Enjoy a stress-free airport transfer and hotel check-in with us. Meet after lunch for your half day guided tour. Explore the city by bike, walking or car depending on your preference. In the evening we’ll have a welcome dinner together at our favourite Mongolian restaurant, where you can ask your guide any questions. 30 km

Meals: Dinner

Accommodation:

• Standard Tour Price: 4* Hotel

With your guide and driver, leave the city behind and have your first taste of the real Mongolia. Enter Khustai National Park to start your ranger led off-road safari to find the Przewalski's horse. The world’s only remaining truly wild horses, these are thought to be the ancestors of the modern day horse. You are welcome to hike in the area, to explore the diverse environment the National Park has to offer. Find the ancient Turkic standing stones and perhaps spot elusive red deer. In the late afternoon continue driving into the heartland steppe towards Bayangobi. Meaning ‘rich desert’, the area is true to its name, with rolling sand dunes bordering marshy freshwater lakes, rich in wildlife. Enjoy the sunset in this truly unique setting. Meet your hosts for the next couple of nights, a well respected herder family we have worked with for many years. Spend the night in a Mongolian Ger, a traditional dwelling made from a wooden structure and felt covering. Once inside you’ll be amazed at how cosy and homely it feels. This is a great place for stargazing. 300km paved + off road safari

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:

• Standard Tour Price: Rustic Luxury Mongolian Ger

Make a morning visit to the quaint Erdene Khamba Temple nestled in the scenic Khugnu Khan Mountain. This is the perfect place for hiking with a surprisingly deep history. A 4-hour round trail leads deep into the mountains up to the ruins of the original 17th century monastery, well worth the scramble. Explore the sand dunes and marshy freshwater lakes that sit at the foot of the mountains, a haven for wildlife. Keep your eyes open for migratory birds, such as whooper swan. Spend the evening with your host family. Learn how to make a favourite Mongolian food with your guide and hosts, steamed dumplings, and share stories of your lives together. This will give you a wonderful introduction to the lifestyle and ancient culture of nomadic people. 10 km driving + 4-hour hike

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:

• Standard Tour Price: Rustic Luxury Mongolian Ger

Have a relaxing morning, or help out the family with their chores, before driving towards the site of the ancient capital of Mongolia. Although the grand capital is gone to dust, a thriving provincial town and centre for Buddhism have taken pride of place. Visit the interesting Karakorum Museum to discover the history of the ancient capital and learn about the Mongol Empire. Absorb the peaceful atmosphere of Erdene Zuu, the first Buddhist Monastery in Mongolia. You can explore the monastery to learn about Mongolian Buddhism or hike to the Three Empires Monument for wide vistas of the beautiful UNESCO registered Orkhon valley.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:

• Standard Tour Price: Nice ‘n’ simple ger camp

A full day to enjoy the beautiful Orkhon valley. Try a gentle horse trek meandering along the river and up into the green hills. Stop in the most scenic of places for a picnic. Pick up the pace on the way back if you like, or continue at a gentle walk to spot wildlife in the beautiful valley.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:

• Standard Tour Price: Nice ‘n’ simple ger camp

Journey south through steppe toward the desert. See the land becoming more arid as the day does on. Ongiin Khiid, the ruins of a once famous collection of monasteries, marks the half-way point. Spend the night here, and explore the ruins to learn about the tragic history of these once busy Buddhist temples. It is a great place for evening or early morning forays to see the more elusive wildlife. 300 km, partly off-road

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:

• Standard Tour Price: Nice ‘n’ simple ger camp

Today you start the Gobi section of your adventure. Pull out your shades and sunhat. Travel through the mountains and into the vast southern desert. Watch herds of camels in the distance and if you look closely you may see tiny pika at the side of the track. When the heat of the day subsides, head to Bayanzag, the Flaming Cliffs, where the first fossilised dinosaur eggs were uncovered 100 years ago. Walk through the sandy red valley which has yielded fossils from velociraptors and oviraptorids amongst others. Imagine yourself as an intrepid explorer in this wild and rugged landscape. You can visit our local friends who may show you a well-kept local secret. Hike in the nearby saxaul forest, a place with a unique ecology found only in the gobi. Enjoy your first Gobi sunset. The glorious reds lighting the sky and bringing the sands to life like magic. Kick back in a relaxed ger camp. Perhaps enjoy a glass of wine or cool beer. 300 km, partly off-road

