NEW! Mongolia & the Gobi Desert (2012)

Since your overnight flight to Beijing, China, departs Los Angeles very early in the morning, travelers are advised to arrive at LAX the night before.

Upon an early morning arrival in Beijing, we set out for the airport for our flight to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, arriving in time for lunch at a local restaurant. The afternoon is free to relax before we gather together this evening for a Welcome Dinner at a local restaurant, where we can talk about our upcoming discoveries while enjoying traditional Mongolian cuisine.

Today we begin a city tour of the Mongolian capital, situated on the banks of the mighty Tuul River and surrounded by holy mountains. The first capital of the modern Mongolian empire was founded in 1639 as a nomadic encampment. This ancient "city" of gers (traditional felt tents; also known as yurts in Russian) was moved to the present site of Ulaanbaatar in 1778. Today, UB (as Ulaanbaatar is commonly referred to) is a bustling metropolis of roughly a million people, where modern buildings vie with Mongolian gers, and cars often share the road with nomads on horseback. Our exploration of UB begins with a visit to Sukhbaatar Square. A famous statue of Damdin Sukhbaatar, the “hero of the revolution,” presides over the square. It was on this spot that Sukhbaatar declared Mongolia’s independence from China in 1921. Less than 70 years later, in 1989, Sukhbaatar Square was also the site of the first protests against Soviet oppression, and rallies and ceremonies are still held here today. Then we visit Gandan Monastery, Mongolia’s largest and most important center of Buddhism, which was built in 1838.

After lunch at a local restaurant, we stop at the Zanabazar Museum of Fine Arts, home to a collection of Mongolian art from prehistory through the early 20th century, along with works by Zanabazar, a 17th-century artist and Mongolia's first spiritual head of Tibetan Buddhism. Zanabazar has been referred to as the "Michelangelo of Asia." Afterwards, we ascend the 200 steps to the top of Zaisan Hill to enjoy panoramic views of the city and the four sacred mountains that surround it—Bayanzurkh, Chingeltei, Khairkhan, and Bogd Khaan.

Dinner is on our own this evening.

Today will provide a study in contrasts as we travel west from Ulaanbaatar through wide-open steppes and rolling hills to the red-rock Khogno Khaan Mountain. A natural reserve covering 16,000 acres, this splendid sanctuary is a habitat for ibex, wolves, and many varieties of hawk; and is also renowned for its many monasteries. En route, we stop to enjoy a cultural performance that will provide us with insights into traditional Mongol nomadic ways of life. Even today, about half of the population of Mongolia live in gers. Many nomadic families move their encampments and herds of animals several times a year in search of better food, water, and weather.

Upon arriving at our lodgings near the Shiluustei River, we’ll be able to gaze out over vistas of mountain peaks, sandy hillocks, and a graceful willow grove. Then we’ll visit the tiny Ovgon monastery, nestled in the nearby cliffs. Devastated by an invading army in 1640, the monastery was reopened in 1992, offering beautifully restored temples and breathtaking views across the plains. This evening, we’ll have dinner in our mountain camp, where our lodgings are in authentic Mongolian gers.

After our camp breakfast, we set out to visit a nomadic family who make their living breeding horses. This will be a rare opportunity to experience modern Mongolian life firsthand. Nomads learn to ride horses as soon as they can walk, and spend much of their lives in search of stray animals—for there are almost no fences in the entire country. Mongolians ride standing nearly upright, utilizing a willow or bamboo pole (called an urgha) to lasso animals. We’ll also witness the process of making dairy products from horse milk, visit a local ger tent, discover local cuisine during a cooking demonstration, and enjoy the picturesque scenery of Khogno Khaan Mountain during an ox-cart ride.

This afternoon, we have another treat in store when we visit a local family as guests in their home for lunch. Afterwards, we’ll learn how horses are trained—and even have a chance to participate.

Today, we explore Kharkhorin, one of the most historically and archaeologically important sites in central Asia. Kharkhorin was the ancient capital of the Mongol Empire established by Genghis Khan at the crossroads of the Silk Road. It didn't remain the capital for long, however, as Khan’s grandson, Kublai Khan, soon moved the Mongol capital to Beijing. The monastery complex of Erdene-Zuu was constructed in 1586 from the ruins of Kharkhorin. At its peak, Erdene-Zuu boasted some 100 temples, and remains a great testament to Mongol architecture. Though most of the temples were destroyed during the Stalinist purges of 1937, three remain for our inspection. In 1962, the complex was allowed to reopen as a museum, and finally regained its calling as a place of worship after the collapse of the communist regime. To get to Erdene-Zuu, we travel here along the scenic Orkhon River, one of Mongolia’s largest waterways. On arrival, we’ll find gates, walls, stupas (spiritual monuments), and temples constructed of wood, brick, blue brick, and ceramics. In the three temples, we’ll trace the course of the Buddha’s life—dedicated to his childhood, adolescence, and adulthood—and view excellent collections of 16th-18th century thangkas (traditional Buddhist paintings), masks, wooden and bronze statues, and appliqué and papier-mâché images of various gods. We’ll also see how the Orkhon River was diverted to form the monastery's lake.

Then, after lunch at our nearby camp, we visit a local market followed by a stop at a monument celebrating Mongolian history and featuring mosaic maps of the vast extent of Khan's Mongolian Empire.

We gather together this evening for an included dinner at our ger lodgings.

After a camp breakfast, you may join an optional excursion to Tuvkhun Monastery, a beautiful mountaintop religious complex founded by Zanibazar, who lived and worked here for 30 years in the 17th century. All of us enjoy lunch at a local restaurant, followed by an afternoon at leisure to enjoy our surroundings. Then, we gather back together this evening for dinner at our camp.

