Mongolia: Land of the Blue Sky

Day 1: Ulan Bator

Arrive in Ulan Bator and stay at the Bayangol Hotel for 2 nights.

The Bayangol Hotel - 2 Nights (N)

Day 2: Ulan Bator

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Morning visit to the Gandan monastery and meet with Buddhist monks. In the afternoon, visit the National Museum. This evening, enjoy a traditional music performance and welcome dinner.

Day 3: Terelj National Park

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Travel to Terelj National Park, and stop for a picnic lunch. Afternoon walk in the hills. See ‘Turtle Rock’ formation and a Buddhist monastery, with the chance to spot some of the 250 bird species recorded here. Throughout the journey in the Mongolian wilderness, accommodation will be in ger camps.Ger Camp - 9 Nights

Day 4: Through the Baga Gazriin Chuluu mountains

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Continue south to Gazriin Chuluu, a picturesque mountain in the granite belt of Mongolia, passing Zorgol Khairkhan mountain, sacred to the local nomads. Take lunch at the ger camp, then an afternoon walk in the surrounding area.

Day 5: To the Gobi desert

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Venture into the Gobi desert and the Gurvansaikhan National Park, a huge protected area of 27,000 sq km and home to such rare species as the Argali sheep, snow leopards and Siberian ibexes. Here, you will see the Flaming Cliffs, home to many dinosaur fossil discoveries.

Day 6: To Eagle Valley

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Continue to the Yol valley, a steep-sided canyon also known as Eagle or Vulture valley, named after the magnificent Lammergeiers, or bearded vultures, once found here. Visit the Gobi glacier en route (subject to environmental conditions).

Day 7: To Khongoryn Els sand dunes

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Drive to the towering sand dunes of Khongoryn Els, which demonstrate the ‘singing sands’ phenomenon when blown by the wind. In the evening, visit a family of camel breeders for an opportunity to try camel riding.

Day 8: To Ongiin Khiid Monastery

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Cross the mountains of Ikh Bogdo to Saikhan Ovoo where the mountainside remains of the Ongiin Khiid monastery can still be visited. The monastery was founded in the 17th century, but destroyed under communist rule. Now it is slowly being rebuilt.

Day 9: To Karakorum

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Established by Genghis Khan in 1220 as the capital of the Mongolian empire, in its heyday Karakorum was a cosmopolitan city filled with traders from all over the world. Little remains today, but visits to the museum and Erdene Zuu monastery are informative.

Day 10: To Gurvanbulag nomads camp

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Travel to the Gurvanbulag nomad community in Bulgan province. Watch and participate in the making of dairy products (late June onwards), herding of animals and training of untamed horses. In the evening, take a lesson in Shagai, a traditional game.

Day 11: Gurvanbulag

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Visit the Nomad Library and meet the local children who benefit from this project, then take a walk on nearby sand dunes. Spend the afternoon with the nomads and watch them catch horses using an uurga – a traditional wooden lasso. Optional horse riding and ox-cart riding are available. Dinner tonight is a khorkhog, a Mongolian barbecue of meat grilled with hot stones.

Day 12: To Ulan Bator

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Return to Ulan Bator via the Khustain Nuruu National Park, and search for the takhi (Przewalski's horse), the world’s last remaining species of wild horse. Continue to the Bayangol Hotel for a 1-night stay.

The Bayangol Hotel - 1 night

Day 13: To Seoul

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Morning tour of the Zanabazar Museum of Fine Arts, Sukhbaatar Square and Zaisan hill for views of the Tuul river valley. Late evening flight to Seoul.