Travel to Mongolia to discover a remote pocket of Asia
Travel to Mongolia and experience the raw beauty and tradition of this remote region. Hidden from the world for so long, it is hard to imagine that this secluded country once created the largest land empire ever known. Unmatched geographical diversity, pristine grasslands, crumbling ruins and roaming herdsmen riding tough Mongolian horses – see it all on this journey through a land that time forgot and travellers are now discovering.
Why you’ll love this trip
- Mongolia is a far-out destination, but you’ll be in excellent hands. Your experienced drivers, manning sturdy Russian vans fit to tackle the rugged environment, will take you on a ride to some of the most fascinating places in the country
- Whether by camel or on foot, experience Mongolia’s incredible landscapes, from the rolling dunes just outside of Karakorum to the volcanic craters of the Great White Lake among the mountains
- Two family ger camps allow you to experience nomadic life from the inside – a rare and rewarding cultural experience to remember
- Situated in the valley of the Delger River, the Tsenkher Hot Springs offer the perfect place to relax and unwind after a long journey on the road.
Itinerary
Day 1: Ulaanbaatar
Day 2: Amarbayasgalant Monastery
Most of the drive today is on paved roads, but be prepared for some bumps after the final turnoff to the the remote Amarbayasgalant Khiid. Your leader and drivers will be glad to teach you some basic Mongolian words on the way – a great way to prepare for interactions with the locals, few of whom speak English. Your final destination today is Mongolia’s second most important place of worship (after Gandan Monastery in UB), situated in the beautiful Iven Gol River valley, at the foot of Burengiin Mountain, in the Selenge province. After seeing the monastery, you will get your first taste of life in a ger at the first camp of the trip. This is the way that the majority of Mongolia’s population has always lived – away from the city and in the wide open spaces of seemingly endless countryside. It’s the quintessential Mongolian experience. Although such camps are set up for visitors, this type of housing is still used around the country, even in the capital where you will have seen many ‘ger suburbs’ surrounding the city centre.
The gers at the tourist camps where we stay most nights vary in standard and facilities. Most sleep up to 6 people with comfy beds and plenty of blankets. In the colder months you might want to stoke up the stove in the centre of the ger and you’ll be toasty warm in no time! Some have generator or mains electricity although not all have power sockets in the gers to charge electronic equipment.
Our drivers and leader also often double as our cooks in those places where we prepare meals ourselves. You are always welcome to lend a hand too! We share our meals together in the dining quarters. Vegetarians can be catered for although choices may be limited – please let us know if you have any specific dietary requirements at time of booking. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are provided each day until our return to Ulaanbaatar. Some food will be traditional Mongolian style but as the traditional diet consists solely of meat and dairy products, most meals are less challenging and based more on Russian or Western meals which are now also common in the Mongolian diet.
Bathroom facilities here are usually very simple. Camps have showers but not always hot water and all have flush or pit toilets and basins with cold water in a support building outside. Other tourist ger camps on our trip may vary slightly in set up and some may have access to showers and hot running water. Your leader can give you more detailed information about the upcoming accommodation in the daily briefing.
Day 3: Erdenet – Selenge River – Unit
Day 4: Selenge River – Ikh Uul Family Ger Camp
Day 5: Khovsgol Lake
Day 6: Khovsgol Lake
Day 7: Murun – Shine Ider Family Ger Camp
Days 8-9: Terkhiin Tsagaan Lake
Day 10: Tsetserleg – Tsenkher
Day 11: Tsenkher
Day 12: Karakorum – Khogno Khan
Day 13: Khogno Khan
Day 14: Ulaanbaatar
Day 15: Ulaanbaatar
INT – CBSF
Images Courtesy of Intrepid Group