From Jurassic period to Ice age’s well-preserved places. Every day is different fascinating wild nature. This tour is the most remote and unknown places. Most of the destinations are protected natural reserves.
Tour starts from Ulaanbaatar. We will drive through the southern part of Mongolia; Gobi desert to western part Altai Mountain range. We will drive 3450 km, mostly by off-road by Russian van. You will fly from the western end of Mongolia - Ulgii town (Altai range) to Ulaanbaatar. Mostly we will cook outside and 10 days stay in tent, 10 days in camp, hotel and guest house. We will carry enough petrol, food and water.
Destinations are remote and unpopular. In the far-south Gobi, nearby 200 km there are no cities, no people and no petrol station. The edge of the planet Hermen Tsav, Nemegt valley is Gobi’s hidden treasure. On the way to Altai, we will visit the great treasure of human civilization history. Those are Bichigt valley petroglyphs and the home of primitive people - White cave, Hoid - Tsenher cave.
Wild, the beauty of nature continues in Gobi Altai province. The Eej khairhan uul, Red clay and hot springs in Hasagt mountain are the most unpopular destinations for even locals. Because they are very remote and infrastructure is undeveloped.
The last 5 days are in the biodiversity of nature Altai mountains; lakes are breathtaking. Apart from the discovery, the tour includes activities. As 2 days horse-back riding, camel trek through a sand dune, visiting ethnics of nomad families and see eagle hunting. We will see wild animals; deer, gazelle, ibex, birds and raptors. In the Gobi desert, the road dust is very loose. So a car can be stuck into dust. This tour requires quite experienced, countryside road well-known driver and guide. And enough reserve of petrol, liquid and food. Russian van - Purgon is the most reliable car in this off-road trip. You should bring something for a long drive on a bumpy road.
Day 1 Wander around rocky mountain range – Baga gazriin chuluu
Morning driver and guide will pick you up from your accommodation and drive to Middle Gobi. Around lunchtime, we will arrive in camp. In stony mountains, we will visit a cave and ruined temple in the tiny valley. Evening, a free activity you can hike through vast lush steppe or relax in camp. (Middle Gobi province)
Day 2 Hike in the valley of Vulture Gorge- Yliin am
In the morning we will drive to Vulture gorge. We will have lunch in a local restaurant in the capital of South Gobi. When we arrive in Vulture Gorge, we will visit the Gobi - natural museum. Hike through beautiful meadow valley, stream and gorge. The birded vulture on the huge rocks, pikas on the green land will entertain you through hiking. Gorge is narrow as just 3 or 4 people go through at some time. Relax in Ger camp. (South Gobi province)
Day 3 Camel trek, climb up to Hongor sand
We will drive morning hours along with sand dune and Three Beauty Mountain range by off-road. After lunch in camp, we will visit camel herder nomad family. You will ride a camel through the bottom of the sand dunes. Afternoon or evening, when the bright sun gets down, we will climb to sand dune. The top of the dune is over 200 meters high and steep. Sand is loose. Your foot will stick to it. It requires a little bit of effort. After challenging yourself in hot day climb up to dune, you will see brilliant sightseeing. Sand dunes and rocky mountain stay simultaneously in the endless lush steppe. (South Gobi province)
Day 4 Nemegt Valley
We will drive to Nemegt valley for 200 km. There is no families, no village and no petrol station nearby 100 km. Only wild animals as fox, gazelle, ibex etc. will appear. We will cook in the middle of nowhere. Nemegt valley has lots of barren canyons and rifts, small vegetation. It seems like a dead sea. You will see the fog of dust, not humid fog. From this place, big carnivorous dinosaur skeletons were found entirely in the mid-XXth century. It was one of the homeland of a dinosaur. South Gobi is preserved for millions of years fresh and wild. Local people name this place as a grave of dragons. We will hike and wander around. And cook picnic lunch and dinner, sleepover in tent. (South Gobi province)
Day 5, 6 Hermen tsav Canyons
Morning, pack our tents and luggage to the car. Drive to Hermen tsav - southern west end of Mongolia. Dust road disappears easily in a ceaseless storm. Dust in the Gobi is loose. So seldom car might stick in the dust. While the cooker is cooking lunch in Zulganai oasis, you can hike through Gobi green oasis and enjoy the river.
