NAADAM 2019 AND DISCOVER MONGOLIA
Overview
Discover the highlights of the Gobi Desert and the Mongolian steppe. Breathtaking landscapes and the warm hospitality of the nomads will remain unforgettable. At the beginning of the journey, you can see a lot of things like Mongolian steppe and desert: The Highlight of our trip certainly will be the Naadam Festival, which consists of three disciplines wrestling, archery, and horse racing. Our journey begins with a visit to the rock formation and onward journey through the steppes and desert landscape as in the sunshine shining white stupa and flaming cliffs up to the big rock wall of vulture gorge "Yoliin Am". While continuing drive, we'll see old monasteries, the second largest freshwater lake "Khuvsgul" in the world and the capital city of the former Mongol Empire under the leadership of Genghis Khan.
Gallery
Itinerary
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Whenever your international flight lands in the city airport, our friendly staff will be waiting for you and will transfer you to a hotel in Ulaanbaatar. After relaxing in the hotel from the long flight, we'll begin our city tour with a visit to the national historical museum. Then we'll stroll around "Sukhbaatar" square, the main square of the Ulaanbaatar city. After that, we'll drive to the "Zaisan Tolgoi" for sightseeing, where we can enjoy the view of the whole city. Lastly, we get to know Mongolian traditional arts and welcome dinners. (Walking time: 1 hour. Accommodation: Hotel Meals: Breakfast and Dinner.)
Our next destination will be a drive to the south to "Baga Gazriin Chuluu", which translates to small earth mother stones. It is a magnificent 1751m high, 15 km long and 10 km wide granite stone mountain in the middle of the Desert Gobi. While driving through the round rock formations, dramatic granite cliffs, and small valleys, you can discover the ruins of ancient monasteries, ancient inscriptions and over 20 types of medicinal herbs such as Burnet, many species of rare world animals such as groundhog, Steinbeck, and Argali. (Walking time: 1 hour. Accommodation: Ger camp Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.)
Today we'll continue our trip with a drive to the earth formation called "Tsagaan Suvarga". There was a sea here millions of years ago. However, today a fascinating limestone formation with an astounding view still testify of it. It is 400m long and 200m high. As the sun goes down, the rocks shine in bright orange color. (Walking time: 1 hour. Accommodation: Ger-camp Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.)
On this day, we'll continue our journey with a drive to the east to see Bayanzag, which is a well-famed site by its fossilized dinosaur bones. American paleontologist Roy Chapman dug Andrews was the first person to discover Dinosaur fossils in 1922. Today, Dinosaur fossils are exhibited in museums all over the world for days. While the evening sunshine shines on the steep walls, it looks like a blazing cliff. (Walking time: 1 hour. Accommodation: Ger-camp Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.)
In the south, there’s a mountain range called "three beauties of Gobi" in Mongolian "Gobi Gurvan Saikhan". It’s the southern foothills of "Altai" mountains. The Vulture Gorge lies between the peaks of the mountain range "Gobi Gurvan Saihan" and at 2100m altitude, a small stream rushes through a narrow gorge. In winter, a many meters high snow layer builds up. After arriving in the parking lot, we’ll make an easy hike in the gorge. If we’re in luck, we might be able to see the wild animals such as Capricorn, Argalschaff and the other animals. (Walking time: 3 hours. Accommodation: Ger-camp Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.)
After breakfast, we’ll get back in the car and drive to the local airport. After one and a half hour flight, we’ll be back in Ulaanbaatar city. In the afternoon, we’ll prepare for the Naadam festival. Then we’ll conclude our day with dinner. (Accommodation: Hotel Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.)
This day is the most remarkable day for all Mongolians. It’s the day of national festival "Naadam". The origin of the festival possibly goes to the Klantreffen, which were social highlights back in the Middle Ages. The 11th of July was later rearranged as the National Day of Independence, moreover, commemorates the country's proclamation of independence in 1921. The Naadam festival consists of three disciplines such as wrestling, horse racing and archery. On this day, we’ll see the opening ceremony at the stadium and after having lunch, we’ll see the other discipline, archery and that will conclude our first day. (Accommodation: Hotel Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.)
After breakfast, we’ll begin our trip to Khustai National Park. On our way to the park, we’ll see the horse race. Hundreds of horses will be available at the startup point with their riders who are 7-12 years old children. After the horse race, we’ll continue our drive to Khustai National Park. There, we’ll observe wild horses in the wild. These critically endangered horses were expelled again in 1992. About 15 horses were brought over. As of today, there are over 400 horses in the national park. This type of wild horse is known by the Russian officer named Przewski. However, the Mongolians call it Takhi. (Walking time: 3 hours. Accommodation: Ger-camp Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.)
After breakfast, we’ll make our way to the magnificent rock formation of "Khugnu Khan" nature reserve. There, we’ll discover a semi-desert steppe. Astonishingly beautiful granite rock mountains and 80km long sand dunes are the characteristic of this dry area called "mini gobi". In the afternoon, we’ll walk to the "Erdene Khamba" monastery, which “Khugnu Khan” was constructed on the southern slope of the mountain in the 17th century. (Walking time: 1 hours Accommodation: Ger-camp Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.)
This day we’ll drive east to visit “Kharakhorum”, the former capital of the Mongol Empire of Genghis Khan back in the 13th century. Through his tolerant attitude towards the new and unknown, the capital not only became the hub of the imperial administration and a center of trade and crafts, but also a melting pot of different religions, cultures, and people in the 13th century. After lunch in a Ger-camp, we’ll visit the "Kharakhorum" museum, followed by a visit to the "Erdene Zuu" monastery. (Walking time: 1 hour. Accommodation: Ger camp Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.)
