Gobi & Karakuram Explorer - 11 days

Day 1. Arrival in Ulaanbaatar, city sightseeing:

Upon arrival in Ulaanbaatar, you will be met at the airport and transferred to hotel. In the afternoon, we take a tour of the city.

Ulaanbaatar is an urban capital of a nomadic nation Ulaanbaatar is something of a paradox, but with the modern world rapidly sweeping away the monolithic remnants of the Soviet era, the city has become a forward-looking, if laid-back, base from which to explore this remarkable country. Stretching along the valley of the Tuul River and embraced by four sacred mountains, Ulaanbaatar hints at the adventure and open spaces of its nation beyond the peaks.

The city tour of Ulaanbaatar takes you through some of the principal sights of this unique city. You visit the Gandan Monastery, housing a 26 meter high gilded statue of the Buddha. Your tour also takes you to the Genghis Khan monument on the Sukhbaatar square and the Museum of National History, which has a number of fascinating displays of traditional Mongolian clothing and weaponry, as well as exhibits charting the course of Genghis Khan\'s empire-building.

Day 2. Ulaanbaatar – Elsen Tasarkhai.

After breakfast we drive to Karakorum, the ancient capital city of Mongolia through the rolling steppes. We will stop at Elsen Tasarkhai sand dunes and Khogno Khaan National park. Transfer to Hoyor Zagal camp.

Lunch. Hiking in the region and visit the Ovgon monastery ruins enjoying the nature beauty.

Day 3. Elsen Tasarhai– Karakorum.

After breakfast at the tourist camp, we drive for 1 hour to Karakorum and visit the legendary Erdene Zuu Monastery from the 16th century and its surroundings: the ruins of Tumen Amgalant Palace of Ogoodei Khaan, the Turtle monuments and the Phallic Rock.

Visit the Karakorum village bazaar.

Karakorum is a  potent echo of the lost Mongol Empire, Karakorum was chosen as Genghis Khan\'s new capital in 1220, serving in this role for only four decades before Hubilai Khan moved the centre of state to his seat in Beijing. The city flowered again during Mongolia\'s 16th century Buddhist renaissance with the construction of Erdene Zuu monastery, an expansive monastery complex. In these post-empire and post-communism years, what remains of the monastery, and the older remnants of Karakorum, are in some ways summations of all Mongolian history.

Day 4. Karakorum – Ongi Monastery Ruins.

We drive to the south to Ongi monastery ruins through the Gobi steppes. Arrive and transfer to Ger camp. Visit to Ongi monastery ruins, hiking, and meet the monks to hear the legends of Ongi monastery ruins (4-5 hrs drive).

Ongi Monastery complex was once the biggest settlement in southern Mongolia with 500 monks and 2 monasteries on the 2 sides of the River Ongi. Despite the monastery was destroyed completely by the Mongolian KGB in 1937, there’s plenty to explore and photograph.

Day 5. Ongi Monastery Ruins - Bayanzag.

A drive south takes us to Bayanzag, a world famous dinosaur remains site and its surrounding bush forests. Transfer to ger camp.

After lunch, hike to  the famous red cliffs, where the world’s richest dinosaur remains are hidden. (3 hrs drive).

South Gobi province (Omnogobi Aimag) is the remote and arid region, located within the Omnogobi Aimag, holds a number of Mongolia\'s desert treasures, both geological and archaeological. The least populated region of Mongolia, with a density of less than 0.3 people per square mile, Omnogobi is also the hottest part of a hot country - mean average temperatures can be as high as 40\'C. However, it\'s quite possible to travel in relative comfort. The Gurvan Saikhan mountain range runs SE-NW through the desert, its highest peak at 9000 feet. The range is incorporated into the Gurvan Saikhan National Park, covering several thousand square kilometers, and including the glacial canyon at Yolyn Am. The desert reaches its finest moment in the high dunes of Khongoriin Els, whilst Mongolia\'s richest deposits of dinosaur remains were discovered amid the strange sand shapes of Bayanzag.

