Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Ulaanbaatar, city tour

Your driver will greet you at the airport and transfer you to a downtown hotel. If the time permits, you will sightsee the city. First, you’ll visit Gandantegchilen Monastery, a monastery favored by locals and foreigners due to its interesting religious artifacts and tranquillity. A 26m gilded statue of a Buddha (in Megjid Janrasag sum) is another feature of interest. Next, you visit the National Museum of Mongolia, followed by a visit to Sukhbaatar Square and a drive to the Zaisan Memorial for a panoramic view of Ulaanbaatar. In the evening, have a welcome dinner in an excellent Mongolian restaurant.

Accommodation: 3* hotel
Meals: Lunch, Dinner

Day 2: Start countryside tour to Amarbayasgalant Monastery

In the morning drive to Amarbaysgalant monastery. Amarbayasgalant is known as the most beautiful, ancient, and stunning architectural monastery. Arrive at Amarbayasgalant monastery in the late afternoon and check in at a ger camp. After some time, visit the beautiful monastery and hike up the foothills of Burenkhaan Mountain to see Buddha sculptures and the large stupas. You see gorgeous views of the Iven River Valley and the whole monastery from the hilltop.

Accommodation: Ger camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3: Drive to Urantogoo extinct volcano

Along the way to the Urantogoo extinct volcano, you will drive via Erdenet copper mine city and a central town of Bulgan province. The landscapes will change into more forested areas. Urantogoo volcano became extinct 800,000 years ago. The top of the mountain is accessible after some trekking. The vista is awe-inspiring when you are on the volcano top.

Accommodation: Ger camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4: Khuvsgul Lake

The journey continues to the freshwater Lake Khuvsgul. This 136km-long, 38 km-wide lake lies 1600m above sea level in the middle of the Siberian taiga forest and among majestic sheer rock mountains. The driving to the lake takes place on paved roads with scenic views. Arrive at Murun, a central town of Khuvsgul by lunchtime. After lunch, continue the journey and reach the lake by late afternoon. Enjoy nature, explore the surroundings at your own pace, and relax after long driving. Boating and kayaking are available at the base of additional payment.

Accommodation: Ger camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5: Visit reindeer family and horse riding at Khuvsgul Lake

The reindeer people breed reindeer not only for their antlers but also for milk, meat, hide, ride, and medicinal purposes. They live in huts covered with canvas or animal skins, even in the winter cold. The remoteness of the Taiga forest makes their life entirely dependent on nature. They are well-educated people about how to use herbs and plants for meals and medicinal purposes. The most famous Shamans are among them. In the depths of the taiga forest, 400 people of 80 families live herding their 2000 reindeer. The reindeer family you visit today is a representative of the reindeer people who moved from the Taiga close to the lake to supplement their income. (The reindeer Family visit is available if they are near the lake). Spend the rest of the day riding horses along the lake’s shore and climbing a nearby mountain to see the lake with bird’s eyes.

Accommodation: Ger camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6: See deer stones and Ulziit Khishig

Along the way, you will explore ancient deer stones. Some 600 deer stones have been found in Central Asia, 500 of them discovered in the territory of Mongolia. Deer stones are the first monuments of humans; the earliest deer stones belong to the 13th to the 9th century BC, while most of them date to the Bronze Age. Pictures of the sun, the moon, belts, knives, and jumping deer carved fantastically on restored, standing stones. The journey continues through the mountain valleys on rough roads and has an overnight at a ger camp near Shine Ider.

Accommodation: Ger camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 7: Khorgo Terkhiin Tsagaan National Park

The Khorgo Terkhiin Tsagaan National Park was established to protect the spectacular mountain scenery and endangered species of its flora & fauna. There are several extinct volcanoes within the National Park area, but Khorgo is the most easily accessible volcano. Lava flow from the volcanoes blocked the north and south Terkh Rivers forming the fresh-water lake Terkhiin Tsagaan. Except for the lake and volcano, the national park is extremely beautiful, rich in flora, and is a famous pastureland area where many nomads reside with their animals, mainly yaks. Today, you will climb the volcano on stairs and trails. Upon reaching the top, you will walk along the volcano rim with outstanding views of surrounding areas; a small village can be seen from the volcano, as well as a bird’s eye view of Terhkiin Tsagaan Lake. In the afternoon, travel to freshwater Lake Terkhiin Tsagaan and explore the caves.

Accommodation: Ger camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 8: Tsenkher Hot Spa

The journey continues to Tsenker Hot Spa. En route, stop at the Chuluut River. This rapid current river flows between 20-50 m lava canyons. Our next stop is an attractive local market of Tsetserleg, a central town of Arkhangai province. In the evening, enjoy the outdoor hot spa bath.

