2025 Dates Coming Soon
Prices listed are per person:
Shared Room: $10,998
Private Room: $13,898
Physical Challenge
Highlights
See the modern capital city of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia’s only urban center
Gaze upon some of the largest sand dunes on earth in the Gobi Desert
Witness the ever-changing colors of sunset on the landscape
Rest peacefully under tranquil night skies in an authentic ger (yurt)
Cheer on your favorites during a private Naadam celebration of wrestling, archery, and horse race matches
Stare into prehistoric times depicted by Bronze Age petroglyphs
Observe Mongolia’s Buddhist heritage at ancient monasteries
Feast with a family in their ger and hear about their nomadic traditions
Overview
A People Uniquely Adapted to their Homeland
Sitting in the heart of Asia lies Mongolia, a vast area of grasslands (steppes), deserts, and hills that comprise the most sparsely populated country on earth. Since the soil in most of the country is not suitable for farming, the people long ago adapted to a nomadic lifestyle. They move between locations based on the seasons, adapting to warm summers and very cold winters. For living quarters, they perfected the design of gers (yurts) that can be moved with the family each season. With their adaptability to nature and prowess in horseback riding and archery, they have sometimes been formidable adversaries to their neighbors. We start and end our tour in a hotel in Ulaanbaatar, where half the population lives. In between, we will enjoy very comfortable accommodations in gers from which we can enjoy views of the wide-open spaces and natural environment in this sparsely populated land. The most famous Mongolian was Chinggis Khaan (Genghis Khan) who conquered much of Asia around 1200 AD, even establishing the Mongol (Yuan) Dynasty in China. During our gay Mongolia tour, we will explore this diverse landscape, as well as immerse ourselves in the unique Mongolian culture.
Itinerary
Map:
Day 1: Arrival in Ulaanbaatar
Welcome to Mongolia, once home to Genghis Khan (Chinggis Khaan)! Our transfer driver will take us to our hotel to relax after our long flights. We will have an informal meeting this evening with anyone whose flight arrives early enough to join us.
Day 2: Exploring Ulaanbaatar
Today we will explore Mongolia’s capital city of Ulaanbaatar, the country’s only metropolitan center. We will visit the Gandan Buddhist Monastery in the morning and the National Museum of Mongolia in the afternoon. This evening, we will enjoy our welcome dinner, which will be accompanied by a traditional Mongolian folk concert with dances and throat singing.
Day 3: Gobi Desert & the Yol Valley
After an early morning flight to Dalanzadgad in the South Gobi Desert, we will drive to our deluxe ger camp to rest up while soaking in the ambiance of the Gobi Desert.
Later, we will drive to the Yol Valley (Yolyn Am), an oasis that is as green and lush as the dunes were barren. The valley has a river running through it which remains partially frozen as late as June!
This unique eco-system contains a variety of wildlife, such as cute voles, the Altai snowcock, the Bighorn Argali Sheep, the wild ibex ram, wolves, and foxes. High above soars the Lammergeier vulture, for which the valley is named. There are even occasional reports of snow leopard tracks in the area. We will take a leisurely walk through the valley, then return to our deluxe ger camp for dinner.
Day 4: Nomadic Family and the Flaming Cliffs
After a good night’s sleep, we will visit a local nomadic family in their seasonal home. They will talk with us about nomadic family life in the desert, as well as joys and problems that they face in the modern era.
Next, we will visit the world-famous dinosaur fossils found in 1922 at the “Flaming Cliffs” (bayanzag in Mongolian). American explorer Roy Chapman Andrews, whom some say was the model for Indiana Jones, discovered not only intact dinosaur bones, but also the first dinosaur eggs ever to be discovered. The Flaming Cliffs, so aptly named, are red in color and almost seem to glow in the rising or setting sun. As you wander through here, keep your eyes peeled for geodes. Some fossils are still being discovered today! In the evening, we will head back to our ger camp for dinner.
Day 5: The Towering Khongor Sand Dunes
After breakfast, we will head deep into the Gobi Desert (about a 4-hour drive) to visit the famous Khongor Sand Dunes. As we approach, they will gradually come into view from far away. We will check into our ger camp and have lunch before heading to the dunes.
These constantly shifting sand dunes tower as high as 300 feet above the surrounding land and stretch for almost 100 miles! They are called “singing dunes” because of the resonant sounds they make when strong gusts of wind shift sand across the slopes. When we climb the dunes, you can make the dunes sing by shifting the sand with your feet. Here we will watch the sunset shine its ever-changing colors on the sand. Then we will head to our ger camp for a well-deserved dinner.
Day 6: Khavtsgait and a Camel Ride
After breakfast, we will return to the dunes for a ride on the camels of a local herder family for anyone interested!
