Meet with the local team upon arrival in Chinggis Khaan International Airport. Transfer to the city center for welcome dinner and check-in at the hotel for overnight.
In the morning, we depart from the hotel towards the town of Darkhan. It is one of the two largest cities outside of Ulaanbaatar. We have lunch here prior to continuing our journey towards the Amarbayasgalant monastery.
In the late afternoon, we reach the monastery of Amarbayasgalant. It is considered one of the tree major monastic centers of Mongolia. Despite the political purges of 1930s, the monastery survived in a better condition than most of the monasteries in the country. It was built in 1727, using ancient wood working techniques; thus, its construction has no metallic beams or nails in its construction. The monastic ground and nearby hills offer meditative sightseeing experiences.
Overnight – Standard ger camp. (B+L+D)
After breakfast, we will drive to visit the dormant volcano Uran Togoo. The volcano erupted approximately 24,000 years ago and is surrounded by green steppes and forests. It is the largest of the four dormant volcanoes that can be found in the surrounding valleys. The area offers a great opportunity for trekking. The volcanic crater is 600m wide, 50-60m deep and can be walked into.
Later, we drive to the town of Bulgan for lunch. After lunch, we visit a local Nomadic family to witness the traditional lifestyle of nomads which has survived and adapted well into the modern times.
After lunch at the town of Bulgan, we reach Sod Camp in the afternoon.The camp is located opposite a majestic mountain range and there are trekking opportunities available. In the proximity of the camp, there is a mineral spring with healing properties.
Overnight – Standard ger camp. (B+L+D)
This day, we leave to reach our main destination at Lake Khuvsgul. On the way, we stop for lunch by the town of Moron, capital of Khuvsgul province. Later, we continue on to our camp located by the shores of Lake Khuvsgul.
Khuvsgul is the second largest freshwater lake in Asia, covering a span of 2,760 sq.km and was formed around 2 million years ago. It is located on the borderline of Central Asian steppes and Siberian Taiga forests. It is home to one of the country’s most unique ethnic groups – the Tsaatan. The Tsaatan people, also known as Dukha, make their living mainly through reindeer herding.
Overnight – Standard ger camp (upgrade available) . (B+L+D)
Today, we enjoy a free day to at the lake. There are a number of optional activities we can choose from. Available activities:
- Boat riding
- Horse riding
- Local nomadic family visit
- Tsaatan family visit
- Trekking along the shore lines and forests
Overnight – Standard ger camp (upgrade available) . (B+L+D)
In the morning, we depart towards the camp of Ulziit Khishig. The camp is located on the way towards the highlight destination of our tour. It is located in a bountiful valley surrounded by greenery and trees on a hillside.
Overnight – Standard ger camp (cabin available) . (B+L+D)
After breakfast at the camp, we depart for the province of Arkhangai to reach the Khorgo-Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur National Park. The main attractions in the area include the Terkhiin Tsagaan Lake which covers an area of 61 sq.km and serves as home to many birds. Next to the lake, we can find a now-dormant Khorgo volcano. The volcano erupted over 8,000 years ago; this event directly shaped the surrounding landscape and affected the shape of the Terkhiin Tsagaan Lake.
We shall have opportunities to visit the lake shores and trek up the crater of the volcano to experience a panoramic view of the surrounding landscape.
Overnight – Standard ger camp. (B+L+D)
This morning, we drive towards the Tsenkher Hot Springs for a relaxing day. The hot springs are located in a valley surrounded by tall mountains and forests. The volcanic eruptions from thousands of years ago have affected the creation of the hot springs in Central and Northern parts of the country. The waters emerge from deep underground at a temperature of more than 80 degrees Celsius. The waters of the springs are composed of sodium carbonate, hydro carbonate, sulfate, fluorite, hydrogen sulfide and are said to have health benefits for articular and nervous system diseases.
Overnight – Standard ger camp. (B+L+D)
This day, we drive towards the town of Kharkhorin. The town is located in the Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape area where the history of not just Mongolia, but the World has been shaped.
The capital of the Mongol Empire was located in the town of Kharkhorin. Many artifacts that trace their origins to the Mongol empire and dynasties that came before them, can be found in the Kharkhorin Museum.
Another major site we visit is the Erdene Zuu monastery. It is the oldest Buddhist Monastery in Mongolia that traces its origins to the late 16th century. For hundreds of years, thousands of monks have lived in this monastery and contributed greatly to culture of Mongolia. Sadly, the monastery was affected by political purges in the 1930s and much of the wealth has been lost to us. However, the monastic grounds were preserved and there are a number of both old temples and currently functioning temples that can be visited.
Overnight – Standard ger camp (upgrade available) . (B+L+D)
After breakfast at the camp, we make our way towards Ulaanbaatar. On the way, we visit the Elsen Tasarkhai area – also reffered to as ‘Mini Gobi’ due to the long sand dunes that lie in the midst of steppes. Here we can experience sand dunes and camel riding. These dunes stretch across borderlines of three provinces Mongolia and have a length of at least 90km. We have lunch at a nearby restaurant and continue our journey to Ulaanbaatar.
Check-in at the hotel after farewell dinner.
Transfer to Chinggis Khaan International Airport for departure.
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