16-Day Grand Mongolia with a Countryside Naadam
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Ulaanbaatar β Tsagaan Suvarga
We pick you up from your accommodation at 08:00 and drive south to Tsagaan Suvarga, about 470 km and 6 hours on a paved road. As the hours pass, the green steppe around the capital fades into the open, gravelly plains of the Middle Gobi. Tsagaan Suvarga, the 'White Stupa', is a sheer escarpment that was once the floor of an ancient sea. Its layered sediments, laid down over millions of years, show as bands of white, pink, orange, and red, each color marking a different age. The cliffs rise more than 50 m at their highest point and run for some 400 m, and from a distance they look like the ruins of an ancient ghost city. Lying on the way from the Middle Gobi to the South Gobi, it's the natural place to break the long drive. Take a hike around the formation in the evening light, then spend the night at a tourist ger camp nearby.
Tsagaan Suvarga β Yol Gorge
After breakfast, drive about 200 km (3 hours on a paved road) to Yol Gorge in the Gurvan Saikhan mountain range, the 'Three Beauties' that form the backbone of Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park. 'Yol' means bearded vulture in Mongolian, and the gorge stretches for more than 10 km. At its narrowest point only three or four people can walk side by side, and the high rock walls shade the valley floor from direct sun, so the ice formed by its small stream in winter often survives into the hot summer months, until about mid-July. Enjoy an hour's hike through the gorge, keeping watch for ibex and vultures on the cliffs above, and visit the small natural history museum at the park entrance, which displays local wildlife and fossils. Spend the night at a tourist ger camp.
Yol Gorge β Khongor Sand Dunes: Camel Ride
After breakfast, drive about 190 km (5 hours on dirt roads) to Khongor, the largest sand dune field in the Gobi Desert. The dunes stretch nearly 100 km long and 5 to 10 km wide, with crests rising 80 to 300 m above the surrounding land. On windy days, the moving sand produces a deep booming sound that carries a long way, which is why locals call them the 'Singing Sands.' A green oasis fed by the Khongor River lines their northern edge, a striking contrast to the bare golden slopes behind it. Today you ride Bactrian camels to explore these massive dunes and the area around them, and the energetic can climb one of the crests for an unforgettable view across an endless sea of golden sand. Spend the night at a tourist ger camp near the dunes.
Khongor Sand Dunes β Bayanzag (Flaming Cliffs)
After breakfast, drive about 150 km (4 hours on dirt roads) to Bayanzag. American explorer Roy Chapman Andrews named this place the 'Flaming Cliffs' during his Central Asiatic Expeditions of the 1920s, and many important dinosaur finds were made here, including Protoceratops skeletons and the first dinosaur eggs ever discovered. The area is also known for the saxaul shrubs that grow around it, the tough desert plant that gives Bayanzag its name. The red cliffs are imposing from a distance and glow especially fiery in the light of the setting sun. Walk around the site and along the cliff edge, then spend the night at a tourist ger camp.
Bayanzag β Ongi Monastery Ruins
After breakfast, drive about 155 km (4 hours on dirt roads) north to the ruins of Ongi Monastery on the banks of the Ongi River. Founded in 1760, it was once one of the largest monasteries in the Gobi, home to hundreds of monks across two complexes on either side of the river, until it was destroyed in the communist purges of 1937. The raw violence of that destruction is still visible and palpable across the site today. Hike among the ruins, visit the local ger museum displaying objects that survived the destruction, and step inside the small, lovely, and active Buddhist temple that has been rebuilt here. Spend the night at a tourist ger camp by the river.
Ongi β Nomadic Family β Karakorum (Kharkhorin)
After breakfast, drive about 200 km (5 hours on dirt roads) to a nomadic herding family. Enjoy the warm, joyful atmosphere of their home and learn how clever nomads live with the seasons by joining in their daily activities, just like a nomad. Then drive on to Karakorum (40 km, 1 hour, mostly on a paved road). Karakorum was the capital of the Great Mongol Empire in the 13th century; today a small township stands near the site. Some 200 years after the city was sacked, builders reused materials from its ruins to found Erdene Zuu Monastery in 1586, the first Buddhist monastery in Mongolia, ringed by a wall topped with 108 white stupas. Visit Erdene Zuu, the Karakorum Museum, and the other historical sights around the town, such as the ancient stone turtle that once marked the city's boundary.
Local Naadam: Opening Ceremony, Wrestling & Archery
After breakfast, head to the grounds set aside for the local Naadam festival. Countryside Naadams are smaller and more intimate than the national event in Ulaanbaatar, so you can get close to the action and mingle with the families who come from all around to watch. The day begins with the opening ceremony, followed by wrestling, Mongolia's most prestigious sport, in which wrestlers in traditional boots and open-chested jackets perform the eagle dance before and after each bout. Lunch is the classic Naadam dish, 'Naadam khuushuur', crispy fried pastries filled with mutton, which every Mongolian considers a must-eat during the festival. In the afternoon, watch the archers, men and women shooting at small leather targets from long distances, then enjoy some free time strolling around the festival grounds. Spend the night at a tourist ger camp.
Local Naadam: Horse Racing
After breakfast, return to the same Naadam grounds and head out to the big open valley used for the horse races. Horse racing is the Mongols' favorite part of the festival: the races are run across the open steppe over distances of up to around 30 km, depending on the horses' age, and the jockeys are children who ride bareback or on light saddles. Watch the horses thunder in toward the finish line, surrounded by cheering crowds; by tradition, the winning horses and their young riders are honored with songs and blessings. It is a joyful, dusty, unforgettable spectacle and one of the most authentic experiences of Mongolian summer life. Spend the night at a tourist ger camp.
