Compare The Tsar’s Gold Westbound from Mongolia:Trans-Siberian Railway by Nomadic Expeditions vs Taste of Mongolia tour by Nomadic of Blue Sky
Compare details and see what other travelers are saying.
| Trip |
5 | Excellent
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 15 days | 11 days |
| Price From | $ 10,795 | $ 1,995 |
| Price Per Day | $ 720 | $ 181 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | Group tour | Small group tour |
| Lodging Level | Luxury | Standard |
| Physical Level |
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| Travel Themes |
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| Countries Visited | ||
| Cities and Attractions |
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| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included | Ground transport included |
| Activities |
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| Meals Included |
14 Breakfast,13 Lunch, 14 Dinner |
The food on camping trips is from the best produce available, and the menus are possibly the most varied you will find in Mongolia. Mongolia is mostly a non-vegetarian country, but we can cater to vegetarians upon request. However, we require as much early notice as possible. Our cooks are all Mongolian and they have a wealth of experience in catering for the western traveler. You will also eat some Mongolian food on trips. We try to buy as much produce as possible from local people, though there is not a lot of variety. Alcohol is not provided on the treks, but clients are free to bring their own. On trips staying in ger camps, food is provided by the camp. Again, the cooks are Mongolian but the food tends to be a little less varied with a strong emphasis on meat, rice, pasta, and potatoes. Vegetarians can be accommodated but will probably end up eating a lot of eggs. |
| Description |
An in-depth Trans-Siberian Railway experience between Siberia and Mongolia filled with unique historical and cultural perspective, this fifteen-day expedition begins in Ulaanbaatar and the Gobi Desert and continues on to the Trans-Siberian Railway aboard the famed Tsar’s Gold. Find yourself in Novosibirsk, the heart of Siberia, along the shore of the oldest lake in the world, Lake Baikal, and the magnificent diversity of the Gobi Desert’s incredible ecosystems. |
Mongolia is a quite big county -It is important to appreciate the landscape for it's vastness. Rugged Mongolia is an adventure destination where travelers can see the tradition of the past still practised today by hardy nomads dwelling on the country's vast steppe and deserts. The trip, we offering you, will give a good chance to experience their tradition, culture. way of life and hospitality. Despite the warm welcome you will receive, there are several things to explore within central part of Mongolia. For example; spectacular countryside, vast steppes, rugged mountains, clear lake, and abundant wildlife and livestock. |
Day 1:Ulaanbaatar
Meals: Dinner
In the morning you arrive in Ulaanbaatar and visit the Zaisan Memorial, built by the former Soviet Union to commemorate fallen soldiers of World War II. Climb the 300 steps and reward yourself with a beautifully panoramic view of the capital of Mongolia and the Tuul River.
Day 2-3:Gobi | Yol Valley | Tugrugiin Shiree | Bulgan Sum
Meals: 2 Breakfast, 2 Lunch, 2 Dinner
Accommodation: Three Camel lodge
Fly south to the Gobi and discover the diverse ecosystems it has to offer including the verdant Yol Valley, carved from an ancient river. Over the next day, explore Tugrugiin Shiree, site of the famed ‘Fighting Dinosaurs’ fossil, and Bulgan – home to one of the Gobi’s only farms.
Day 4-5: Moltsog Els | Flaming Cliffs | Family Visit | Ulaanbaatar
Meals: 2 Breakfast, 2 Lunch, 2 Dinner
Drive to Moltsog Els, one of the only areas of the Gobi covered in sand dunes, before visiting a family and continuing on to the Flaming Cliffs. Discovered by Dr. Roy Chapman Andrews in 1923 during the Central Asiatic Expeditions, the Flaming Cliffs glow a legendary and brilliant orange hue in the fading sun. Enjoy a stay at the Three Camel Lodge, our luxury eco-lodge in the heart of the Gobi, before returning to Ulaanbaatar to visit the Bogd Khan Winter Palace museum.
Day 6: Ulaanbaatar | Board the Tsar’s Gold, Trans-Siberian Railway
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Wake in Ulaanbaatar and visit Gandan Monastery, the seat of Buddhist activity in the region, along with the newly-remodeled National History Museum’s Stone and Bronze Age artifacts. Afterward, 976 Art Gallery provides you with a glimpse into the modern day world of the nomad: this contemporary art gallery is a regular attraction for a hip crowd of intellectuals who support and promote growing Mongolian artists. After dinner board the Tsar’s Gold train and depart for Ulan Ude.
