Now you will going on with 4WD for a full turn in the middle of the Gobi Desert.
Over the days, you will be surprised by the diversity of landscapes that present, and by the presence of many rare animal and plant species. A desert of dunes, Gobi is known for its jagged granite mountains, its lunar plateaus, cliffs of ocher sands eroded its icy canyons, but also its historical remains from the Paleolithic, and valuable geology.
On the way back, you enjoy several steps in the famous Orkhon Valley, the true cradle of the Mongolian people. Besides being highly appreciated for its natural beauty, the area is rich in cultural and ideal sites to meet nomadic breeders.
Arrive in Ulaanbaatar. Transfer to your hotel. The city tour of Ulaanbaatar takes you through some of the principal sights of this city. You visit the Gandan monastery or the “Great Place of Complete Joy”. Your tour also takes to the Chinggis Khan monument on the Chinggis Khan square, then visit the Museum of National History. In the evening enjoy a traditional art performance and welcome lunch in a Mongolian restaurant.
First earth road and mongolian first landscape: vaste steppes, flocks, isolated gers and riders galloping on a small and sturdy horses. In the afternoon arriving in the Zorgol Khairkhan mountain, which is a granite rock rising from the plain. This granite rock high mountain is the sacred one and worshipped by local people every year. According to Mongolian tradition local people refuse to call this mountain name, when they are close to this mountain. Walk aroun the rock.
You will reach the granite fracture crossing the Middle Gobi desert. Baga Gazriin Chuluu means “Small land rocky mountain”, and it is elevated at 1768 m above see level, contains a lot of beautiful and unusual view and formation of rocks.
Walking into the granite canyon of Baga Gazriin Chuluu, which is standing in the heart of the steppe, and the walls were polished by the elements.
Meet with a nomadic family.
A long road through a large desert and rocky plateau awaits you today. Arrive at Tsagaan Suvarga or “White Stupa”. This cliff eroded by the wind and rain water look like a ruined city if you observe them from a certain distance. They are about 60 metres high, and 400 metres long. This sacred site is revered by locals. The area is rich in marine fossils because it used to house a huge lake.
This morning we will drive to the mountain range Gurvan Saikhan or Three Beauties. 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 road passes through arid and large plaine. Arrival to the majestic dunes Khongor, a huge range of sand dunes with 6–12 km wide, 185 km long, 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.
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.
You begin your ascent to the north, and enter the basin of the river Ongii. It used to be a big Buddhist monastery compound built by Bari Yonzon Khamba Lamaist bishop at the Ongi river. The monastery was built in 1666 on a steep rocky slope of a mountain. Unfortunately, the Ongi Temple had the same fate of destruction during the communist purges of 1930s as other 700 Buddhist monasteries in Mongolia.
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. In the evening arrive and visit the famous waterfalls of Orkhon. The waterfall formed by combination volcanic eruption and earthquakes some 20.000 years ago cascades down from a height 24 meters.
Today you visit the buddhist hermitage Tovkhon or “Temple of Art”, nestled on the wooded foothills of the Khangai. This lovely monastery was built by Zanabazar, in 1654, the first religious leader of Mongolia. Walking through a beautiful forest.
Drive to Kharkhorin, the ancient capital of Mongolian Empire. This capital was built as far back as the 8th century, and was the city with the name “Takhil Shivee”. In 1220 Chinghis Khan 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.
Drive to the Khustain Nuruu. It’s our last stop on the way. Khustain Nuruu National park is famous for the successful reintroduction project of the Takhi or Przewalski’s horse. Walk through the forests of larch and observation of these semi-wild horses in their pasture in the evening.
Drive back to Ulaanbaatar. Shop at cashmere and souvenir shops.
Farewell dinner with your interpreter and driver in a Mongolian restaurant.
Transfer to the airport.