Tuvkhun Temple β Orkhon Waterfall
After breakfast, drive about 110 km (2 hours on dirt roads) to Tuvkhun Temple, set on the peak of densely forested, picturesque Shiveet Mountain at an elevation of 2,000 m. Followers of Zanabazar, the first Bogd (head of Buddhism in Mongolia) and a celebrated sculptor, built the temple in 1653 as a place for meditation and an art studio. There are several fascinating things to see: meditation caves, Zanabazar's footprint in the rock, and the first drawn version of the Soyombo, the symbol of Mongolian independence. Hike from the foot of the mountain up to the temple (about 2 hours). After lunch, drive about 60 km (2 hours on dirt roads) to Orkhon Waterfall. More than 25 m high and 10 m wide, it is the biggest waterfall in the country and one of the most beautiful sights of the Orkhon Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The land around it was shaped by volcanic eruptions about 20,000 years ago and lies under a lava layer more than 10 m thick. After dinner, take a refreshing walk to the falls. You'll hear them before you see them, as the sound of tumbling water fills the valley.
Orkhon Waterfall β Tsenkher Hot Springs: Horse Ride & Relax
After breakfast, drive about 115 km (2 hours on dirt roads) to Tsenkher Hot Springs, the most famous hot spring in Mongolia and one of Central Mongolia's most popular attractions. Its mineral-rich water comes out of the ground at a perfect 36β40Β°C, and the spring has become so popular that it can get crowded in high season. After lunch, set off on a 2-hour horse ride that takes you through the valley and up the mountain for a view over the forested hills, surrounded by the sights and sounds of nature. No riding experience is required, as the local horsemen lead the way at a gentle pace. In the evening, relax in the open-air hot spring pool of your tourist ger camp and soak away the miles under the stars.
Tsenkher β Khorgo-Terkh National Park
After breakfast, drive about 215 km (4 hours on a paved road) to Khorgo-Terkh National Park. Khorgo Volcano erupted in the Quaternary Period, and its lava flows dammed the Terkh River, creating a truly incredible landscape: the extinct cone of Khorgo and the large, placid Terkhiin Tsagaan (Great White) Lake, ringed by sandy beaches. The area is dotted with circular gorges and lava caves, such as Shar Nokhoin Tam and the Solo Person's Cave, and with 13 volcanoes, some fully and some partially erupted, along with rock formations, fast-flowing rivers, and cascades. Climb to the top of the volcano, where the panoramic view over the lava field and lake is superb, and walk around to discover the circular gorges while learning about volcanoes and volcanic activity. Spend the night at a tourist ger camp near the lake.
Khorgo-Terkh β Shine-Ider
After breakfast, drive about 170 km (6 hours on dirt roads) north to Shine-Ider sub-province in Khuvsgul province. This is a long day on rough tracks, but the scenery makes up for it, as the route climbs through alpine meadows, larch forests, and river valleys where herders graze their yaks in summer. On the way, cross the high, picturesque Orookh Mountain Pass and take in the wide views; like most Mongolian passes, it is marked by an ovoo, a sacred stone cairn that travelers traditionally circle three times for a safe journey. Spend the night at a tourist ger camp in Shine-Ider.
Uushig Deer Stones β Lake Khuvsgul
After breakfast, drive about 110 km (3 hours on dirt roads) to the Uushig deer stones. This complex of 30 deer stones and burial mounds in the Uushig Valley is more than 3,000 years old. Carved from long blocks of granite, the stones bring together the funeral practices, sacrificial rituals, beliefs, and 'animal style' art shared by the ancient nomads of the Bronze Age, with stylized flying deer winding around their sides. Then drive about 145 km (3 hours, mostly on a paved road) to Lake Khuvsgul. Lying roughly midway along the border between Mongolia and Siberia, in a gigantic stone bowl nearly 110 km long and almost 40 km wide, this deep, crystal-clear lake holds a significant share of the world's fresh water and is known as the 'Blue Pearl of Asia.' Spend the night at a tourist ger camp on the shore.
Lake Khuvsgul: Horse Ride & Reindeer People
After breakfast, set off on a 2-hour horse ride along the shore of the lake and up the mountain for a view, through larch forest and meadows full of wildflowers in summer. No riding experience is required. Later, visit the reindeer people. The Tsaatan are Tuvan people who moved into the northernmost corner of Mongolia from the Tuvan Republic around the 1920s, and they still herd reindeer in the taiga forests. Some families come down to the lake area with their reindeer in summer to sell handmade souvenirs, often carved from reindeer antler, to visitors, giving you a chance to meet them and learn about one of the world's last reindeer-herding cultures. Spend a second night at the tourist ger camp by the lake.
Lake Khuvsgul β Uran Volcano
After breakfast, drive about 430 km (7 hours on a paved road) south to Uran Volcano in Bulgan province. 'Uran' means 'artistic' in Mongolian, and the Mongols gave it that name because the rim of its crater is a near-perfect circle, as if shaped by a skilled craftsman. The circular ridge is about 500 m across and holds a small crater lake about 20 m wide and 1.5 m deep. Nearby stand several other recognizable volcanoes with broken craters, including Tulga, Jalavch, and Togoo, all part of the Uran-Togoo Tulga protected area. Climb to the top of the volcano for a short hike along the crater rim and wide views over the surrounding forest and steppe. Spend the night at a tourist ger camp nearby.
Uran Volcano β Ulaanbaatar
After breakfast, drive about 540 km (8 hours on a paved road) back to Ulaanbaatar, a last long journey across the steppe to look back on everything you've seen, from the Gobi dunes and the Naadam grounds to the shores of Lake Khuvsgul. On arrival in the city at around 16:00, we take you to your accommodation, and the tour ends.