Great Mongolia Roundtrip
Tour 204
On this tour you will experience the green north and the rugged desert landscape of the Gobi Special highlights are the visit of the monasteries Amarbajasgalant and Erdene zuu (Karakorum), the Khovguul Lake, or the “sea” of Mongolia and the area around the Vulture Gorge in the Gobi. During the trip around Mongolia you will always have time for the “little things” along the way. Many things can not be planned in advance, which arise spontaneously on the way. The focus is on experiencing Mongolia. This also includes getting involved in the different sense of time. Time and the use of time, are occupied in Mongolia with other contents, as in Europe. Let us take you into this other life for the time of your stay.
Description
On this tour you will discover the green north and the rugged desert landscape of the Gobi. Special highlights are the visits the monasteries Amarbajasgant and Erdene zuu (Karakorum), the Khovguul Lake, or the ” ocean ” of Mongolia and the area around the Vulture Gorge in the Gobi.
Amarbajasgant Monastery is located not far from the newly built asphalt road between Darchan and Erdenet in a very beautifully situated valley. The landscape and the tranquility emanating from the monastery, completely captivate every observer.
You will find relaxation in the unique lake landscape around the Khovsguul lake. The landscape literally invites you to go on short hikes. The region is also the ancestral land of the “Tsaten”, or reindeer people. Here you have the opportunity to experience shamans. From Lake Khovsguul we will drive south to the national park at Terchin Tsagan Nuur (White Lake). We climb the Khoraongo volcano and delve into the myths of the many small caves around the lake.
Karakorum is the cradle of Mongolia and the ancient capital of the medieval Mongolian Empire. South of Karakorum, the landscape gradually turns into the Gobi.
Within the Gobi, the Vulture Gorge, with its unique desert landscapes and canyons, and Bajandsag, with its mighty rock formations, are a special natural experience. Until late in the summer, the narrow and narrow Vulture Gorge is filled with ice from the previous winter.
You will have the opportunity to come in contact with nomads a lot during this trip. Whenever the situation allows, we will stop at the nomads’ homes along the way. If only because the driver always has to check on the condition of the route. This is every time a nice opportunity to experience the hospitality of the nomads. Already when entering the yurt, where we are always given, we receive the customary “milk tea”. Later we also get pastries and yogurt products.
During the trip around Mongolia you will always have time for the “little things” along the way. Many things can not be planned in advance, which arise spontaneously on the way. The focus is on experiencing Mongolia. This also includes getting involved in the different sense of time. Time and the use of time, are occupied in Mongolia with other contents, as in Europe. Let yourself be carried away into this other life for the time of your stay.
Itinerary
| 1.Day | Arrival in Ulaanbaatar, airport transfer, check-in at hotel, program briefing. After that we will visit Ulaanbaatar. You will visit the famous Gandan Monastery with the 27 mtr high Buddha statue. The monastery museum of the Tschojdshjin – Lama, the important Lama in the history of Mongolian Buddhism and a small city tour are also on the program. In the evening you will visit a folklore performance with traditional musical instruments, snake girls and the famous throat singing. |
| 2.Day | Departure in the direction of Amarbayasgalant Monastery. On the way we will cross the Orkhon River. Overnight stay near the monastery. |
| 3.Day | The monastery Amarbajasgalant is after Erdene zuu one of the largest sanctuaries in the country and was rebuilt in 1996. Visit of the monastery, conversations with the monks and afterwards continuation of the journey towards Uran Togo via Erdenet and the village Bulgan. In Erdenet, the copper metropolis, we will do some shopping for the rest of the journey. Arrival at the Uran Togoo volcano. The volcano rises in the middle of the Mongolian steppe. “Uran” in Mongolian means as much as – perfect, good -. And indeed, the volcano cone rises very clearly from the flat surrounding land. The volcano crater has a diameter of 600 mtr and is 50 mtr deep. A small hiking trail leads directly to the crater rim. |
| 4.Day | Along the river Selenge you will go to the region of the small village Raschaant. You will cross the Selenge on a rather adventurous bridge. We will make a short stop at the ruins of Baibalik. The history to these ruins is a bit confusing, because the foundations have been built over again and again. Like many other remains in Mongolia, the ruins of Baibalik are also the ruins of a Xiongnu fortress and an important Uighur city. Arrival in Morön, the administrative center in the region of Lake Khovsguul. |
