Golden Eagle Festival & Gobi

Welcome to Mongolia! You will arrive in Ulaanbaatar, the capital, where your driver will be waiting for you. You will then be transferred to your hotel where you can freshen up. Depending on arrival time, you can walk to see Sukhbaatar square, where a statue of Genghis Khan and the parliamentary building are located.

After an energizing breakfast, we’ve dedicated today to touring Ulaanbaatar, departing around 9 AM. Our local guide will point out buildings of interest as well as tour us through popular sites such as Mongolia’s Gandan Buddhist Monastery. At an ideal time, we’ll stop for a relaxed nibble for lunch. If time allows we may visit the National History Museum. Later in the day we’ll also have the opportunity to see a traditional folk concert.

Driving: city drive only.

Very early in the morning, we will catch a flight to the South Gobi and head straight towards the Yol Valley (Yolyn Am). This unique valley doesn’t seem to belong to the desert at all. Containing lush vegetation and cute voles, the valley has a river running through it and remains partially frozen until late June. This area also contains a variety of other wildlife, such as the Altai snowcock, the Bighorn Argali Sheep, wild ibex, wolves and foxes. Scan the skies and keep your eyes open for the Lammergeier vulture, for which the valley is named. There are even occasional reports of snow leopard tracks in the area.

Activity: hiking for 2 hours.

In the morning, we will continue our journey and head towards the world-famous dinosaur fossil site known as the “Flaming Cliffs” (Bayanzag in Mongolian). Roy Chapman Andrews, who some say was the model for Indiana Jones, discovered at the cliffs great amounts of not only intact dinosaur bones, but also the very first dinosaur eggs ever to be found. The Flaming Cliffs, so aptly named, are red in color and almost seem to glow in the rising or setting sun. As you wander through here, keep your eyes peeled for any geodes. Fossils here are still being discovered today. Nearby, there is a small stretch of sand dunes named “Moltsog Els.” When we arrive, we will ride Bactrian two-humped camels while we take in these golden dunes.

Activities: hiking and camel riding, up to 1 hour each.

After breakfast, we will head towards Khavtsgait, an area that contains bronze age petroglyphs. We will take a 40 minute walk to reach these ancient carvings (the walk is uphill and it is steep, so we will do another activity for those who are unable to walk uphill; those that do not want to do not have to). We can explore this area while the guide explains about bronze age life in the Gobi.

In the afternoon, we will visit a nomadic family. We will be welcomed into their home and learn about their lifestyle and what it means to be a modern nomad in this day and age. After the visit to the nomadic family we will drive to Dalanzadgad where we will stay at a hotel.

Activities: hiking and family visiting, up to 1 hour each.

After flying back to the capital, we will head straight to Terelj National Park. This area is known to be the southernmost point of the Taiga forest that extends into Siberia. We will spend the day hiking and driving around the park to absorb the beautiful landscape. This area has many unique rock formations, including the famous turtle rock whose name is derived from its uncanny resemblance to a huge turtle.

Activity: horse riding, up to 1 hour.

Today we will climb the 108 stone steps to reach the Ariyabal Buddhist temple, where Mongolian monks that practice Tibetan Buddhism gather to meditate and pray. Afterwards, for those that are comfortable with it, we can take short horse rides on good-natured horses around the park. In the afternoon, we will take an hour’s drive out to visit the 40-metre high stainless steel statue devoted to Chinggis Khaan (Genghis Khan in English) known as Tsonjin Boldog. This is the area where, it is said, Genghis Khan found a golden whip while searching for his kidnapped wife. The whip was a sign that he would conquer the world.

We will return to the city and prepare for the flight tomorrow.

Activities: hiking up to 1 hour, visiting the Chinggis monument up to 1 hour.

We’ll depart our hotel early in the morning to head back to Ulaanbaatar airport and fly to the western province of Bayan-Olgii. This region sits right on the border of Kazakhstan and many local people retain Kazakh customs.

Upon arrival we’ll head directly to our family’s home where we’ll get settled and have some free time to relax after a hectic few days.

We’ll reconvene for lunch before spending our afternoon meeting with our host family — and we mean the whole family! Ulgiis are famously hospitable, so expect a warm welcome. We’ll try local delicacies and learn about their way of life.

We’ll have an included dinner and a quiet evening.

Driving: 2-3 hours, including an hour to the airport.

Today is dedicated to learning the Kazakh way of life. After breakfast, we’ll have the chance to meet our host family’s magnificent golden eagles and enjoy a private eagle hunt demonstration.

Depending on how the group feels, we can also enjoy an optional hike through the mountainous landscape or even saddle up some horses — but only if you’re an experienced rider. You will be required to sign an additional waiver to complete this excursion.

Tonight we’ll dine with our hosts.

Activities: guests can hold the eagle on their arm for photos and observe a traditional eagle hunting demonstration; horse riding is possible if you would like.

In the morning we’ll drive from our host family to the Golden Eagle Festival (approximately a 1-hour drive). On arrival we’ll get acquainted with the area, then watch the festival opening, which features a parade, with locals wearing traditional Kazakh clothing and hunters on horseback bearing their majestic golden eagles. After some opening speeches (in Mongolian), the competitions will begin.

Together we’ll watch the games and learn about the eagle competitions. We’ll also get to see various tests of horsemanship as well as other contests. There will be plenty of opportunities to taste local delicacies, purchase local goods, and interact with the local people. We will have our own dining tent for lunches during the two days of festivities.

A second day of competition at the festival.

On the second afternoon of the festival, we’ll make an early side trip into the city to buy some unique Kazakh crafts sold by a woman who is a trail-blazer of female entrepreneurship in the area. This evening we’ll enjoy dinner in Bayan Ulgii before returning to our ger camp.

We drive straight to the Mongol Nomadic camp if the flight timing permits. If not, we drive to Ulaanbaatar and visit the Mongol Nomadic camp the next day.

At this camp there will be a presentation on the local (and ancient) life of Mongolian herders. This includes how Mongolians take down and transport gers, local music, how they make vodka, how they greet each other after long journeys, and many more activities.

Transfer to the airport for departure.