After breakfast, we’ll move on to our journey to the "Tsenkher" hot spring. The spring water has healing properties, furthermore, is especially recommended for joint diseases and disorders caused by the nervous system. The spring water consists of sodium carbonate, hydrocarbonate, sulfate, fluorite, and hydrogen sulfide. After the long hike from yesterday, we’ll enjoy a bath with spring water. There, you’re able to walk through the area. (Accommodation: Ger-camp Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.)
On this day, we’ll drive to the nature reserve "Khorgo". The lake is 2600m above sea level, 6 km wide, and 16 km long that covers a 61km2 area. It’s 20m deep and offers an opportunity, during favorable weather conditions, to do fishing. You may find many pikes and numerous other fish species there. Most of the year, the lake remain frozen. (Walking time: 1 hour. Accommodation: Ger-camp Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.)
This day we’ll stay one more day in Ger-camp. After resting for a while, we’ll begin our hike in the direction of an extinct volcano called "Khorgo". After 2 hours of walking, we’ll arrive at the foot of the volcano and have a lunch break. Next, we’ll climb up to the 2240m high crater, which measured to be a diameter of 200m and 70-80m deep. Around the Khorgo volcano, there’s a beautiful area that consists of solid lava bubbles. Our day concludes upon arrival in our Ger-camp. (Walking time: 5 hours. Accommodation: Ger-camp Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.)
In the morning, we’ll drive to the north to see the lake "Zuun Nuur". The land run leads us through the hilly landscape and the valleys. On the way, we’ll have a picnic we’ll arrive at the lake "Zuun Nuur" in the afternoon. After that, we’ll go to our Ger-camp. (Walking time: 1 hour. Accommodation: Ger-camp Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.)
This day, we’ll drive to the south to visit the "Uushigiin Uvur". The deer stones are from Scythian times / Before 1000 BC/. They’re 3-4m high obelisks with pages mainly decorated with depictions of flying deer. To this present day, over 700 samples have found around the world, including 500 pieces from Mongolia. Then, in the afternoon, we’ll go back to our Ger-camp and you’ll at leisure until dinner. (Walking time: 1 hour. Accommodation: Ger-camp Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.)
Our next destination is the freshwater lake "Khuvsgul". It’s the second largest freshwater lake in the world after the lake "Baikal". The lake covers 2760 km2 area and surrounded with forests of larches and pine trees. After our arrival at the lake, we’ll explore the area together. (Walking time: 1 hour. Accommodation: Ger-camp Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.)
In the morning, after a short drive, we’ll reach the mountain "Uran Uul". The mountain is a dormant volcano which was active 20-25 million years ago. Its crater is 1686m above sea level and has a diameter of 500m and 50m deep. There, we’ll get off from the car and begin our hike through the area to discover more of the flora and fauna. In the afternoon, we’ll visit the ruins of "Bi Bulan", which existed from the "Uigur" empire during the 8th century until the present-day. (Walking time: 1 hour. Accommodation: Ger-camp Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.)
After breakfast, we’ll continue our trip to the mountain "Uran Uul". The extinct volcano that has a diameter of 500-600m, 1686m above sea level and 50-60m deep. There is a small lake nearby with a diameter of 20m, 1.5m deep. It’s believed that the volcano was active 25,000 years ago. (Walking time: 2 hours. Accommodation: Ger-camp Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.)
In the morning, we’ll drive to the east to visit the "Amarbayasgalant" monastery. This day, we’ll go for a 260km trip that involves 210km drive on the asphalt road and 50 km on the country run. On the way, we’ll stop by the second largest city of Mongolia, "Erdenet" to get supplies for our onward journey. Then, our next destination is the "Amarbayasgalant" monastery, which constructed by the Manchu Emperor Enkh-Amgalan Khan in the 18th century as a souvenir for the Mongolian religious leader-Zanabazar. It’s one of the few monasteries that partly escaped the Soviet Union's destruction in 1937. Since 1998, the lamas have been working to refurbish the monastery. (Walking time: 1 hour. Accommodation: Ger camp Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.)
The day we’ll return to the capital. On the way, we’ll have a lunch break and after arriving at the hotel, you’ll be at leisure. In the evening, we all will have dinner together. (Accommodation: Hotel. Meals: Breakfast and Dinner.)
You will be at leisure at your hotel or stroll around on your own until our guides escort you to Chinggis Khaan International Airport for your departure flight to home. Your driver will assist you with flight check-in and luggage, and see you off at the point of security check. (Breakfast)
Map
Inclusions
This price includes:
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All transfers for arrival/departure
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English speaking tour guide at all times (Other languages upon request)
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All transfer & Transportation + experienced drivers
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20 nights’ accommodation;
- Good 4* hotel in the city – 4 nights, based on double/twin.
- Ger camps in countryside trip – 16 nights on share
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All the meals as listed in the itinerary: Breakfast - 21, Lunch - 18, Dinner – 20,
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“Wonders of Mongolian Art” performance with Tumen-Ekh ensemble
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Internal flights, free luggage allowance of 15kg
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All sightseeing and entrance fees are as mentioned in the program
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All services charge, local and Gov’t tax
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Road & toll fees
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Visa invitation letter if required
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Complementary drink water during the tour
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Camping equipments
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Museums and cultural performance
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Included all taxes
This price doesn’t include:
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Visa to Mongolia (Get in advance)
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International flights & Mongolia visa fees
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Hotel early check-in and late check-out
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Tipping and other personal expenses
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Other services not mentioned in the itinerary
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Excess luggage charges – 1.5$ per kg for internal flights
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Travel insurance
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Personal equipments
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Alcoholic drinks
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Sleeping bag
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Optional activity cost
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Single room supplement