Enquire About This Tour Code MEX Mongolian Expedition
Duration: 14 Days Route: Ulaan Baatar to Ulaan Baatar Style: Adventure Tours Price: $1,640.00
Mongolia
Introducing Mongolia, an untamed and rugged land locked between Russia and China. Starting in Ulaan Bataar with its Soviet architecture and palaces, this tour gives you the chance to soak up the tranquil atmosphere at the Amarbayasgalant Monastery, enjoy the traditional hospitality of a local family in a Mongolian ger, soak away travel aches at the Jiguur hot springs and visit the remains of the capital city Genghis Khan built at Kharkhorin.
Tour Dossier Introduction
- Dossier Last Updated: 21-05-2012
- Tour Code: MEX
- Duration: 13 nights / 14 days
- Joining City: Ulaan Baatar
- Departure City: Ulaan Baatar
- Nearest Joining International Airport: Ulaanbaatar Chinggis Khaan Intl Airport (ULN)
This dossier is designed for this particular tour and should be read in conjunction with the country dossier(s), regional pre-departure booklet and optional excursions guides relevant to your itinerary. You will also receive a joining letter in advance of your journey with further information, while last minute updates may be posted in the Latest News section of our website.
Tour Documents
Inclusions
- Accommodation: 2 night(s) in hotel(s), hostel(s) & guesthouse(s), 9 night(s) in Mongolian gers / tents, 2 night(s) free camping
- Meals: 13 breakfast(s), 11 lunch(es), 11 dinner(s)
- Excursions: Amarbayasgalant Monastery, Horse Back riding, Tsenkher Jiguur Hot Spring, Kharkhorin Monastery, Camel Back riding
- Transport: taxi, on foot, 4WD
- Age: 18-60, max. 70 (recommended)
- Group: Average 8-12
- Staff: local guides
Exclusions
International flights and departure taxes
Domestic flight taxes if applicable (approximately US$5 each)
Tips on included excursions, visas, travel insurance, personal items
Pre & post tour accommodation
Airport transfers
Spending money – allow approximately US$25-$30 per day to cover meals, snacks, drinks, limited souvenirs, laundry, tips and any extras
Optional excursions - Please see our optional excursions guide on the dossier page for a comprehensive list of optional activities and excursions available on this tour.
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 to 2 - Arrive Ulaan Baatar – Amarbayasgalant Monastery
The first day of your tour is simply an arrival day with no pre-organised activities. In order to allow time to relax and see some of the sights you may wish to add pre tour accommodation. On arrival please ask at the reception for information on when the pre departure meeting will be held.
We visit the recently restored and reopened complex of the Amarbayasgalant Monastery, which was built during the early to mid 1700s by order of Manju emperor Enkh-Amgalan Khan. The interior of this impressive Buddhist monastery is decorated with gilded bronze sculptures, wall frescoes, appliqué icons and paintings on silk. Today about sixty novices and ordained monks are in residence and practicing Dharma. One of the Buddhist traditions that has been revived since its reopening is the Tsam Dancing ceremony.
Tonight we spend our first night in a ger, the traditional home of the nomadic Mongolian people. The word ger actually means 'home' and this style of housing has been used since the Mongols started nomadic life with animal husbandry and is still favoured today as they are able to pack up and relocate to a different or preferred area.
The ger consists of felt covers, wooden columns, and a round window at the top, thin wooden poles and floor, wall (wooden lattice attached together with animal hide, ropes) and ropes. Most of ger materials are made of animals like felt - sheep wool, ropes - camel or sheep wool, horse or yak's tail, and of course wood.
We then continue on to the beautiful Selenge River, one of the most lush and beautiful areas of Mongolia. This is the perfect place for nature lovers and avid photographers to spot some of Mongolia's diverse wildlife. Look out for marmots and an array of birds of prey such as falcons, eagles, owls and kites.
Day 3 to 5 - Selenge River – White Lake
Our journey continues to Terkhiin Tsagaan Nurr, also known as White Lake, located in the Khorgo and White Lake National Park in the Khangai Mountains of central Mongolia. While we are here we will enjoy views of the beautiful crystal clear waters and perhaps spot some of the local wildlife, including terns, cormorants, gulls, shelducks and hares, and also take an included horse ride near the lake. We'll also visit the extinct Khorgo volcano at the eastern end of the lake, where we have the opportunity to swim in the lake or perhaps go fishing.
Continuing on we'll visit the crater of the extinct Tsagaanur volcano - it's a 15 minute walk up stairs to the first small crater and another 10 minute walk to the big red crater. On the way it's possible to visit a 'yellow dog' cave where you can learn the story of the daughter who sacrificed her favourite dog to save her father's life and visit Yolin Am (the vulture's mouth) ice cavern, also known as the 'Gobi Glacier' as it remains frozen inside until August, despite the heat of the surrounding desert.
Let's take some time to relax in the remote Tsenher Jiguur Hot Springs. The hot water springs from the earth at over 80°C and is fed to bathing pools by a complex system of pipelines which regulates the temperature. This is an ideal place to relax, sit back and enjoy the nature around you under the stars.
