Mongolia Expedition

Day 01: Ulaanbaatar

Welcome to Mongolia! Upon arrival, meet and greet your local guide before being privately transferred to the hotel for check-in and an overnight stay. Then, in the afternoon, discover the hidden gems Ulaanbaatar has for you. Visit the city's Parliament Building, State Opera and Ballet Theatre, Cultural Palace, and House of City Council, all of which are located around Genghis Khan Square. After that, visit the National Museum of Mongolian History, which features Mongolian history from pre-historic times to the present, and the Gandan Monastery, the largest functioning Buddhist monastery in Mongolia.

Day 02: Ulaanbaatar - Kharkhorin

Through scenic landscapes of steppe, river valleys, and rolling hills, take a drive going westward to Kharkhorin, the ancient capital of the Great Mongolian Empire. The city founded in the valley of the Orkhon River in 1220 was the capital city of the Great Mongolian Empire until Kublai Khan, grandson of Genghis Khan, moved the capital to Beijing during the Yuan Dynasty. Located not far from here on the site of the ancient city of Kharkhorin, take a stop at the Erdenezuu Monastery, which was established in 1586 and is the oldest Buddhist monastery in Mongolia. Then, take in the wonderful Buddhist iconography in authentic Mongolian and Tibetan styles, as well as an exceptional collection of Buddhist paintings and unique costumes for sacred dances, on display in the monastery's beautiful exhibitions. After there, continue on to Urguu Ger Camp, where you'll spend the night, check-in, and have lunch and supper.

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Day 03: Kharkhorin - Middle Gobi (Ongi Monastery)

After breakfast, prepare for a drive from Kharkhorin and continue south to the Ongi Monastery, located in Saihan-Ovoo in the Middle Gobi. En route, enjoy a traditional Mongolian BBQ lunch with a nomadic family before visiting the ruins of the Ongi Monastery, which was founded in 1660 and consisted of two temple complexes on the north and south banks of the River Ongi. At its peak, Ongi Monastery was home to nearly a thousand monks and thirty temples, as well as four huge Buddhist institutions. Then, head to Ongiin Nuuts Ger Camp for supper and a night's rest. After that, proceed to Ongiin Nuuts Ger Camp for dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 04: Gobi Desert (Bayanzag)

Today, explore the Bayanzag Cliffs in the Gobi Desert. When you arrive at the ancient red rock creation, feast your eyes and senses on its striking red cliffs, which are surrounded by Saxaul tree forests and contain vast amounts of dinosaur fossils, eggs, and bones. Then, trek around the surrounding areas before proceeding to Goviin Naran Ger Camp for an overnight stay.

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Day 05: Gobi Desert (Gobi Gurvan Saikhan)

Begin the day exploring the majestic Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park, the largest national park in Mongolia, stretching 380 km from east to west and 80 km from north to south. And for another extraordinary experience, visit the incredible Yol Valley, an unusually narrow canyon of a river flowing through the Zuun Saikhan Mountains, where you can admire the scenery of a frozen river in the middle of the hot desert Gobi. Then, visit the local flora and fauna museum and enjoy a picnic lunch in this beautiful setting before returning to the Goviin Naran Ger Camp to cap off the day.

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Day 06: Middle Gobi (Baga Gazriin Chuluu)

After breakfast, continue north into Middle Gobi Province, traveling across the province's unending green grassland and taking in the scenery. En route, meet the nomads on the steppe with their hordes of sheep, cattle, or horses and enjoy a picnic lunch. Then, in the afternoon, reach Erdene Ukhaa Ger Camp at Baga Gazriin Chuluu, where you will stay for the night.

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Day 07: Middle Gobi - Ulaanbaatar

Today, take a scenic drive to the north through the Baga Garziin Chuluu Basalt and Granite Mountains. Upon arrival, check-in at your hotel. In the afternoon, there is an optional guided shopping visit to cashmere and antique shops and to the Central Department Store that you can partake in. Then at night, enjoy a farewell dinner at Restaurant "Modern Nomads" with traditional Mongolian cuisine.

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Day 08:  Ulaanbaatar

Today marks the end of your wonderful experience in Mongolia. After breakfast, prepare for your transport to the airport for your flight back to Manila.