All Mongolia in 4 days

[Day 1]

Pick up from the hotel and drive to sand dunes. On the way have lunch at local cafe. First stop is Khustai National park,  where animals roam freely in their protected natural habitat. The national park also serves as the home to the once extinct Przewalski horses, gazelle, red deer and many other animals. Tomb stones and deer stones of Turgik era (V-VII century AD) located within the park. After a short break continue driving to Elsen tasarkhai, which literally translates into “piece of desert” that stretches for 80 km. Settle at the tourist ger camp located next to the dunes. After lunch, just before sunset we will go riding camels among the dunes and enjoy the beautiful sunset view. Dinner and overnight at tourist ger camp.

[ Driving distance – 310 km ,  Driving duration – 4.5 hours,  Meals – Lunch + Dinner ]

[Day 2]

After breakfast, we leave the camels and dunes to travel further towards Tsenkher hot spring camp. On the way have a short stop at Tsenkher town, then continue driving through refreshing green pine forest area, through mountains and over small rivers to reach the natural hot spring. Upon reaching the camp, you may enjoy short hiking in the area and relax in the hot spring. Stay overnight at the ger camp.

[ Driving distance – 200 km ,  Driving duration – 3.2 hours,  Meals – Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner ]

[Day 3] 

After breakfast, leave the ger camp. Drive to the ancient capital of Great Mongol Empire, Kharkhorin city. First place to visit is the Erdene Zuu Monastery, the oldest Buddhist temple built in 1585. Afterwards, we will visit Kharkhorum museum. The museum holds artifacts belonging to stone age, bronze age, 4 empire eras including numerous findings of Great Mongol Empire all found from the surrounding Orkhon Valley. In the evening can enjoy mini folk concert including throat singing, long and short songs, hoomei singing, and performance of a contortionist at the camp.

[ Driving distance – 120 km ,  Driving duration – 2.2 hours,  Meals – Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner ]

[Day 4] 

In the morning, we leave the ancient capital ruins behind and head back to Ulaanbaatar city. Before starting the journey, we will make a stop at the Empire Walls, that illustrates the maps of the three greatest empires that existed on Mongolian land, Xiongnu empire, Great Mongol Empire and Turgik empire. The hill also offers a spectacular view of winding Orkhon river basin and the panoramic view of Kharkhorin city.

[ Driving distance – 363 ,  Driving duration – 5.5 hours,  Meals – Breakfast + Lunch ]

 

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

KHUSTAI NATIONAL PARK

NP became a protected area in 1993. This was due to the reintroduction of Takhi or Przewalski’s horses project into Khustain Mountain range. Besides being home for the Przewalski’s horses the park is also home to 459 species of vascular plants, 85 species of lichens, 90 species of moss and 33 species of mushrooms. Moreover 44 species of mammals including Red deer, Mongolian gazelle, Roe deer, Wild boar, Wild sheep, Ibex, Mongolian marmots, Grey wolves, Lynx, Pallas’ cat, Red fox, Corsac fox and Eurasian badger live in this park.

Elsen Tasarkhai The Elsen tasarkhai, which literally translates into “patch of desert” is located in Uvurkhangai province and it stretches 80km and has width of 5 km. This is a spectacular place where you can see the diversity of Mongolian landscape of mountains, sand dunes and forests meet at one place.

Mongolian camels are two humped Bactrian camels. These camels are native to the steppes of Central Asia. Camels are one of the main five livestock for Mongolian nomads. Since early days, camels have played an important part in everyday lives of their owners. They were the means of transportation before vehicles introduction, especially they were useful when nomads moved from one place to another. Moreover they provide people with milk, wool and sometimes meat.

TSENKHER HOT SPIRNG

ERDENEZUU MUSEUM

The Erdene Zuu Monastery is probably the earliest surviving Buddhist monastery in Mongolia. Located in Uvurkhangai Province, approximately 2 km north-east from the center of Kharkhorin and adjacent to the ancient city of Karakorum, it is part of the Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape World Heritage Site.The monastery is affiliated with the Gelug sect of Tibetan Buddhism.

In the main hall it holds the precious artifacts found in the Orkhon valley belonging to Stone age, Bronze age and ancient empires. Built in 2011

Karakorum was the capital of the Mongol Empire between 1235 and 1260, and of the Northern Yuan in the 14–15th centuries. Its ruins lie in the northwestern corner of the Uvurkhangai Province of Mongolia, near today’s town of Kharkhorin, and adjacent to the Erdene Zuu monastery. They are part of the upper part of the World Heritage Site Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape.