Day2. National Park Gorkhi-Terelj
breakfast time - drive to National Park Gorkhi-Terelj /75 km/ - lunch time - visit to nomadic family - dinner time - overnight in the National Park

Gorkhi-Terelj National Park was created in 1993 and it offers great opportunities for hiking, horse-riding, rafting and rock climbing. Terelj is a spectacular valley with high rock formations, pine – covered mountains and grasslands carpeted with wildflowers and edelweiss.  Like an emergent butterfly, the delicate beauty of the Gorkhi-Terelj National Park promises to be breath-taking! Be dazzled by the riot of colors and thousands of tiny fluttering wings flutter as you stroll through the natural environment of these fragile specimens. It is a landscape of transition from Siberian taiga forest to grass steppe. In spring and summer the lush meadows are carpeted with wildflowers, and the mountain pine forests and broad streams make this one of the most beautiful areas in Mongolia.

En route, we will visit to nomadic family have lunch at the nomads’ ger. Enjoy the joyful atmosphere and learn the clever nomads' way of life by taking every chance of taking part in the nomadic life activities like a nomad. Experience the milking cows, goats and sheep. Watch how they produce tasty and nutritious dairy products. 

National Park Khustai where re-introduction of the wild takhi horses (Przhevalsky's horses) has taken place since 1992. Takhi is last wild horse subspecies surviving in the 21st century. It was discovered in western Mongolia in the late 1870s by the Russian explorer N.M. Przhevalsky. Several expeditions since 1969 have failed to find this horse, which probably crossed with half-wild domesticated horses and lost its distinct features. Specimens have been kept and bred in zoos, and Mongolia in the late 20th century attempted to reintroduce them into the wild. The afternoon will be spent at leisure hiking in the surrounding mountains with an evening visit to the wild horses while they come to drink in the evening.

Mongols are historically a nomadic people, and thus many of their cultural symbols reflect nomadic life. The horse is probably the most central part of Mongolian culture. Mongols love horses, riding them for transportation in the villages, using them for farming, racing them for fun, and eating them for celebrations. Many Mongols own horses and keep pictures of them in their houses or offices. Our excellent horseback-riding program is tailored to your experience level from the beginner to the intermediate and advanced.

Day4. Elsen Tasarkhai  & Karakorum
breakfast time - drive to Elsen Tasarkhai /200 km/ - lunch time - ride camel /a hour/ - drive to Karakorum /90 km/ - see Great Imperial Map & phallic rock - visit to Erdene Zuu monastery complex and its turtle rocks - dinner time - free time - overnight in Kharkhorin

Elsen Tasarkhai (in Mongolian language: Элсэн Тасархай) is the northern edge of the largest sand dunes in Mongolia. As well as, we will see to historical mountain Khugnukhaan where an Oirat‘s western Mongolian senseless military ruler gelded some lamas (Buddhist monks) during Mongolian tribes’ internal war in the 17th century. This rocky mountain is home to hundreds of birds, deer, and gazelle. While it is an arid area of largely homogenous scrubby steppe, it is dotted with camel breeders and some fascinating natural wonders.

Karakorum, the ancient capital of Mongolia where today there is a small local township. On arrival you will notice the first and most obvious landmark which is the massive wall of monastery Erdenezuu. The monastery was built in 1586 by a well-known Mongolian king called Abtai Sain Khaan, and is surrounded by a vast 400m wall. Not a single nail was used in the construction of the ornate temples, only a few of which remain standing after the communist purges. In previous times the grounds held over 60 temples with 10,000 monks using them for their daily worship.

Day5. Khorgo-Terkh
breakfast time → drive to National Park Khorgo-Terkh /270 km/ → lunch time → horseback riding → climb up to Extinct Volcano Khorgo → dinner time → overnight in National Park.

This large placid lake is ringed by sandy beaches. There are a number of ger camps and hotels around the like, but camping is also very easy because of the sheer quantity of ideal sites to pitch up. The lake lends itself to swimming and is reputedly good for fishing, but the fish here are harder to catch than in other areas. The lake has volcanic origins, something that is easy to figure out by the trail of solidified lava formations leading from the lake to nearby Khorgo Uul volcano. The volcano is worth climbing if only to walk around the crater it is easy to hire a horse and ride it up the volcano, which also gives you chance to visit of the more interesting lava formations on your way, or cars can be driven almost to the visit almost to the to the summit. Khorgo volcano is a dead volcano covered with basalt lying to the east of the lake Terkhiin Tsagaan in Arkhangai aimag. There are interesting bubbles of solidified lava, named “basalt ger” and it is possible to visit yak herders in this area.

Day6. Tsetserleg
breakfast time → drive to Tsetserleg town /180 km/ → see picturesque River Canyon Chuluutyn khavtsal (Canyon of Rocks) → continue drive to Null Rock Taikhar chuluu → lunch time → continue drive to Tsetserleg town → visit to local food market → visit to Zaya Bandid museum → dinner time → overnight in Tsetserleg town

Day8. Drive to Ulaanbaatar
breakfast time - drive to Ulaanbaatar /350 km/ - transfer you your booked accommodation - end

Price range:

Gallery of the itinerary: 

On the horse's back of Chinggis Khaan's Grand Statue


Nomadic family is moving. They put up their ger in a new place.

We, cook & horseman, found a snake.

Ox drawn cart. We loaded cargoes on it.

An horseback team.

Me, Bandar and Ganaa hunted down marmot (tarvaga). In the evening, we done a nice BBQ.

Hose and Maria taking photo of wild flower. We called it Tumsnii Ulaan.

Then they show me the photo of the flower. 

Our guide Jagaa in National Park Khustai


Wild takhi horses (Przhevalsky's horses)


Mike with Takhis

Takhi, wild horses

 

May and Chun at Elsen Tasarkhai

 Wall of Erdene Zuu Monastery Complex

 

Extinct Volcano Khorgo


Oxes in Khorgo-Terkh


Terkhiin Tsagaan nuur


River Canyon Chuluutyn Khavtsal

Ugii Lake


Ugii lake

Steppe typical nomadic family