18 Days Tour Gobi and Khuvsgul Loop, Mongolia's Highlights
Duration: 18 Days
Description: This trip is one of the most attractive trips i offer for our customers. During
Description: This trip is one of the most attractive trips i offer for our customers. During
Tour Itinerary
Day1.Leaving Ulaanbaatar for Baga Gazriin Chuluu
We will start with a full day trip out to the Baga Gazriin Chuluu Ruins. A picturesque Mountain Baga Gazriin Chuluu is one of the most attractive areas of the Gobi desert. With at an elevation of 1.768m, it is located in the granite belt. The ruins of a small monastery are on the south east part of the mountain. The area has got many species of wild animals and birds, such as ibex, argali, vultures, hawks and eagles. At the ruins, there are some mineral water springs and trees a top the many beautiful rocky hills. On the way we will stop for a lunch, and then we will continue to drive to the first campsite of our trip. Once we get there, we will have free time to wander around the mountains and do some hiking. We will camp overnight in this area. (Lunch and Dinner)
Day2.Drive to Tsagaan Suvarga
After having breakfast at the campsite we will drive to Tsagaan Suvarga /White Stupa/. In the afternoon, we will reach the Tsagaan Suvarga and explore to see white stupa and go for hiking around. Tsagaan Suvarga, an amazing series of cliffs, white and pink limestone rock formations taking the appearance of stalagmites up to 30 meters high. It is an excellent site for taking photography of the beautiful panoramic views. Stay overnight in family ger. (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)
Day3. Drive to Yoliin Am /Yol Valley/
After having breakfast at the family, we will start driving to Yoliin Am, which is a deep narrow gorge in the Gurvan Saikhan Mountains of the Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park, covering 70 sq.kms. There is a small natural museum at the entrance of the National park which exhibits a collection of dinosaur eggs, bones, stuffed birds and snow leopard. This place is also very rich by the rare plants.
After we seeing the museum at the entrance we will drive about 10kms to get to the car parking where we leave our car there and walk a head to the ice gorge and stream for a several kms. In the winter time, the stream freezes several kms into the gorge. It remains frozen for most of the year, except late summer. We will see the ice gorge until end of the July. The ice remains usually disappear around early August.
On the way we get to the Yoliin Am we will stop for a lunch in a huge flat steppe. Once we wandering around the gorge, we will get back to our car and drive to the campsite we will stay there for tonight.
Day4. Drive to Khongoriin Els sand dunes.
After having breakfast, we will drive to the sand dunes called Khongoriin Els. The Khongoriin Els sand dunes lie north of the Baruunsaikhan Mountain in the northern part of the Sevrei and Zuulun Mountains. The Khongoriin Els is one of the largest and most spectacular sand dunes in Mongolia and they are up to 200m high, 12km wide and about 100km long. The largest dunes are at the northwest corner of the range. You can climb to the top of the sand dunes and then slide back down on the plastic bags. The views of the desert from the top are wonderful. Climbing to the top of the dunes during the sunset gives you an amazing panoramic view of the surrounding desert, to the north lies the Khongoriin River. We will stay overnight in a family ger. (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)
Day5. Climbing to the sand dunes
Today after breakfast, we can possibly arrange some optional camelback riding around the sand dunes before the lunch time. After having lunch at the family we will climb and hike to the top of the biggest sand dunes. We will stay overnight in a family ger tonight. (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)
Day6. Driving to the Bayanzag /Flaming cliffs/
After having breakfast this morning, we will drive to the Bayanzag which is an important fossil finds have been made. It was given name by American paleontologist Roy Chapman who visited there in the 1920s. The area is the most famous place for finding the first discovery of dinosaur fossils. There is a picturesque saxaul forest the place is named after and colorful rocks which is brilliantly colorful. We will visit Mongolian family there and will staying overnight with their ger. (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)
Day7. Driving to Ongiin Khiid
After having breakfast in the family at the Bayanzag, we will head off to Saikhan Ovoo which is a small village in the Middle Gobi province. The bend in the river marks, the remains of two ruined monasteries, the Barlim Khiid on the north bank and the Khutagt Khiid on the south. The monastery used to have about 500 monks and built in the late 18th century for dedicating the first visit to Mongolia by a Dalai Lama. The monastery was reopened in 1990 and current Dalai Lama visited in 1992. After we explore the ruins of the Ongiin Khiid we will drive to the campsite for staying overnight tonight. (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)
Day8. Drive to the ancient capital city Kharkhorin
After breakfast, we will drive to Kharkhorin which was a capital city of Mongolia in 13th century for about 30 years, located in northwestern part of Uvurkhangai province of Mongolia. On the way to get to the Kharkhorin we will have a lunch on the open space of Mongolian countryside. We will drive forward to Kharkhorin after the lunch.
