Essence Of Mongolia Tour 3 Days
About this tour
An activity-packed journey into Central Mongolia, an area of diverse landscapes and the nomadic heartland of the country. See the Khogno Khaan Mountain, the dunes at Elsen Tasarkhai before venturing to the Hustai National park for the wild takhi horses and a plethora of wildlife. This condensed trip is a great introduction to the rich diversity of Mongolia’s culture and landscapes, with authentic homestays in guest gers next to local nomadic families. Spend time with your hosts and also use these fabulous wilderness locations as a base to explore the surrounding area on foot, by horse, and by vehicle. You will experience a range of cultural traditions – music, cookery, ankle-bone games, archery, felt-making, ger building may all feature at some stage along your way.
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1: Ulaanbaatar to Gurvanbulag, Mongolia
After meeting your guide at 09:00 am in your hotel or another Ulaanbaatar location of your choice board the vehicle for a morning visit at the Gandan Monastery in the western part of the city. Take the guided tour of the temples and see the monks chanting. Then head west to the northern part of Gobi onto Gurvanbulag, where you will be staying at a guest ger alongside a nomadic family. The drive is mostly on a paved road and should take 4 hours (280km). On arrival, enter the family ger and experience nomadic hospitality – sample milk tea, homemade yogurts, and curds, learning about the nomadic way of life and your hosts’ traditions. In the afternoon, if you are up for it, ride a horse to the nearby sand dunes – or you can walk if you prefer. The distance is not long, just 3km each way. In the evening enjoy a traditional nomadic meal of Buuz (steamed dumplings) or khorkhog (mutton seared with hot stones) – you can also help with cooking if you want. Overnight stay at a guest ger next to a nomadic family. Lunch and dinner are included.
Day 2: Gurvanbulag, Mongolia to Elsen Tasarkhai, Mongolia
After a home-cooked breakfast, we will say goodbye to your hosts and drive for 1.5 hours (55km) to Khogno Khaan nature reserve – the site of the Uvguun temple complex. Khogno Khan is an area where taiga meets rolling steppes and north Gobi’s dunes. Hike a short distance to the Ungun temples which were built in the 17th century by Zanabazar but destroyed in the 1930s during communist purges. After coming down to the vehicle drive 25km to the Elsen Tasarkhai dunes, where you will stay next to a family of camel herders. Settle into your ger and once your camels are ready, mount up for a 1-hour ride into the dunes, taking time for photographs from the camelback. In the evening return to your hosts and enjoy a home-cooked dinner, socializing in the evening over fermented mare’s milk with the family. Overnight stay at a guest ger next to the family of camel herders. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are included.
Day 3: Elsen Tasarkhai, Mongolia to Ulaanbaatar
After a leisurely breakfast board the vehicle for the journey back east to Hustai. On arrival visit the park’s information center where you will learn about the plethora of wildlife roaming the National Park. Have lunch in a local ger camp located at the park’s entrance, then venture into the park to see the wild Takhi horses. Your guide will be in contact with the park rangers who will relay the animals' location – so you have high chances of seeing them close. You can also venture deeper into the park on foot if you wish, perhaps to track wild deer or foxes – Hustai offers wonderful wilderness hiking opportunities. In the late afternoon return to the vehicle and drive back for two hours (110km) to Ulaanbaatar, where you will be dropped at a location of your choice. Breakfast and lunch are included.
What's included
1. At Tour Mongolia, we believe that a good guide is essential to the enjoyment of any trip. Your guide will be English speaking and handpicked by us to suit your itinerary and requirements. Each guide is personally briefed on all elements of the trip. You will be sent guide details in the confirmation document prior to your tour. 2. On the dust of the desert and mud of the steppe, the Japanese off-road MPV provides comfort and safety for your trip. These 4x4 vehicles are specifically tuned for the rough off-roading that's inevitable when traveling in the wilds of Mongolia. They provide ample space, air conditioning and are well maintained while offering ample luggage space, seat belts, and speed. All vehicles used in our tours are insured and carefully prepared before departures. Our drivers are also good mechanics and have many years of experience for driving on the unmarked, unpaved roads in the countryside. 3. During your journey, you will be staying at authentic guest gers alongside nomadic families in the countryside. Gers are equipped with beds, linen, stove, table, and chairs and have electric lighting. Showers and bathrooms are usually not available - homestay facilities are naturally basic. 4. Please let us know your dietary requirements at the time of booking. Food choices tend to be limited in the Mongolian countryside, but we are usually able to provide vegetarian, vegan, dairy, or gluten-free food. However, religious dietary requirements and exotic foods are often impossible to source, particularly on trips to more remote areas of the country. Meals included in your trip are indicated B (Breakfast), L (Lunch), D (Dinner) under each day of the itinerary. On most days, all meals are included. Generally, water quality in Mongolia is good. But as a precaution, we advise our guests to drink bottled water that can be purchased in shops, food markets, and kiosks in the capital and many of the provincial centers as well as in tourist Ger camps in the countryside. Mineral water is usually not included in our trips as we aim to produce as little plastic waste as possible, but we do provide plenty of warm drinks such as tea and coffee.
What to know
We always suggest to our clients to bring their own sleeping bags. Also small gifts to the locals "if possible".
Route & locations
Ulaanbaatar to Gurvanbulag, Mongolia