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Trip Rating Details
Easy: All nights in hotels or lodges, with any challenging physical activities optional. Easy walks, and comfortable driving distances over paved or moderate dirt roads.
Packing List
This is a suggested packing list, which you should feel free to adjust to suit your needs. Please refer to our travel guide for more detailed information.
- backpack or soft bag
- sleeping bag (-5C)
- day pack
- head lamp/flashlight
- spare batteries/bulb
- personal medications
- towel
- hiking boots/shoes
- rain jacket with hood
- fleece jacket or wool jumper
- cotton t-shirts
- long sleeve shirts
- lightweight trousers
- shorts
- warm hat
- socks
- underwear
- sun hat
- sandals
- sun glasses
- sun cream
- spare glasses
- insect repellent
- resealing (ziploc) plastic bags
- binoculars/camera
- wet tissues
- watch/ alarm clock
- money belt/ pouch
- insurance confirmation copy
- emergency contact number
See our packing tips for detailed information.
Trip Information - The classic Trip, Mongolia's Lakes and Deserts
Day 1. Arrival (D)
Arrival to Ulaanbaatar and transfer to hotel. Depending on time of arrival, you may have a short city sight-seeing tour. Evening welcome dinner. Overnight in hotel.
Day 2. Ulaanbaatar/South Gobi/Yolin Am (B,L,D)
In the morning we fly to the southern part of the Gobi Desert, landing next to the Goviin Gurvan Saikhan (The Three Beauties of the Gobi) National Park, after which we will visit Yolin Am ( Vulture Canyon). Located in the southernmost province of the Gobi Desert, Yolin Am is part of the Great Gobi National Park. The area is an oasis, attracting wildlife from the area all around with water, good grazing, and sheltered canyons. The wonder of this beautiful valley is the river of ice stretching across the canyon floor, which survives the desert heat well into the month of August every year, better known as the Gobi Glacier. A hike down the valley offers us a great opportunity to observe wildlife, and enjoy the cool waters of the stream that emerges from under the glacier. Overnight in a ger camp.
Day 3. Bayan Zag (B,L,D)
Known to westerners as The Flaming Cliffs, Bayan Zag (Rich with Saxaul) is famed for its’ red sandstone cliffs which take on beautiful red and orange hues during sunset. Sculptural Saxaul trees grow in the arid rocky soil. The area is also recognized as one of the world’s largest dinosaur graveyards. In 1921, the American Roy Chapman Andrews discovered here some of the most important Paleontological findings of the last century. Since then, hundreds of archeological expeditions have come to this remote desert location, and even today with the assistance of local people dinosaur fossils continue to be found in the area. Overnight in a ger camp.
Day 4. Bayan Zag/ Ulaanbaatar (B,L,D)
After breakfast you will fly back to Ulaanbaatar. After check-in the hotel, you will visit the Natural History Museum, which exhibit some of the world's biggest dinosaur's skeletons which were excavated at the Gobi Desert. After lunch you will visit the Bogd Khan Museum, the winter palace of the last Mongolian king. The museum is mostly dedicated to Mongolian Buddhist art. Overnight in hotel
Day 5. Ulaanbaatar/ Lake Huvsgul (B,L,D)
One of the highlights of the trip is Lake Huvsgul. We will take a flight to Murun, the provincial capital of Huvsgul Province. One of the world's biggest fresh water sources, Lake Huvsgul and its amazing surroundings are home to several of Mongolia’s ethnic minorities as well as a refuge for a wide variety of wildlife. Huvsgul is truly a highlight of any trip to Mongolia. After landing in Murun we drive to Khatgal, a small town on the edge of the lake, then north along the lake’s edge to the ger camp, arriving in time for an afternoon walk along the lakeshore. Overnight in a ger camp.
Day 6. Lake Huvsgul (B,L,D)
Today we will take a hike around the forests and meadows near the lake. Lying at about 1650 meters above sea level, surrounded by mountains rising above 3100 meters, the waters of Huvsgul are deep and spectacularly clear and pure. We will hike through thick pine forests carpeted with flowers and explore the setting of Mongolia’s ‘Blue Pearl’. Overnight in ger camp.
Day 7. Huvsgul/Murun (B,L,D)
In the morning we will take a hike around the forests and meadows near the lake. Lying at about 1650 meters above sea level, surrounded by mountains rising above 3100 meters, the waters of Huvsgul are deep and spectacularly clear and pure. We will hike through thick pine forests carpeted with flowers and explore the setting of Mongolia’s ‘Blue Pearl’. After lunch we will drive to Murun. Overnight in a local hotel.
Day 8. Murun/Ulaanbaatar (B,L,D)
Today we will fly back to Ulaanbaatar. After check-in at the hotel we visit the National History Museum, which holds a permanent exhibition on the different civilizations that have inhabited the territory of Mongolia from prehistoric times to the present, including a significant display of objects from the era of the Great Mongol Empire. After lunch we visit the Museum of the Victims of Political Repression or have some free time for relaxation. After dinner we will visit the Zaisan Observatory to view the city at night. Overnight in hotel.
Day 9. Ulaanbaatar/Kharkhorin (B,L,D)
Built by Chinggis Khan about 800 years ago, Kharkhorin, better known as Karakorum, was famed throughout Asia as the capital of the Mongol Empire. Within the walls of this spectacular city kings were chosen, laws made and the fate of the next city to be conquered were determined. You will visit the ruins of the old city, the Erden Zuu monastery and other historical monuments in the area. Overnight in a ger camp by the Orhon River.
Day 10. Kharhorin/Hustaiin Nuruu (B,L,D)
Today we arrive at Hustaiin Nuruu National Park. The park was establ ished as part of a unique project to reintroduce the world’s last surviving wild horses back to their natural environment. On the brink of extinction during the last century, only a very few Takhi or Przewalski’s horse were left in zoos around Europe. This graceful steppe horse was returned to Mongolia, and today, thanks to this special project, two herds again roam the Mongolian steppes. Overnight in a ger camp.
Day 11. Hustaiin Nuruu/ Ulaanbaatar (B,L,D)
After breakfast we will drive back to Ulaanbaatar, arriving around noon. After lunch we will visit Gandan Monastery, Mongolia's biggest Buddhist monastery. In the afternoon you will have some free time around the city center for shopping. In the evening we will enjoy a farewell dinner together. Overnight in hotel
Day 12. Departure (B)
Transfer to the airport for your departing flight.
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