Bayanzag Bayanzag, which in Mongolian means \'a place of many bushes\', was first called \'The Flaming Cliffs\' by Roy Chapman Andrews, the American dinosaur hunter and adventurer who made vital finds of dinosaur eggs and skeletons at the base of the vivid red bluffs, which stand alone in a vast empty expanse of land and sky. Chapman himself was something of a rogue - said by some to be the man on whom the film character \'Indiana Jones\' was based. He lived an adventurous, self-aggrandizing life across much of this part of the world. At Bayanzag it is the landscape, in addition to the rich dinosaur history, which is very impressive - an intense evocation of Mongolia\'s great emptiness.

Day 6. Camel riding day in Bayanzag.

Enjoy a full day of camel ride in the vast valley of Bayanzag. Mongolian camels have 2 humps and are well known for being so gentle and so comfortable when being ridden. Visit a nomadic family and see their lifestyle and hear them telling about their way of life.

Day 7. Bayanzag – Yoliin Am.

Today we drive through the beautiful Gobi deserts, stopping on our way to see the custom of the nomadic peoples, try some camel riding if you wish. Visit the stunning gorge of Yol in the Gurvan Saikhan National Park and hike in the valley viewing wildlife, (2-3 hours drive) and transfer to a good tour camp.

Yolyn Am - the Vulture’s Gorge Yolyn Am, \'The Vulture\'s Gorge’, commonly called Eagle Canyon by travellers, is a striking gorge in the deep desert, remarkable for the microclimate that its formation creates. Sheer rock walls, up to 660 feet high, keep out the light and the heat, whilst four waterfalls pour into the canyon, chill as they leave the sun, and freeze. Yolyn Am is lined with ice almost year-round and at its narrowest point only two people (or animals - the canyon is a favored haunt of the wild Ibex and Argali) can pass abreast. Descent into the canyon is on foot or on horseback if you\'d prefer.

Day 8. The Gobi – Ulaanbaatar – Gun-Galuut.

We take the flight to Ulaanbaatar, arrive and transfer to the serene Gun-Galuut Nature Reserve.

Arrive and transfer to lovely Steppe Nomads tourist camp and lunch.

Take a short horse riding to view wild mountain sheep Argali and other endangered birds such as White Napped Crane, Black Stork and Whooper Swan etc., Gun-Galuut Nature Reserve is one of the most popular nature reserves of Mongolia. The Reserve is truly the marvelous combination of high mountains, colorful flowers, pretty lakes, rivers and wetlands with its famous rare species. It is a home to endangered wild Mountain sheep-Argali the Big Horns, White-napped crane, Siberian White Crane, Hooded Crane and the rare Black stork, Asian heron, Whooper swan, Swan Goose and so on. Over 80 Argali sheep inhabit peacefully in Gun-Galuut now. People visiting the Nature Reserve have the opportunities to do watching and taking photos of the Endangered species, rafting and fishing in the lakes and rives, camping, visiting nomadic family, riding horse, yak and camel and introducing with traditional nomadic lifestyle and culture.

Day 9. Rest day in Gun-Galuut nature reserve

A rest day in the open steppes. Enjoy some optional activities such as: nomadic family visit, fishing, kayaking, hiking, swimming etc. Meals and overnight at comfortable Steppe Nomads camp.

Day 10. Gun-Galuut – Ulaanbaatar.

After breakfast we drive to Ulaanbaatar for 1 hour and transfer to the hotel. We will then visit the Bogd Khaan’s Palace Museum and the Buddha Park. Free time for shopping: cashmere & souvenirs.

Enjoy traditional folk concert and farewell dinner this evening. Bogd Khaan’s Palace Museum Built between 1893 and 1903, the Winter Palace of Bogd Khaan is where Mongolia’s eighth Living Buddha, and last king, lived for 20 years. The palace museum is an excellent place to visit, with a great collection of priceless Buddhist art works and instruments. The Bogd Khaan’s penchant for unusual live animals explains the extraordinary array of stuffed animals in the palace – including an elephant that had to walk for three months from the Russian border to Ulaanbaatar!

Day 11.Ulaanbaatar - Departure

Transfer to airport and fly out.

***End of the Tour***