Itinerary
- Day 1
Ulaanbaatar
You'll arrive in Ulaanbaatar and meet your group leader at 6 pm. If your flight gets in early, there's time to walk around the city and check out spots like Gandan Khiid monastery or one of the local museums. An optional dinner with the group happens later in the evening if you're interested.
Optional Activities
- Visit Gandan Khiid monastery
- Visit Fine Arts Museum
- Visit Winter Palace Museum of Bogd Khan
- Visit Intellectual Museum
- Dinner at local restaurant
Landmarks/POIs Gandan Khiid Fine Arts Museum Winter Palace Museum of Bogd Khan Intellectual Museum - Day 2
Ulaanbaatar to Amarbayasgalant
This morning you're heading out through the Mongolian countryside toward Amarbayasgalant Khiid, the country's second most important monastery sitting in the Iven Gol River valley. After arriving, you'll spend your first night in a traditional ger camp and get a feel for what the next couple weeks will be like.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit Amarbayasgalant Khiid monastery
- Ger camp accommodation and experience
Landmarks/POIs Amarbayasgalant Khiid Iven Gol River valley Burengiin Mountain - Day 3
Amarbayasgalant to Unit
A longer travel day takes you about 7 hours through the copper mining town of Erdenet, heading toward Unit on the Selenge River. Once you arrive, there's a hike up Togoo Uul, an extinct volcano where you can see the crater and get views across the landscape.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Hike to Togoo Uul (Pot Mountain)
Optional Activities
- Wildlife spotting along the drive - marmots and various bird species
Landmarks/POIs Togoo Uul Selenge River - Day 4
Unit to Ikh Uul
Another 7-hour drive takes you across terrain to the mountainous outskirts of Ikh Uul where you'll stay with a nomad family for the first time. You'll help them prepare dinner, get a real sense of how they live, and spend the evening looking at stars far from any city lights.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (Home-cooked Mongolian BBQ dinner with host family - may include buuz (steamed dumplings) or barbecue)
Included Activities
- Stay with local nomad family
- Traditional Mongolian hospitality experience with salty milk tea
- Help prepare traditional Mongolian dinner
- Interaction with livestock
Optional Activities
- Aaruul (dried curds) tasting
- Day 5
Ikh Uul to Khovsgol Lake
Seven hours of rough terrain driving gets you to Khovsgol Lake, with a lunch stop in Murun along the way. You'll visit the 50/100 degree longitude and latitude monument, then head to Uushig Valley to see Bronze Age Deer Stones, ancient markers scattered across the landscape.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch in Murun), Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit monument at intersection of 50 and 100 degrees longitude and latitude
- Visit Uushig Valley and Bronze Age Deer Stone monuments
Landmarks/POIs Khovsgol Lake 50°/100° monument Uushig Valley Deer Stones - Day 6
Khovsgol Lake
Take a break at Khovsgol Lake with the day pretty much open. You can hike up nearby peaks if you're feeling active, take a boat trip on the water, or just relax after several long driving days. It's a chance to rest up before moving on.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Hike to nearby peaks
- Boat trip on Khovsgol Lake
- Explore on foot and relax
Landmarks/POIs Khovsgol Lake - Day 7
Khovsgol Lake to Shine Ider
Head out early from Murun and drive about 8 hours on a dirt road to Shine Ider. Tonight brings your second family ger camp experience where you'll help cook a Mongolian style BBQ dinner and watch the livestock routines that shape daily life here.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (Mongolian style BBQ dinner with host family)
Included Activities
- Stay with local nomad family
- Help prepare Mongolian style BBQ dinner
- Observe livestock milking and herding
- Day 8
Shine Ider to Terkhiin Tsagaan Lake
A long 9-hour drive on dirt road brings you to Lake Terkhiin Tsagaan, also called Great White Lake, surrounded by mountains and sitting in volcanic terrain. There's an optional hike up to volcanic craters if you want to get higher views of the area.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Hike to volcanic craters
- Walk on scenic trails around the lake
Landmarks/POIs Terkhiin Tsagaan Lake - Day 9
Terkhiin Tsagaan Lake
You've got another day at Terkhiin Tsagaan Lake with free time to explore the volcanic landscape around you. Walk around the lake shore, climb nearby hills, or just take in the unusual scenery that makes this place feel otherworldly.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Landmarks/POIs Terkhiin Tsagaan Lake - Day 10
Terkhiin Tsagaan Lake to Tsenkher Hot Springs
About 6 hours of travel gets you to Tsenkher Hot Springs in the Delger River valley. On the way you'll stop in Tsetserleg to visit a museum set inside a former temple and look around the local market. Later, you can either watch an archery demonstration or soak in the thermal waters.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit Tsetserleg Museum (in former temple) with local guide
- Tsenkher Hot Springs thermal waters
- Mongolian archery demonstration
Optional Activities
- Explore Tsetserleg town and local market
- Rest and explore at leisure
Landmarks/POIs Tsenkher Hot Springs Tsetserleg Museum - Day 11
Tsenkher to Karakorum
Four hours of driving takes you to Karakorum, the 13th century town that Genghis Khan built. You'll visit Erdene Zuu Monastery, a walled Buddhist complex with three temples inside, then head to Khogno Khan ger camp where you'll stay the next couple nights.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit Erdene Zuu Monastery and three temples
Landmarks/POIs Erdene Zuu Monastery Karakorum - Day 12
Khogno Khan
Today starts with a camel trek along nearby sand dunes, which is one of those experiences that sticks with you. After that there's a short hike to the ruins of an old monastery in the area. The afternoon is yours to do whatever you want, rest or explore more.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Camel trek along sand dunes
- Hike to local monastery ruins
Landmarks/POIs Khogno Khan sand dunes - Day 13
Khogno Khan to Khustai National Park
You're heading to Khustai National Park where you'll stop at the info center and learn about the wild horse reintroduction project called Takhi. A leader-led hike then takes you out to spot wild horses, Golden Eagles, falcons and vultures if conditions are right.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Khustai National Park info center visit and Takhi reintroduction project
- Leader-led hike to see wildlife
Landmarks/POIs Khustai National Park - Day 14
Khustai National Park to Ulaanbaatar
You'll make it back to Ulaanbaatar arriving around midday. After checking into your hotel, there's time to shop for local handicrafts or hit up some museums. Later comes a special cultural performance featuring throat singing and traditional dancing. There's an optional final dinner at a restaurant if you want to keep celebrating.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Cultural performance featuring throat singing and traditional dancing
Optional Activities
- Shop for local handicrafts - cashmere and felt products
- Visit museums in Ulaanbaatar
- Final dinner at local restaurant
- Day 15
Ulaanbaatar
Depending on how you're feeling about your time here, you'll depart any time before noon. There are no scheduled activities, so you have flexibility with your travel plans. If you want to stay longer, accommodation can be booked in advance.
