Itinerary

Day 1: The Orkhon River Valley and remnants of ancient city Kharakhorum

Meet with your guide and driver and start the adventure driving on the paved roads of central Mongolian hilly steppes and through dome-shaped mountain valleys. We arrive in Kharkhorin, a modern town built on a site of the ancient city Kharakhorum in the broad valley of the Orkhon River. Check-in a Ger camp. Next, visit the Kharakhorum Museum display items of ancient city Kharakhorum, drive and hike up a hill to see a turtle stone that used to mark a boundary of the old city. We also see how vast the Orkhon River Valley is and view of the Erdenezuu monastery from the hilltop.

Accommodation: Ger Camp
Meals: Lunch, Dinner

Day 2: Visit Erdenezuu monastery, experience nomadic life

After breakfast, you visit the Erdenezuu Monastery and see some valuable religious items, monks’ chanting, and view its stunning architecture. Erdenezuu is the largest, the first and the most beautiful monastery in Mongolia. Next, drive to Elsentasarkhai, known as the northern edge of the Gobi desert. Visit a nomad family, experience nomadic life, try local food, ride horses, and camels on the steppes.

Accommodation: Extra ger of a nomad family
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3: Return to Ulaanbaatar

The driving takes 4-4.5 hours. Drop off at your accommodation and end of the tour.

Meals: Breakfast

Tour Price

Background

This is a moderate tour that includes an overnight stay in a ger camp and another day in an extra ger of a nomad family. You will taste local foods made by the nomads. The feel will be authentic with the nomad family as there is no electricity, western-style bathrooms, standard chairs, and tables. The ger camp is more western friendly and offers you more comfort. The feel at the ger camp will be cozy and authentic as well. No demanding physical or challenging activities have included in the tour. We will have 1-2 hours of horse riding with the support of your guide and a local equestrian. People who have no previous horse riding experience may enjoy gentle walking of the horses while led by the equestrian. Traveling in Mongolia always requires long driving through changing landscapes and scenic views. Erdenezuu monastery is located 360 km from Ulaanbaatar. Luckily, all the driving takes place on the paved roads of the beautiful countryside.

Tour meals are included according to the itinerary. In the countryside, ger camps serve occasional European but mainly Mongolian meals. Meat is the main ingredient for meals and is served for lunch and dinner along with vegetables, salads, and soups. There will be more meat in traditional Mongolian meals. A typical breakfast is tea or coffee, bread, jam, butter, eggs, and sausage. There are some cookies, cheese, cereals, pancakes and more at some of the ger camps for breakfast. For lunch, meals include salads, Mongolian soups and the main course (pasta, rice, vegetables, beef/mutton/chicken/fish near lakes/rivers), and dessert and tea. Salads, a main course, a dessert, and tea will be served for dinner. With nomads, you will try authentic Mongolian meals. Different types of meals offered simultaneously are not customary in the Mongolian tradition. If you are a vegetarian or have other dietary restrictions, please inform us in advance, and we will make arrangements accordingly. We will supply two 0.5L bottles of water a day. Supplying one larger bottle (1.5 liters) of water instead of 2 small bottles of water is available upon request. More informarion on Mongolia Meals

Mongolian tourism depends on the season, and seasonal accommodation ger camps are fully open between 10 May and 5 October. During other shoulder months, the ger camps are partially open and closed in winter. Even though, the tour is available all year round with locally run small hotels and nomad family stay. For more detailed information about the main accommodation ger camp, please visit Mongolia Ger Camp and Mongolia Nomad Family

The majority of our company's guides are English speaking. We also have guides who speak German, French, Spanish, and Japanese. They are all friendly, helpful and most of them were born and raised in the Mongolian countryside. Therefore, they have good knowledge about every aspect of Mongolia and have at least three years or more years of guiding experience. During the camel riding, a local guide will support you.

We designed most of our tours with four wheels driving Japanese/Korean vans driven by experienced, friendly, and good mechanic-drivers. Different car types are available upon request and you may check the travel vehicle details at Mongolia transportation

The most suitable time to take the tour is between 10 May and 5 October. During this period, the weather will be warm and enjoyable. However, the weather in May and September could be chilly. As well as, the rural accommodation ger camps operate during this period. The tour is available with nomad family stays in October and during off-seasons when the ger camps are closed. The average day temperature of summer is +28 °C, and the highest +38°C (June, July, August). The average day temperatures of May and September are +23°C and the highest 32°C. The evening and night temperatures drop by 15 to 20°C. The temperature dramatically falls if it rains. You may have occasional chill wind and snowfalls in May, September, and October. For your pre-departure preparation and an idea to prepare for this inflexible weather condition, you may check our detailed packing list of the discovery tours.

To plan your dream holiday or customize the tour exclusively for you, what to do and see in Mongolia page may help you.

As well as, please check attractions in Central Mongolia

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