Luxury Mongolia Tour

Upon your arrival at the land of Genghis Khan, our Ulaanbaatar-based guide will greet you warmly, and then the experienced driver will transfer you to the luxury hotel, which is carefully selected for you in the prosperous area near the city center. Considering that you may need to recover from jet lag, we will not arrange sightseeing activities for the rest of the day. If you feel well and energetic, just stroll around on your own to get the first impression of the city.

 Free Time Suggestion:
If you arrive early, you can consider visiting the Bogd Khan Palace Museum on your own. Built in 1893, it was once the residence and religious venue of Mongolia’s last khan, Bogd Khan, and was transformed into a museum in 1924, preserving more than 8,000 exhibits. The palace mainly consists of buildings with Mongolian and Chinese architectural styles, among which a white European-style two-story villa is outstanding. It’s where Bogd stayed during the frigid winter; hence, it is named Winter Palace. Stepping inside, you will see wax figures of the monarch and his consort and lavish treasures such as a jewel-decorated ebony palanquin, a yurt made from snow leopard skin, and an elephant specimen. Please note that the last entry is at 4:00 pm. The ticket is priced at MNT 15,000 (about 4 dollars); another MNT 50,000 (about 15 dollars) is needed to take pictures in the museum. Upon finishing visiting, you are advised to return to the hotel early and not linger outside in the evening, as there may be alcoholics.

 Useful Information about Mongolia:
1. SIM Card: Mobicom and Unitel SIM cards are widely used, but Mobicom has a better internet signal in rural areas where we will spend most of the time. You can buy a Mobicom SIM card at its business hall downtown, costing MNT 12,000 (about USD 3.4) for 15 GB of data valid for 15 days, which is cheaper than that at the airport.
2. Car-hailing: UBcab, a Mongolian car-hailing app, is recommended during your free time. Register with a local SIM card and log in with English. As many private cars may provide taxi services, you can also hail a car on the street. Fares need to be paid by meter, which costs MNT 1,500 (USD 0.5) per kilometer, and only MNT cash is acceptable!
3. Road Condition: Roads in Mongolia, especially in its rural areas, are unpaved, so they are bumpy most of the time. Please take Dramamine in case of car sickness.

Accommodation: Shangri-La Hotel, Ulaanbaatar (5 stars) or similar

Our escorted sightseeing will start today from southern Mongolia. After breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport to board the flight to Dalanzadgad. Upon arrival, our experienced Gobi tour guide and the driver will pick you up and then directly head to Bayanzag, whose rust-red sandstones blaze like fire under the sunset; hence, it is also dubbed the Flaming Cliffs. Located in stark wilderness, it was not discovered until 1922 to 1930 when American paleontologist Roy Chapman Andrews excavated the world’s first dinosaur egg here. This Mars-like terrain is devoid of vegetation, so you may encounter sun-bleached bones of camels while hiking on the cliff, most of which died of hunger and exhaustion.
► Tips:
1. Please stay away from the edge of the cliff when hiking, as erosion may make it treacherously fragile.
2. The UV rays are intense during the day, so please pack UV-protective gear. As the temperature will decline at dusk, a thick coat is necessary. Besides, it is windy and sandy on the cliff, so we suggest wearing a mask.

In the evening, you will be escorted to check in at the selected ger camp. Each of the gers is equipped with a private bathroom for guests’ convenience. Hope you enjoy your first overnight stay in the ger!

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Mongol Gobi Ger Camp or similar

After breakfast, we will head to the Khongor Sand Dunes. Located in the southern Gobi Desert, it is the largest sand dune in Mongolia, rolling 180 kilometers (112 miles) long and up to 27 kilometers (17 miles) wide, with the highest dune reaching up to 800 meters (2,600 feet). The guide will first lead you to visit a local family living by the edge of the desert. Affected by nomadic history and harsh weather conditions, meat food dominates their eating habits, among which, buuz - a kind of steamed dumplings made of mutton or beef mixed with onion or garlic, is the most popular because it is easy to cook and store. Upon arrival, take the chance to chat with the host and learn more about their lifestyle by watching them feed camels and milk.  

