Discover the Unusual Mongolia

DAY 01 : FRANCE – Ulan Bator : International flight

Departure from France on a regular flight. Night in the plane.

DAY 02: ULAN-BATOR

Arrival at Ulaanbaatar airport: welcome by our local correspondent and transfer to the hotel for getting refreshed before lunch (no day room). Visit of Ulaanbar: museum of Mongolian history and climb the hill of the Russian soldier monument from where you can admire a panoramic view of the city. Walk in the streets of the capital and dinner in a local restaurant.

DAY 03 : Ulan Bator – Bayan Gobi (280 km / 4h)

In the morning: visit of the Gandantegchinlen (or Gandan), Buddhist monastery of Tibetan style where several hundreds of monks reside. After the visit, departure by the road of the steppes in direction of Bayan Gobi, city of the desert with its dunes, surrounded by the mountains of Khugnu Khan.

Lunch in bivouac along the way. In the afternoon, walk in Bayan Gobi and visit of Erdene Khamba temple: 3 monasteries. Night at the yurt camp in the mountains of Khugnu Khan (or Khögnö Khan).

DAY 04 : BAYAN GOBI – KARAKORUM – ORKHON VALLEY (140 km / 3h30)

After a hundred kilometers, arrival in Karakorum, former capital of the Mongolian Empire. Discovery of the city and its museum, then, visit of the Erdene Zuu Buddhist monastery of the Gelugpa school of Tibetan Buddhism.

Lunch on the bank of the Orkhon river and then drive to the valley to spend the night at the yurt camp.

DAY 05 : ORKHON VALLEY – KHANGHAI (160 Km / 4h30)

Drive to Orkhon waterfalls. Visit of the Ulan Tsutgalaan waterfalls, white flow on the black stone, with its ephemeral rainbows. Meeting with a nomadic family of the valley and tasting of local products. Through a wild track passing in the green massifs of the Khangaï mountains, very remote region between 2000 and 2500 meters of altitude, discovery of splendid landscapes.

Overnight at the yurt camp located near the hot springs of Tsenkher, with a moment to bask in the hot baths with healing properties. Possibility of massages, in option. Evening you have ample time for relaxation.

DAY 06 : ORKHON VALLEY – KHANGAI – TSETSERLEG – TERKHIIN LAKE TSAGAAN (260 Km / 4h)

Rajet on the roads that wind towards Tsetserleg for a quick visit of this capital of the Arkhangaï province.

Continuation in the direction of the lake of Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur also called “White Lake”. Located at 2060 meters above sea level, it is 16 km wide and 20 km long and has exceptionally pure water. It is in the heart of a protected area with a rich biodiversity where several ecosystems cohabit: taiga (boreal forest), mountain steppe or wetlands sheltering a very varied fauna.

Visit of the crater of the Khorgo volcano at 2200 meters of altitude, with its slopes covered with basalt, volcano still active 8000 years ago. Lunch in bivouac at the edge of the impressive canyon of Chuluut whose walls can reach 100 m height. Evening at the lake. Night at the yurt camp.

DAY 07: TERKHIIN TSAGAAN LAKE – SHINE-IDER (180 Km / 5h)

Drive through the wild mountains and green valleys covered with fragrant flowers, towards Jargalant, a small typical village located between Arkhangai and Khövsgöl. Lunch in bivouac on the way and meeting of a nomadic family. Night in the yurt camp near the village of Shine-Ider.

DAY 08 – 09 : SHINE-IDER – MÖRÖN – KHÖVSGÖL LAKE (200 Km – 5h)

In the morning, arrival in Mörön, capital of the Khövsgöl province. Visit of the city and possible passage by the market for the provisioning. En route to the Khövsgöl National Park and its harmonious mountains with valleys covered with wild flowers, its immense forests and its multitude of lakes and rivers.

On the program of these days of relaxation: walks along the beautiful Khovsgol Lake, a real small deep sea of 136 km long, “the blue pearl of Mongolia” because of its very clear water. The Khovsgol Lake and its surroundings are a protected natural park. The Tsaatan, reindeer herders still live in teepees north of the lake. Animated evenings with nights in the yurt camp.

DAY 10 : KHÖVSGÖL LAKE – SELENGE VALLEY (230 Km / 4h)

Drive to the Selenge river valley, the biggest river in Mongolia which flows into the Baikal lake. Continuation through the landscape of steppes and mountains in the direction of Ikh-Uul. Settling in the yurt camp in the afternoon.

DAY 11 : SELENGE VALLEY – AMARBAYASGALANT (300 Km / 4h)

Passage through the towns of Bulgan and Erdenet and crossing the great valley of the Selenge river which flows into the Baikal lake after the Mongolian borders. Overnight at the yurt camp in the steppes.

DAY 12: AMARBAYASGALANT – STEPPE ROAD. (200 Km / 3h)

Visit of the great monastery of Amarbayasgalant, one of the three biggest monasteries of Mongolia (XVIIIth c.), one of the rare monasteries to have partially escaped the destruction of 1937 by the Soviets. The general style is Chinese, with Mongolian and Tibetan influences. En route through the beautiful landscape of forested mountains and picturesque valleys. Lunch at the bivouac. Arrival in the evening for the yurt camp.

DAY 13 : STEPPES ROAD – Ulan Bator (150 Km / 2h)

Return to the capital and arrival in the late morning in Ulaanbaatar. Outing to the city for some souvenir shopping. Settling in the hotel, Mongolian folklore show (15 artists) and farewell party: dinner in town.

DAY 14: ULAN-BATOR – FRANCE

Breakfast in the hotel. Transfer to the airport and flight to France for an arrival on the same day.

VILLE / LIEUX	HÔTELS ou CAMPS
Oulan Bator	Hôtel Voyage (toilette)
Bayan Gobi	Khugnu Khan
Vallée d’Orkhon	Camp Mogoit
Tsenkher ( Montagnes de Khangaï )	Camp Altan Nutag
Lac de Terkhiin	Camp Ter IkhJuulchin
Jargalant / Shine-Ider	Camp Ulziit Khishigt
Lac de Khövsgöl	Camp Alag Tsar
Vallée de Selenge (Ikh-Uul)	Camp Ikh-Uul
Amarbayasgalant	Great Amarbayasgalant et steppes Nomades
“Route des steppes”	Camp de yourtes
Oulan Bator	Hôtel Voyage 3*