7 days tour of Highlight of Mongolia

Day 1-Arrival in Ulaanbaatar

Your guide and driver will welcome you at the airport or train station and take you to a hotel. You will have half a day of city tour including National History museum, Gandan monastery and Zaisan square depending on your arrival time.

Day 2- Ugii lake

On this day you will drive in the morning to the crystal clear Ugii Lake in Arkhangai province. This lake is the setting for the annual Mongolian triathlon and is an excellent location for swimming. It is also situated directly in the path of a major migratory flight path for wild birds so is a bird watcher’s paradise. You will spend the day here before retiring for the night to a ger camp right on the shore of the lake.

Day 3- Kharkhorin

After breakfast you will set off to Kharkhorin, the ancient city of Мongolian empire. The city was once very much the centre of the world. Now there is an excellent UNESCO museum that houses many of the old city’s archaeological remains and the various treasures that have been uncovered over the years. The Erdenezuu Monastery contains many smaller temples and shrines that you can spend a full day exploring. After lunch visit a local nomadic family in a ger and see their traditional way of living. You are welcome to participate in cooking, herding and milking livestocks. If anything it is encouraged. Enjoy horse riding by the Orkhon river. Overnight in a ger camp

Day 4- Ongi monastery

Early in the morning drive south down to Gobi desert. Your first stop is Ongi monastery. It was one of the largest monasteries in Mongolia but got destroyed during communist revolution of 1920s. Stay at Secret of Ongi ger camp. Enjoy ger building lesson and MONGOLIAN traditional food experience, “khorkhog”. There will be a traditional costume show in the evening. 

Day 5- Khongor sand dunes

After breakfast drive further south to Khongor sand dunes. It is known as the singing sand dunes and the highlight of Gobi desert. The singing sand dunes were first described by Marco Polo in the 13^th Century. He travelled across the Southern Gobi desert and was struck by the eerie sounds that the dunes produced when the wind passed over them. Nowadays the dunes still sing in the wind and are a hugely popular spot for climbing. The climb to the top of the highest dunes takes several hours and is very hard going but is hugely rewarding at the top with truly astonishing views. Stay with camel herding family and enjoy camel riding by the sand dunes.

Day 6- Yol valley

After breakfast drive the east to Yol valley. It literally means the Vulture’s mouth and it is easy to see why when you get there as the entrance resembles a gigantic vulture. The interior is some of the best hiking in all of Mongolia, stunning high valley walls, ice fields and short scrambles up and down slick rock faces. Stay overnight in a ger camp.

Day 7-Ulaanbaatar

Early in the morning fly to Ulaanbaatar. After lunch have a half day city tour including Choijin temple and Sukhbaatar square. Stay overnight in a hotel.