Best of Mongolia Tour -1 (auto circuit version)
5 % OFF until March 2024Tour description
Do you want to visit to Mongolia’s most popular tourist destinations and experience the most interesting nomadic features in one tour? If yes, this tour is for you. Mongolia is a land of eternal blue sky, the mysterious Gobi desert, endless steppes, crystal clear lakes, untouched nature, unique culture, great history and hospitable nomads. All those wonderful places, nomadic experiences and interesting activities are included in Best of Mongolia Tour - 1. This is an entire circuit and auto discovery tour that covers South, North and Central Mongolia as well as the capital city Ulaanbaatar. The tour highlights will be the 180 km long & 300 meter high Khongor Sand Dunes, famous Dinosaur Land – Flaming Cliffs, exciting Bearded Eagle’s Canyon, the ancient capital of the Mongolian Empire, Karakorum, Asia’s second largest freshwater lake, Khuvsgul, the colorful natural creation “White Stupas”, beautiful protected areas of Korgo, Baga Gazar, Uran Togoo and Terelj including visits to wonderful cultural and nature museums. Please see the below suggested itinerary then enjoy them all in reality! You can be sure this tour of Mongolia will be your unforgettable holiday of a lifetime.
Tour itinerary day by day
Arrive in Ulaanbaatar. We will meet you at the airport with your name sign. Transfer to your hotel then visit the National Museum of Mongolian History, Gandan Monastery and Genghis Square (Sukhbaatar Square), the city’s central square in front of the Mongolian Parliament building. Here we will provide you with some basic information about Mongolia and our capital, Ulaanbaatar.
Stay: Hotel
Meals: Lunch, Dinner
Meet at the hotel after breakfast and drive south to the beautiful Baga Gazariin Chuluu local protected area. Visit the some spots in Baga Gazariin Chuluu: a temple ruin used by Buddhist monks, a hole with Holy Water for the eyes and a small cave. Walk over pretty rocky granite hills. Overnight in a traditional Mongolian ger.
Stay: Ger camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today we continue driving to one of Mongolia’s great natural beauties, Tsagaan Suvarga – “White Stupas”. These colorful cliffs were part of an ancient sea bottom millions of years ago. Nowadays it is a natural wonder with fantastic color combinations. Walk through Tsagaan Suvarga and enjoy the fantastic views.
Stay: Ger camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast drive to Yoliin Am – “Bearded Eagle Canyon”. Yoliin Am is a strictly protected area since 1965 and it is located in the Gobi Three Beauties National Park. Yoliin Am is famous for its high & narrow canyons, frozen summer stream and wild life such as bearded eagles, wild Argali sheep, ibex, and Mongolian mice. The stream remains frozen even in July, the hottest month of the year. Visit museum of the Gobi Three Beauties National Park and enjoy the picturesque Bearded Eagle Canyon, its wildlife and frozen summer stream.
Stay: Ger camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
In the morning we will drive west to beautiful Khongor Sand Dunes. Khongor is one of the largest sand dunes in Mongolia. Its height reaches to 300 meters and extends from the northwest to the southeast over 180 km. The place is famous for its magnificent sand dunes, “Singing Dune”, the highest, Green Oasis and beautiful sunsets. Visit and enjoy the hospitality of a camel breeder’s family, learn about Mongolia’s traditional nomadic way of the life and enjoy a ride on a camel. Climb the Singing Dune and enjoy the ultimate amazing view of the Gobi sand dunes and the Green Oasis from the top of the dune. Visit and walk around the Green Oasis or “Cool Spring”. Enjoy the beautiful Gobi orange sun set in the evening.
Stay: Ger camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Drive to Bayanzag – “Flaming Cliffs” via Western Beauty mountain range. This place is famous for its dinosaur fossils, eggs and the special Gobi tree, the “saxaul”. In 1922 American explorer Roy Chapmen Andrews and his expedition members found the first dinosaur eggs as well as numerous fossil skeletons of dinosaurs that lived 70-80 million years ago. Visit the Flaming Cliffs. Walk in the Gobi “saxaul” forest and enjoy its natural beauty.
Stay: Ger camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Enjoy an early morning Gobi sunrise. After breakfast we will drive north to the Ongi Monastery ruins over the vast 80 km long “Ongi Steppe”. Visit the Ongi Monastery ruins. The monastery was established in the 1760s by Bari Yonzon Khamba. During its peak use, the monastery had over 1000 monks and a complex of around 30 temples. The Ongi Monastery is still active but now only a few monks perform its functions.
