North & Central Mongolian Explorer 2023

Arrival in Ulaanbaatar, our guide and driver will meet us at the airport and aid with check-in at the hotel. Hotel in Ulaanbaatar is not included in the package. You can check suggested hotels here.

The city tour of Ulaanbaatar takes you through some of the principal sights of this unique city. You visit the Gandan Monastery, housing a 26 meter high gilded statue of the Buddha. Welcome lunch in a Mongolian restaurant. Your tour also takes you to the Genghis Khan monument on the Sukhbaatar square and the Museum of National History. Then we visit the Zaisan Memorial hill where you can have a view of entire city.  Hotel in Ulaanbaatar is not included in the package. You can check suggested hotels here. L

After breakfast at the hotel, we pack the vehicles and depart to the west toward Elsen Tasarkhai also called Bayangobi, a semi-Gobi area with 80 km long dunes. Visit Hustai national park, view wild Przewalski horse Takhi. Enjoy optional hiking. Transfer to camp near the Mongol Els Sand Dunes. Travel to Khogno Khaan with a visit to the Erdene Khamba monastery ruins. Enjoy 1-hour camel riding on the dunes. The rest of the day is spent with nomads taking part in their daily chores including, cooking, cheese and curd making, milking, herding and many more. Enjoy your stay overnight at the nomads’ summer campsite. Nomadic Family Stay  L+D

Farewell to our host family and we drive to ancient capital Karakorum. We visit legendary monastery Erdene Zuu, the first Buddhist monastery in Central Mongolia founded in 1586 and its surroundings the Turtle Rock and the Phallic stone etc. In the afternoon we will visit the newly established Museum of Karakorum which gives a good introduction to Central Mongolia, its’ history and the UNESCO world heritage site Orkhon river valley. Continue our travel to Tsenkher hot springs where we stay overnight. Arrive at our ger camp after 3-4-hour travel. Enjoy relaxing in the natural curative hot spa. Ger camp B+L+D 

PS: Please kindly note that some travellers who’ve chosen to join with Northern Mongolia part will join today, and some of group members who joined for Southern Mongolia will leave today.

Check out from our camp and we continue our journey to the north west. Visit historical Zayiin Gegeen temple museum at Tsetserleg town. Next stop at mythical Taikhar rock which keeps around 150 inscriptions engraved on the cliff written in Turkic, Uyghur, Mongolian, Tibetan, Manchu and Chinese, but most of them are barely appeared now. Picnic lunch along the way. Our afternoon drive brings you into the volcanic surrounds of Lake Terkhiin Tsagaan - the 'Great White Lake'. The lake lies calmly in the arms of tall hills, its water extremely clear and lined with long sand beaches. The road winds along the shoreline, past Shamanic piles of black lava, before it cuts a short distance inland towards the Khorgo Volcano. At around 10,000 feet up, the volcano is now extinct, but still revered by the nomads of the region. A short walk takes you to the crater rim, where red-stained rock descends into a deep chasm surrounded by sacred Ovoo mounds. Look back towards Lake Terkh Tsagaan - there is an excellent view over the lake through a small hill pass. Dinner and overnight at the ger camp by the lake shore. Ger Camp B+L+D

Today we drive a path northward, passing Orookh pass and continuing into the astounding Huvsgul Mountains. The mountains themselves vary in character, from stark outcroppings of dun-colored rock to steep green slopes that rise far over the river valleys and isolated ger encampments. The drive takes 6-7 hours with picnic lunch along our way. Our next stop is beautiful five river valley, a confluence of 5 rivers: Delgermurun, Bugsei, Chuluut, and Ider river combines into Selenge river. Arrive at our ger camp by the riverside. Short hiking toward to Borivt mountain where you will have panoramic view of the surrounding including the view of the river confluence. Optional fishing or kayaking on the river. Dinner and overnight at the ger camp.  Ger camp B+L+D

Breakfasts, we drive toward Lake Huvsgul. We visit Uushig Deer Stones before heading to Lake Huvsgul. Lunch at the ger restaurant and in the afternoon, we continue our journey toward the lake. The drive from Murun to Lake Huvsgul covers slightly more than 150 kilometers, passing across a landscape of green hills studded by rock outcroppings, river valleys with braided channels which crisscross the lush valley floors and skies filled with hunting birds-of-prey. The road can get bumpy as it passes the settlement of Khatgal and enters the forests surrounding the lake, before emerging on the banks of Lake Huvsgul itself with your ger camp close at hand. Remainder of the day at leisure on Lake Huvsgul. Ger camp B+L+D

In the morning, enjoy 2-hour horseback riding along the lake shore. The rest of the day is spent in leisurely activities and sightseeing on Lake Huvsgul and its surroundings - there are a number of ways to spend the day, including optional boat journeys, gentle walking, visit to Darkhad family and a visit to the Tsaatan nomads – the 'Reindeer People'. Enjoy 2-hour kayaking on the lake. Ger camp B+L+D

We depart from Lake Huvsgul and start our journey toward the Khangai region of Mongolia; here one will definitely admire the nature beauty. Khangai region is beautiful mountainous area that is rich in wood, wildlife and rivers. Picnic lunch along the way and optional nomadic family visit. We arrive at our ger camp near Uran Togoo Mountain. Short drive to Uran Togoo and enjoy hiking into the ancient volcano that was active 20-25 thousand years ago. Return to the ger camp, dinner and overnight. Ger camp B+L+D

Today we head to the east to magnificent Amarbayasgalant monastery located in Baruun Buren, Selenge. Our road trip, passes by Bulgan town as well as industrial town Erdenet which has one of Mongolia’s largest copper mines. Arrive at our ger camp and lunch. In the afternoon, we visit renowned Amabayasgalant established between 1727 and 1736. The monastery was dedicated to dedicated to Undur Gegeen Zanabazar. Return to the ger camp, dinner and overnight.   Ger camp B+L+D

Today we drive toward Ulaanbaatar with the early start from the ger camp. Our drive takes 7-8 hours with lunch along the way at the local restaurant. Arrive in Ulaanbaatar in the late afternoon and check in at the hotel. Optional shopping for souvenir if time allows. Enjoy traditional folklore concert at Tumen Ekh ensemble. Farewell dinner.   Ger camp B+L+D

You are transferred to the airport/train station after breakfast. End of service. Ger camp B+L+D