After breakfast, we begin our journey back to Ulaanbaatar. Along the way, we enjoy a visit to Khustain National Park, a reserve set aside to protect Mongolia’s wild horses (called takhi). We may not view any of these rare horses, but the scenic park is also home to Asiatic red deer, steppe gazelle, boar, wolf, lynx, and other animals. We enjoy an included lunch at a restaurant in the park before continuing on to Ulaanbaatar and our hotel.

After breakfast and a morning at leisure, we head to the airport for a flight to Moron, the administrative center of northern Mongolia’s Khovsgol Province. After our late afternoon arrival in Moron, we continue with an overland journey to our ger camp along Khovsgol Lake.

One of Mongolia’s most picturesque destinations, Khovsgol is an idyllic landscape of thick evergreen forests, flowering meadows with grazing yaks, rugged mountains, and crystal-clear streams and lakes. Khovsgol Lake is a pristine alpine lake some 100 miles long, situated close to the Siberian border. The surrounding region is home to camels of the Gobi and reindeer of the taiga, (coniferous forest), as well as several Mongolian ethnic groups, including Buriat, Khalk, Darhat, and the Tsaatan.

After breakfast, we visit with a family of Tsaatans, who live in traditional nomadic tepees and survive almost entirely on their reindeer herds. For generations, the Tsaatan herded their reindeer high in the mountains and through ancient forests, which they believed were inhabited by the spirits of their ancestors who spoke to the living through songs. Our visit will provide insights into Tsaatan culture, the Tuvan language, and the fascinating ways the Tsaatan have learned to survive in the harsh environment of the taiga.

After lunch back at our camp, we meet with members of another nomadic herding family on the Mongolian steppe—but these people herd yaks, not reindeer. Our meeting will reveal the austere lifestyle of these nomadic families, who depend on the long-haired bovine for virtually all of their core needs—milk, food, shelter, and clothing.

Then we return to our camp for an included dinner.

We begin the day with a morning excursion out onto Khovsgol Lake, whose crystal-clear waters are home to such species as Siberian grayling, pike, perch, salmon, and sturgeon. After our boat ride, we enjoy a leisurely horseback ride along the shores of the scenic lake. The rest of the day is at leisure, with lunch at the camp’s restaurant. You may wish to take advantage of this time by embarking on some elective hiking through this scenic region. This evening we'll gather together and dine under the Mongolian stars with an outdoor BBQ and bonfire by the shores of the lake. 

After breakfast and some time at leisure, we drive back to Moron and enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. Then we head to the airport for a flight to Ulaanbaatar, arriving in late afternoon. Dinner is on our own this evening.

This morning we leave Ulaanbaatar and fly to the Gobi Desert.

Covering much of southern Mongolia, the Gobi Desert is a breathtaking region of semi-arid desert terrain that is dazzling in its variety—from rocky outcrops to barren stretches of seemingly endless, rolling gravel plains. It is the world’s coldest and northernmost desert, as well as a great repository of dinosaur remains. Caravan routes have been crossing the Gobi since ancient times. When Marco Polo, seeking the fabled capital of the Kublai Khan, encountered this vast and unforgiving landscape in the 1270s, he proclaimed, “It consists entirely of mountains and sands and valleys. There is nothing at all to eat.” But nomads—and wildlife—do survive here (and you will certainly be well fed as we venture into this mysterious, otherworldly region). Once we land, we enjoy an included lunch before continuing our drive through the stunning Gobi landscape that rolls out to the horizon. You might keep your eyes peeled for the wildlife that makes its home in the great desert, from golden eagles and saker falcons to Argali mountain sheep, goitered gazelle, and a variety of reptiles. This area is also the last refuge of wild two-humped Bactrian camels and home to the rare snow leopard and desert-dwelling Gobi bear.

We’ll have dinner in our desert camp.

Today we explore a region known as Vulture Valley, or Yoliin Am. Renowned for its dramatic and unusual scenery, this desert canyon is home to a gorge with waters that freeze into a thick corridor of glacial ice—even in the summer—and a beautiful wide valley. After enjoying a box lunch in the valley, we return to our desert camp to enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure. Dinner is included at our ger lodgings.

We begin the day with a visit to an area of the Gobi Desert known as Bayanzag, but more commonly referred to as the Flaming Cliffs. The region is famous as the location of the first nest of dinosaur eggs and other fossils found here by the American paleontologist Roy Chapman Andrews in the 1920s—and it was he who nicknamed the site "Flaming Cliffs" for the surreal, glowing orange color of the surrounding rocks and cliffs. We’ll enjoy a bit of light trekking among Flaming Cliffs before driving to another striking feature of the Gobi Desert, Moltsog Els.

While only about 5% of the Gobi Desert is sand, we explore one of the few regions of the Gobi covered in dunes at Moltsog Els. Then, after a box lunch in the desert, we visit with a nomadic family engaged in the breeding of Bactrian camels. After learning about Gobi nomads and their camels, you will get to hop aboard one of the twin-humped beasts for a ride into the sweeping desert sands of the mysterious Gobi Desert.

Back at our camp, you will have time to relax before an included dinner.

After breakfast, we drive to Dalanzadgad, where we make our final flight to Ulaanbaatar. We have some free time at our hotel in UB before we gather together for a gala Farewell Dinner accompanied by traditional Mongolian entertainment.

Depart for the airport for a flight to Beijing and your final night. If you are taking the Siberian Odyssey post-trip extension, you will fly to Ulan-Ude today.

Transfer to the airport for your return flight home.