Western Mongolia and Gobi Desert tour

Western Mongolia and Gobi Desert tours

Day 1: Arrive in Ulaanbaatar, city tour.

At the airport, you will be met by your guide and driver. Transfer to hotel. After having our breakfast at the hotel restaurant, we start our city tour. Major religion here in Mongolia is Buddism. Here in Ulan-Bator, there are several historical temples. First of all, we visit the biggest of them, Gandantegshilen temple. See the biggest statue of Megjid Janraisig, the god of calmness, feed doves. Also we visit Bogd khaan temple museum, which in time By evening we visit Zaisan hill to see the beauty of panoramic view of entire Ulan-Bator city. Restaurants, shopping centers and leisure centers also available nearby.

What’s Included: 3* hotel, airport transfer, city tour.
Meals: Lunch, Dinner

Day 2: Flight to the Gobi  

• Catch a morning flight to the Gobi. The journey continues with the Gobi Gurban Saikhan National Park. The Gobi Gurban Saikhan means “Three beautiful mountains in the Gobi.” The national park is one of the biggest and unique national parks in Mongolia. Also, end of the Altai Mountain range. There are many scenic places in the national park. Among them, Yoliin Am/Eagle Valley is the accessible one by car. After our car parks at an allowed area, we will walk through the beautiful valley into depths of the sheer rock canyon. Bottom of the canyon does not accept sunlight. Therefore, it has ice until the end of June. People are always amazed when they see such lush green valley in the Gobi. Golden eagles, very shy wild sheep and ibexes are indigenous to the valley. The hiking takes us about 3 hours on the two ways. Drive out of the mountains and arrive at a ger camp located on steppes of 360° views. Free afternoon to play on open grounds and run after the Gobi lizards.
• Starry Galaxy Night Shooting
• Photography

What’s Included: ger camp, internal flight.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3: The largest sand dunes Khongor

• Our journey will continue to Khongor, the biggest sand dunes. Arrive at a ger camp in the vicinity of the sand dunes and refresh from the driving. In the afternoon, when the sun goes down, we will drive short to the sand dunes and climb the sand dunes as high as you can. Try to hear sand singing dis-positioning the sand downwards against the wind if you can climb one of the high sand dunes. Visit a camel herding family and enjoy gentle walking of the two-humped Bactrian camels.
• Starry Galaxy Night Shooting
• Photography

What’s Included: ger camp, camel riding.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4: Flaming Cliffs, a dinosaur excavation site.

Tour to Flaming Cliffs (former dinosaur excavation site). Bayanzag is an area of red cliffs, which formed through the erosion of sand and rock over many thousands of years. It is also a site of several successful dinosaur excavations. Among them, a discovery the dinosaurs lay eggs after find a dinosaur nest made the area the world known. Arrive at the ger by lunch time. Spend the afternoon Shooting on open steppes. Late afternoon, we will drive to the Flaming Cliffs, hike among the cliffs in search of fossils we may find. Spend rest of the day discovering the surrounding area, hike along the cliffs in search of the dinosaur fossils.

What’s Included: ger camp.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5: Flight to the Ulaanbaatar and Terelj Natoinal Park

For Terelj National Park around 70 km to the east of Ulaanbaatar, one of must-visit places while in UB (Optional). It is one of the most beautiful places in Mongolia and a great destination to relax and enjoy a breath-taking view of natural wonders. Besides, trekking, horse riding, hiking and many other activities are always fun and interesting.

• Drive to Tsanjin Boldog, Chinges khan on horseback statue.
• After you explored Tsonjin Boldag, you will head off for Terelj National Park.
• Visit turtle rock, and then drive to your Ger camp (Mongolian traditional houses).
• Lunch here at your local family’s Ger camp.
• After lunch, take some rest and have a walk towards Ariyabal meditation centre.
• Have some trek and hike around the ger camp on beautiful hills and mountains.
• Dinner at ger camp
• After dinner, drive back to UB.
• Overnight at Hotel in Ulaanbaatar

Day 6 Ulaanbaatar– Ulgii–Altai town

Next flight Ulgii City, in the Bayan-Ulgii province of Western Mongolia. At the local airport, you’ll meet your English-speaking guide and driver.

• Early morning, fly to Bayan-Ulgii
• Have a city tour in Ulgiitown,
• Visit a local museum.
• After lunchgo to supermarket and black market /Keruen sarairestoran/
• Then go to nomadic area Eagle Hunters Home in Altai town /130km/
• Dinner traditional food /BesBarmak/
• Starry Galaxy Night Shooting

 Day 7 Ulgii-Altai /Kazakh nomadic family, eagle hunters/

• Eagle Hunters Photography
• Starry Galaxy Night Shooting
• Morning Eagle Hunting
• Eagle Hunters Shooting
• Nomadic people daily life shooting
• Nomadic Children
• Snow horses running
• Eagle hunter posing
• Kazakh traditional mini concert Secondary school/Altai soum/
• Free shooting
• Shoot migration of animals
• Nomads style and follow nomad family during their mirgration
• Shooting history Altai nomads games

  Day 8 Altai- White River Valley /Altai National Park/

Drive to White River Valley. We will have a chance to visit Tuvan people, who are a separate ethnic and cultural group within Mongolia, live a nomadic life, and practice Shamanism. About 200km (Tuvan  family /B/L/D)

Day 9 Altai Tavan-Bogd-Glaciers rivers

/The Altai region is a mountainous area located on the territory of Mongolia, Eastern Siberia, Kazakhstan and China.