Day 7-9:Ulan Ude | Lake Baikal | Irkutsk
Meals: 3 Breakfast, 3 Lunch ,3 Dinner
Pass through the valley of Selenga, the largest river in Mongolia, and join the main route of the Trans-Siberian Railroad in Ulan Ude. The next day enjoy a full day of activity in and around Lake Baikal, exploring the wonderful atmosphere of the lake and its picturesque town. Enjoy a short boat ride on the lake, and then move on to Irkutsk the following day. A tour of the city includes the lively market hall, drama theatre, and a newly-erected statue of the Tsar as well as an open-air museum displaying Siberian life in the old days.
Day 10-11: Onboard the Tsar’s Gold, Trans-Siberian Railway | Novosibirsk
Meals: 2 Breakfast, 2 Lunch, 2 Dinner
After breakfast travel through the landscapes of Eastern Siberia’s mountains, crystal-clear rivers and verdant slopes. Enjoy lectures, a social get-together with caviar and vodka, and lively conversation with your fellow passengers. The following day pull into the Novosibirsk station, Siberia’s largest city, and take a tour of the city on the mighty Ob River.
Day 12-13: Yekaterinburg | Kazan
Meals: 2 Breakfast, 2 Lunch, 2 Dinner
The capital of the Ural Mountains and the border between Asia and Europe, Yekaterinburg, is the site of a varied and somewhat tragic history. The city tour includes the center, restored in 2009, and the newly-erected Cathedral-on-the-blood built in memorial of the last Tsar of Russia Nicholas II and his family. The next day arrive in Kazan, the old Tatar capital on the banks of the Volga, and take a guided tour of the Kremlin to learn about the bloody relations of the Tatars, Cossacks, and Russians.
Day 14: Tour of Moscow
Meals: Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner
Before noon arrive in Moscow, one of the richest and most dynamic cities in the world, and end your journey on the Trans-Siberian Railway. After your arrival and check-in to a first-class hotel, take a guided tour of one of the oldest Kremlin in the world and its glorious cathedrals. After dinner, take a special tour of the city’s lights and sights, including the Red Square. The following day take a guided tour of the reconstructed Cathedral of Christ the Savior, Lomonossov University and St. Basil’s Cathedral before departing for home.
Day 15: Departure
Day 1: Meeting day
Our guide will meet you at the airport upon your arrival in Ulaanbaatar city/capital of Mongolia/ and take you to the hotel you stay in. Free at leisure for the rest of the day. Prepare yourself; on the most of days of this tour, we'll spend several hours on the road. Note the camera with a full battery, torch, and other stuff/suitable clothing for horse/camel riding/.
Overnight in Hotel
Meals included
Day 2: City tour
In the morning our experienced guide and driver will pick you up from the hotel you stayed, then we'll start our wonderful trip visiting the Gandan Monastery to have blessed the those:
Gandan monastery
National history museum
Chingis Khaan squire
Theatre for traditional music and dance
First site- Gandan monastery
Gandan is one of the largest monasteries in Mongolia and of the biggest tourist attraction. It was built in 1838 by fourth Bogd Gegeen. This is the only monastery that could survive from the religious purge of the 19th-century and continue its original function.
The full name is Gandantegchinlen, which can be translated as 'the great place of eternal joy'. Inside is the main Buddha statue, 26m high and made of copper with a gilded gold covering. It contains 25 tons of medicinal herbs, 334 sutra, and two million bundles of mantras.
The original statue was destroyed in 1920 during the communist purge, and the actual one was rebuilt with a donation of Mongolian people as a symbol of Buddhist revival in the mid-1920's.
Overnight in hotel
Meals:B,L,D
Day 3: Journey to Khustai national park
Journey to Khustai reserve we will spot wild horses and other rare animals. The highlight is the moment to observe them. We'll take care until we see them, but also we take walk in certain places.
