Mongolia, from the dunes of the Gobi to the Mongolian steppe

Sample journey with 16 nights on the ground.
2 nights in a hotel in Ulaanbaatar and 14 nights camping.

Suggested itinerary:

ULAANBAATAR
Arrival in Ulaanbaatar.
Welcome by our team at Chinggis Khaan International Airport.
Tour of Ulaanbaatar, including Gandan Monastery and Choijin Lama Monastery.
Night at the hotel.

SOUTH GOBI – KHONGOR DUNES
Flight to Dalanzadgad.
Arrival in the middle of the Gobi Desert, at the Khongor dunes – one of the country’s major sites.

KHONGOR DUNES
Walk on the dunes and camp at their base, where they rise to nearly two hundred metres.

BAYANZAG CLIFFS AND DINOSAUR EGG ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE
The journey heads back north.
Arrival at Bayanzag, an archaeological site where significant fossilised dinosaur eggs were found.
Beyond its archaeological interest, the site is striking for the beauty of its ochre and yellow cliff formations, particularly spectacular at sunset.
Camp near the site.

ONGIIN KHIID MONASTERY
Early rise to watch the sun come up over the cliffs.
Then on northward.
The journey through the great southern desert ends at Ongiin Khiid, the ruins of a former monastery set in a pleasant spot where the gentle murmur of a small river and the oasis along its banks invite a refreshing stop.
This place of worship once brought together more than a thousand monks.
Night by the river (dry or flowing, depending on the year and season).

End of the Gobi, start of the southern Khangai region.
The track gradually leads into the forested, green mountains of the Khangai range.
Typical Mongolia, with its steppe and valleys, begins to reveal itself…

ORKHON VALLEY – KARAKORUM – ERDENE ZUU
The track continues into the heart of the Orkhon Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Discovery of Karakorum, the former capital of the Mongol Empire. The 108 majestic white stupas surround Mongolia’s most important Buddhist centre – Erdene Zuu Monastery (Jewel Monastery).
It was here, in the cradle of the Mongol Empire, that Mongolia’s first monastery was built in 1586. Visitors can step briefly into the world of Tibetan Buddhism, attend a religious ceremony, and meet pilgrims who have come from across the country.
Night under canvas in the Orkhon Valley. (Horse riding possible.)

TÖVKHÖN MONASTERY
Hike up to the Tövkhön hermitage, perched atop a mountain.
Founded in 1653, this monastery is today a major pilgrimage site for many Mongolian believers.
Zanabazar, the first Living Buddha and founder of Buddhism in Mongolia, is said to have meditated for 30 years in the natural caves of this sacred site.
Panoramic view over the Orkhon Valley and surrounding landscapes.

ORKHON VALLEY AND ORKHON WATERFALL
Arrival at Mongolia’s largest waterfall. Dropping into a deep canyon, it is believed to have been formed by the eruption of a now-extinct volcano.
Further on, still within the historic Orkhon Valley, you reach an idyllic Mongolian landscape where the valley’s green carpet follows the gentle curves of the deep-blue river.
Night under canvas in the valley, near the camps of herding families.
Horse riding possible.

BROWN STEPPE RIVER
The route enters the heart of the northern Khangai massif, the country’s richest region, where large forested mountains border green valleys.
Cool rivers wind through the landscape, to the delight of the horse herds that wade and swim in them.
Following the winding river of the brown steppe, we reach camp, a place of striking beauty.
Night under canvas.

TAMIR RIVER
After a stop in Tsetserleg, capital of the northern Khangai region and one of the most beautiful towns on the steppe, the route continues north.
Arrival at the legendary Tamir River.
Night under canvas.

BULGAN VALLEY
Valley after valley, you reach the Bulgan region, amid wild, unspoilt scenery.
Night under canvas.

SAIKHAN AREA
Following the Orkhon River and taking in fine panoramas, you travel through wild steppe.
Night under canvas.

ERDENET – AMARBAYASGALANT MONASTERY: THE MONASTERY OF TRANQUIL FELICITY
Passage through Erdenet, Mongolia’s third-largest city. With its tall Soviet-style buildings and broad avenue, the city stands in sharp contrast to the wild steppe surrounding it.
Then on to Amarbayasgalant.
With its grand architecture and excellent state of preservation, this monastery is one of the few religious buildings to have escaped the Soviet purges of the 1930s.
Built into a mountainside at the end of a long valley, Amarbayasgalant stands majestically over the landscape.
Panoramic viewpoint over the monastery’s beautiful setting, from the hill opposite.
Night under canvas facing the monastery.

RETURN TO ULAANBAATAR
Flight to Ulaanbaatar. Welcome on arrival.
Free time. Traditional Mongolian song and dance performance.
Night at the hotel before your return flight to Europe.