Journey to the Birthplace of Chinggis Khan

You will be met at the airport by your guide and drivers and transferred into Ulaanbaatar where you will check in to your centrally located hotel. After check-in, free at leisure and have a good rest to recover from the jet lag.

Leave Ulaanbaatar and drive to Khukh Nuur Lake where Temuujin spent his early years. The Lake is mentioned in The Secret History of the Mongols and is believed to be the place where Temujin was enthroned as a king of united tribes and was given a title Genghis Khan.

On the way we will visit the giant Genghis Khan statue at Tsonjin Bolog. Standing 40m tall and built on the site where the legendary conqueror found a golden whip symbolizing his divine leadership, the statue depicts the Mongolian ruler astride his horse and it is possible to climb up onto the horse’s head for a panoramic view of the surrounding landscape.

Khukh Nuur, also known as Blue Lake, is a place of natural peace and beauty surrounded by mountains that lies on the transition zone between the Siberian Taiga and the mountain steppes. There is a memorial complex here dedicated to the 840 year birth anniversary of Genghis Khan and, in a crescent-shaped area surrounding the monument, woodcrafts featuring the golden generations of the king, his queen, and his mother.

The isolated Baldanbereven Monastery occupies a very scenic place. It was once one of the largest monasteries in Mongolia with 20 temples, 4 religious institutes and around 5000 affiliated monks but, during the communist purge of the 1930s, the temples were destroyed and the monks were jailed and sent to labour camps in Siberia.

Now the main temple has been restored and it is once again a functioning place of worship. This is a wonderful place covering a large area and we will spend time here to soak up the tranquillity and connect with the special energy in the surrounding rocks and trees.

Today our journey will take us further east towards Binder Village.

There are several important archaeological sites on the way and we will visit Rashaan Khad which is one of the most famous rock art sites in Mongolia with drawings and inscriptions dating from the Palaeolithic period running through to the Middle Ages. This area also affords some amazing views of the surrounding countryside.

We will then continue to Uglugch Wall, a 3 km long dry stone wall dating back to the 8th century. Here there are numerous ancient graves and stone monuments in the surrounding area and it is believed that the wall marks the boundary of an ancient royal cemetery.

Another stop will be at the site of Binder’s deer stone which, in addition to the main stone, encloses 12 square burials, and two other smaller deer stones.

Drive to Deluun Boldog which is a beautiful area of lakes, rivers and forests in the territory of Dadal village, on the way crossing the Onon River via a hand-pulled car ferry. Most families in this tree-rich area live in log cabins rather than the gers found throughout most of Mongolia.

This is believed to be the birthplace of Temuujin and it was from here that he directed a military campaign to unite the feuding ethnic clans. Finally, in 1206, the Great Mongol Empire was established and Temuujiin was declared Chinggis (or Genghis) Khaan meaning “Great Khaan”.

Here we will find two monuments to the “Great Khaan”, one being a simple stone marker erected to commemorate the 750th anniversary of the writing of The Secret History of the Mongols, the other a more elaborate life-size engraving on a large white stone in the shape of a mountain erected in 1962 on the occasion of his 800th birthday.

There is little doubt that Deluun Boldog is one of the most significant historic sites in Mongolia.

Morning — slow start and local life introduction.

After a leisurely breakfast, we begin our day with a gentle drive through the wide open landscapes of Dadal soum, the birthplace region of Chinggis Khaan. This is a day designed for relaxation and cultural connection rather than long distances or intense activity.

We arrive at a welcoming local nomadic family’s home (ger), where we are warmly greeted in the traditional Mongolian way. Guests are invited inside to enjoy milk tea and homemade snacks while getting acquainted with the family and their way of life.

Today we have a long drive to Undurkhaan, the main town of Khentii province.

On the way we will visit the Mongol Queens Complex in Bayan-Adraga soum, a monument built to commemorate the Queens who have shaped Mongolian history.

If time allows, when we arrive in Undurkhaan we have the opportunity to visit a local ethnographical museum and a monument to the Great Khaan.

After breakfast head to Gun Galuut Nature Reserve.

This special place encompasses mountains, steppe, rivers, lakes and wetlands which provide a unique and varied habitat for some of the world’s most endangered species. White-naped Crane, Siberian White Crane, Hooded Crane, Black Vulture and Swan Goose are among the rare species found here and the list of birds continues with the Whooper Swan, Black Stork, Great White Egret, Bar-Headed Goose, Bearded Vulture and Eurasian Penduline. This truly is a bird-lovers paradise.

In the mountains you may spot Argali Mountain Sheep which have protected status here and other mammals include the gray wolf, the common fox, the lynx, the pallas’s cat, the marmot and the pika.

This is a fabulous place to relax after our long journey, taking in the wonderful scenery and perhaps enjoying a mini “safari” with one of the park’s rangers searching for some of the marvellous wildlife. If you want something a little more active horse riding, fishing, kayaking, cycling and archery are all available.

Maybe a bit early in the morning we will return to Ulaanbaatar to have time for some last minute souvenir shopping - cashmere, leather goods and traditional handicrafts are all good options and the guide will recommend the best places to go for these.

In the evening, we will attend a Mongolian cultural performance which is one of the most interesting and must-see things in Ulaanbaatar before retiring for our farewell dinner.

Transfer to the airport for departure.