Route
Tsagaan suvraga- Yoliin am-Khongoriin els-Bayanzag flaming cliffs- Ongiin khiid-Orkhon waterfall-Tsenkher hot spring -Kharkhorin-Khogno khan- Kustai national park- Ulaanbaatar.
Activities
- Day 1 Baga Gazaryn Chuluu
- We'll start our trip with a full day driving to the Baga Gazariin Chuluu Ruins (1768 m high granite stone mountain in the territory of Adaatsag soum, Dundgobi aimag. Is another place with unique scenery that many tourists compare with Lunar scenes. The mountain contains remains of old temples. They are not only rich in mineral and crystals, but also eye spring, old stone temple ruins related with 17th century.
- Day 2 White stupa (Tsagaan suvraga)
- We’ll drive to the scarp of Tsagaan Suvarga which is located in Ulziit soum, Dundgobi province. It is interesting to see the sheer slope, facing east, which form cliffs 30 meters high and 100 meters wide. Over thousands of years the wind has created this amazing structure. It is an excellent site for taking photographs of the beautiful panoramic views.
- Day 3 Yolyn Am Valley (Yolyn Am Ice Valley )
- After breakfast, we’ll drive to Yoliin Am in middle of the Gobi desert National Park which is a strictly protected area, covering 70sq.kms. The mountains here are the highest in the Gobi Desert and the rocky scenery is quite interesting, especially between June and July while the ice in a gorge remains. Yolyn Am canyon in the Gurvan Saikhan mountains is home to endangered snow leopard, wild sheep, wild goats and Lammergeyers (Bearded Vulture). We’ll walk 2kms through a narrow valley, then return to the minivan again on the same route.
- Day 4 Khongoryn Els Sand Dune
- We’ll drive to the Khongoryn Els Sand Dunes (195kms). The Khongoryn Els is one of the largest and most spectacular sand dunes in Mongolia. Also known as the Duut Mankhan ”Singing Dunes” from the sound they make when the sand is moved by the wind), they are up to 200m high, 12km wide and about 120km long. We’ll see beautiful views, huge sand dunes and a cold water spring with a river that leads to two small ponds.
- Day 5 Khongoryn Els Sand Dune (Camel back riding)
- We’ll climb and hike to the top of the biggest sand dunes Duut Mankhan ”Singing Dunes”. There is an oasis near Khongor creek at the northern edge of the sand dune. The dunes make a sound like a plane engine on a windy day so it’s named as “Singing Dunes”. Also, if you wish, you may take a 10km hike alongside the creek. We arrange a camel riding trip on the real sand dunes. You may also have the chance to see a beautiful sunset in the gobi desert.
- Day 6 Bayanzag flaming cliffs
- After breakfast, We’ll travel on to Bayan-Zag (150kms). Bayan-Zag means “rich in Saxaul Shrubs” it is more commonly known as the “Flaming Cliffs” of Bayan-Zag. The American paleontologist Roy Chapman who visited there in the 1920s has made this place famous as the first discovery of dinosaur fossils in Mongolia. This is also a beautiful location at sunset.
- day 7 Ongi Monastery
- We’ll drive on to Ongyn hiid, where you can see the ruins of a big monastery on the bank of the Ongiin River. This monastery has 28 temples and other buildings on the southern slope of the Rocky Mountain like Balsa country and stupas which are not broken. This monastery had about 1000 lamas and it was destroyed during the Stalinist purges in 1930s. The Ongyn hiid was one of the biggest temples in Gobi desert
- day 8 Okhon Valley ( Orkhon waterfall )
- We’ll drive to waterfall “Orkhon”, which is great place for taking photos, go hiking through the gorge.
- Day 9 Tsenkher Hot spring
- After breakfast, We’ll arrange couple of hours horseback riding after that we’ll have lunch then We’ll drive to Tsenkher hot spring. You’ll be able relax taking natural hot bath in the hot spring water. Stay in (Tourist camp)
- Day 10 Kharkhorin city, Erdene Zuu Monastery, (Khugnu khan)
- We’ll drive to Mongolian ancient capital, Kharakhorin, Chinggis Khaan’s fabled city, was founded in 1220 in the Orkhon Valley, at the crossroads of the Silk Road. It was from there that the Mongol Empire was governed until Kubilai Khan moved it to Beijing. It served as the capital for 40 years. Following the move, and the subsequent collapse of the Mongolian empire, Karakorum was abandoned. Whatever was left was used to help build the glorious Erdene Zuu monastery in the 16th century. Nearby, Turkish monuments and rock inscriptions erected in 8-9th centuries in memory of outstanding fighters for independence. We’ll visit museums and then drive for a couple of hours to Khogno Khaan mountain and Semi-Gobi desert.
- Day 11 Khstai Nuruu National Park an Ulaanbaatar
- After having breakfast, we’ll drive to Ulaanbaatar city. On the way We’ll visit to Khustain Nuruu National Park, located on the north side of the Tuul River, about a two-hour drive west of Ulaanbaatar. Although located in the central grasslands, Khustai means “with birch” because birch trees and aspen groves are plentiful in the area. It is a hilly terrain, with the Tuul River forming the southern boundary. The national park was originally set up in 1993 as a nature reserve for the first reintroduction of the Przewalski’s Horse (Equus przewalskii) into Mongolia. Today the Khustai Trust runs the park, funded mainly by tourism funds. we”ll arrive in Ulaanbaatar in the evening.
