Day 1: Ulaanbaatar
Upon your arrival at the Buyant-Ukhaa International Airport in Mongolia, you will meet the Mongolei Reisen crew and transfer to the Bayangol hotel, conveniently situated in downtown Ulaanbaatar. After freshening up from your trip, we will spend the day with a walking tour of some of the capital’s most noteworthy sites starting out at the heart of Ulaanbaatar, Sukhbaatar Square. Here we will see the statue of Sukhbaatar, the hero of the Mongolian revolution, the Parliament house, National Opera, and City Hall. Afterwards we’ll visit Zaisan Hill, which offers great views of the city. Before dinner, you will attend a performance of traditional dancing and singing. Mongolia is best known for the traditional form of throat singing, khoomii, and the horse-headed fiddle that accompanies many traditional songs. Overnight in hotel (L, D)
Day 2 – 3: Lunar New Year Festival
Along with Naadam, Tsagaan Sar (meaning ‘White Month’) is the most important celebration in Mongolia. This Buddhist celebration is held during the lunar New Year, usually sometime in February. We’ll visit a nomadic family, where you will learn about the rituals and traditions associated with the New Year – a time when Mongolians call on elders to offer ceremonial greetings, and feast on milk tea and buuz (meat dumplings). After our visit with a nomadic family, we’ll head to Gandan Monastery in the centre of Ulaanbaatar, where crowds of visitors come to obtain blessings for the New Year. The monastery is also home to the spectacular 26 meter statue of the Megjid Janraiseg Buddha (Avalokitesvara) and other fascinating elements of the nation’s cultural heritage. Overnight in hotel (B, L, D)
Day 4: Khustai Nuruu National Park
We’ll travel south from Ulaanbaatar to spend the day in the grassy valleys of Khustain Nuruu National Park, looking for wild horses, wolves, and other rare wildlife species. You’ll have the opportunity to meet with a Park Rangers and learn about the internationally-acclaimed project to reintroduce the Przewalskii Horse into the wild. Also known as the Takhi, this is the world’s last species of wild horse and was hunted to extinction in Mongolia in 20th century. Preservation efforts have successfully reintroduced over 100 of the horses back into Mongolia. Overnight in ger camp (B, L, D)
Day 5: Manzshir Monastery
Next we visit Manzshir Monastery, located on the tree-lined southern slopes of the sacred Bogd Khan Mountain. We’ll hike among the ruins of this 18th-century monastery, exploring the restored main temple and numerous sacred images on the nearby mountain face. In the evening we return to Ulaanbaatar for a concert by the renowned Tumen Ekh folk song and dance ensemble, presenting long-songs, throat singing, dance and contortion. Overnight in hotel (B, L, D)
Day 6: Terelj National Park
In the morning, we drive to Terelj National Park, located within the Khan Khentii Mountains to the East of Ulaanbaatar. Terelj is a beautiful setting where you can enjoy the natural scenery of this forested area, home to wolves, deer, bears and wild boars. We’ll also tour the curious rock formations known as the “turtle rock”, and visit a local nomadic family. Overnight in ger camp (B, L, D)
Day 7: Ulaanbaatar
We’ll take the short trip back to the capital city and have plenty of free time for shopping or additional museum visits. Overnight in hotel (B, L, D)
Day 8: Departure
Our adventure together ends with your transfer back to the Buyant-Ukhaa International Airport for your departure.