| 5.Day | Short trip from Morön to the ancient tombs of Uushigiin. Visiting the tomb field with different deer stones. An excavation has been conducted here by Kanazawa University (Japan) since 1999. Then we continue north to Khovsguul Lake. |
| 6.Day | The whole day we spend at the Khovsguul lake. There is a possibility of horse riding, hiking or relaxing. Lake Khovsguul is the "sea" of the Mongols. It is uniquely beautiful, surrounded by a densely forested mountain range. This region is also the habitat of the "Tsaten", or "reindeer people". The southernmost herds of reindeer are found here. Shamanism is very widespread here and in the evening there is a possibility to see a shaman performing his ritual acts. |
| 7.Day | After the rest day, we drive back to Morön and then we continue through the Mongolian highlands. We are now heading towards Jargalant. We drive through a varied landscape, with rock formations, lush green steppe and the closer we get to the Archangai Mountains, with trees. |
| 8.Day | Today we will reach Terchijn Zagan Nuur (wise lake). This really beautifully situated lake, was formed by a volcanic eruption. The eastern side is bizarrely shaped by a lava field. |
| 9.Day | Excursion to the surroundings of Terchijn Zagaan Nuur. We drive along the rugged lava field that dams up the lake to Khorngo volcano. A short hike and you will reach the volcano rim and enjoy the beautiful view. The Khorongo volcano was a sacred mountain until well into the 19th century and only a select few were allowed to climb it. Not far from the volcano are some caves, which we will also visit. With these caves are connected different myths. |
| 10.Day | Arrival in Ikh Tamir, visit of the strangely shaped Taikhar Rock. Taikha rock is a monolith and you can find different rock drawings, as well as inscriptions on the rock. We will continue to the district capital Tsetserleg. There we will go to the market to buy the necessary things for the next days. On the market the surrounding nomads offer their products and also provide themselves with the most necessary things. It is a colorful hustle and bustle on the market. A small detour leads us to the monastery Zayan Gegeen, which we will visit. Towards afternoon, we will continue to the northern edge of the Achhangai Mountains. We will drive to the warm spring of Tsencher. There we will have the opportunity to bathe in the warm thermal springs. |
| 11.Day | Continue towards Ögij Nuur, a very beautifully located lake. The lake is an important stop for many species of migratory birds. The drive leads through the Mongolian grass steppe. Along the rivers we can see again and again the white shining points of the isolated nomadic yurts in contrast to the green of the steppe. Once again you will be fascinated by the vastness of the steppe. In the afternoon we will drive the remaining kilometers to Ogii Nuur, a very beautifully situated lake in the Mongolian steppe. With a little luck our companions will catch a big pike, which still exists in large quantities in the lake. |
| 12.Day | Early in the morning we will be woken up by the different songs of the many bird species that live at Ogij Nuur. After a hearty breakfast, the journey continues to Karakorum. On the way we will visit some historical excavation sites (Khöschöö Tsaidam). Here, under Turkish supervision, a former palace from the ancient Turkish Empire is being excavated. The Turks suppose their origin in this region. Later they were expelled by the Mongolian tribes. Detailed sightseeing of Karakorum, the former capital. In Karakorum is also the monastery Erdene zuu. This monastery is one of the most important monasteries in Mongolia and has been partially restored. We will take enough time to visit this unique historical site. |
| 13.Day | Through very beautiful Orkhon valley today we will go to Ulaangoll waterfall. The waterfall is located in the middle of a lava field and the landscape around the waterfall is uniquely pretty. We will have our lunch break on the banks of the Orkhon River. We can buy fresh yogurt and yak cheese from the nomads who live in this valley. The yak is very common in this mountainous region. Afterwards we will continue our journey towards the Ulaangoll waterfall, which we will reach in the late afternoon. We will visit the waterfall and then have time for a hike in the beautiful landscape of the Orkhon Valley. |
| 14.Day | Today we will reach the northern edge of the Gobi Desert. First we will drive along the Orkhon valley for a while until we reach the village of Khujirt. After that we will drive in the direction of the Gobi Desert. We drive the first part of the route always along the Ongii River. The landscape becomes flatter and more desert-like. Here we will see the first camels on our trip. |
