Day 1: Beijing – Ulaanbaatar
Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before transferring to Beijing Capital Airport for an early morning flight to Ulaanbaatar, also known as ‘Urga’.
Head to the hotel to drop off your luggage and enjoy a buffet lunch.
Ulaanbaatar was established in 1639 and, since then, has undergone various name changes. A city of yurts, it was built around the monastery that housed Zanabazar, Mongolia’s first Buddhist spiritual leader. Zanabazar’s spiritual propensities were obvious right from the start, and at just four years of age he was recognised as the head of the Sakya sect of Buddhism in Mongolia. When he was 14 he travelled to Tibet where the fifth Dalai Lama proclaimed him as the 16th incarnation of Javsandamba. He was at this time converted to the Gelug sect of Tibetan Buddhism and given the title of ‘Bogd Gegeen’, meaning ‘enlightened pontiff’, one of the three most-important titles of Buddhism.
After lunch, you’ll set off on a visit to Ulaanbaatar’s ancient Sükhbaatar Square, and stop at the impressive Mongolian parliament building, before which sits the imposing statue of Genghis Khan. Following this is a visit to the Grand Central Post Office and the Choijin Lama Temple.
End the day with a Mongolian dinner at a local restaurant.
Return to the hotel.
Day 2: Ulaanbaatar – Khogno Khan Mountain (5 hours’ drive)
Have breakfast at the hotel before setting out early for the sacred mountain of Khogno Khan in the Khogno Khan Natural Reserve. On this day, you’ll discover the ruins of an ancient monastery, which are set in picturesque natural surroundings. Watch a local ceremony where aïrak, a fermented mares’ milk, is served in a silver bowl.
Next, head to the yurt camp, where you’ll stay in this local, eco-friendly form of accommodation. The yurts are spacious and meet Western standards. They have comfortable beds with silk duvets and are decorated with Mongolian furniture, felt carpets and other traditional items.
Enjoy lunch at a yurt restaurant.
After lunch, take advantage of some free time and relax in your yurt. Then, mid-afternoon, you’ll head off to meet the local nomadic people and have your own sip of aïrak, the traditional drink made from fermented mare’s milk.
Return to your yurt and enjoy a local dinner.
Overnight accommodation is in the yurt.
Day 3: Khogno Khaan Mountain – Sand Dunes
Have breakfast at a yurt restaurant then set off on a camel trek into the sand dunes of Elsen Tasarhai. Also known at the ‘Little Gobi’, it extends for about 80km.
Eat lunch during the outing before returning on camel to your yurt.
Have dinner at a yurt restaurant then sit around a fire and listen to Mongolian folk songs.
Overnight accommodation is in the yurt.
Day 4: Orkhon Valley
Have breakfast in a yurt restaurant, then depart for the lush Orkhon Valley, one of the few sites in Mongolia to be World-Heritage listed. This stunning landscape is a patchwork of woods, mountains and volcanic formations. Natural, green plains and hills of basalt are broken only by the Orkhon river. Beyond the natural features, it is also an area rich in ancient history. See deer stones, cairn tombs and burial mounds, anthropomorphic and zoomorphic stelae, and ruins of an ancient capital.
Following this, head to your next eco-lodge, set in the Orkhon Valley. Here you’ll enjoy a lunch of barbecued fish while overlooking the Orkhon River.
Next is a spectacular demonstration of a rodeo, Mongolian style, where an urga (a lasso on a very long pole) is used to catch a horse. You’ll see more than 50 Mongolian horses galloping in total freedom in the desert.
Enjoy some horseback riding along the banks of the Orkhon River. You’ll be safe, supervised by skilled Mongolian horsemen. Then, after this, it’s off to visit a family of yak farmers, where you’ll learn about the natural methods used for breeding the yaks and also get to try some fresh yak milk.
Return to the yurt camp on horseback.
Enjoy dinner at a yurt restaurant.
Overnight accommodation is in the yurt.
Day 5: Hermitage Zanabazar
Have breakfast in a yurt restaurant before departing for the shrine of Tovkhon Khiid. Walking through the dense pine forest, you’ll arrive at the monastery, which is perched on hills of granite and overlooks the Orkhon Valley.
The monastery of Tovkhon Khiid is located 2,300 metres above sea level in a granite-rich area. It was built in 1654 and comprises 14 temples. It was here that Zanabazar created ‘Soyombo’, the first symbolic writing used by the imperial court of the Great Khan. The first letter of the alphabet became the national emblem and appears on the Mongolian flag. After visiting the monastery, experience a mystical moment in a cave used by Zanabazar.
Return to your yurt and have lunch and tea or coffee at a yurt restaurant.
Spend some free time in the yurts or get an introduction to some traditional games in a Mongolian yurt bar.
Have dinner at a yurt restaurant.
Overnight accommodation is in the yurt.
Day 6: Karakorum – Khogno Khaan Mountain
Have breakfast at a yurt restaurant then depart for Karakorum, the ancient capital of the Mongol empire, the greatest empire in history. When you arrive, you’ll inspect a local market.
Have a picnic lunch on a hill overlooking the monastery of Erdene Zuu. The Erdene Zuu monastery is the heart of Mongolian Buddhism as well as Chinese and Tibetan Buddhist temples. It is still an active monastery, and monks continue their ceremonies and Buddist chants, making use of the blue ceremonial khadag scarves and sacred incense.
Drive back (about two and a half hours) to the camp, travelling via the sacred Khogno Khan Mountain.
