Ulaanbaatar, Sukhbaatar Square
3 Hours Before Flight Time
After arriving in Ulaanbaatar, you’ll be greeted at the airport and escorted to accommodation. After lunch, take a city sightseeing tour including a visit to Gandan Monastery with its huge gold plated Buddha, a symbol of Mongolian national pride and cultural revival. See the monks chanting, spin some prayer wheels and view the intricately embroidered thanks. Then visit National Museum of Mongolia, where you will see artifacts from Mongolia and Central Asia from the Stone Age to the present. Enjoy cultural performance in the evening.
After breakfast at the hostel, drive to Bayangobi. It is a unique place with many different forms of natural landscape; combination of a Gobi sand dunes, forests and rock mountains. Here we will stay with camel breeder family. Learn to milk camel and ride Bactrian camel.
*Bactrian camels have two humps which makes them very comfortable to ride than Arabian camels*
We will drive to Tsenkher hot springs, sulphur springs that emerge from the ground at 85 degrees Celsius. Facilities include outdoor and indoor baths, showers, and accommodations. In the afternoon, we will visit Zayan Gegeen Monastery, founded in the 17th century, housed over 1000 monks before its closing in 1930s. This monastery included several groups of Tibetan and Manchu style halls. The main temple was turned into a food warehouse after 1921 revolution. The ethnographic museum of Tsetserleg was created in buildings that formerly were part of Zayan Khuree Monastery.
There are several extinct volcanoes within the national park area. Khorgo volcano is the most spectacular one among them. The volcano is considered the last of Mongolia’s over 300 volcanoes to become extinct. Rare species of flowers and pine trees grow in the black volcanic soil. Awe-inspiring valleys covered by basalt are home to alpine wildlife. Astonishingly beautiful Terkhiin Tsagaan, a fresh water lake was formed after lava flow from the volcanoes blocked the north and south Terkh Rivers is renowned for its fish and birdlife, including the Ruddy Shellduck and Great Cormorant.
Surrounded by sand dunes and mountain, Khar nuur is a one of the most beautiful lakes in Mongolia. Around 13 different species of birds migrate to Khar nuur. The lake is 48 meters deep, 30 km long. Free time for hiking by the lake shore and relaxing in the quiet beauty of nature.
Continue driving to Khyargas Lake along the Bor Khyariin Els Sand Dunes. Khyargas Lake is one of the largest lakes in Mongolia and is located in the Great Lakes Depression that is a globally important wetland area for migratory birds and is a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. Khyargas Lake is a huge inland sea 75 km long, 31 km wide and 80 meters deep. The water is brackish and has rare fish such as Mongolian grayling. The surrounding atmosphere of the lake area makes you feel that you are really separated from bustling outside world. Enjoy relaxing and bird watching and fishing.
We will make a short visit to Ulaangom, center of Uvs Province. Visit Uvs Province Museum in Ulaangom. And drive to Uureg lake, situaeted in 100km from Ulaangom in 1426 above sea level. The area is similar to Gobi and surrounded in the far by high Mountains. Uureg Lake is 42m deep and its surface is 237sqkm. Here you can see numbers of birds and can visit local nomads. The lake is frozen from October to May. There are two small barren rocky islands in the lake.
After breakfast we drive to Ulgii, center of Bayan-Ulgii, Mongolia’s western most province. The province is famous for its untouched snow-capped mountains and the Kazakh nation that makes up nearly 5% of the population with their rich, unique culture. Visit the museum of Bayan-Ulgii Province and learn basic information about the area. Then we will visit a local eagle hunter’s family and learn about the Kazakh people’s unique lifestyle, traditions and how they train the eagles for hunting.
See how Eagle Hunter makes ready his bird for hunting (how he trains etc.). See his hunting outfit. Learn how to hold the bird on your arm during the hunting. Learn how to carry the bird on the horse.
After breakfast we’re going to head out into the valley to hunt with the Eagle Hunters. Mongolian Kazakhs use female eagles for hunting, as they are far bigger than the males and more aggressive. These eagles are trained to hunt foxes, wolves, rabbit and wildcat.
In the morning we will fly to Ulaanbaatar. After we land in Ulaanbaatar city, transfer to our hotel and have some rest. Before farewell dinner, we will have a free time in the city where your guide will accompany you.
Our unforgettable journey will end by transferring you to international airport/train station.
