Mongolia with the Ural sidecar

1. Tag

Morning

You will be picked up from your hotel at 9:00 and we will leave Ulaanbaatar heading west. Right after leaving the city, the Mongolian steppe welcomes us. We will stop, according to old Mongolian custom, at a large Ovoo to bid to the earth spirits for a good trip. Ovoos are ubiquitous in Mongolia and firmly rooted in Mongolian beliefs.

Noon

Lunch break in the Mongolian steppe landscape.

Afternoon

The journey continues in the direction of Karakorum. We will make a first major stop at the large sand dune of Elsen Tasarkhai. The dunes of Elsen Tasarkhai are fossil dunes, which were formed by the sand transport from the Gobi. The dunes are interesting for those who want to get an impression of the Gobi Desert, but want to save themselves the many kilometers of driving there.

Overnight stay in the mountains of Hognon Khan

Accommodation:

Gercamp, dinner

2. Tag

Morning

In the morning we drive the remaining kilometers to Karakorum. Then we start exploring Karakorum. First, the former capital We start with Erdene Zuu Monastery. Erdene Zuu, the oldest monastery in Mongolia, was founded in 1586. At that time Buddhism gained importance in Mongolia. Statues such as those of the deity Gombogur were brought to the country and can still be seen at Erdene Zuu. The complex consists of several temples and a complex of buildings that were gradually built. In the heyday of the monastery, over 1000 monks lived there. Over the centuries, the monastery was destroyed, rebuilt and modified several times. Manchurian conquerors repeatedly destroyed Erdene Zuu and the city of Karakorum. At the beginning of the 19th century, the walls of Erdene Zuu finally housed 62 temples and further development was slower. Meanwhile, there were monasteries and temples all over the country, yet Erdene Zuu has remained an important pilgrimage site to this day.

From the monastery Erdene Zuu it is only a few meters to the excavation sites of the old capital Karakorum. Unfortunately, not much is left of the city and after we have a small overview of the situation, we drive to the newly built museum, where the findings of the excavation are displayed. Here we have the opportunity to inform ourselves in detail about Karakorum.

Noon

The Orkhon Valley has always been a cultural melting pot. Even before Chingges Kahn built his capital here, different peoples settled in the fertile valley. Many traces have not been preserved, but about 60 KM north of Karakorum is the tomb of Khoshoo Tsaidam. It is the tomb of the Turk King Bilge Khan and his brother Kulitegin. Both of them were generals. Today they would be called "warlords" because they joined different peoples in this region. The most famous are the two "stelae", on which are carved in two languages, the deeds of the two commanders. Here was also excavated one of the four stone turtles, a sign of long life and eternity. The stone turtles have a particularly important meaning in Mongolian mythology. For the Turkic peoples, and thus ultimately for Turkey, Khoshoo Tsaidam is of special significance

Afternoon

In the late afternoon we will reach the lake Ogii Nuur. Here we have time to relax in the unique landscape. The lake invites to a short hike along its shore. Near our place for the night, there is a small bird watching station, because the Ogii Nuur is also an important resting place for many migratory birds.

Accommodation:

Gercamp, dinner

3. Tag

Morning

With a magnificent view over the Ogii nuur, we start the third day of our little trip. We can observe cranes and many other birds. In the morning we drive back to Ulaanbaatar. In the morning we pass a ruin complex from the Kitan time. The Kitan belong to the Proto-Mongols or Proto-Mongolids and this is the name given to those peoples who inhabited the Central Asian steppes in the first centuries AD. Chr. inhabited the Central Asian steppes. They were mainly peoples with Turkic, Mongolian and Tungus languages, but they were very similar in culture and way of life. The ruins of Char Buch Balgas are attributed to the 9th-10th centuries. It is said to be a fortification.

Noon

Lunch in the steppe

Afternoon

The drive will take us via the village of Lun to Ulaanbaatar, where we will arrive in the late afternoon.