Stay: Ger camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
In the morning drive to Karakorum, the ancient capital of Mongolia. Karakorum (Kharkhorin) was the capital of Great Mongolian Empire of Chinggis Khan in the 13-14th Centuries. Transfer to a ger camp and have lunch. Visit one of Mongolia’s two largest monasteries, “Erdenezuu Monastery”, Museum of Karakorum and surrounding sites of Karakorum: the Great Khan’s monument, the legendary Turtle of Karakorum and the Phallic Rock statue. Erdenezuu Monastery has a complex of 108 stupas and over 10 temples that contain rich displays of Mongolian Buddhism. The Erdenezuu Monastery and ruins of Karakorum were registered as UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1996.
Stay: Ger camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Drive to beautiful Khorgo-Terkh National Park. On the way we will pass through the town of Tsetserleg, the center of Arkhangai Province and visit the historic and legendary Taikhar Rock. On the rock are numerous ancient insriptions. Continue driving along the amazing canyon of Chuluut River and Khangai Zone. Arrive in the camp, relax and enjoy the natural beauty of the area.
Stay: Ger camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today we will visit the attractions of the park: the Khorgo extinct volcano, the Yellow Dog’s Hell, the Ice Cave and Terkhiin Tsagaan Lake. Khorgo – Terkh National Park has been protected since 1965 and covers an area of 773 square km. Khorgo Mountain was an active volcano just 8000 years ago and Khorgo is covered with basalt. Red deer, Siberian deer, wild boar, reddish and black ducks are found in the park. During the summer, great cormorants commonly nest at Terkhiin Tsagaan Lake. The lake is beautiful with crystal clear fresh water and supports pike & other fish. Torrents of lava issuing from the Khorgo Volcano dammed the Terkh River in the north and south forming the lake and is at an altitude of 2060 meters above sea level. Enjoy walking and bird watching by the lake shore. After lunch we will have a shorter drive to Jargalant Hot Spa in a beautiful mountain area. On the way you will have an opportunity to choose any local nomadic family to visit and gain additional knowledge of a Mongolian herders’ nomadic way of the life. Today and tomorrow you will have plenty of opportunities to see ancient tombs along the way. Enjoy walking, relaxing or having a bath in the spa.
Stay: Ger camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast we will travel to the astonishingly fresh and crystal clear “Khuvsgul Lake” passing through the town of Murun, the center Khuvsgul Province. Khuvsgul National Park is called “Mongolia’s Switzerland”. The National Park covers 8381 square km and it has been protected since 1992. There are plenty of rare and special animals in the park. Khuvsgul Lake is the deepest lake in Central Asia with a maximum depth of 262 meters and contains 1 percent of the world’s fresh water. The reflections of the surrounding larch forest and majestic Khoridol Saridag mountain range on the blue lake water are extremely amazing. Enjoy taking pictures, relaxing or trekking by the crystal blue lake shore or on the edge of the great Taiga forest and exploring the flora & fauna of the area.
Stay: Ger camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today we visit a Tsaatan or Reindeer people herder’s family and explore their special nomadic way of the life. Reindeer herders live in tepees in Khuvsgul Province. They herd reindeer for their existence and use reindeer for many purposes: transport, meat, milk, skins for clothes, blood-horns for traditional medicine and other uses. Enjoy relaxing in the pristine nature of the national park or walking by the clear blue Khuvsgul Lake shore.
Stay: Ger camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
In the morning we drive to Uran Togoo. Visit the Uran extinct volcano in the Uran Togoo Protected Area. This area has been protected as a “Natural Monument” since 1965 and covers 58 square km. The protected area is the home of numerous kinds of rare animals. Uran extinct volcano is at an elevation of 1,686 meters above sea level. On the top is a crater with a small “crater lake” of about 20 meters in diameter.
Stay: Ger camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today we drive to the famous Amarbayasgalant Monastery. Visit and enjoy the beautiful monastery complex and statues on the mountain. Amarbayasgalant Monastery, built between 1727 and 1736, is dedicated to Saint Zanabazar, Mongolia’s first Buddhist saint. Amarbayasgalant was one of the greatest Buddhist pilgrimage centers where between the 17 and 19th Centuries about one thousand lamas lived, chanted and studied. In 1996 it was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Stay: Ger camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Drive back to Ulaanbaatar. Visit the Buddha Park, featuring a 23 meter tall statue of Buddha and the Zaisan Hill War Memorial. The huge monument on the top of the hill was created as a memorial to soldiers who died in World War II. Zaisan Hill overlooks the city and offers the best panoramic view of Ulaanbaatar and its surrounding sacred mountains. Later we will go shopping at a cashmere factory outlet store, a souvenir shop or whatever else you want to do. In the evening, enjoy a traditional Mongolian folklore performance of song, dance, music and contortionists followed by a farewell dinner at a fine Mongolian restaurant.
Stay: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Meet at the hotel and transfer to the airport for departure.
Meals: Breakfast