Then, ride a camel to traverse sand dunes toward a hidden oasis nourished by the Khongor Gol River. Close your eyes, and you will hear the hum of sands when the wind blows, and thus, Knongor Sand Dunes is also named Singing Dunes. As sunlight dances across the dunes, the interplay of shadow and light provides a paradise for photographers. Upon arriving at the oasis, you can take a small hike. Amidst the desert, wild saxaul trees and sea buckthorns create a habitat for rare Mongolian animals, such as gazelles and Asiatic wild asses. You may also find some berries here, but please resist the urge to taste them, as some may be toxic. When we return by dusk, you will have a chance to witness the sand dune’s chromatic color transformations: it first glows with a red-orange hue under the sunset, and then yellow and even purple when the sun dips down totally.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Gobi Discovery Ger Camp or similar

We will spend this whole day in Yol Valley, which is on Mongolia's national reserves list. Named after its unique bearded vulture, the reserve was originally built to protect these birds, but its rocky cliffs, narrow and shadowy valley, and blue ice layers have become a buzz among tourists. The guide will accompany you on a hike for 1-2 hours to explore the valley. Sheer cliffs rise like rock sentinels, narrowing dramatically from a broad steppe to a slender corridor where only two people can pass. At the end of the valley, you will arrive at a sunlit basin where you may encounter argali sheep and wild goats. Looking down, you may make eye contact with pikas.

► Best Time to Visit: Summer (July-August) is the best time to visit when daylight hours are long in the valley and temperatures are milder. But it may be crowded during the Naadam Festival (July 11-13). If you want to enjoy the serene valley, September is a better choice.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Local hotel

In the morning, you will be escorted to the airport and fly back to Ulaanbaatar. Upon landing, our guide will pick you up and then drive to Terelj National Park. Tucked away in the Khentii Mountains, it was once home to Mongolian ancestors for hundreds of years. The endless grassland is adorned with surreal granite formations, among which Turtle Rock gains the spotlight. Locals believe that wishes made in front of this giant turtle rock will carry God’s blessing. For adventurous souls, you can scramble up its ‘shell’ for sceneries similar to that in the Lord of the Rings. A small hike to the mountain top will also be arranged for you, during which you will pass through the forest and get a panoramic view of the park.

Deeper into the park, the Ariyabal Meditation Temple offers a spiritual respite. Ascend its 108 steps that symbolize the 108 human sins in Buddhism while chanting “Um Mani Badmi Hum” (the Six Syllable Mantra), by which the sin can be removed. Pray to the miniature stupas and turn the prayer wheels so that your soul will be purified. Following a trail inscribed with wisdom maxims, you will enter a silent meditation hall, where you can only hear the whisper of the wind and your heartbeat. In the afternoon, we will check into the luxury hotel to have a good rest.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Terelj Hotel (5 stars) or similar

Today, we will drive back to Ulaanbaatar. En route, the towering Genghis Khan horse-riding statue will draw your attention. The 40-meter-high (131-foot) colossus stands on a circular base, in which you can have a brief learning about Genghis Khan and ascend the horseback through an elevator to closely admire the stainless steel statue. The legend goes that this site marks where young Temüjin (Genghis Khan’s birth name) discovered the golden whip, a symbol of divine authority in Mongolian tradition.

After arriving at Ulaanbaatar, first check into the hotel and have a lunch break. In the afternoon, you will be accompanied on a pilgrimage to the Gandan Monastery to worship Mongolia’s largest Buddha statue, which is about 26.5 meters high (87 feet). Then, explore the National Museum of Mongolia to unveil the up-and-down history of this nomadic nation. One of the most interesting displays is the “traditional clothing and jewelry” gallery, where you can see the evolution of Mongolian traditional robes, deels, over millennia. For example, the woolen-made deels from the 13th century were embroidered with intricate patterns in red, blue, and green for blessing. Besides, Shamanic masks adorned with wolf teeth and a golden deer figurine that can be dated back to the Bronze Age (1,500~1,000 BC) will make the visit worthwhile. Please note that you need to pay an extra MNT 20,000 (about USD 6) to the museum if you want to take pictures. Afterward, we will wander through Sukhbaatar Square, where many significant buildings stand, including the State Parliament House, the Palace of Culture, and the State Opera and Ballet Theater.