Day 6 to 8 - Tsenkher Jiguur Hot Spring – Kharkhorin – Flaming Cliff
We head back to a city again in Kharkhorin, the very place where Ghenghis Khan planned his capital. The city was the political, cultural and economic centre of his empire but was only completed after his death, and was later destroyed by Manchurian invaders. The Kharkhorin of today is a small settlement with little focus on tourism. Close by to our camp you can visit Erdene-Zuu, Mongolia's first Buddhist Monastery.
From Kharkorin we move on to remote Ongyin Khid. Bayanzag, or the Flaming Cliffs, a region in the Gobi Desert with a rich orange and red landscape which lights up as if on fire at sunset on a clear day. The area became world famous after the discovery of dinosaur eggs by palaeontologist Roy Chapman Andrews and it is known to be one of the world's biggest dinosaur graveyards. Dinosaur fossils are still often found by visitors and you may be lucky enough to see a fragment or two. It is said that in order to distinguish a dinosaur bone from a rock or other animal bone, you lick it, and if it's a dinosaur bone it will stick to your tongue like ice (we don't necessarily recommend it!).
The following morning we head for Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National park which lies on the northern edge of the Gobi desert.
Day 9 to 11 - Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park – Yol Valley – Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park
The Gobi desert is one of the world's greatest deserts, covering much of southern Mongolia in barren expenses, gravel plains and rocky outcrops. The climate here can be extreme with temperatures reaching + 40°C in the summer, and - 40°C in the winter.
The Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park is one of the world's largest biospheres covering an area larger than Switzerland. Wildlife here consists of wild bacterian (two-humped) camels, wild ass, and Gobi bears - the world's only desert-inhabiting bears. This area is also famous for some of the best preserved dinosaur fossil findings. A short drive takes us into the core of the Gurvan Saikhan Mountains, named the 'three beauties', and the Yol Valley, a famous ravine within the park which is usually covered with ice and snow and is another excellent place to view wildlife and birds of prey.
There is time for more wildlife spotting in Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park before moving on to Erdenedalai Village where we spend the night. Our journey back to Ulaan Bataar takes us through the grasslands of Mongolia via Sum Huh Burd and Baga Gazrin Chuluu.
Day 12 to 13 - Erdenedalai – Ulaan Baatar
Sum Huh Burd is an oasis located in the Gobi area with a small lake. There is an ancient stone fortress on an island in the centre of the lake dating back to the 16th century.
Baga Gazriin Chuluu (Earth Stone) is a series of mountain ridges and rock formations found throughout the National Park and we will stop off and take a look at some of the most spectacular. We will return to Ulaan Baatar for some last minute sight seeing and shopping.
Day 14 to 14 - Depart Ulaan Baatar
Your adventure of a lifetime comes to an end today, please confirm with the reception the check out time. If you have a late flight or have lengthened your stay by adding post tour accommodation you will have more time to explore the sights.
The itinerary listed above is to be used as a guide only. Occasionally we may need to update this document and it may be different to the information printed in our current brochure. Tour leaders may need to make adjustments due to unforeseen circumstances during the tour. It is very important that you visit our website and review a copy of this dossier as close as possible to your departure date in case of changes that may affect your plans. Any last minute changes may also be posted in the latest news section of our website.
About Adventure Tours
Adventure Tours are designed to suit travellers who love being able to travel on many different forms of transport and who prefer to stay in comfortable but basic accommodation. Visit the Adventure Tours dossier page for further information on the type of transport and accommodation provided on this style of travel, as well as group size, staff, meals, degree of difficulty and recommended age.
Don’t forget that Tucan Travel also offers Tailored Travel tours as well as other Group Travel tour styles.
Pre-departure Information
Once you have booked your tour, your travel consultant will provide you with our pre departure information booklet to help you prepare for your adventure (if you do not receive this, please ask your agent for a copy or you can download it from our website). It is very important that you read this document before you travel for valuable information on travel documents, insurance, health, money, budgeting, packing list, joining your tour, life on the road, accommodation, transportation, staff and meals.
Country Dossiers
This tour dossier is designed to be read in conjunction with the country dossiers which you can download from the website or obtain from your travel agent. The country dossiers contain essential information about visas, arrival transfers, spending money, taxes, tips, climate and local food.
Pre-departure Meeting
The address of your joining hotel can be found on the joining letter and tour voucher. On arrival you should look for a Tucan Travel information sheet and welcome note on the hotel notice board where you will find details of the pre-departure meeting. The tour leader or the Tucan Travel representative will normally hold the pre-departure meeting early in the evening of day one (assuming that all clients have arrived by then). You will be briefed about the tour, given an outline itinerary for the next few days and any questions will be answered. The tour leader will collect the local fund (Budget Expeditions only). After the meeting there is usually an option for everyone to go out for dinner and drinks to start to get to know one another.