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:

• Standard Tour Price: Nice ‘n’ simple ger camp

Set out across the desert towards the distant mountains. Pass through a surprisingly lush valley and descend into towering sand dunes. You have arrived at the Khongor sand dunes, known as the Singing Sands. During the day visit the Seruun Bulag spring. This oasis is pleasant and cool even during the hottest part of the day. Once the day has cooled, climb to the top of the tallest dunes, (if you can!) to observe a spectacular sunset; please prepare your cameras. Tonight you’ll stay with a local family, who run a small ger camp, and grow an assortment of vegetables using the waters from the oasis. 180 km off road

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:

• Standard Tour Price: Rustic Lux small ger camp

This morning try camel trekking before the heat of the day sets in. Meet the came herding family over a cup of camel milk tea (optional!). Have an exclusive opportunity to learn a traditional wool craft that is dying out, even in Mongolia. You may like to try your hand at some felting and make your own souvenir to take home. Free time this afternoon. In the evening join a competition of traditional games. Who will win?

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:

• Standard Tour Price: Rustic Lux small ger camp

Drive through the Gurvan Saikhan Mountains to Khavtsgait, the site of ancient petroglyphs, thought to be around 6000 years old. Scramble up the mountain trail to a flat peak to find the unique petroglyphs and be rewarded with great views over the Gobi plateau. Continue driving to Yolin Am (Eagle Gorge). This surprisingly green valley, carved by an ancient river right in the heart of the desert, shelters ice formations that can still be seen as late as July. A hike through the valley leads to the home of indigenous vulture-like Lammergeiers, Altai snowcocks, ibex, yak, and Argali mountain sheep. Enjoy a visit to the small quirky natural history museum at the entrance to the valley for an overview of the wildlife in this unusual habitat. Relax this evening after a long day with a glass of wine or nice cool beer. Tonight is your last night in the Gobi. If you have yet to see the night sky, tonight is the night. The clear dry air and limited light pollution allows for spectacular stargazing. 230 km off road

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:

• Standard Tour Price: Rustic Lux small ger camp

Return to Central Mongolia by a short flight. Marvel at the contrast of the green steppe to the arid Gobi. Arrive in beautiful Terelj National Park in the afternoon. Check into your ger camp and then take time to explore the area. This region is famous for its unusual rock formations and beautiful forest. See the majestic Turtle Rock and take a peaceful hike to the Aryabal Meditation Temple for spectacular views over the National Park. Perhaps try your hand at some traditional archery. 1 hour flight, 90km paved road

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:

• Standard Tour Price: Nice ‘n’ simple ger camp

Meet your horse wrangler to enjoy a 2-3 hour gentle horse trek through the beautiful National Park. This landscape is similar to the Northern Mongolian “Taiga” and is rich in wildlife. Enjoy a fun BBQ lunch around a campfire, before either continuing on your horse trek (another 2 hours), or for more of a challenge try kayaking on the river through the forest and valleys.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:

• Standard Tour Price: Nice ‘n’ simple ger camp

Before lunch drive towards to Tsonjin Boldog you can visit the impressive Chinggis Khaan Statue complex, a 40 m tall equestrian statue dominating the landscape and in the afternoon visit the 13th century camp live museum to experience 13th century life of Mongol Empire. Here you can visit the kings camp, crafts camp and 13th century style mobile library. The residents live with no electricity or modern conveniences' year round, just as the people did in the 13th century. The landscape is impressive, with a scattering of magma plumes over the steppe, making the scenery unearthly and well worth a few photos. Drive to Ulaanbaatar, arriving before evening. Have a bit of time to freshen up in your hotel before going out for your farewell dinner. 180km, mostly paved road

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:

• Standard Tour Price: 4* Hotel