A local boy herding sheep , Mongolia
Mongolia & the Gobi Desert
Mongolia : Ulaanbaatar , Gorkhi-Terelj National Park , Khovsgol Lake , Gobi Desert For departure dates , available single space , and pricing , visit www . oattravel . com / ulnpricing
18 days from $ 5595 including international airfare Single Supplement : FREE
Save a FULL 10 %, up to $ 650 , with our Good Buy Plan — reserve by 3 / 31 / 23 Valid for June 2023-December 2024 departures
Discover Mongolia ’ s diverse land and people , from the bustle of Ulaanbaatar and alpine beauty of Khovsgol Lake to the vast expanse of the Gobi Desert . Meet with nomadic herding families , learn about ancient shamanistic beliefs , ride a camel in the desert dunes , and discover why Mongolia is known as the “ Land of Blue Sky ” during stays in authentic ger tents — just as modern-day nomads and their ancestors have done for centuries .
WHAT TO EXPECT
View all physical requirements at www . oattravel . com / uln
ITINERARY
DAY 1 • Depart U . S . Depart today on an overnight flight from the U . S . to Ulaanbaatar , Mongolia via Seoul , South Korea .
DAY 2 • Arrive in Ulaanbaatar , Mongolia From Seoul , we fly on to Ulaanbaatar , arriving late this evening at the hotel , where we also meet the travelers from our South Korea : Seoul pre-trip extension .
Best Western Premier Tuushin Hotel or similar
DAY 3 • Ulaanbaatar Today , stop by a local restaurant to try a regional delicacy : sheep ’ s head . Then enjoy the rest of the afternoon at leisure before gathering for a Welcome Dinner at a local restaurant .
B , L , D — Best Western Premier Tuushin Hotel or similar
DAY 4 • Ulaanbaatar • Gandan Monastery visit • Gorkhi-Terelj National Park Set out on a city tour of Ulaanbaatar including a visit to Gandan Monastery . Later , a Kazakh family will invite us into their home where we ’ ll get an authentic glimpse of what local life looks like here and join them for lunch . We then continue to our ger camp in the Gorkhi-Terelj National Park .
B , L , D — Terelj Hills Lodge or similar
DAY 5 • Gorkhi-Terelj National Park • Visit nomadic cheese-making family Enjoy a hike to Aryabal , a meditation temple , and explore the Gorkhi-Terelj National Park , a nature reserve set in a deep valley between forested hillsides and mountain streams . Later , we ’ ll a local nomadic family to learn about their traditional way of life . With the family ’ s help , we ’ ll learn how to turn their cows ’ milk into cheese .
B , L , D — Terelj Hills Lodge or similar
DAY 6 • Genghis Khan monument • Meet with nomadic horse-breeding family Today , visit the 131-foot high statue of Genghis Khan astride his horse , built at the site where legend has it Khan found a horsewhip that inspired his future conquests . Then , visit a nomadic horsebreeding family to learn about their lifestyle . We may have the chance to sample fermented mare ’ s milk — a local specialty — and see a demonstration of horse-catching techniques .
B , L , D — Terelj Hills Lodge or similar
DAY 7 • Ulaanbaatar • Morin khuur workshop
• Traditional Mongolian performance Return to Ulaanbaatar , where we ’ ll visit a traditional morin khuur ( horse head fiddles ) workshop , registered on UNESCO ’ s World Heritage of Art and Cultural Objects list . Here , we ’ ll learn how the ritual of morin khuur playing has become intertwined with Mongolia ’ s history and culture . Afterwards , enjoy a performance of traditional Mongolian entertainment .
B , L — Best Western Premier Tuushin Hotel or similar
106 Mongolia & the Gobi Desert