| 15.Day | Visit to the ruins of the monastery. This monastery was once one of the largest. Today, only ruins can be visited and one can only imagine the former size. With a lot of commitment monks are slowly rebuilding this monastery. We have enough time to talk with the monks about their situation and Buddhism. Then today we will go to Bajandsag, or the “red Cliffs”. This is where the first major dinosaur finds were made in the Gobi. For this reason, this place is often called the “dinosaur cemetery”. In Bajandsag there are also extensive saxaul forests. The saxaul tree is a very slow growing desert tree. We spend the night in the uniquely shaped rocks of Bajandsag. At sunset, the rock shines in a unique red. |
| 16.Day | Today we will go a little deeper into the Gobi. From Bajandsag we drive along the “Gurvan Saihkan” mountains to the sand dune “Chongoriin Els, or singing dune. Whenever the wind blows over the sharp grade of the dune, a more or less plaintive sound is produced. The “exciting” thing about this dune is the fact that the wind deposits the gobi sand behind a mountain range and a river keeps shifting this sand. Through this “fight” between water and sand, new terrain formations are created again and again. In the evening there is the possibility to climb the up to 400 mtr. high sand dune and enjoy a wonderful sunset. |
| 17.Day | Along the southern foothills of the Altai Mountains, we drive to Shivet Am (Am = gorge). This gorge is off the beaten track. There is a possibility to visit nomadic families on the way. Continue through the Gurvan Saihkan mountains to the Vulture Gorge. The gorge starts in a very narrow valley and there are large ice masses in it until well into the summer. We can also see the bearded vulture here, which is still abundant in the mountains. There are interesting legends and stories about this vulture. After we have explored the gorge extensively, we continue our journey to spend the night in a yurt camp. |
| 18.Day | Drive from Dalandzagad, where we will shop again, towards Tsagaan Suwarga Canyon. Now we are slowly leaving the Gobi. The landscape becomes noticeably greener. The canyon itself was formed by wind and water erosion. Not only that dinosaur bones can be found here in large quantities, but also the play of colors is very impressive. We will also visit the “petroglyphs”, a kilometer long band of rock drawings. The rock drawings are the oldest drawings in Mongolia. |
| 19.Day | Now we are heading back to Ulaanbaatar. The last day in the Mongolian grass steppe has begun. At the end of the drive we come to one of the most interesting rock formations in Mongolia, the big “Earth Mother Stones”. The rocks are scattered in the middle of the grass steppe and again and again the most amazing views and valleys open up to us. The last night under the open sky we will spend in one of these valleys. |
| 20.Day | Arrival in Ulaanbaatar, check-in at hotel and free time in Ulaanbaatar. |
| 21.Day | Airport transfer and return flight home |
| *) Program and route may be subject to change. Binding is the itinerary as it is sent in the booking confirmation | |
Facts
| Service specification overview | |||||||||
| Category | |||||||||
| Travel time and overnight stay | A | B | C | D | Transport | ||||
| Travel time in the country | 21 Days | Int. flights | – | ||||||
| Hotel twin | – | – | 1 | 3 | Int. Rail journey | – | |||
| Guesthouse | – | – | 2 | – | Domestic flight | – | |||
| Gercamp Twin | – | – | 17 | 17 | Domestic bus trip | – | |||
| Guest ger b.Nomads | – | 18 | – | – | Off-road vehicle | ✔ | |||
| Tent | 18 | – | – | – | Motorcycles BMW 650 | – | |||
| Self-organized | 2 | 2 | – | – | Mountainbike | – | |||
| Support vehicle | – | ||||||||
| Food service | A | B | C | D | Horses | – | |||
| Restaurant Ulaanbaatar | – | – | – | 1 | Camel | – | |||
| Breakfast | 11 | 11 | 18 | 20 | Yack trolley | – | |||
| Lunch | 19 | 19 | 19 | 20 | |||||
| Dinner | 11 | 11 | 18 | 18 | Optional Prices on request | ||||
| Self-organized | 5 | 5 | 5 | 2 | Int. flights | – | |||
| Business Class | – | ||||||||
| Service | A | B | C | D | Single room | – | |||
| Breakfast b. Arrival | – | – | – | ✔ | Single ger | – | |||
| Citytour Ulaanbaatar | – | – | ✔ | ✔ | Single ger | – | |||
| Airp.-/Train station transfer | – | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | LUX ger | – | |||
| Guide | ✔ | Off-road vehicle westl. | – | ||||||
| Entrance fees museums | ✔ | Veg. Food flight | – | ||||||
| Entries Nat.parks | ✔ | Veg. Food on the way | – | ||||||
| Entrance Nadaam festival | – | Cancellation insurance | – | ||||||
| Photo/film fees | – | ||||||||
| Alcoholic drinks | – | ||||||||
| 2 l drinking water p. day | ✔ | ||||||||
Map
Dates 2022
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Dates 2023
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Price
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