Arrive in Ulaan Baatar

Upon arrival, meet with your guide and check in to your hotel. Welcome dinner and tour briefing at a local restaurant.

Horse Racing

Drive to Khui Doloon Hudag field for the horse racing competition, one of Mongolia's most popular sports. You'll be  right at the finish line in order to see all the exciting action. Picnic lunch. On the way back to Ulaanbaatar, visit the giant Genghis Khan statue. Dinner at a local restaurant.

Naadam Festival

Head to  the Central Stadium for the colorful opening ceremonies of the Naadam festival. Watch the Mongolian wrestling competition as well as processions of monks, athletes, local dress, historical re-enactments, music, and dancing. Lunch at a local restaurant. End the day with a visit to the Chinggis Khaan National Museum. Dinner at a local restaurant.

Fly to the Gobi

Take a short flight to the South Gobi. Upon arrival, drive to Yolyn Am Gorge in Zunn Saikhan Mountains. Enjoy a picnic lunch. The gorge is home to several endangered species including bearded vultures, ibex, and Argali wild sheep. Explore the gorge on a 1-2 hour hike, taking in the stunning landscapes. You will also have the chance to visit the natural history museum within the park. Transfer to the ger camp for dinner and overnight.

Khongor Sand Dunes

Head to the Khongor sand dunes (4-5 hour drive), which stretch out over the arid Gobi to form some of the longest sand dunes in the country. Along the way, you'll see lone gers and nomad families still living as they have for hundreds of years. Picnic lunch. After visiting the sand dunes, visit a camel farm. Dinner and overnight in a ger camp.

Bayanzag & the Khavtsgait Petroglyph

Drive to Gobi Gurvan Saikhan Park (4 hours) to visit the Khavtsgait Petroglyph. Picnic lunch along the way. Take a soft trek through mountain to see these Bronze Age rock paintings. Then continue on to Bayanzag, also known as the Flaming Cliffs. The tour will start at the information center, then continue along the designated trail to see these magnificent, red-tinged natural rock formations. Dinner at the ger camp.

Ongi Monastery

Drive to the ger camp in Ongi (4-5 hour drive) and enjoy lunch at the camp. In the afternoon, head to the Ongi Monastery to hike to its ruins, dating back to the 18th Century. Dinner at the the ger camp.

Central Mongolia

Drive to Mongolia's ancient capital of Karakorum (5 hours) with stops along the way for lunch. Along the way, visit a local nomadic family to learn more about their lives on the Mongolian steppes. Dinner and overnight at the ger camp.

Karakorum

Start the day at the Karakorum Museum to learn about the ancient capital. Afterward head to the UNESCO World Hertiage Site of the Orkhon River Valley, known as the place where Central Mongolia's nomadic pastoral traditions began. Take the chance to get to know the nomadic lifestyle that Mongolia is so famous for with a local family. Join them in tending to their livestock, milking, making dairy products, and making a traditional Mongolian lunch of Khorkhog, a traditional meat dish cooked on hot stones. Return to Karakorum for some free time. Dinner at the ger camp.

Erdene Zuu & Hustai National Park

Start the day with a visit to the legendary Erdene Zuu monastery, the first monastery built in Mongolia that dates back to 1586. From there, head to the Elsen Tasarkhai sand dunes, located in the middle of the steppe. Trek through the park while keeping an eye out for Tahki wild horses, also known as the Przewalski's horse. Dinner at the ger camp.

Ulaanbaatar

Drive to Ulaanbaatar (2-3 hours) and take a city tour. Visit the Gandan Monastery and the Bogd Khaan's Palace Museum, which was the residence of the last king of Mongolia, as well as Zaisan Hill Memorial. The afternoon is free to explore Ulaanbaatar. In the evening, enjoy a farewell dinner and traditional folklore concert with the Tumen Ekh ensemble.

Return to Ulaanbaatar

Transfer to the airport for your flight home.