Clients Experiences

The trip starts in the Khan Khentii Mountains where we ride small but tough Mongolian horses. We will also visit the remains of the charming Princess Monastery once a home to a young princess who became the protector of the people and of the Buddhist faith. The remains are nestled deep in a valley covered with pine and birch forests as well as an abundance of wild flowers. In autumn, leaves create a spectacular glow of warm colours. We spend several days in the mountains - riding horses, fishing, walking in the wide, open valleys and visiting the local nomadic families.
Naadam is the most colourful Mongolian festival and you will be able to observe and experience the best of traditions, costumes, songs and dances. The main events of wrestling, horseracing and archery contests will give you a feeling of who the Mongols really are. After the festival we head into the Gobi Desert. The sites of the Gobi are varied and unique: vast plains, glaciers in the mid of hot summer, dinosaur cemeteries and spectacular sand-dunes.

Departure code and date:
NSA-006, 5-17 July, 2010

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Day 1 Arrive Ulaanbaatar
Arrival and transfer to a 3 star hotel. Today will be a day of guided sightseeing in Ulaanbaatar, including visits to Gandan Monastery, and the Bogd Khaan Palace which is a series of beautiful traditional buildings in which the last religious King of Mongolia resided, and the Fine Arts Museum. Lunch and dinner will be in local restaurants.

Day 2-6 Riding, fishing & walking in Terelj National Park
After breakfast at the hotel you will depart for the Khentii Mountains. The drive will take you into the Gorkhi-Terelj National Park and past the small township of Terelj. You will cross the Terelj River, past nomadic families’ gers to meet with our local horsemen. After a light lunch, the journey will continue, either on horse back or yak cart, into the Baga Khentii Mountains, the smaller sisters of the Khentii Mountains to the north. You will spend 4 nights in tents moving from a place to place in the mountains. You will be accompanied by local horsemen, your guide, and cooking staff. There will be a dining tent for dining and social time in the evening. During the day there will be horse riding, or yak cart riding in the mountains and valleys, hiking and visiting the ruins of the Gunjiin Monastery. A small river flows past the camp, which is deep enough for a dip in the cool waters or to do some fishing with the locals. The wildlife is varied and includes musk deer and moose, brown bear, roe deer, and elk. It is also a paradise for bird lovers who may be lucky enough to spot whooper swans, spoonbills, great white egrets and numerous raptors. On your last day in the mountains you will visit your local horseman’s ger and sample some traditional Mongolian food. From here you will return to Ulaanbaatar in the vehicles for dinner at a local restaurant followed by overnight at the hotel.

(Bosgiin guur – Zuugiin Tsagaan khotol –Dund Bayan (muddy area) – Gyalalzakh – Gunjiin Sum – Tuul tereljiin belcher)

Days 7-8 Naadam Festival, Ulaanbaatar
Spend a full day at the Naadam Festival in Ulaanbaatar. In the morning we will see the Flag Ceremony on the main square, and then go on to the stadium to see the opening ceremony, the wrestling, and archery competitions. The evening program will be a performance of Mongolian folk song and dance. You will be accompanied by a guide and vehicle at all times. Breakfast and lunch will be at the hotel. Dinner will be at a local restaurant. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 9 Fly to the South Gobi
Today you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Dalanzadgad either in the morning or afternoon depending on the domestic flight schedule. The flight from Ulaanbaatar to the capital of the South Gobi Province takes one and a half hours, and you will be accompanied by your guide. On arrival at the airstrip in the Gobi you will be met by a driver and jeep and taken to the ger camp. After lunch we will visit Yolyn Am, or Eagle Valley. This is about 40km from your ger camp and is about one hour’s drive. The valley is about 10km long and is completely shaded from the sun in some parts by the high cliff walls. It is possible to walk through the valley and out the other side. You may be lucky enough to spot wild sheep and goats grazing high on the cliff walls. The valley is also full of soaring eagles hunting for prey. At the opening of the valley is a local Natural History Museum displaying interesting information about the animals of the area. Return to you ger camp for dinner and overnight.

Day 10
Today we drive west along the Altai Mountain range until we reach Khongoriin Els. Reaching heights of 800m, these are Mongolia’s largest sand-dunes. Locally they are called the ‘singing dunes’ because of the tons of sand, which shift in the wind, making a strange sound similar to that of distant aircraft. The drive is about 4 hours long. We will stay overnight in a ger camp close to the dunes.

Day 11
This morning we will have the opportunity to use a different type of transport. We will be riding on camels today to explore these massive sand-dunes. The two-humped camels are very comfortable to ride, as they walk slowly and gently and we will be well supported by the humps, sitting comfortably between them. Our camel man will take us to the sand-dunes. After lunch at the ger camp we will drive back to the Bayanzag area where we will overnight at the Three Camel Lodge ger camp.

Day 12
After breakfast you will be driven to the desert airstrip with your guide for your return flight to Ulaanbaatar. At the airport in Ulaanbaatar you will be met by our vehicle and transferred to your hotel. After lunch at the hotel you can go sightseeing, including a visit to the Natural History Museum.

Day 13
After breakfast at the hotel, transfer to the airport for international departure.

Prices include the following: 2 domestic flights, transportation within Mongolia, twin accommodation in a 3 star hotel. Single accommodation can be arranged at an additional cost. Tented accommodation while on trek, three meals a day, English-speaking guide, all sightseeing costs, transfers, camel or horse hire where specified, support staff including drivers, horse/camel men and camp assistants.

Prices do not include: International transportation, travel insurance, visas, departure tax, alcoholic drinks, gratuities, items of a personal nature.

It is the responsibility of the client to be fully covered with travel and medical insurance while traveling in Mongolia.

Please note: An additional ‘single supplement’ price is given with all our prices. This refers to single room accommodation in hotels only. Upon request, single supplement in the countryside can be provided at the additional cost. In case single accommodation in ger camps was not provided the amount would be calculated based on the missing nights and reimbursed.

Nomads cannot be held responsible for over bookings, as long as the company can prove with sufficient documentation that overbooking has been the error of the third party.

Should circumstances beyond our control, such as the imposition of quarantine restrictions, any changes of domestic flight or train schedules, require a change of itinerary, we will inform your agent and propose an equivalent itinerary. Again, Nomads cannot take over the responsibility for the Airlines or the National Train Company. The traveler is responsible for having proper travel documents, such as a valid passport, proper visa and the necessary passport pictures.