Upon arrival in Ulaanbaatar city, our driver and English-speaking guide will pick you up from the airport and transfer you to a 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. 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 from your hotel, and afford you to the airport for a domestic flight to Murun, a provincial town of Northern Mongolia. After you arrive in Murun, our local driver will pick you up from Murun airport with his guaranteed 4WD vehicle and drive to a nomadic family in Tsagaan Nuur soum, the northernmost soum of Mongolia. En route to the nomadic family, you will enjoy the stunning backdrop as you drive around 6 hours north, towards the breathtaking alpine-like scene. Once we reach the home of 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 their daily life. Overnight in a ger with a nomadic family.

• Travel time: From Murun to the nomadic family, approximately 6-7 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 the 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 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.

Early morning, we will pack up and drive to Khuvsgul Lake. Along the way to the lake, we will pass through Darkhad depression, which has an alpine-like landscape including snow-capped sumptuous mountains, turquoise blue lakes, and freely grazing animals through green valleys. 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 the 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 Khuvshul Lake approximately 130 km on the asphaltic road, and 140 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 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 flight 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, accommodation is twin based.

After breakfast at the hotel, we will transfer to the airport to catch a flight 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: Transfer to the hotel
• 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. Also, if you prefer a different type of accommodation, we have more options from a 5-star hotel to homestays.

After breakfast at the hotel, our team will pick you up and head to the opening ceremony of the Naadam festival. The ceremony features traditional cultural and art performances including folk dancing, folk long song, throat singing, folk musical performances, a national army parade and more… After the opening, we will watch the first round of the Naadam’s wrestling, Naadam’s Archery, and anklebone shooting competition held nearby the central stadium. Overnight in a hotel.

• Transfer: Hotel-Central Stadium-Hotel
• Meal(s): Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner 
• Accommodation: You will stay in a centrally located 4-star hotel .

Today is the end of the “Mystical Tsaatan Trail & Naadam Festival 2024” trip. 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.

• Transport: Transfer to the airport from the hotel by vehicle.