Day
1 -
Ulaanbaatar
ARRIVAL AT ULAANBAATAR
We receive you at the airport and drop you at your hotel. After a meet and greet, we will get a basic orientation and begin a tour of a city that over half the population of the country call home.
Overnight: Hotel, Ulaanbaatar
Day
2 -
Baga Gazriin Chuluu
ULAANBAATAR – BAGA GAZRIIN CHULUU (B,L,D)
We leave early and start heading towards Gobi. Our first waypoint are the impressive rock formations of Baga Gazriin Chuluu. We will explore canyons, climb on top of large boulders and try to find the ruins of an old temple hidden between the rocks. Here we also spend our first night in a Ger.
Overnight: Ger Camp
Day
3 -
Tsagaan Suvraga
BAGA GAZRIIN CHULUU - TSAGAAN SUVRAGA (B,L,D)
The cliffs of Tsagaan Suvraga are a colorful sight and make for some beautiful hiking. Once on top, the view over Middle Gobi is breathtaking. To its feet is an equally colorful crater landscape which is challenging to navigate by car but exciting by foot.
Overnight: Ger Camp
Day
4 -
Yolin Am
TSAGAAN SUVRAGA - YOLIN AM (B,L,D)
After reaching the national park of Gobi Gurvan Saikhan we make our way to the Yol gorge. The river cutting through the mountain stays frozen deep into the summer, and the valley is teeming with small animals. After a long day of hiking and exploring, we return to our Ger camp.
Overnight: Ger Camp
Day
5 -
Khongor
YOLIN AM - SINGING SANDS (B,L,D)
The singing sands of Khongor are dunes over 200m high and 100km long. We will spend the day hiking and riding camels through the dunes. Towards the evening we will try to scale the highest dune to watch the sunset from above.
Overnight: Ger Camp
Day
6 -
Bayanzag
SINGING SANDS - BAYANZAG (B,L,D)
The site of the first discovery of actual dinosaur eggs, the "flaming cliffs" turn into a fiery red every sunset. The cliffs are overlooking a protected nature area where rainwater accumulates to form a temporary lake. Further afield are reforestation projects attempting to halt desertification by planting countless rugged Gobi-trees.
Overnight: Ger Camp
Day
7 -
Ongii
BAYANZAG - ONGIIN KHIID (B,L,D)
Located next to a meandering river, the temple ruins of Ongii used to be a center of Mongolian Buddhism until it was destroyed in the revolutionary times. The remnants of the temple serve as a reminder of that grim past. The beauty of the surrounding nature stands in stark contrast to this site and allows the evening to focus on relaxation.
Overnight: Ger Camp
Day
8 -
Orkhon valley
ONGIIN KHIID - ORKHON VALLEY (B,L,D)
Having clearly left Gobi, we drive through green landscapes to reach the picturesque Orkhon valley. We will hike through the UNESCO heritage area along the river to a waterfall. Over the course of the day we will see nomadic herders and countless wild and domestic animals. After a day of driving and hiking in this beautiful valley, we reach our camp for the night and enjoy our dinner.
Overnight: Ger Camp
Day
9 -
Karakorum
ORKHON VALLEY - KARAKORUM (B,L,D)
Karakorum was once the capital of the Mongol Empire. Today, the site features archaeological excavations and the Buddhist temple of Erdene-Zuu. After visiting the temple, we will enter the high-quality Karakorum museum. Here we will learn about the history of what is today Mongolia, with special focus on the excavations of Karakorum and artefacts of the high period of the Mongol Empire.
Overnight: Ger Camp
Day
10 -
Khugnu Khan
KARAKORUM - KHUGNU KHAN (B,L,D)
Along the road back to UB, we stop for one last night in Khugnu Khan. This sandy area is a natural replica of the ecosystem of the Gobi, almost 100km to the south of Khugnu Khan. We will ride camels into the dunes, hike through the sand and enjoy for one last time the tranquility of the Mongolian countryside.
Overnight: Ger Camp
Day
11 -
Ulaanbaatar
KHUGNU KHAN - ULAANBAATAR (B,L)
We reach UB over the course of the afternoon. After enjoying the comfort of our hotel for a while, the rest of the day is free to enjoy, before we meet for a relaxed farewell dinner.
Overnight: Hotel
Day
12 -
Ulaanbaatar
DEPARTURE (B)
Timely transfer to the airport and farewell