Overnight in Ger camp
Meals: B,L,D
Day 4 : Journey to Kharkhorin
After breakfast, we are driving to Kharkhorin, the ancient capital of Mongolia. The legendary city was founded by order of Chingis Khaan in 1220 and was completed by his son Ugudei. The silk road went by the capital. The Mongolian Empire was governed from this city until Kubilai Khan moved the capital to Beijing.
In Kharhorin city, we will visit Erdenzuu, built-in 1586 by Abtai Khan, and the Museum of Kharkhorin. The monastery was built with typical Chinese and Tibetan buildings style including 108 sacred stupas.
Overnight in Ger camp
Meals: B,L,D
Day 5 : Journey to Orkhon waterfall
Today we are driving to Orkhon valley.
Orkhon Khurhree /Waterfall/
Orkhon valley is one of the top sights in central Mongolia. Orkhon river flows until the Russian border where it joins with the Selenge Murun/Bigger river/. It stretches 1,120km. Orkhon Khurhree is located in the popular Orkhon Valley, better-known for its past rich history. Around three hours drive from Khujirt. Orkhon Valley had been formed by a volcanic eruption. It is 22m deep.
About 250m downstream from the waterfall. Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, the valley is a land of nomadism and many breeders set their summer camp there.
Overnight in Ger camp
Meals: B,L,D
Day 6: Journey to Tovkhon monastery
Today we are driving to Tovkhon monastery
Tovkhon Monastery
The scenic monastery is situated at the top of the hill being hidden by a pine forest in Khangai Mountain. The monastery had been used as a major pilgrimage center for Mongolians. The monastery was destroyed in 1937 and rebuilt with public funds in the early 1990s.
Later in the afternoon, those who wish will go Waterfall via Orkhon Valley.
Here you also learn those:
- How nomads exist
- Method of grazing animals on open pasture
- How to set up a traditional ger
- Milking animals
Overnight in the nomadic family yurt
Meals: B,L,D
Day 7 : Journey to Shuranga
Today we are driving to Eight lakes via Khangai Nuruu. We will go through a deep and high forest with 2800m altitude. The landscape is beautiful. Eight lakes are one of the best places for a horse trek. Naiman Nuur means Eight Lake, by its name, there are eight separate lakes actually 9 lakes. Eight Lake was created by volcanic eruptions centuries ago and now it is part of Khuisiin Naiman Nuur Nature Reserve. The lakes are located about 35 southwest of Orkhon Khurhree. Roads to the Lake are tough, only reachable by horse. But the landscape is breathtaking.
Overnight in Ger camp
Meals: B,L,D
Day 8: Hiking day
Today we go hiking for the view of Shireet nuur which is one eight lakes. Peaceful morning in high-altitude land with only a few nomads. The lake is perhaps most stunning among other lakes. In the afternoon, you can explore another lake named Nogoon which is located on the crater of an extinct volcano or you can hang doing whatever you like. You will be able to give hand to host woman and man.
Overnight in Ger camp or nomad family
Meals: B,L,D
Day 9: Journey to Elsen-tasarkhai /Litlle Gobi/
Elsen Tasarhai is something of an oasis. It is located in Erdenetsogt soum in the Province of Overhangai and Bulgan. It happens being crossed by the main Ulaanbaator-Kharhorin highway neighboring with the Khogno Khan /Nature Reserve/. These large dunes stretch for some 80km and are worth stopping off at for those who are not planning to visit the much more spectacular Khongoryn Els in the Gobi Desert. This is the perfect place for camel riding.
Here you will be riding a camel through the charming sandy hill passing by the fresh river and green land. Traveling by camel at the Majesty of Elsen Tasarhai might make for some awesome photos.
Overnight in Ger camp
Meals: B,L,D
Day 10: Back to Ulaanbator
After breakfast, we will walk to Erdene-Hamba temple. Here we will do visit the temple of Erdenhamba dated to the 17th century and was built on the foot of the mountain. Zanabazar built it in honor of his teacher, monk Erdene. Then we will drive back to UB. Driving time from the little Gobi to UB will be the majority of the day. All you have to do is sit back, relax and enjoy your journey.
Overnight in hotel
Meals: B,L,D
Day 11: Departure
We will take you to the airport. Check your items when you're leaving the hotel. Good luck with your next trip.
Meals: Breakfast
