Naadam Festival & Gobi 12 Days

Your guide and driver meet you at your accommodation and drive you to the Naadam Festival stadium. The national holiday, Naadam, is not only famous among Mongolians but it is also famous around the world. Many tourists, guests and journalists come to Mongolia to take part. The Naadam Festival starts with a ceremony transferring nine white banners from Government House to the Naadam Stadium, followed by a horse parade. Next, the magnificent opening ceremony starts at 11:10 AM, after the presidential speech at 11 AM. Traditional wrestling, archery and horse racing are main highlights. Moreover, you will see anklebone shooting and Naadam trade, starting from Naadam’s main dish, khuushuur, to traditional Mongolian beverage Airag, souvenirs, traditional clothes and much more.

In the morning, drive to the horse racing area, 30 km west of Ulaanbaatar. The horses race on the open steppes by age categories (there are 6 age categories): from two-year-old horses to full-grown stallions. The racing distance depends on the horses’ age. For example, two-year-old horses race 15 km, while full-grown horses race 30km across the steppe. Today, you can watch the 4 years old horse race or 2 years old horse race.

Start the tour to Baga Gazariin Chuluu, a zone of granite stone mountains; the highest peak is 1700 m above sea level. It holds historical remains, such as the ruin of a monastery, ancient tomb, and rock inscriptions. Challenge your imagination by seeing the unique features of the granite formations in Baga Gazariin Chuluu, discover the old monastery ruin and enjoy the emptiness and calmness of the Gobi Desert.

Tsagaan Suvarga means “White Stupa.” It is one of the most famous highlights in the Gobi Desert. Tsagaan Suvarga is a spectacular natural formation of colorful, massive mud cliffs that look like stupas. Hiking through the cliffs offers the chance to take amazing photographs.

The Gobi Gurban Saikhan means “Three beautiful mountains in the Gobi.” The Gobi Gurban Saikhan Mountain is a beautiful national park, rich in wildlife and scenic places. Among them, Yoliin Am/Eagle Valley is accessible by car. After our vehicle brings us to a designated parking area, we will walk through the gorgeous valley into the depths of a sheer rock canyon, which accepts no sunlight. Therefore, it has ice until the end of June. The hiking continues for 2.5 to 3 hours into the valley and back to the vehicle. Bearded eagles, elusive wild sheep and ibexes are indigenous to the valley.

Our journey will continue to Khongor, the tallest dunes. After reaching the dunes, we will go hiking along the green river shore, climb dunes, visit a nomad family, and ride a two-humped camel. If you can climb one of the tallest dunes, don’t forget to scatter the sand northwards, against the wind, to find out why locals call the dunes “Singing Sand.” The views are fantastic from the top of the dunes.

Tour to the Flaming Cliffs, an area of red cliffs formed through the erosion of sand and rock over many thousands of years. It is also a site of several successful dinosaur excavations. Among them, a discovery that dinosaurs lay eggs was made consequent upon finding a dinosaur nest; this made the area the world-renowned. Arrive at the ger camp by lunchtime. Free afternoon to relax and hide from the afternoon sun. You will spend the evening exploring the cliffs in search of dinosaur fossils and taking photographs of the cliffs in the evening sun.

First we visit the Gobi tree grove Bayanzag, which means “rich in saxaul trees.” This tree only grows in the Central Asian Gobi. Next, drive through slate mountains and on a further 80 km, across the Ongi steppe heading to Ongi, one of the biggest seven monasteries in Mongolia. There were two separate monasteries consisting of more than 30 temples on the shores of the Ongi River surrounded by the Gobi Desert mountains; however, the temples were destroyed during the socialist purge of the 1930s. Now the ruins of the monasteries cover an expanse area. Visit a new active temple and a ger museum, explore the monastery ruins and climb a nearby mountain to have panoramic views of the surrounding areas.

This day’s tour takes place in the transition zone from the Gobi desert to the mountain steppes. Kharkhorin, formerly known as Karakorum, was the capital of Chinggis Khaan’s Great Mongol Empire in the 13th century. After the move of the Mongolian capital to Beijing and the fall of the Empire, Karakorum was abandoned and then destroyed by Min soldiers in 1388. Today, in the vast valley of the Orkhon River, the awe-inspiring ancient monastery Erdenezuu coexists with Kharkhorin town. See some valuable religious artifacts in the monastery museum, view its stunning architecture, and visit the Kharakhorum Museum display remnants of the ancient city.

Today is our last day to be spent in the beautiful countryside of Mongolia. Leave the ger camp early. On our way to Ulaanbaatar, we will visit a horse-herding nomad family and ride horses. Arrive in Ulaanbaatar, and transfer to the hotel.

The driver transfers you to the airport/railway station.