Steppe & Gobi discovery - Horseback Mongolia
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Steppe & Gobi discovery

A great Mongolian discovery tour awaits you in this comfy adventure. You'll start your trip in the lush Orkhon Valley, where you will experience Nomadic life during 2 days before going deeper towards South, where the track disappears to give place to a legendary spot : the Gobi Desert, and the arid majesty of its lunar landscapes, with its towering rocky formations, frozen canyon and sand dunes.

Day 1Arrival at Ulan Bator and visit of the city

Day 1Arrival at Ulan Bator and visit of the city

  • Arrival at the airport, meeting with our driver. Transfer to your hotel, settling in, and rest.

  • Appointment at 12 o'clock at your hotel with your guide. He will take you to the restaurant of your choice.

  • Let's immerse ourselves in the heart of the Mongolian history, in the wonderful National History Museum. Three floors of a rich, glorious, violent and noble past, from prehistory to Soviet period, including the creation of the great Mongolian Empire by Genghis Khan.

  • Walk in the centre of Ulan-Bator. Discovery of Gengis Khan Square and the House of Parliament.

  • At 18 o' clock, Mongolian traditional show at Tumen Ekh: folkloric dances, contortion, and of course khoomi, the overtone singing.

Day 2Discovering wild horses

Day 2Discovering wild horses

Ulan Bator - Khustai national park

  • Visit of Gandantegchinlen Monastery. In the morning, lamas get together to pray. They will answer your questions at the Mongolian Buddhist Centre.

  • Journey to Khustai Reserve that houses the Przewalski horses (takh). Twilight is the best moment to observe them. We'll walk until the river where they drink, and observe them with no fear to bother.

Meal and accommodations
Lunch: Local restaurant
Dinner: Khustai camp
Accommodation: Khustai camp
3h 30m-210km
1h 30m-110km

Day 3Ulan Bator - Khogno Khan National Park

Day 3Ulan Bator - Khogno Khan National Park

Khustai national park - Khogno Khan

  • We arrive at the splendid rocky formations of Khogno Khan. Discovery of the park : semidesert steppes, taiga, stunning rocky formations, 80-kilometre (49,71 miles) long sand dunes, are characteristic of this arid area nicknamed "Mini-Gobi".

  • Walk until Erdene Khambiin Monastery. "Monk Erdene's Monastery" dates from 17th century and was built in the mountain. Zanabazar built it in honour of his teacher, monk Erdene.

Khogno Khan - Kharkhorin

  • Journey to Kharkhorin, the former capital of Mongolia. The legendary city of Genghis Khan was founded in 1220 and was one of the stages of the silk road. The Mongolian Empire was governed from this city until Kubilai Khan set up the capital in Beijing. Today, there are only a few vestiges left of the former capital.

Day 4-5The former capital and land of nomadism

Day 4-5The former capital and land of nomadism

Kharkhorin - Tovkhon monastery

  • Visit of Erdene Zuu Monastery, built in 1586 by a nomad prince. The Chinese and Tibetan-inspired buildings are surrounded with 108 sacred stupas. Visit of the Museum of Kharkhorin.

  • Visit of Tovkhon Monastery. Vehicles can't go until the top of Öndör Ulaan Hill and we will walk until there to discover Tovkhon Ermitage, where Zanabazar, the first religious leader of Mongolia, created the Soyombo alphabet. The monastery is located 2312 metres (1,44 mile) above the sea level and from that place we'll have a wonderful view of the whole Khangai range. We'll picnic in exceptional surroundings, facing Orkhon Valley.

Tovkhon monastery - Orkhon valley

  • Journey to Orkhon Valley. Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, the valley is a land of nomadism and many breeders set their summer camp there.

Day 5

  • Those who wish will go pony trekking along Orkhon Valley, from the camp until Orkhon waterfalls.

  • Visit of Ulan Tsutgalaan falls, white flood flowing on the black stone, transformed in rainbow by a short sunray… These 16-metres (52,49 feet) falls are just magic ! They were formed 20.000 years ago, as a result of a unique combination of earthquakes and volcano eruptions.

Also
  • Day 4Day 5

    Stay at herders' from the valley. During your stay, you will discover their way of life and you will be proposed many activities, such as milking, making traditional dairy products, or rounding up the animals with a horse.

    You will also attend the preparation of a Mongolian barbecue that you will enjoy with yours hosts.

Meal and accommodations
Breakfast: Munkhtenger (4)
Breakfast: Made by your team (5)
Lunch: Picnic from the camp (4)
Lunch: Made by your team (5)
Dinner: made by the family (4)

Day 6Let's hit the road to Gobi desert !

Day 6Let's hit the road to Gobi desert !

Orkhon valley - Ongi monastery

  • Day of transition between two ecosystems. We leave the green mountains of Khangai to go towards Gobi. We drive across the green steppe and reach Arvaikheer, the capital of province, where we stop to get fresh supplies at the local market.

