Between steppe and desert

Meet at noon at your hotel, where your guide will greet you before accompanying you to a local restaurant for lunch. This first moment of interaction is an opportunity to get to know each other, discover the highlights of your adventure and gradually immerse yourself in the unique atmosphere of Mongolie.

Dive into the heart of Mongolian history during your visit to the National History Museum. Spread across several floors, the museum traces the rich past of the country, from the first nomadic civilizations to the Soviet period, including the rise of the great empire founded by Genghis Khan. A fascinating visit to better understand the identity and culture of Mongolia.

A stroll through the downtown area of Ulaanbaatar to discover the famous Sukhbaatar Square, the heart of the capital dominated by the imposing statue of Genghis Khan. You will also observe the Mongolian Parliament and the hustle and bustle of this amazing city, between Soviet heritage and nomadic culture.

Around 6:00 PM, you attend a traditional Mongolian show at Tumen Ekh, famous for its performances blending folk dances, traditional music, contortion acts and khoomi, the fascinating Mongolian throat singing inscribed in the intangible cultural heritage.

Discovery of the Gandantegchinlen monastery, the country's main Buddhist center. Every morning, monks gather there for prayers in an atmosphere filled with serenity. This visit also allows you to learn more about Mongolian Buddhism and freely exchange with people present at the site.

For those who wish, it is possible to take a first horse ride in the surrounding area and quietly enjoy the landscapes of the reserve.

Then, you head off on a hike to the Khambiin Khiid Monastery. Perched in the mountains, this 17th-century monastery was built by Zanabazar as a tribute to his spiritual master, the monk Erdene. The peaceful atmosphere that pervades it and the view over the surroundings make it a striking cultural and spiritual stop.

Visit to the Erdene Zuu Monastery, built in 1586 by a nomadic prince. The complex, inspired by Chinese and Tibetan architecture, is surrounded by 108 sacred stupas, which testify to the spiritual importance of the site. The discovery continues at the Karakorum Museum, dedicated to the history of the ancient capital and its region.

3-night stay with a nomadic herding family. You will discover the nomadic way of life and share their daily routine in complete simplicity. Depending on the season, you may be offered the opportunity to participate in animal milking, traditional dairy product making or even herding livestock on horseback.

(Activities subject to seasonality)

Visit the Ulan Tsutgalaan waterfalls, where clear water cascades over dark stone, sometimes crossed by a ray of sunlight that creates an ephemeral rainbow. Standing at 16 meters high, they were formed nearly 20,000 years ago, as a result of a rare combination of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

At the end of the day, you attend the preparation of a Mongolian barbecue, then share this traditional meal with your hosts in a warm atmosphere.

Discovery of the site, known as Ong Monastery, as well as the associated small museum. The dwellings and monasteries, once occupied by nearly a thousand monks, were almost entirely destroyed in 1937. Since 2002, a few religious have returned and undertaken the reconstruction of the temples with modest means but profound devotion.

Visit the Bayanzag cliffs, known as the "flaming cliffs" due to their ochre and red hues, and famous for the "dinosaur cemetery". Surrounded by saxaoul forests, they bear witness to an era when dinosaurs still roamed the region. It was here that paleontologist Roy Andrews Chapman discovered, in 1922, the first dinosaur bones and eggs ever excavated, now visible in the Natural History Museum in Ulan Bator and in several museums around the world.

You are heading off for a camel trek in the heart of the Gobi Desert. At the leisurely pace of this emblematic animal, you progress along the dunes and the Khongor River, "Clear Bay", which alternates between surface and underground.

On foot, you climb one of the dunes to enjoy a wide panorama over the desert. From the summit, the silhouettes of the Three Beauties stand out on the horizon and, with a bit of luck, you will hear the singing dunes.

Hiking in the Yoliin Am canyon, the canyon of bearded vultures. You walk along the bottom of the canyon, covered with an almost permanent blanket of ice. The place is so narrow that the sun's rays can only melt the ice from August onwards, while it invades the canyon the rest of the year.

After this first hike, you head to the "Mukhart Shivert" canyon. Smaller than Yoliin Am and ending in a dead end, it remains very impressive: you progress along a large trench surrounded by high vertical walls, with a floor covered in smooth and shiny blue ice (outside the height of summer). At the end of the dead end is a frozen waterfall most of the time. The round trip takes approximately one hour.