Epic Gobi Desert & Naadam Festival Classic 8 days tour

Welcome to Ulaanbaatar, the capital city of Mongolia. Our professional guide will meet you at the Arrival Hall of the airport, carrying a board with your name. Afterward, you will be escorted to the hotel.

Accommodation: Hotel 3*. 
Meals: not included this day

This morning, you will enjoy breakfast at the hotel and your private guide and driver will pick you up at 9 am and City tour starts with visiting the largest glorious Gandan monastery Mongolia’s largest functioning Buddhist monastery. While visiting the adjoining Megjid Janraisig Temples, you will see the 26-meter-high majestic gilded statue of Migjid Janraisig. This day you will also visit Museum of Mongolian National History – It provides an excellent overview of history and culture of Mongols from prehistory to contemporary era. Continue to visit Sukhbaatar square which lies at the heart of the city. The Mongolian Parliament Building stands in the north of the square, displaying an astonishing sight of Genghis Khaan and his warriors’ sculptures. At Sukhbaatar Square, attend Deeltei Mongol Festival and take beautiful photos there. 
      In the afternoon, we will explore the city and visit Zaisan Memorial Hill is located in the south side of Ulaanbaatar City, right beside Bogd Khan Mountain having the best view of the city and surrounding hills. The evening is dedicated to visiting the Folklore show. It’s a great chance to hear Khöömii (throat singing) and see some fabulous costumes.

Accommodation: Hotel 3*. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

Today, the opening ceremony of the Naadam Festival takes place at the central stadium. It’s Mongolia’s most important festival and biggest national holiday, which allows travelers to observe and experience authentic Mongolian culture.

The Festival includes 3 manly games: horse racing, Mongolian-style wrestling, and archery.

• At 8 am picked up from the hotel lobby, join in Naadam group and visit central Naadam stadium.

• First, your guide leads you to the stadium of an ankle-bone shooting competition.

• Then, you can enjoy an archery competition outside of the stadium, before the opening ceremony starts.

• At 11 am The Opening Ceremony starts once “Nine White Banners” are carried by the honored guard from Government Palace to be settled in the middle of Stadium

• Once finish the opening ceremony, we will watch the beginning of 1st part of Mongolian national wrestling. In the usual 512 wrestler tournament, there will be nine elimination rounds of wrestling over two days.

• Then take short drive to see the horse racing at Hui Doloon Hudag.

Accommodation: Hotel 3*, and Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

In the early morning, you will be transferred to the city airport for the morning flight to Gobi Desert (~1.5 hours). Upon arrival, your local tour guide and driver greet you with your name signboard and depart to the Bayanzag which means ‘rich in saxaul shrubs’, which was once an ancient sea bed. This amazing place is more commonly known as ‘Flaming Cliffs’ and a place where a lot of Paleontological findings have been discovered. American paleontologists led by Roy Chapman Andrew’s findings here proved to the world that dinosaurs laid eggs.
      We will explore the significant areas, including the saxaul trees, and wander on the red hillocks. Dinner and overnight at Tourist Ger camp near to the Bayanzag. There is a good chance to gaze at the billions of stars in the evening.

Accommodation: Tourist camp. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Total distance: 110km ~3hrs.

Today, our excursion to the extraordinary Khongor sand dune will start at 8 am. We will arrive at the tourist camp around lunchtime. Then it’s time for relaxing at cozy Ger camp until Gobi's hot temperature decreases.
     In the late afternoon, we will visit the local camel herder family in their Ger, and explore their unique lifestyle and culture. Then ride a camel where is the perfect place for camel riding. Mongolia is home to 2/3 of the two-humped Bactrian camels in the world. The next excursion is to a beautiful green oasis of Seruun Bulag near the Khongor River and sand dunes. Then, climb up to the highest point of sand dunes called Singing Dune. Dinner and overnight at the tourist camp.

Accommodation: Tourist camp. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.
Total distance: 180km, driving for ~4.5hrs.

After relaxing breakfast, depart to the mountain valley named “Yol Valley”- shows unusual scenery where you will do pleasant hiking to reach the end of the gorge with thick ice layers throughout the year. Surrounding mountains are home to eagles, elusive wild sheep and ibexes, and many birds of prey, as well as numerous small rodents. Before dinner, we will reach Dalanzadgad town and overnight in a good local hotel there.

Accommodation: Tourist camp. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.

Early this morning, transfer to the local airport for a morning flight to Ulaanbaatar.   Upon arrival, we will head to  Terelj National Park. This is the nearest and the most breathtaking sightseeing from the capital Ulaanbaatar and the landscape is impressive with the magnificent rocky mountainous scene and a lucid river and green groves. Your private guide and driver will lead you first to “Genghis Khan Statue Complex” which is currently the biggest (40m high) equestrian statue in the world. You can go inside and enjoy museums, souvenir shops and restaurants.       
      Afterward, we will explore the national park and see Turtle Rock – the symbol of the National Park. You can take a photo of the rock and climb on the rock if you want, Also, visit the Ariyabal meditation temple - Once you reach the temple and stand on the top of the hill, you will be amused by the whole park view. Later in the evening return to Ulaanbaatar and transfer to your hotel.

Accommodation: Tourist camp. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch  and Dinner
Total distance: 140km ~3.5hrs.

As your memorable trip comes to end, then you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to your next destination or home.

Meal: Breakfast