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Home Mongolia Tours Adventure Tours Essence of Mongolia: Gobi-desert, Orkhon Valley & Reindeer Nomads

Overview Highlights Itinerary Inclusions Map

Overview

One of the best Mongolian tours and travel to gain insight into Mongolian herding lifestyle while discovering iconic Gobi-Desert which is amazed with its first dinosaur eggs discovery in the world. Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park offers endless view of vast landscape with majestic sand dunes and ice gorge. Furthermore, the journey combines yak herding nomads with reindeer herders in the central and north Mongolian travel route.

Highlights

Experience Mongolian culture and history with a professional guide
Visit Gobi-desert, Orkhon Valley, Khuvsgul Lake, and Reindeer People
Explore Amarbayasgalant Monastery
Relax in a therapeutic hot spring
Learn about the nomadic lifestyle of Reindeer Herders

Itinerary

DAY 1. TO IKH GAZARYN CHULUU /VERTICAL GRANITE HILLS/

Drive to Ikh Gazryn Chuluu, one of the interesting attractions in Mongolia, hills of granite in the Gobi desert with an altitude of 1706m. 30 different species of rare birds, wild goat, lynx and corsak fox are the main habitants of the hills. Once we reach the place we’ll erect our tent on a scenic campsite and hike through the stunning granite hills to explore a little amphitheater and stele that is dedicated to a popular “traditional long-song” singer who was born and bred in the place.

DAY 2. TO TSAGAAN SUVARGA /WHITE CANYON/

Head to Tsagaan Suvarga, located in the Southwest of Dundgobi province. It is a big limestone escarpment facing east, which looks like Mars planet from its top and it provides excellent scenery of the amazing limestone formations created by the wind. The place is an ancient seabed aged over 70 million years and offers naturally formed sedimentary fissures with multiple colors of ochre.

DAY 3. TO GOBI GURVANSAIKHAN NP /YOLYN AM GORGE/

Drive to Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park to visit Yolyn am, a deep and narrow gorge with steep rock walls situated at the southern end of the Altai Mountain Range. The gorge is named after vulture, which is called Yol in Mongolian as well as known as ice canyon. The ice field reaches over 3m deep in some years, and stretches several kilometers. The ice field remained whole year round in the past years, but lately the ice tends to disappear in mid-July due to global warming.

DAY 4. TO KHONGOR SAND DUNES

Head to Khongor sand dunes, the second largest and most spectacular sand dunes in Mongolia that offers the iconic images of the Gobi Desert which we strive for. The dunes stretched in an extraordinary 120km, 3-28km wide and about 300m high from its base to top. Here we’ll enjoy camel riding in the endless steppe and climb up to the peak of a singing dune to see gorgeous sunset and amazing panoramic views of the surrounding oasis.

DAY 5. TO FLAMING CLIFFS /BAYANZAG/

Drive to "The Flaming Cliffs or Bayan Zag – saxaul forest lies around 90 km from the Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park. The place became famous with its first scientifically recognized dinosaur fossilized eggs in the world and different species of dinosaur skeletons was discovered by Roy Andrew Chapman, American explorer in 1923.

DAY 6. TO ONGI MONASTERY RUIN

Travel to Ongi Monastery Ruins, constructed in 1660. The Monastery was one the four biggest Buddhist school and housed over 1000 sharmans and harmfully destroyed during communist purges in 1937. Once we reach the site, we’ll visit a small museum in a yurt and reconstructed temple.

DAY 7/8. TO ORKHON VALLEY NATIONAL PARK

Heading the north to visit the Orkhon Valley National Park, which provide scenic views of green meadows, pine forest, streams and waterfall. The area is ideal for fishing, horseback riding, hiking and photography. Today, we’ll take an opportunity to visit yak herding nomads and ride a horse nearby Orkhon waterfall which was formed uniquely by volcanic lava streams and tumbles over the vertical drop into a deep canyon.

DAY 9. TO TSENKHER HOT SPRING

Drive to Tsenkher Hot Spring, a sulphur spring that emerges from underground at a sizzling 86C and is located at an altitude of 1860m above sea level, the second hottest spring in Mongolia. Looking up at the Milky Way on a starry night is a wonderful experience while taking a hot spa with an outdoor pool.

DAY 10. TO KHORGO TERKH NATIONAL PARK

Drive to Khorgo Terkh NP, famous with its attractive scenery, situated in Arkhangai province. When reaching to the destination, we’ll visit several small caves, formed by volcanic lava stream then head to Great White Lake/Terkhyn tsagaan nuur/ where we’ll spend the night on its stunning shore. The lake is extremely beautiful with fresh water and prosperous species of fish and some rare water fowls.

DAY 11. TO ZUUN LAKE

Drive through mountainous tracks to reach Zuun Lake, a scenic highlight of Khuvsgul's far south. There is excellent camp sites all around and the blue dollop of water is located 13km north of Shine-Ider village and about 100km southwest of Mörön.

DAY 12/13. KHUVSGUL LAKE VIA MURUN TOWN

Head to Khuvsgul Lake National Park and explore Mongolian the biggest fresh watered lake, refers to a dark blue pearl with a length of 137km and 262m deep. Here we will spend 2 nights. Activities: Hiking and drive up to the Khoirdil Sardig Mountain Range to see the whole panoramic scenery of the biggest fresh watered lake of Mongolia

DAY 14. TO TSAGAAN NUUR VILLAGE

Early in the morning after breakfast, we’ll head to Tsagaannuur village with a scenic drive crossing small brooks and passing over forested mountains. On the way we will enjoy our lunch nearby the Ulaan-Uul village and then continue the journey further deep into the north Siberian-Taiga zone. Upon arrival at Darkhad people, we will prepare for two days horse trekking and pack our staffs to adapt to suit our needs for three days.

DAY 15. TO REINDEER TRIBE

After breakfast, we start our horse riding to the west Taiga to reach reindeer settlement. The horse trekking on muddy and swampy trails is exciting and challenging and depending on seasons the distance of the reindeer tribe’s settlement and trails are different. When reach to the reindeer herders you’ll take the opportunity to get close to reindeers and get a rare insight into the daily life of Mongolian reindeer herders ‘Dukas’.

DAY 16. BACK TO TSAGAAN NUUR VILLAGE

Early in the morning after breakfast, we’ll bid farewell to the reindeer tribe and continue the horse trekking back to the Darkhad people. On the way we’ll enjoy beautiful scenery and take a picnic lunch at a great place and arrive at the place to stay at any time of the day.

DAY 17. TO MURUN TOWN

Drive to Murun town and stay over the night in a local hotel and take a bath and relax.

DAY 18. TO URAN TOGOO NATIONAL PARK

Drive to spectacular Uran Togoo Mountain – an extinct volcano named for its characteristic crater lies in Bulgan province. Upon arrival to Uran togoo NP – We will climb the Uran Togoo Mount to see the panoramic view of the surrounding beauties. The mountain is nearly 1689meter high above sea level.

DAY 19. TO AMARBAYASGALANT MONASTERY

Head to the northeast to reach Amarbayasgalant Monastery, the biggest monastic complex and Buddhist school in the north Mongolia. The monastery was constructed in 1736 and has survived destruction during anti-religious purges. 28 temples, rich in wood carvings and religious artifacts inside the monastery walls housed over 5000monks during its flourishing period. A golden Buddha statue and phenomenal stupa on hilltops backyard the monastery wall offer great panoramic views of the surroundings.

DAY 20. BACK TO ULAANBAATAR CITY

Drive back to Ulaanbaatar city and transferred to accommodation.