Description

Day 1. Arrive Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. After the custom formalities at the airport/railway station, you will be met by your local driver and taken to your hotel. No meals planned for this day.

Accommodation in a 4* Ulaanbaatar hotel

Day 2. Ulaanbaatar city tour & visit to the Giant Genghis monument. B L 
Meet with your tour guide and the rest of the group at 9am in the morning, and start the Ulaanbaatar city tour. Today, we will visit the principal sites of Ulaanbaatar including the Gandan monastery – a home to the 26m gilded statue of Megjid Janraisag, and the National Museum of Mongolia, and walk the Main Square.
After welcome lunch at an excellent Mongolian restaurant, we drive for 1hr to visit the Giant Genghis monument – an impressive 46m statue of Genghis Khan on horseback, indeed the largest equastrian statue on earth. Return to Ulaanbaatar in the evening at around 6.30pm.

Day 3. Ulaanbaatar -Elsen Tasarkhai – Mt. Khugnu Khan / Ger Camp.  B L D 
Meet at 8.00am and pack the vehicles then start the tour. We drive to the beautiful Elsen Tasarkhai sand dunes for 3hr. Arrive and transfer to tourist camp for lunch. In the afternoon visit the Erdene Khamba monastery ruins in the picturesque Khugnu Khaan Mountain, take some hiking. Return to the tourist camp for dinner and rest.

DAY 4. Elsen Tasarkhai – Karakorum: Erdene Zuu monastery / Ger Camp.  B L D
After breakfast, we drive to Karakorum for about 1hs, arrive and visit the Erdene Zuu Monastery, the oldest Buddhist monastery in Mongolia founded in 1586, and take part in the morning chants. Then visit the newly opened Open Air Museum of Karakorum, which displays some interesting findings from Karakorum ruins by the Mongolian-German join expedition. Check into Ger camp, have lunch. Then visit the Karakorum Museum and get some knowledge about the UNESCO world heritage Orkhon River Valley and the ancient capital Karakorum.

Day 5. Karakorum – Ongi monastery drive / Ger Camp. B L D
Today we head southwards towards the Gobi Desert. The drive today is scenic as usual however, the terrain will gradually change into semi-desert zone. We reach the Ongi Monastery Ruins by late afternoon (picnic lunch on the way) and check into Ger camp. Rest a bit and then take some walking to the monastery ruins. Dinner and overnight at the Ger camp.

DAY 6. Ongi monastery to Bayanzag Flaming Cliffs / Deluxe Ensuite Ger Camp.  B L D 
After breakfast we continue the drive to the Gobi and reach Bayanzag – one of the most known dinosaur remains site in the world. Indeed, it’s where Roy Chapman Andrews made his discovery of dinosaur eggs in the early 1920s during his expedition to Asia. Andrews is believed to be the inspiration of the si-fi character expolrer Indiana Jones. Arrive in Bayanzag and transfer to Ger camp and have lunch.
Visit the Red Cliffs (Flaming Cliffs) and explore for dinosaur remains, it does take some walking in the badlands and many people find the real thing! Then in the early evening transfer to the Ger camp, check into your En-suite Gers. Rest. Watch the Gobi sunset as you enjoy your special dinner.

Day 7. A day excursion to the Khongor Sand Dunes / Deluxe Ensuite Ger Camp.  B L D
Today, we will take a day excursion to Khongor sand dunes – Mongolia’s largest and most beautiful sand dunes that stretch over 180km in the arid Gobi Desert. The drive to the dunes at Khongoriin takes about 3 hours one way, passing through vast desert badlands that span out into the furthest distances, where remote mountains line the horizon. Arrive at the Ger camp by the sand dunes and have lunch.
Afterwards, visit the Khongor sand dunes and take a short camel ride along the Khongor springs in the little oasis. You also may want to climb the beautiful sand dunes, some are as high as 300m. Lone Gers and nomads on camelback hang suspended in the mirages, whilst the desert floor is strewn with a range of colorful rocks and unusual minerals. This is the Gobi at its stark best – there are many opportunities to take photographs of the landscapes and people. In the evening drive back to the camp.

Day 8. Excursion to Yoliin Am Gorge in Gurvan Saikhan Mountains / Deluxe Ensuite Ger Camp.  B L D
Enjoy watching the Gobi sun rise and after having breakfast at the Ger camp, we drive to the glacial Yoliin Am Gorge in the Gurvan Saikhan Mountains, the eastern end of the majectis Altai Mountains.
The beautiful narrow gorge is named for the Lammergeyer vultures – huge soaring birds in the mountains. This deep, shaded canyon offers visitors a glimpse of the Gobi’s many wild flowers, raptors, Ibex, and even a glacier – like ice field in the canyon bottom. Take some hiking in the gorge. Then return to the Ger camp, dinner and rest.

Day 9. The Gobi Desert – Ulaanbaatar, traditional folklore concert. B L D
Have early breakfast and then drive to the small Gobi Desert airport (~60min drive) and take the flight to Ulaanbaatar. Then upon arrival enjoy a half day city sightseeing including the fabled Bogd Khaan’s Palace Museum and an optional shopping for cashmere/souvenir. Then see a folklore concert by the magnificent Tumen Ekh ensemble featuring Khoomei – Mongolian throat singing and contortion performance followed by farewell dinner.

Overnight in Ulaanbaatar hotel.

Day 10. Departure/extension.  B
Extend your tour with another tour or transfer to the airport for your flight home.