Itinerary

Day 1: Start the countryside tour to Kharkhorin

Your guide and driver greet you at the airport/ the railway station/ your accommodation. The tour will start with driving on narrow black roads of breathtaking snow-covered mountain steppes. Kharkhorin, formerly known as the Karakorum, was the capital of Genghis Khaan's Great Mongol Empire in the 13th century. After the move of the Mongolian capital to Beijing and the Empire's fall, Karakorum was abandoned and then destroyed by Min soldiers in 1388. Today, the awe-inspiring ancient monastery Erdenezuu coexists with Kharkhorin town in the broad valley of the Orkhon River. Arrive at Kharkhorin late afternoon, visit and see some valuable religious items in the Erdenezuu Monastery Museum and view its stunning architecture. This over 400-year-old, stunning architectural monastery is one of the few monasteries that remained of 700 Mongolian monasteries after the communist purge.

Accommodation: Local hotel
Meals: Lunch, Dinner

Day 2-3: Khorgo Terkhiin Tsagaan National Park

Your today's destination is the beautiful Khorgo Terkhiin Tsagaan National Park, known as the Legendary Khorgo Area. The landscapes change into more mountainous areas, and you will see more yaks. On the way, you will see a deer stone dating back to The Bronze Age and have a break at the lava canyon of the frozen River Chuluut. Lunch in a local area. Continue the tour, and arrive at the national park late afternoon. Have a nomadic dinner with nomads. The next day, you will explore the beautiful national park; walk and play a traditional game on frozen Lake Terkhiin Tsagaan, explore caves, and climb the Khorgo volcano, which looks like a black bowl on a snow-white sheet. Today will be a day to discover more about nomadic life, except for the outdoor activities.

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

Day 4: Tsetserleg, a central town of Arkhangai Province

It is another day of eye-fascinating driving on the paved roads. You will arrive at Tsetserleg town by lunchtime. Visit the local market and climb a hill with a tall Buddha statue to see the panoramic views of the town and surrounding areas.

Accommodation: Local hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5: Elsentasarkhai, northern edge of the Gobi desert

After breakfast, the journey continues heading to Elsentasarkhai semi-desert. Elsentasarkhai's winter picture is a blend of rugged mountains, snow-covered steppes, and snowless dunes. Today, you will climb the dunes, followed by a visit to a nomad family and two-humped camels riding. For dinner, you will try a Mongolian barbecue.

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

Day 6: Horse riding, see wild horses in Hustai National Park and return to Ulaanbaatar

In the morning, you will ride horses. Today is the last day you will spend in the beautiful countryside of Mongolia. On the way to Ulaanbaatar, visit Hustai National Park to see the last survival of the earth’s wild horses roaming free in the wild. A project to reintroduce wild horses in their native land has been implemented successfully since the beginning of 1990 in Hustai National Park. Currently, there are 330 Takhi or Przewalski horses. Arrive in Ulaanbaatar in the evening and transfer to your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Price & Date

Background

This moderate winter tour is suitable for cultural and adventure travelers. It does not include any physical or demanding activities. With nomads, you will stay in the fire heating gers where no western WC, shower, or electricity are not available. Besides the winter nomadic life experience, a visit to a no-heating monastery and having some outdoor activities such as hiking, extinct volcano climbing, the play of a traditional game on a frozen lake, and walking in search of wild horses at -15°C to -30°C requires you some patience and makes the tour adventurous. Although the weather is cold, you feel warm with the heartwarming hospitalities of nomads, the care of our travel team, and your stay in fire-heating traditional dwelling gers. To keep you warm and as comfortable as possible, we will make fire frequently in the gers and supply the Mongolian traditional garment “Deel” for added warmth on request. To prepare for this unique experience, please check the winter tour packing list.

Mongolian tourism depends highly on the season and the seasonal accommodation ger camps. Most ger camps are closed during the off-season (1 October through 1 May), and only a few ger camps near Ulaanbaatar are partially open in winter. On tour, you will stay two nights in local hotels and three nights in extra gers of nomad families. If you wish, we can book a hotel in Ulaanbaatar and arrange airport transfers at some additional cost. For more detailed information on the accommodation, please visit Mongolia nomad family.

All meals are authentic and native because you will eat in the local restaurants and food courts where the locals eat. The nomads will serve some traditional Mongolian meals and daily recipes. Eating course meals is not a Mongolian habit. Therefore, you will have one big meal at a time.
Mongolians consume a lot of meat, especially in winter, to gain enough protein to struggle against the cold temperature and high elevation. If high meat consumption is a problem, or if you have any dietary restrictions, please inform us in advance.

The majority of our company's guides are English speaking. German, French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, and Japanese-speaking guides are available upon request. All of our guides are friendly and helpful. The majority of them were born and raised in the Mongolian countryside. Therefore, they have good knowledge about every aspect of Mongolia. During horse and camel riding, local equestrians will support you.

Depending on the group size, Japanese/Korean vans or jeeps serve you. Besides the vehicles, our experienced, friendly, and good mechanic drivers will help you enjoy the tour.

If this tour does not meet your interest and preference, we will be happy to customize the itinerary or tailor-make one. For the tailor-made itinerary idea, please check the attractions and things to do in the different parts of Mongolia.

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