10-Day Gobi to Khuvsgul Express
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Ulaanbaatar → Dalanzadgad (Flight) → Yol Gorge → Khongor Sand Dunes
We pick you up from your accommodation (the pickup time is confirmed in advance) and transfer you to the airport for the 1-hour flight to Dalanzadgad, the provincial center of the South Gobi. Your local guide and driver meet you on arrival and drive you 50 km (1 hour on a paved road) to Yol Gorge in the Gurvan Saikhan mountain range. '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 ice formed by its small stream in winter often survives until mid-July. Enjoy an hour's hike through the gorge, watch for ibex and vultures on the cliffs, and visit the small natural history museum at the park entrance. After lunch, drive about 190 km (5 hours on dirt roads) to Khongor, the largest sand dune field in the Gobi. The dunes run for nearly 100 km, are 5 to 10 km wide, and rise 80 to 300 m above the surrounding land; on windy days the moving sand gives off a deep booming sound, which is why locals call them the 'Singing Sands.' An oasis fed by the Khongor River lines their northern edge. Spend the night near the dunes.
Khongor Sand Dunes: Camel Ride → Bayanzag (Flaming Cliffs)
After breakfast, ride Bactrian camels to explore the base of these massive dunes. The energetic can climb one of the crests, a stiff but rewarding scramble through soft sand, for an unforgettable view across an endless sea of golden sand, with the dark ridges of the Gurvan Saikhan mountains on the horizon. After lunch, drive about 150 km (4 hours on dirt roads) to Bayanzag. American explorer Roy Chapman Andrews named this place the 'Flaming Cliffs' in the 1920s, and many important dinosaur finds, including Protoceratops skeletons and the first dinosaur eggs ever discovered, were made here. The red sandstone cliffs are imposing from a distance and glow especially fiery in the light of the setting sun. Walk around the site in the evening, then spend the night nearby.
Bayanzag → 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, until it was destroyed in the communist purges of 1937, when religious institutions across Mongolia were razed and thousands of monks were killed or forced to give up their vows. The violence of that destruction is still visible and palpable across the site today, where crumbling walls and temple foundations stand on both sides of the river. Hike among the ruins, visit the small local ger museum displaying objects saved from the monastery, and step inside the small, active Buddhist temple that has been rebuilt here. Spend the night near the river.
Ongi → Nomadic Family → Karakorum (Kharkhorin)
After breakfast, drive about 200 km (5 hours on dirt roads) to visit a nomadic herding family. Enjoy their warm, joyful hospitality and learn about the clever ways of nomadic life by joining in with whatever daily tasks are under way, just like a nomad. Then drive about 40 km (1 hour, mostly on a paved road) to Karakorum, the capital of the Great Mongol Empire, where a small township stands today. After the city was sacked by Chinese Ming armies in the late 14th century, 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. Spend the night in Karakorum.
Karakorum → Tuvkhun Temple → Orkhon Waterfall
After breakfast, drive about 110 km (2 hours, mostly on dirt roads) to Tuvkhun Temple, perched near the summit of the densely forested Shiveet Mountain at around 2,000 m. It was built in 1653 by followers of Zanabazar, the first Bogd (head of Mongolian Buddhism) and a celebrated sculptor, as a place for meditation and an art studio. Among the things to see are his meditation caves, a footprint said to be Zanabazar's pressed into the rock, and the first drawn version of the Soyombo, the symbol of Mongolian independence that still features on the national flag. 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 it before you see it, as the sound of tumbling water fills the valley.
Orkhon Waterfall → Tsenkher Hot Springs: Horse Ride & Relax
After breakfast, drive about 115 km (3 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 36–40°C, and it has become so popular that it can be busy in high season. After lunch, set off on a 2-hour horse ride through the surrounding valley, enjoying the sights and sounds of nature on an hour's ride up the mountain to a viewpoint and back again. No riding experience is needed. In the evening, relax in the open-air hot spring pool of your tourist ger camp and soak under a sky full of stars.
Tsenkher → Khorgo-Terkh National Park
After breakfast, drive about 215 km (4 hours, mostly on dirt roads) to Khorgo-Terkh National Park. The Khorgo Volcano erupted in the Quaternary period, and its lava flows blocked the course of a river, creating a truly incredible landscape: the extinct Khorgo crater on one side and Terkhiin Tsagaan Lake, a large, placid lake ringed by sandy beaches, on the other. Around them lie small and large lava gorges and caves, such as Shar Nokhoin Tam and the Solo Person's Cave, some 13 fully or partly erupted volcanic cones, and rock formations cut by fast-flowing rivers and cascades. Climb to the rim of the volcano for a superb panoramic view over the lava field and the lake, then walk down to explore the lava gorges and learn plenty about volcanoes and volcanic activity along the way. Spend the night near the lake.
Khorgo-Terkh → Shine-Ider
After breakfast, drive about 170 km (6 hours on dirt roads) north to the Shine-Ider district of Khuvsgul province. It is a long but beautiful day on the road as the landscape turns greener and more mountainous, with larch forests on the northern slopes and herds of yaks grazing along the river valleys. On the way, cross the high and picturesque Orookh Mountain Pass, where travelers traditionally stop at the ovoo, a sacred cairn of stones and blue silk scarves, and walk around it three times for a safe journey. Spend the night in a tourist ger camp.
Shine-Ider → Khuvsgul Lake: Reindeer People
After breakfast, drive about 230 km (6 hours, mostly on a paved road) to Khuvsgul Lake. Set in a gigantic mountain basin near the border with Russian Siberia and more than 100 km long, the lake is the deepest in Mongolia and holds nearly 70% of the country's fresh water. Its water is so clear that you can see the stones on the bottom, which is why it is known as the 'Blue Pearl of Asia.' Afterward, visit the reindeer people. They are Tuvan people, known in Mongolia as the Tsaatan or Dukha, who moved into the northernmost part of Mongolia from the Tuvan Republic around the 1920s. Most still herd reindeer in the remote taiga, but some families have moved closer to the lake with their reindeer to sell handmade souvenirs to visitors. Spend the night by the lake.
Khuvsgul Lake → Uushig Deer Stones → Murun → Ulaanbaatar (Flight)
After breakfast, drive about 145 km (3 hours, mostly on a paved road) to the Uushig deer stones. This complex of carved deer stones and burial mounds is more than 3,000 years old. The deer stones are tall granite slabs carved with stylized flying deer, and together with the mounds around them they bring together the funeral practices, sacrificial rituals, beliefs, and 'animal style' art shared by the ancient nomads of the Bronze Age. Then drive about 15 km on a dirt road to Murun airfield for the 1-hour flight back to Ulaanbaatar. After you land, our driver picks you up and takes you to your accommodation. The end time depends on the flight schedule, usually in the afternoon.