The mountain peak at Altai TavanBogd is located at an altitude of 4374 meters, and it is the highest point above sea level in Mongolia and is called Khuiten.

Most scientists believe that the mountain name comes from the word “mountain with gold.”

The glaciers are located at an altitude of 3,500-4,000 meters above sea level. The largest glaciers are the Potanin Glacier, Alexander Glacier, Greny Glacier. They stretch 16 kilometers in length and are the source of the Tsagaan River. The five highest peaks of Altai Tavan Bogd mountain are Khuiten peak 4374 meters, Friendship peak 4082 meters, Herdsman peak 4037 meters, Eagle peak 4068 meters, and Ulgiy peak 4050 meters. In plpp1956, mountaineers of Mongolia conquered the Altai TavanBogd peak for the first time. Since then, more than 700 climbers have conquered these peaks and they have become the favorite peaks for domestic and foreign mountaineers. /

Riding Hours and Camel to the Tavan Bogd Base Camp for approximately five hours. The landscape around the base is breathtaking, accentuated by Mongolia’s longest glaciers and snow-capped mountains.

/Today we will hike 18km to the base camp of the Tavan Bogd. Our luggage will be transported by camels and their Tuvan handlers who are very friendly and helpful. En route, from 5-6 km away we will see Potanin and Alexander Glaciers, as well as ice peaks. Base camp is 3,000 m. Camel support. (Tent /B/L/D)/

/Free day for the customers to take a rest and enjoy with wonderfull mountain view and Glacier exploration. It is possible to hike to the Russian and the Mongolian border pole/.

Day 10 Return to Ulgii

Today we will back to the White River valley and meet the drivers.

We will say goodbye to our Tuvian friends and take the 7-hour drive back to Ulgii.

Overnight you can stay either in our own Ger Camp or at hotel and take a good hot shower. 170km

Day 11: Drive to Ulaanbaatar

Today is the last day you spend in the beautiful countryside of Mongolia. Arrival in Ulaanbaatar after 4.5 hours and a free afternoon to discover the city your own and be refreshed from the adventures.

What’s Included: ger camp.
Meals: Breakfast, Luncha

Day 12: Departure

We will transfer you to the airport and end of the tour.

What’s Included: airport transfer.
Meals: Breakfast

TOUR PRICING

• 2-  $ 2400 per person
• 3 – 4 $ 1950 per person
• 5 – 8 $ 1750  per person
• 9 – 12 $1500 per person

INCLUDED IN TOUR PRICE

• All meals during the trip
• All accommodations during the program
• Transport with car including gasoline
• Local guide
• Cook
• Visa support
• Local flights Ulgii-Ulaan Bataar

EXCLUDED

• International flights
• Visa
• Travel insurance
• Charges for excess baggage
• Airport taxes
• Individual equipment
• Drinks and extra charges in hotels and inns
• All alcoholic drinks
• All costs not specified in “Included”

Background

Is the  Tour suitable for you?

This tour is suitable for nature enthusiast and cultural tourist. Contrast of both nature and culture makes possible vast amount of feeling. You meet Gobi desert nomads as well as Kazakh nomad living far western steppes of Altai mountain range, practicing eagle hunting and its unique living style and culture.

Accommodation

Twin or king size bed rooms in local hotels or Kazakh yurt in our Ger camp for a choice, with all needs met for comfort staying. In the nature, we stay in tent camps.

Meals

In Ulgii city, you have choice between restaurants with traditional Kazakh dishes, traditional Mongolian dishes, European and Turkish dishes. Everyday different taste. When you are in the countryside, our high skilled expedition chiefs are eager to cook your meals in place.  If you are vegetarian or on a diet by your physician, restricted from some kinds of foods and beverages because of your health problems, just let us know about it. We choose and make a food specially for you.

Guides

Our experienced English-speaking guide-translators will guide you through whole expedition and lead you through the rich cultural and natural heritages here in Bayan-Ulgii.

Tour vehicles

This tour includes round-trip tickets to Ulgii, Dalanzadgad and back. Regards to transport inside a province, rigid axle four wheel drive vehicles such as Russian made jeep UAZ 469, Russian made van UAZ 452 furgon, Japanese Landcruisers are used because of road condition and vast area of mountain ranges. We provide in accordance with group members and complexity of trip itself, Russian vans and Toyota Landcruisers for traveler and another van for luggage and cooking staff.

Weather condition in the area when you are planning your trip

Actual travelling season in Western Mongolia is from June to second half of October.

Also some specifically designed trips are organized during winter. The climate in mountainous area is   very changeable.  Up in the mountains you might see four seasons could change in one day. If you are hiking mountains area, take that in mind and pack your warmest clothes. Mountain climbing trips are made possible only when weather allows you. This is what we say force major. The luggage weight allowed by local air company is 15 kg per person. The luggage exceeding this weight is stated as excess luggage and paid separately. Keep it in mind when you are packing for your travel. You can browse our site to find out weather conditions for a date when you are planning your trip or browse for www.weather.com .

Grand Altai Travel LLC

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