  • We arrive in the sum of Saikhan Ovoo. West Saikhan Ovoo, some mountains located along the Ongii River, are the perfect place to rest between Northwest of Mongolia and Gobi Desert. In the bends of the river, we can see the ruins of two monasteries, Barlim Monastery on the Northern bank, Khutagt Monastery on the Southern bank.

  • Let's discover this site, best known as Ong lamasery, and the museum. In 1937, the Soviets almost completely destroyed the homes and monasteries where one thousand lamas were living. In 2002, some lamas came back and began to rebuilt the monastery, with few resources but much enthusiasm.

Meal and accommodations
Breakfast: Made by your team
Lunch: Made by your team
Accommodation: Secret of Ongii

Day 7Flaming cliffs and dinosaurs

Day 7Flaming cliffs and dinosaurs

Ongi monastery - Bayanzag

  • Last day of track before reaching Great Gobi and its "Three Beauties", the three highest peaks of this part of the Gobi-Altai range : Baruun Saïhan, "the Western Beauty" ; Dund Saïhan, "the Middle Beauty" ; Züün Saïhan, "the Eastern Beauty", the highest (2846 metres, 1,77 miles).

  • Visit of the cliffs of Bayanzag, today are best known as "flaming cliffs", owing to their ochre red colour, where is located the "cemetery of dragons". The cliffs and the saxaul forests that surround them are the evidence of the time when Earth was still inhabited by huge creatures: dinosaurs. Palaeontologist Roy Andrews Chapman was the first man to discover in 1922 some bones and eggs of dinosaurs that we can see today in the Natural History Museum of Ulan Bator and in other museums in the world.

Meal and accommodations
Breakfast: Secret of Ongii
Lunch: Picnic from the camp
Accommodation: Gobi tour camp

Day 8-9Riding a camel among the dunes

Day 8-9Riding a camel among the dunes

Bayanzag - Khongor sand dunes

  • We ride towards the west of the park to reach Khongor sand dunes, "light bay sand". These dunes extend at the foot of the "Three Beauties".

Day 8

  • Visit of the dunes of Khongor. These dunes are the most spectacular ones of Mongolia, they extend on more than 180 kilometres (111,85 miles) long and 20 kilometres (12,43 miles) wide, and have an average height of 80 metres (262,47 feet), the highest one being 120 metres (393,70 feet) high. From the top, the view on the desert is quite amazing. From this place, it's also possible to hear the moving masses of sand, hence the name of "singing dunes". Beyond the dunes, the steppe extends for as far as the eye can see.

Day 9

  • Camelback hike. Camelback hiking in the Gobi Desert is an unforgettable experience. The nonchalant animal will take us with its peaceful gait along the dunes and the Khongor River, "light bay", that flows alternately on the surface and under the ground. We'll go until a small oasis at the foot of the dunes, where some bushes grow, such as saxaul. Camels are very fond of saxaul and Mongolians think it's the most precious wood.

    We will walk until the top of a dune and will have a wonderful view of the desert. Far away, we will see the peaks of the Three Beautiful and, if we listen carefully, we might hear the song of the dunes.

Meal and accommodations
Breakfast: Gobi tour camp (8)
Breakfast: Gobi discovery (9)
Lunch: Picnic from the camp (8)
Lunch: Picnic from the camp (9)
Dinner: Gobi discovery
Accommodation: Gobi discovery

Day 10Hiking in the canyons

Day 10Hiking in the canyons

Khongor sand dunes - Dungenee canyon

  • Journey on the track towards the east of "the Three Beauties" to reach the area of canyons. Stop at Dungenee Canyon. We leave the vehicle to start our first magic hike along the river that flows between huge canyons.

Dungenee canyon - Yoliin am canyon

  • Hiking in the canyon of Yol, the bearded vultures canyon. We will walk in the bottom of the canyon that is covered with perpetual snow. The canyon is so steep-sided, that sunrays make the ice melt only in August. The rest of the year there's ice everywhere in the canyon.

Meal and accommodations
Breakfast: Gobi discovery
Lunch: Picnic from the camp
Dinner: Khan bogd camp
Accommodation: Khan bogd camp

Day 11Return flight to the Mongolian capital

Day 11Return flight to the Mongolian capital

Yoliin am canyon - Dalanzadgad

  • 30-kilometres (18,64 miles) journey until Dalanzadgad, the capital of the province, where we'll embark for our return flight to Ulan Bator.

  • Arrival in town and transfer to your hotel where you can rest a few moments.

  • Rest of the day free. With our guide, you can go and shop in the centre of the city.

Meal and accommodations
Breakfast: Khan bogd camp
Lunch: Picnic from the camp
Accommodation: Holiday Inn Hotel
Flight back

Day 12Have a nice journey and see you soon !

Day 12Have a nice journey and see you soon !

  • Breakfast at the hotel. We go with you to the international airport of Ulan Bator. The transfer can be organized at the time you want, according to the schedule of your flight.

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I am Daniel from "Horseback Mongolia". Send us your request, and we will answer you within 48 hours.
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