of approximately 1 hour in the lake, horse trekking on the lakeshore averagely of 1 hour or kayaking in the lake. In the afternoon, you have time to relax on the lakeshore. Overnight in a ger camp on the lakeshore.

• Travel time: We will ride a horse around the lakeshore
• Meal(s): Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner
• Accommodation: We will stay in an environment-friendly ger camp on Khuvsgul Lake’s shore. One ger will be shared with 2 guests.

Today we will drive back to Murun town to be prepared for our journey back to Ulaanbaatar. Once we arrive in the town, you have some time to explore this remote town of the Mongol Nomads.

• Travel time: Approximately 3-4 hours on a dirt road. An average pace of 40-60 km/hour, depending on weather and road conditions. 
• Meal(s): Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner
• Accommodation: 50/100 hotel in Murun town

On this day, we will expand our journey in Bulgan province. The province is famous for its breathtaking nature with thick forest-covered mountains, magnificent pasturelands and even streams with beautiful banks. Throughout the day, we will hike up to ‘Uran’ extinct volcano, its mountainsides covered with fir and ebony forest from its backside and inside the crater. Also, there is a lake inside the crater. Overnight in a horse bredder family near the Uran volcano.

• Travel time: From Murun town to the extinct volcano approximately 6 hours on a dirt road. 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 horse breeder nomadic family. The family offers additional “gers” to guests. The number of guests in 1 ger will depend on the nomadic family’s possibility. However, if you prefer privacy, we always provide tents for each guest and these can be put up next to the family’s home.

We will head to Amarbayasgalant monastery, which was the biggest pilgrimage Buddhist centre for Mongols in the 18-19th century. Meantime the monastery had 40 temples and over 6000 monks before it was affected by anti-religious victimization in the 1930s. The architectural complex of the Monastery embodies Manchu-style spatial arrangement in construction planning, Chinese architectural arts, and vernacular architectural elements and knowledge of Mongolian people. The monastery’s restoration has been performed with its original materials and design archive photos, after restoration, the monastery was registered in the Cultural Heritage List of UNESCO.

• Travel time: Approximately 5 hours on an asphaltic & dirt road. 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 near Amarbaysgalant Monastery. One ger will be shared with 2 guests.

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. 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 homestays.

Today is a free day. Our team would be always happy to help you explore the Ulaanbaatar city. In the evening, our farewell dinner will take place near your hotel.

• Meal(s): Breakfast + 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 homestays.

Today is the end of the “Nomadic Mongolia: From Gobi To Taiga ” tour. Our team 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 Mongolia.

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