Have dinner in a yurt restaurant.
Overnight accommodation is in the yurt.
Day 7: Khogno Khaan Mountain – Ulaanbaatar
Have breakfast in a yurt restaurant and set off early the drive to Ulaanbaatar.
On the journey you’ll stop for lunch at a guanz, a typical Mongolian soup kitchen.
When you arrive in Ulaanbaatar you’ll transfer to your hotel. From here you can relax and enjoy some free time shopping at the Grand Central Store.
Enjoy a ‘hot pot’ Mongolian barbecue for dinner.
Overnight accommodation is at the hotel.
Day 8: Ulaanbaatar – Beijing
Have breakfast at the hotel then transfer to Chinggis Khaan (Genghis Khan) International Airport for your flight to Beijing.
Visa is issued by Mongolian Embassies and Diplomatic Missions abroad or can be obtained at the international airport by those with a formal letter of invitation. If traveling on an organized tour, visa can be obtained through tourism companies or travel agencies.
Domestic travel includes planes, trains and automobiles. For foreigners, flying is expensive as there are two rates applied to all tickets: local and foreign. Airfares for trips from Ulaanbaatar to a provincial center range in cost from $200-$300 round trip.
The Trans-Mongolian Railway operates on a 24-hour basis and connects northern Mongolia with the south. Trains are clean and comfortable, and offer a choice between a hard seat (second-class) and a sleeper cabin. They are not equipped with restaurant cars. The line linking Moscow and Beijing via Ulaanbaatar, which was completed in 1955, provides a shorter route between Russia and China than the older line through Manchuria. As trains operate on time and are reliable, they are the most convenient way to travel in-country.
Travel among cities by bus, van, or Russian-made jeep is almost completely on unpaved roads. The price of rides, which depends on the price of the fuel supplied by Russia, has fluctuated greatly in recent years. Note that Volunteers are prohibited from driving motorized vehicles in Mongolia or from riding on or operating motorcycles.
Climate
There are four well-defined seasons, and on average, the sun shines for well over 250 days a year. The climate is extremely continental with low precipitation. Average summer temperature is +20’C, average winter temperature is -26’C, average rainfall -200-220 mm. winter lasts from November to late April. Although winter is cold with lot of snowfall, it also has many sunny days.
Sightseeing
Mongolia’s best travel routes and attractions are classified into 6 main categories by the geographical locations: Ulaanbaatar and around, Southern Mongolia – the Gobi Desert region, Western Mongolia, Central Mongolia, Northern Mongolia and the Eastern Mongolia – Great Eastern Plains.
Like nearly one half of the Mongolian population, the capital city of Ulaanbaatar is herself a nomad. The city has changed locations more than twenty times over the past 350 years before taking root in her current location in a sweeping valley bounded by four sacred peaks, including Bogd Khan mountain to the south.
Along with her location, the capital has changed names over the years, having been called Urguu from 1639 to 1706, lh Huree from 1706 to 1911, Niislel Huree from 1911 -to 1923, and finally Ulaanbaatar since 1924). But despite her many transformations, Mongolia’s capital has remained constant as the political, economic, and cultural center of the nation, and as a city rich in both character and contrast. Indeed there aren’t many world capitals in which you can ride a horse, visit a nomadic family, and enjoy fine dining and luxurious spa treatments all in the same day.
Ulaanbaatar today is a vibrant city of more than one million residents. The city reflects a close and sometimes amusing juxtaposition of nomadic traditions and modern society, perhaps best summarized by her skyline dotted with both gers (felt tents) and towering skyscrapers. The city’s contrast can also be found among those who call it home, from traditional-clothing-clad herders, to Armani suit-wearing business men and women, to a growing number of ex-patriots hailing from nearly every corner of the globe. Only in Ulaanbaatar might you find a horse cart bouncing down the central avenue alongside a Mercedes Benz, or a market selling both livestock and designer clothing. In short, there is something for everyone, and always a site to behold in Ulaanbaatar.
If cities have a heart, and they certainly do, then the heart of Ulaanbaatar is Sukhbaatar Square. This sprawling plaza situated in front of the capital building, Is THE PLACE where residents and visitors gather for celebrations, exhibitions, and concerts, or just for a leisurely stroll with friends. Running along the southern edge of the square is Enkh Taivanii Orgon Choloo (Peace Avenue), Ulaanbaatar’s main thoroughfare, which spans from East to West across the city. On Peace Avenue, you’ll find a myriad of shopping hotspots, selling everything from cashmere, to antiques and souvenirs, to high fashion couture. You’ll also find a surprising variety of restaurants, bars, and cafes, serving up Italian, French, Korean, Chinese, Turkish, American, and Mongolian cuisines, to name but a few.
Time zone
GMT+8
Language
Mongolian Language. Common spoken foreign languages –English and Russian.
Currency
Tugrik, All major currencies can be exchange at banks and licensed exchange centers in Ulaanbaatar. Credit cards are accepted at biggest hotels, restaurants and supermarkets..
All commercial banks are authorized foreign exchange dealers. Major hotels, however, are only licensed to buy or accept foreign currencies in the form of notes and travelers' checks.
Essentials
Internet
Internet access is available in Ulaanbaatar at business centers (often located in hotels), Internet cafes and at the telephone exchange on Suhkbaatar square.
Electricity
Power supply is 220 V and 50 Hz. Sockets require a two – pin type plug or an adapted.