GOBI DESERT

Arrive in Ulaanbaatar, the capital city of Mongolia. Transfer to your hotel. You visit the Gandan Monastery, housing a 26 meters high gilded statue of the Buddha. Your tour also takes you to the Chinggis Khan monument on the Chinggis Khan square and the Museum of National History. In the evening, you will enjoy a Mongolian folk Music and Dance Performance. Then welcome lunch in a Mongolian restaurant.

Transfer to airport and taking a flight to capital of South Gobi–Dalanzadgad. Arrival in Dalanzadgad. Meet with your driver /s/ and drive to mountain range Gurvan Saikhan or Three Beauties. First images of a huge desert and arid stony plateau. Then walk in deep of Yoliin Am, where are inhabited by the magnificent lammergeier, or bearded vulture. The park is a haven for some endangered species like the argali sheep, snow leopard and Siberian ibex, also pikas.
The picturesque valley is an amazing natural creation where it has meters thick ice almost year around. There is great hiking opportunity from the parking areas to the glacier following the stream. In winter time glacier is up to 10m high and remains frozen for all year around.

Drive to Bayanzag, one of the famous places, ancient sea bed which excited 60-70 million years ago where a lot of Palentological findings have been discovered. The place is known as Flaming Cliffs so named by Roy Andrew Chapman American explorer, who had visited Mongolia in 1920. The barren cliffs look strikingly as if they are aflame during sunset. Not so far from the Flaming Cliffs, there is a forest of saxaul trees –Gobi trees with extremely deep roots.

The road passes through arid and large plaine. Arrival to the majestic dunes Khongor, a huge range of sand dunes – 6–12 km wide, 180 km, and rising to a height of 220 metres Approaching them, you may hear the melody of the movement of the melody appears, hence the nickname “Singing Sands”. Camel riding and sunset in a surreal setting.

A long day’s drive you can reach the beautiful salt lake Orog nestled in the foothills of Ikh Bogd Uul (3957m). Along 28 km to 5 m deep, it is shores feature dunes, reeds and saline groves. The lake is a good place to watch migratory birdlife.

This day is dedicated to a walk at the foot of the huge mountain Ikh Bogd (3957 m), which is the highest mountain of the Gobi-Altai Mountains. The plateau you reach by walking offers a magnificent view of the mountains and lake Orog.

Drive and visiting the ruins of the monastery complex decorates your route. “The monks lavran purifiers” owes its name to the Kachin monks who performed the daily purification to protect the purity of the Bogd Gegeen, the first Mongolian Buddhist spiritual leader.

Drive to Tsetserleg. This capital of the Arkhangai province whose name means “Garden”, is one of the greenest and attractive cities. View of the city from a surrounding mountain. Visit the beautiful monastery museum Zaya Gegeen, which was built in 1634 in the Wolf valley. Visit and walking in local market.

Arrival in Tsenkher hot spring. After having a rest you can hike along the surrounding forested mountain and in the evening enjoy taking a hot spring bath. Tsenkher hot springs have healing properties notably on articular diseases and nervous system’s diseases. Curative water and amazing nature featured by wooden mountains make this an excellent place for relax. Night bath is great. Sitting in the pool drinking while seeing stars at the dark sky is one of the favorite activity in here.

You get to the heart of the typical Mongolia: green plains dotted with gers smoking, flocks, nomads mounted on their sturdy little horses. The Orkhon valley is one of the most populated Mongolia, because this region has fertile soil.
Visit the buddhist hermitage Tövkhön, nestled on the wooded foothills of the Khangai. This lovely monastery was built by Zanabazar, the first religious leader of Mongolia. Walk through the wild forest with beautiful landscape.

This morning after breakfast walk and visit waterfalls of river Ulaan Tsutgalan. Then drive to Kharakhorum, the ancient capital of Mongolian Empire. This capital was built as far back as the 8th century, and was the city of Khatan with the name “Takhil Shivee”. Only in 1220 Chinghis Khaan declared it as the capital city of his Empire. Karakorum was destroyed a century later by the Ming troops. It remains today the remains. Visit the Erdene–Zuu, the largest and first Mongolian Buddhist monastery in Mongolia. This architectural gem surrounded by 108 stupas dates from the sixteenth century and is built on the ruins of the former imperial capital.

Arrive in Elsen Tasarkhai or “Little Gobi”, erected in the middle of the plains. Walk in the Sacred mountains of Khögnö Khan, then visit the small monastery Övgön which was built at the beginning of the XVII century and still active today.

Drive back to Ulaanbaatar. Shopping at souvenir shops and cashmere.
Farewell dinner with your interpreter and driver in a Mongolian restaurant.

Transfer to the airport