One of the Mongolian most attractive monasteries Erdenezuu locates in Kharkhorin City. The Erdenezuu monastery is the most ancient survived Buddist monastery in Kharkhorin, Mongolia. The Erdenezuu monastery was built in 1585 by Abtai Sain Khan and the monastery was allowed to exist as a museum, the only functioning monastery was Gandan monastery in the capital, Ulaanbaatar. However after the fall of communism in Mongolia in 1990, the monastery was turned over the lamas and Erdenezuu again became a place of worship.
Once we get there, we will accommodate in a town ger hostel. After having dinner in a hostel, we will have a free time hiking or wandering around the town. (Lunch and Dinner)
Day9. DRIVE TO TSENKHER HOT SPRING
We drive to Tsenkher hot spring, a sulphur spring that emerges from the ground at a sizzing 89C. Facilities include outdoor and indoor baths, showers and accommodations. (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner))
Day10. DRIVE TO WHITE LAKE AND KHORGO VOLCANO
After having breakfast at the family we stayed, we will drive to Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur (White lake) and Khorgo volcano. The Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur is also known as White Lake in the Khangai Mountain range in central Mongolia with relatively pure fresh water. The lake is 16 km wide, about 4-10m deep with its deepest point at 28m and over 20kms in a length. It is flooded 61sq.km and the lake has pike and other fishes. Rare birds are found here as well. This volcanic lake was created thousands of years ago by lava flows from the nearby Khorgo Mountain volcano. Khorgo Mountain is an extinct volcano, which lies east of the White lake. This area has been protected since 1965, fully in 1997. Once we arrive to the White Lake, we will visiting nomadic family there and walk around the lake. We can go for fishing and swimming before the dinner. We are going to staying in a Mongolian family ger. (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)
Day11. CLIMBING TO THE KHORGO VOLCANO
Today after breakfast, we possibly arrange an optional horseback riding trek to the Khorgo volcano. Once we get there we will climb to a volcanic crater, the Khorgo at 2100m. From the summit there opens a splendid views over the landscape and the lake. We will ride back to the same family and stay overnight there. (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)
Day12. DRIVE TO SHINE IDER
We will do a full day of driving to the Shine ider village of Khuvsgul province. Further north our route lies through the wooded slopes of Khangai Mountain range and we will see beautiful landscapes of Mongolia. Having lunch in a open nature and sleeping overnight in a Mongolian family ger. (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)
Day13. REACHING THE LAKE KHUVSGUL
Another day of driving will finally bring us to the Lake Khuvsgul, the right place to enjoy the well deserved rest after several days of driving. The Lake Khuvsgul located in the northwest of Mongolia near the border to Russia. It is about 1100m above the sea level, 136 km long and 262 m deep. It is the second most freshwater lake in Asia. The town of Khatgal is at the southern end of the Lake. The lake is surrounded by several mountain ranges. The surface of the lake freezes over completely in winter and the ice festival organized annually in early February which becoming quite attractive event in winter tourism in Mongolia. Taiga, Tsaatan families, reindeer herders are the main attractions for tourists. Once we get to the lake we have free time to wander around the lake and hiking around before the dinner will be served. We will stay overnight in a Mongolian ger. (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)
Day14. WANDERING AROUND THE LAKE
Today we may do various activities such as swimming, hiking horseback riding. You may as well as laze around by the vast blue expanse of the lake. We will stay overnight in a Mongolian ger. (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)
Day15. VISITING REINDEER FAMILY AND FREE AFTERNOON
Early in the morning we will drive to Tsaatan (reindeer) family for experiencing the lifestyle of taiga forest people and get back in the evening. If you want to hiking around the mountains, you will see the brilliant view of the lake. In the evening we will have free time for taking photos and do some fishing there. We will stay overnight in a Mongolian ger. (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)
Day16. DRIVE TO URANTOGOO MOUNTAIN
After having breakfast, we will drive to the mountain called Uran Togoo which is an extinct volcano which is another attractive destination of Northern Mongolia which located about 60kms from Bulgan city. The area is situated in the Khutag-Undur district of Bulgan province. We will stay overnight in a Mongolian ger. (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)
Day17. DRIVE TO AMARBAYASGALANT MONASTERY
After having breakfast, we will drive to Amarbayasgalant monastery, which is the second largest monastery in Mongolia, is located in the beautiful Iven Gol river valley on the foot of Burenkhaan mountain in Baruunburen town of Selenge province. This is one of the few monasteries in Mongolia, which survived mostly intact the purges of the 1930s. The beauty, decorations and construction of the monastery have made it one of the most magnificent architectural monuments in Mongolia. 1990 was the time when the circumstances came for Amarbayasgalant to be restored. Communism had fallen and the people were eager to revive their religious tradition. Amarbayasgalant was reestablished now and nowadays stands strong on its remarkable construction, as on its 300 years of history. We will stay overnight with a Mongolian traditional accommodation ger for tonight. (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)
Day18. DRIVING BACK TO ULAANBAATAR
After setting up at the family we will drive back to Ulaanbaatar. When we arrive to Ulaanbaatar, we will be transferred to a hostel or hotel for tonightght. (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)
