Winter Reindeer Tribe Tour Itinerary

Day 1: Genghis Khan Statue and the Trans-Mongolian Train Journey

Your guide and driver will pick you up from your hotel at 8:30 am. The tour begins with a visit to a 40-meter-tall stainless-steel Genghis Khan Statue, the tallest equestrian statue in the world. It is oriented towards the east, symbolizing Genghis Khan's birthplace and the direction of the sunrise. After lunch, visit Gandantegchilen Monastery, board the train to Erdenet at 6 pm, and take an overnight train journey.

Overnight: Train
Meals: Lunch, Dinner

Day 2: Travel to Khuvsgul Lake, exploring verdant nature in the northern part of Mongolia

You will reach Erdenet town at 7:40 AM. After breakfast, embark on a Khuvsgul Lake journey in northern Mongolia to enjoy the breathtaking scenery of the frozen lake. On the way, you will explore Mongolia's stunning northern landscapes and remote villages.

Accommodation: Ger camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3: Leisurely day at frozen Khuvsgul Lake

You will spend the whole day relaxing, enjoying nature, and refreshing from the previous days’ rides. The guide will take you to a hill, where you will see the beautiful lake and its surroundings in bird's eyes. Horse riding and horse sledding are optional activities.

Accommodation: Ger camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4: Reach the northernmost village

Along the way to the northmost village, we will pass through a breathtaking mountainous landscape of “Ulaan Uul village” that includes the Sayan Mountains, a vast mountain range stretching across the border between Mongolia and Russia. Additionally, we will encounter shamanistic wood piles on a mountain pass, which holds spiritual significance due to the Shamanic and Tengri worship. Our journey will take us through the picturesque Darkhad Valley, renowned for its stunning beauty, crystal-clear rivers, and diverse flora and fauna. In the evening, we will reach the northernmost village, Tsagaan Nuur.

Accommodation: Guest house
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5: Visit Reindeer tribe/ Tsaatan Tribe

The trip will start with a short drive through Taiga to visit the Reindeer tribe. Spend the rest of the day exploring the Reindeer herder lifestyle, photograph their daily activities, hear stories, ride reindeer, and challenge yourself in a teepee stay at the Taiga’s -30 to -45 Celcius.

Accommodation: Teepee
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6: Mythic Jargant River and Ulaan-Uul village

After a relaxing morning, we will farewell to the mountain tribe people and head to the mythical Jargant River, which remains unfrozen at -50 Celsius. Frosted coniferous trees and bushes in the surroundings, along with the steam from the river, are magical and photogenic. Plants in the river are green and flowering. You will continue the journey to another remote village, Ulaan-Uul. Stay in a guest house and relax.

Accommodation: Guest house
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 7: Explore deer stones near Delger River and Murun Town

Scenic drive to deer stone site of Great Delger River in northern Mongolia. Deer stone monuments are ancient tangible archaeological heritage sites predominantly found in Mongolia. Deer stones are believed to date back to the Bronze Age, but historians debate their origin. Check into a hotel in the provincial center town of Murun and refresh yourself from the mountain experience.

Accommodation: Local Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 8: Driving to Darkhan town

Head back to Ulaanbaatar with an overnight stay in Mongolian 3rd largest town Darkhan.

Accommodation: Local Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 9: See wild horses in Hustai National Park and Ulaanbaatar

Known as the last surviving wild horses on earth, the Takhi or Przewalski horses were once extinct before 1990. A project to reintroduce wild horses to their native land has been implemented successfully since the beginning of 1990 in Hustai National Park. There are more than 300 Takhi or Przewalski horses in Hustai National Park. Besides the wild horses, you will see some other wild creatures. Arrive in Ulaanbaatar late afternoon and transfer to your accommodation.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Price & Date

Background

It is an expedition through central and northern Mongolia to discover the unique, harsh, and least visited reindeer herding Dukha tribe’s lifestyle. The farther north you travel, the roads get bumpy, though the scenery gets mesmerizing.

The trip does not include any challenging physical activities. The points to consider are -30 to -48 Celcius cold weather in December, January, and February. As well bumpy roads and extended hours of driving of approximately 6 to 7,5 hours.

The advantage of visiting the Reindeer herders in winter is that your vehicle can reach their settlement instead of obstacle trails horse riding in warmer months.

Tour meals are included as indicated in the itinerary. You will eat authentic local meals on most days except for the 2 days ger camp stay near the frozen Khuvsgul Lake. Meat is the main ingredient for meals and is served for lunch and dinner with vegetables, and salads. There will be more meat in traditional Mongolian meals. A typical breakfast is tea or coffee, bread, jam, cookies, cereals, cheese, butter, eggs, and sausage. The host family will cook for you when staying at the guest house. The tour team will cook for you when staying in the teepee. 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 water bottles is available upon request. More information on Mongolia meals

A 13-hour overnight train journey allows you a Trans-Mongolian train experience, part of the renowned Trans-Siberian journey. When visiting the Reindeer tribe, you will stay in a teepee for 1 day. It will be a mountain tribe experience without any Western-friendly facilities. WC and shower are not available when you stay in the teepee and the guest gers for three nights in the remote northern village. For the rest of the day, you will stay in the traditional, somehow western-friendly accommodation ger camp and local hotels. Please get more information about the ger camp here.

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. They were born and raised in the Mongolian countryside. Therefore, they have good knowledge about every aspect of Mongolia.

Jeeps are the most suitable and reliable vehicle when you visit the Reindeer tribe in winter.

We tailored this itinerary, adjusting the accommodation types and road conditions between mid-October and late April. Different months have their specialty and scenery.

October: Crisp weather, chest full of fresh air, stargazing in the cloudless sky, and yellowish brown autumn color. Daytime highs around +17°C, nighttime lows around -3°C. Snowfall is occasional.

November, March and April: November is a relatively warm month. The autumn color is still there. March and April could be a bit muddy. November, March and April daytime highs are around +8°C, and the nighttime temperatures are low -12°C.

December, January, and February are the coldest months, especially in the Darkhad Depression and Taiga. The average daylight temperature is -28 to -38°C, and the lowest is around -45°C at night.

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