★ Tap Your Foot to the Rhythm of Mongolian Folk Songs and Dances

In the evening, a traditional Mongolian performance will be arranged for you, during which you can enjoy the UNESCO intangible heritage, Khoomei, the Mongolian traditional music art of throat singing. One singer can produce different levels of voices simultaneously, which sounds like the sound of striking metal. Following Khoomei, the high and low sounds from the chorus will build up the performance to a rousing climax. Accompanied by the horsehead fiddle, you will have the illusion of galloping on the vast grassland. After the performance, we will transfer you back to the hotel and prepare for the second day’s flight to Northern Mongolia.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Shangri-La Hotel, Ulaanbaatar (5 stars) or similar

You will be escorted to board the flight to Murun this morning and will be greeted by our local-based guide and the private driver after landing. Then, drive for 2 hours to Khovsgol Lake National Park. Nicknamed “the Dark Blue Pearl of Mongolia,” it stretches for more than 100 kilometers (about 62 miles) in length along the Mongolia-Russia border, holding 70% of Mongolia’s fresh water. Surrounded by luxuriant coniferous forests, the lake is home to abundant wild animals, such as musk deer, ibex, and Siberian moose.  

It is also a habitat of the Tsaatan tribe, one of Mongolia’s most secretive tribes, which always live in the deep forest with their reindeer in the first half of the year but move near to the lake shore after August 15th. If you happen to visit here from September to December, you may have a chance to encounter these reindeer herders and step into their temporary settlement to visit their cone-shaped wooden pole houses constructed with robust trunks and covered with felts. With permission, you may touch reindeer and take photos with these mild animals. Upon arrival, our guide and the driver will accompany you to stroll in markets of the nearby village to experience local life. By night, we will check in at a lakeside Ger camp, where you can admire the sparkling lake surface, reflecting the moon and starry sky.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Ensuite Tourist Camp

In the morning, a horseback sightseeing along the shore will be arranged for you. On clear days, the crystalline waters will shimmer like sapphire that mirrors the snow-peaked mountains. If you are experienced in riding, with the guide’s permission, you can trot across meadows, hearing the whistle of the winds. For panoramic vistas, ascend forested hillsides, where you may be greeted by grazing elk and hovering golden eagles.
► Horseback Tips:
1. Horses are tamed but sensitive, so please avoid sudden movements that may unsettle them.
2. For your safety, please dismount only with the guide’s permission.

 Free Time Suggestion:
The afternoon is for your own arrangement. Take a small hike into the labyrinth-like forest near the lake. Follow the uphill trails to the sunlit clearings, where you will get a majestic full view of the lake. Alternatively, take a boat cruise on the lake (at your own cost) or get to the island standing in the lake to catch a panorama blend of alpine forests with Mongolian steppes. Ger camps by the lake offer boat rentals for about USD 40 per person.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Ensuite Tourist Camp

Today, we will first visit the UNESCO-listed Uushigiin Uver Deer Stones Monuments, erected in the 13th-16th century BC as gravestones to honor high-ranked groups. Allegedly, the deceased people were not buried under these deer stones but in the stone mount nearby to prevent grave robbing. Observing closely, you will find that the stones generally face east and were carved with the figure of the grave owner, some of which were adorned with weaponry, shields, and belts. Imagines of stylized flying deer, the sacred animal that is said to guide the soul to the ghostdom, were depicted on the other sides. Then, we will transfer you to Murun Airport to fly back to Ulaanbaatar. 

 Recommended Restaurant: Blue Sky Lounge (at your own expense)
The restaurant is located on the 23rd floor of the Blue Sky Tower, opposite the Sukhbaatar Square and is surrounded by prosperous shopping malls and fancy restaurants. It opens from 17:00 to 2:00! Sitting in front of its floor-to-ceiling windows, you can not only experience the cosmopolitan vibe of Ulaanbaatar but also admire the stunning sunset over the skyline. Its menu features global flavors, including steaks, sausages, pastas, pizzas, and barbecue. If you want to taste some local specialties, smoked reindeer carpaccio and stone-roasted lamb are worth trying. 
Average Cost per Person: MNT 52,000-69,000 (USD 15-20). Credit cards are acceptable, but MNT cash is more worthwhile.
Address: Peace Avenue 17, Ulaanbaatar

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Shangri-La Hotel, Ulaanbaatar (5 stars) or similar

Your luxury Mongolia tour will end with an airport see-off. Want to explore further? We can extend your voyage to the Trans-Siberian corridor, where the steppe meets Siberian taiga. Trace the world’s only freshwater seal, the nerpa at Lake Baikal, and dive into imperial grandeur at the Kremlin or the Hermitage’s art troves in Russia. You are welcome to consult anytime! We will reply in 12 hours.

Meals: Breakfast