Following lunch at our ger camp, we will say goodbye to the sand dunes and head toward the Gobi Mirage ger camp. Along the way, we will stop at Khavtsgait, an area that contains Bronze Age petroglyphs. We will hike about 40 minutes up to these ancient carvings, where we can also enjoy views across the endless expanse of grass.
Later, we will return to our original deluxe ger camp for dinner and overnight.
Day 7: Terelj National Park
We will take another early morning flight back to the capital, then head to Terelj National Park. This area is the southern tip of the Siberian boreal forest known as the taiga and is a stark contrast with the Gobi Desert. We will have lunch at one of the park camps, then dinner at our hotel.
Day 8: Terelj National Park and Tsonjin Boldog Statue
Today, we will spend time driving through the park to absorb the beautiful landscape, pausing for short treks to get a closer view of this unique environment. We will see unique rock formations, including the famous turtle rock which has an uncanny resemblance to a huge turtle. We will also climb 108 stone steps to the Ariyabal Buddhist temple, where Mongolian monks who practice Tibetan Buddhism gather to meditate and pray.
After lunch, we will go to Tsonjin Boldog, a large, metal statue of Chinggis Khan. Inside the statue there is an elevator to the top offering a great view of the area. Later, we can enjoy a short horse ride in the area before returning to our hotel for dinner.
Day 9: Naadam Celebration and a Luxury Ger Resort
In the morning, we will leave Terelj National Park and head towards a nomadic ger camp where a private Naadam celebration will be held just for us! This celebration will portray the three sports of Horse racing, wrestling, and archery, with locals competing against each other. There may also be some other activities such as ankle bone flicking (Mongolia’s version of miniature bowling).
After the festivities and lunch, we will head to our Japanese-owned and Mongolian-managed ultra luxury camp. Each room is a luxurious villa cottage inspired by the traditional gers, with a large living room looking out over the ocean of grass. After a relaxing afternoon enjoying the camp’s amenities, we’ll have dinner at the resort.
Day 10: Life of a Grasslands Nomadic Family
This morning we will visit a ger camp where for a presentation about traditional Mongolian life in the grasslands. These activities will include making Mongolian vodka, loading up a camel to transport their gers, drying of leather, and breaking in of horses.
After lunch at the camp, we will return to our resort for our last restful evening gazing out at the vast grasslands of the Mongolian countryside.
Day 11: Return to the Capital
After a relaxing morning at our resort, we will return to Ulaanbaatar for our last night in Mongolia. The afternoon will be on your own to get some souvenirs or explore more of UB. After an informal dinner together, our guide will take anyone who is interested to a local gay bar.
Day 12: Homeward Bound
Today we all start our journey home or to our next destination. Transfers will be provided based on flight times. Bon, voyage!
Price Includes
Price includes: Airport transfers on arrival and departure; All ground transportation within Mongolia; Round-trip flights between Ulaanbaatar and Dalanzadgad; All accommodations in hotels and comfortable gers (yurts); Tour guide accompanying the group; Breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day except arrival and departure days; Activities & entry fees as listed in the itinerary. Services of an HE Travel tour director (with a minimum number of participants). HE Travel provides complimentary Medical & Evacuation Insurance for every US Resident on our group tours who does not have other coverage.
Not included: International Airfare; Souvenirs; Admissions and meals not listed in the itinerary; Alcoholic beverages except at welcome and farewell dinners; Optional activities; Gratuities for guides and tour director.
Tour Insurance
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Extensions
- What is the physical activity level of this tour?
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Physical Activity Level
Travelers should be comfortable walking on uneven terrain including dirt paths and sand dunes. Most driving of up to about 4 hours during the first half of the tour is on unpaved roads of gravel and packed earth.
- Where does the tour start and end?
- This tour starts and ends in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
- How do I get to Mongolia?
- There are no direct flights from North America, and few from Europe so you will need to connect through Seoul, Beijing, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Istanbul, or other gateway. We include transfers between Ulaanbaatar Airport (UBN) and our hotel for all arriving and departing flights.
- What is the weather like in Mongolia?
- Weather in Mongolia during the long days of mid-summer is generally quite comfortable with highs in the 70’s F and lows in the 50’s, and occasional rain showers.
- What is the lodging like?
- We will stay in two of the finest hotels in Mongolia in Ulaanbaatar and Terelj National Park. In between we will stay in some of the best ger (yurt) encampments in the country, including one with its own spa. We have reserved rooms and gers with private baths for all tour nights, subject to availability.
- How much driving will there be each day?
- With its sparse population spread over a vast area, Mongolia has the least-developed road infrastructure of any large nation. For our travels to the national parks around the capital, Ulaanbaatar, we will mostly drive on pavement, other than some park roads. For our Gobi Desert experience, we will fly between the capital and Dalanzadgad. Most roads in this region are gravel, dirt, sand, or packed earth tracks through grasslands and desert. We will have between one and four hours of driving each day, with careful professional drivers who know the roads well.