Accommodation: Ger camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 9: Drive to Elsentasarkhai (northern edge of the Gobi Desert), visit Erdenezuu Monastery

Kharkhorin, formerly known as Kharakhorum, was once the capital of Genghis Khaan's Great Mongol Empire in the 13th century. After the move of the Mongolian capital to Beijing, and the fall of the Empire, Karakorum was abandoned and then destroyed by Min soldiers in 1388. Today, in the broad valley of the Orkhon River, the awe-inspiring ancient monastery Erdenezuu coexists with the modern town Kharkhorin established on the site of the ancient capital Kharkhorum. Visit an active temple of the monastery and temple museums. Continue the tour to Elsentasarkhai. Elsentasarkai is a spectacular place, featuring the Gobi Desert, mountain steppes, green-shored rivers, and a high mountain. At Elsentasarkhai, you will stay with a nomad family, experience the nomad life, and ride camels.

Accommodation: Nomad Family
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 10: Drive to Ulaanbaatar attend cultural performance and do shopping

Today is the last day you spend in the beautiful countryside of Mongolia. Arrive in Ulaanbaatar after four and a half our driving. In the evening, attend Mongolian traditional cultural performance, which is one of the most interesting and must-see things in Ulaanbaatar with its play of horse-headed fiddle, throat singing, contortion, and much more.

Accommodation: 3* hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 11: Transfer to the airport/railway station.

The driver will transfer you to the airport/train station. End of the tour.

Meals: Breakfast

Tour Price

Background

This is a regular tour to explore the famous attractions and scenic places of lush green and wooded central and northern Mongolia. Half of the travel driving takes place off the beaten tracks, while the rest will be easier driving on the paved roads. During the tour, you will stay in ger camps in the countryside and a hotel in Ulaanbaatar. One-day nomad family stay is included to make your travel more experiential. The tour has not included any demanding physical activities but 2 to 3 hours of soft hiking and extinct volcano climb, which is not an exhausting activity and could be optional for some travelers. The areas the tour takes place are elevated relatively high. On average, 1500 m to 1700 m above sea level and around 2000 m in Khorgo Terkhiin Tsagaan area. Traveling in Mongolia always requires long driving through changing landscapes and steppes of scenic views to see and experience more. The approximate day's driving will be 3-6.5 hours. The itinerary includes some camel riding and horse riding with the support of your guide and local guides.

Tour meals are included according to the itinerary. In the countryside, ger camps serve both European and Mongolian meals. Meat is the main ingredient for meals and served for lunch and dinner along with vegetables, salads, and soups. There will be more meat in traditional Mongolian meals. A typical breakfast is a tea or coffee, bread, jam, butter, eggs, and sausage. There are some cookies, cheese, cereals, pancakes, and more at some 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, the main course, 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 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. Providing one large bottle (1.5 liters) of water instead of 2 small bottles is available upon request. More information on Mongolia meals

Mongolian tourism depends highly on the season, and seasonal accommodation ger camps are fully open between 15 May and 20 September. During other months, the ger camps are partially open and closed in winter. The tour includes ger camp stay for 7 nights, a day nomad family stay, and 2 days stay at a centrally located hotel. For more detailed information about accommodations, please visit recommended hotels in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia Ger camps, and Mongolia nomads

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.

Regarding land transport, most of our tours were designed for four-wheel drive Japanese off-road vehicles driven by experienced, friendly, and knowledgeable mechanic drivers. You may check the travel vehicle details at Mongolia transportation.

The most suitable time to travel to north Mongolia is between 20 May and 10 September. During the this period, the weather will be warm and enjoyable, except the Khuvsgul Lake remains frozen till the beginning of June. The tour covers the vast territory of the Mongolian mountainous area. Therefore, you should expect fluctuations in weather and altitude. Moreover, it gets warm late and gets cold early in the north Mongolia compared to other regions. Even Mongolian summer or the warmest month July could surprise you with snowfalls. Mongolia is elevated at least 700 m above the surrounding Siberian plateau and Chinese territory, causing the weather fluctuates a lot, hourly, daylight and night. Receiving snowfalls is occasional in May, the end of August, and September. Average monthly temperatures are +18°C, highest +25°C daytime in May, the first half of June, the last half of August, and in September (the weather differentiates in central Mongolia and northern Mongolia) and +22°C, highest 30°C daytime in June, July, and August. The temperature drops by 10-20°C in the evening and night. 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

Central and Northern Mongolian attractions may help you plan your dream holiday or customize the tour exclusively for you.

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