Tour Description

Mongolia Exploration – Adventure Tour 2022

The northern and central regions of Mongolia are considered the highlights to adventure lovers who traversed through Mongolia. On this Mongolia Exploration journey, you will go beyond the highlights and explore and experience the Mongol nomadic traditional way of life in immersive landscapes. 

On this Mongolia tour, travellers will visit 2 nomadic families to get acquainted with 2 distinctive nomadic lifestyles in two different regions of Mongolia and learn from their story of life and will relax in a luxury hot spring that has a healing ability with beautiful surroundings, Guests will ride horses in the home of our host families as like they are real nomads. Also, travellers will do hiking, and horseback riding through the alpine-like beautiful landscape, and do a small boat cruise on a crystal clear lake, and do birdwatching through a lakeshore, and observe wildlife including the world’s last species of wild horse and roe deers in Khustain Nuruu National Park.

Tour Itinerary

DAY 1:

VISIT AMARBAYSGALANT MONASTERY

Upon your arrival in Ulaanbaatar, our driver and English-speaking guide will pick you up from the airport then we will head to Amarbayasgalant monastery, which was the biggest pilgrimage Buddhist centre for Mongols in the 18-19th centuries. 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 it has been registered in the Cultural Heritage List of UNESCO.

• Travel time: Approximately 6-7 hours on a dirt road. An average pace of 50-70 km/hour, depending on weather and road conditions. 
• Meal(s): Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner
• Accommodation: We will stay in an environment-friendly ger camp near Amarbaysgalant Monastery. One ger will be shared with 2 guests. The ger camp has a western toilet and shower.

DAY 2:

DRIVE TO URAN EXTINCT VOLCANO

On this day, we will expand our journey to 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 ger camp near the Uran volcano.

• Travel time: From the monastery to the extinct volcano approximately 5-6 hours on the asphaltic road. An average pace of 60-80 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.

DAY 3:

EXPLORE KHUVSGUL LAKE – ASIA’S BLUE PEARL

Today we will wake up at the same time with the nomadic family, and acquainted with their morning routes and will have a warm breakfast with the family in their cosy ger. After breakfast, we will pack up and head for the long, yet incredibly scenic drive to Khuvsgul Lake. Along the way to the lake, we will have lunch in Murun town. Khuvsgul 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 nomadic family to Khuvsgul Lake, 530 km on the asphaltic road and 30-40 km 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.

DAY 4:

A LEISURE DAY ON KHUVSGUL LAKE’S SHORE

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.

DAY 5:

VISIT A MONGOLIAN NOMADIC FAMILY

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, we 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 Khuvsgul Lake to the nomadic family approximately 130 km on the asphaltic road, and 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.

DAY 6:

TRAVEL TO MONGOLIA’S WHITE LAKE

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 nomadic family to White Lake approximately 130 km on the asphaltic road, and 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: We will stay in a community-based eco ger camp on the lakeshore. 2 guests will stay in one ger.

DAY 7:

RELAX AT TSENHER HOT SPRING

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 Terkhin Tsagaan Lake to the hot springs 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 hot spring-based resort. (2 guests in a twin room or in a ger). Shower, and western toilet.

DAY 8:

VISIT KHARKHORIN THE ANCIENT CAPITAL OF THE MONGOLIA EMPIRE

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: From the hot spring to Kharkhorin, approximately 120 km on the asphaltic road and 40 km on a dirt road.
• 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 9:

DRIVE BACK TO ULAANBAATAR VIA KHUSTAI NATIONAL PARK

Early morning, we will pack up and head for a long drive to the capital Ulaanbaatar. Along the way to the capital, we will explore a national park named Khustai. 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, roe deer, mountain sheep ‘Argali’, ibex, and lynx. Once we arrive in Khustain Nuruu National park, we will watch a documentary movie about the ‘Przewalski’s horse’, and you will get a glimpse of rarely seen Takhi, the wild horse in nature. After an exploration of the National Park, our tour will continue to the capital Ulaanbaatar and check-in to our hotel. In the evening, our farewell dinner will take place in your hotel. Overnight at a hotel.

• Travel time: From Kharkhorin, 300 km on the asphaltic road to Khustai National Park. From Khustai National park averagely of 80 km on the asphaltic road to Ulaanbaatar city.
• 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 “Explore Northern Mongolia 2022” 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.

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

Tour Ratings