Classic Mongolia and Naadam Festival
DAY 1
Arrive in Ulaanbaatar, meet and greet at the airport and private transfer to the hotel. Accommodation at the hotel. The first part of the day is at leisure to rest for the adventures ahead. Your afternoon sightseeing includes the former Winter Palace of Mongolian rulers and the Museum of Bogd Khan. An extremely rewarding visit will also be made to the Museum of Religion, a former Buddhist Monastery built in the Chinese-Tibetan style. Your tour will be completed with a drive through the modern part of the city via the Boulevard of Peace.
DAY 2
In the morning attend the Naadam Festival opening ceremony in the Central Stadium. Watch top Mongolian athletes compete in the traditional sports of wrestling and archery, as well as horse racing. The day ends with a gala-dinner and a folk concert featuring traditional Mongolian dancing and throat singing.
DAY 3
Visit the Gandan Monastery, the main Buddhist temple in Mongolia. Stroll the monastery grounds and watch the monks in their morning prayers. You will see the magnificent 82-foot tall statue of Migjid Janraisig, “Lord who looks in every direction”, decorated with pure gold and dressed in silk and precious stones. Afternoon departure for the site of the 13th century capital of the Mongolian Empire - Karakorum, the city from which Genghis Khan launched his attacks on Russia and China.
DAY 4
You will visit the ancient Erdenee Zuu Monastery built by Altan Khan, successor of Genghis Khan, who was the first to proclaim Buddhism as the main religion of Mongolia. Tonight, enjoy a traditional Mongolian dinner cooked on a campfire. Overnight in a ger camp.
DAY 5
You will depart this morning on a trip back to Ulaanbaatar. The evening is free to relax before an exciting trip to the Gobi Desert.
DAY 6
You are transferred to the airport in the morning for a flight to the Gobi Desert. This day of exciting activities starts with a trekking trip to the Eagle Valley National Park where you can photograph stunning landscapes, including the Gobi Glacier. You’ll have a picnic lunch at the park and explore the surroundings on a walking tour. In the afternoon you continue to the ger camp, stopping for a visit to a camel farm with an opportunity to ride the camels and observe the nomadic lifestyles. Overnight in a ger camp.
DAY 7
Today you will have a full-day tour of Bayan Zag - the Flaming Cliffs, an archaeological site and home to some of the world’s finest fossils discoveries, including fossilized dinosaur eggs. Return to your camp for the last night in the wild and enjoy a dinner cooked over the campfire.
DAY 8
Take a late morning flight to Ulaanbaatar and use your free time in the afternoon for souvenir shopping and exploring the Mongolian capital on your own. The tour will end with a farewell dinner of Mongolian cuisine where you will enjoy a folklore show featuring traditional dancers and hoomi (throat) singers. The setting, a huge yurt replicating one owned by Genghis Khan himself, will add an air of magic to the evening.
DAY 9
Your journey comes to an end as you are transferred to the airport for your flight home.