Please note that you will need to bring the following items to the pre departure meeting:
1. The original copy and a photocopy of your passport
2. Vaccination certificates (if required)
3. Travel voucher
4. Details of your travel insurance policy number and their 24hr emergency contact number
5. Local fund in US dollars cash (Budget Expeditions only)
What You Need to Bring
You must be prepared to carry your own bags at all times. We therefore strongly urge you to use a backpack (or similar soft luggage) and limit your luggage to a maximum of 15-17 kilograms. Please see the relevant country dossiers for further information about luggage requirements and a full list of suggested equipment can be found in the pre-departure information booklet.
Optional Excursions
During your tour there will be free time to enjoy a range of optional excursions which are listed in the optional excursions guide. Your tour leader will be able to make recommendations and bookings in advance for most of these activities so you have more flexibility and control over your itinerary. Please note that you may not have time to do all of the optional excursions listed.
Extra Services – pre & post tour accommodation and airport transfers
Very little time is spent in each of the starting and finishing cities and you will need to allow a few days at the beginning or end of your tour if you want to explore them further. Airport transfers in joining and departing cities are not included in the tour price but can be booked through Tucan Travel at an additional cost. For details about how to book pre & post accommodation please refer to the Extra Services information page in our website. Price information can be found on the price page of each tour. If you would prefer to make your own way to and from your hotel, you can find further details on the joining letter for this tour.
Single Supplements
This package may offer single supplements that enable clients to stay in a single room. This single supplement must be paid prior to departure and applies to the whole tour for nights where single rooms can be made available. If there is no offer for a single room this is usually because you will be on an overnight train or bus, or camping.
In the day-by-day grid below an 'S' will indicate in which destinations single rooms are available to those who have purchased a single supplement.
Day by Day Itinerary
| Day | Activity | Country | Meals |
| Day 1 | Ulaan Baatar | Mongolia | |
| Day 2 | Amarbayasgalant Monastery | BLD | |
| Day 3 | Selenge River | BLD | |
| Day 4 | White Lake | BLD | |
| Day 5 | White Lake | BLD | |
| Day 6 | Tsenkher Jiguur Hot Spring | BLD | |
| Day 7 | Kharkhorin | BLD | |
| Day 8 | Flaming Cliff | BLD | |
| Day 9 | Gobi Gurvansaikhan NP | BLD | |
| Day 10 | Yol Valley | BLD | |
| Day 11 | Gobi Gurvansaikhan NP | BLD | |
| Day 12 | Erdenedalai | BLD | |
| Day 13 | Ulaan Baatar | B | |
| Day 14 | Ulaan Baatar | B |
(B - Breakfast, L - Lunch, D - Dinner included)
Please note the day to day itinerary above is given as a GUIDELINE ONLY.
Responsible Travel Tips
At Tucan Travel we are serious about our responsibility to care for the environment and people that we visit. Here are a few tips to help you to enjoy your tour while minimising your impact and enhancing your travelling experience. Visit the Responsible Travel Policy page to learn more.
- Offset a portion of the carbon of your Tucan Travel tour. Visit our Carbon Offset Scheme page to learn more about how your contributions make a difference.
- You could bring your own metal water bottle and fill it up at restaurants or treat your own water on tour instead of buying lots of plastic bottles. Bear in mind that there may not be recycling facilities available at some destinations.
- Cut out plastic – remove and recycle the packaging of new travel gear before you pack, and bring a light cotton or string bag for your shopping, so you can politely refuse plastic bags at shops and markets.
- Please don’t offer gifts to children as it encourages begging and promotes a culture of dependency. If possible, contribute money or supplies to a local school or charity organisation – talk to your tour leader about the options available.
- Learn a bit of the local language before you travel. Being able to say even a few words like hello, please and thank you will help you to connect with people in a positive way. Bring a phrase book on tour and keep practicing to improve your confidence.
Feedback
At the end of your tour we would greatly appreciate it if you could take the time to complete a questionnaire about your experiences. The tour leader will give you a paper copy and you can find a PDF version of the questionnaires on our website. We take feedback very seriously as it allows us to maintain and improve the very high standards we expect from our staff, local operators, hotels, transportation and excursion providers. We also use this information to improve our itineraries and optional excursions on offer.
Subscribe to our e-newsletter
If you're keen to keep up-to-date with the latest news, special offers, events and competitions, why not sign up to our newsletter? Just follow the Registration/Newsletter link at the top of our home page. Don't worry, we won't pass on your details to any third parties and it's easy to unsubscribe if you decide later on that it's not for you.
Join our online communities
Make friends with fellow passengers and keep in touch on Facebook. Share your videos on Youtube, share you stories on our travel blogs page and follow us on Twitter. There are many Tucan Travel communities out there waiting to welcome you, just a few clicks away. Visit the Online Community page for details about how to find us.
Write a travel diary and get published on our website!
Share your experiences of life on tour and you may be rewarded. Contact Ben@tucantravel.com for details.
We want your photos!
We've taken you to some of the most amazing places on earth – why not share that with the world? Send us high resolution colour photos of your adventures, and you could be published on our website or our brochure. Contact Ben@tucantravel.com.