Hermen tsav is 100 – 200 m high canyons. Those are eroded in hundred millions of years wind and water. It covers 250 km squire terrain and locates 1000 m above sea level. Surrounding 70 - 80 km radius there is no family and no domesticated animals. This place seems like lifeless. Palaeontologists are still working here. They found an impressive array of fossil bones. Here we will stay 2 days to explore 10 km long canyons, oasis, dinosaur's fossils. It certainly requires a longer time. You will feel the remoteness of the world. Picnic foods, stay over in tent. (South Gobi province)
Day 7 Bichigt Valley petroglyphs; Huge natural art gallery
Today we will drive to Bayanhongor province’s volcanic mountain range. It looks like a black shiny, huge dump of coal. Stacks of black rock walls of narrow Bichigt valley are covered in amazingly well-preserved petroglyphs from the Bronze Age some 3000 years ago. Petroglyphs are painted from 3000 B.C to 8th-century A.C by talented primitive artists. This rock painting belongs to the biggest ancient art gallery in Asia, the second biggest in the world. Scratched into the rocks' oxidised black surfaces are sun symbols, depictions of men and women, hunters, deer, wolves, gazelles, ibexes, scorpions and even wheeled carts. Exploring them requires time and liquid intake. Stay over in tent. (Bayanhongor province)
Day 8 White cave - 750000 years ago primitive people's home
Morning, continue to search images of ancient people's life. After lunch, we will drive to the next destination - White cave in Ih Bogd mountain. It is wind blasted surface of a pale-coloured rock. Walking up a gorge there is 5 m wide cave entrance. Cave has 3 chambers. Total long is 38 meters. First chamber's ceiling towered 10 meters to a small opening to the sky. The cave's dusty walls are covered in pink crystals. In hot Gobi, this cave is a nice place to get cool. From this cave, the oldest Paleolithic or Early Stone Ages (7500000 years ago) findings are founded. Researchers recently found more than 800 stone artefacts. Those are in Mongolian national history museum in Ulaanbaatar. Back then, 7500000 years ago, the climate was considerably wetter, and the environment is teeming with primitive people and wild animals. This cave was the home of primitive. Stay over in tent. (Bayanhongor province; Gobi-Altai mountain range)
Day 9 Bayan-Undur village
Our next Gobi-explore destination is "Eej Uul" meaning of the Mother mountain. To reach this beauty of Gobi, we have to stay in trans-village due to long drive. Sleepover in Bayan - Undur village in tent. (Bayanhongor province)
Day 10, 11 Discover "Eej Uul" means Mother mountain
Drive to solitary granite stone mountain - Eej Uul. Here we will stay for 2 days. One day is not enough to explore this magnificent natural creation. Relax, swim, nap in the natural pools. Explore the strange, different shapes of rock formations. Visit the monk's cave who lived there entire life.
The Mother mountain locates Gobi Altai province Mongolian western Gobi. It stretches south of the Altai mountain range. Because of its remote, it is an unknown place even for locals. The highest point is 2274 m sea level, acquires 22475 hectares land. Around 100 species of plants grow in the surrounding area. It is a micro ecological environment. Ibex, Argali- wild sheep, lynx, lizard and also lot of rare birds live here. The most attractive thing is nine-round waterfall pools in rock plain. The local people name it Nine pots. Each situated like 40–50 cm stepping stones down the slope. First to third pools diameter is 1-3 meters, forth to eighth pools are 5-6 meters. Those are 2-8 meter deep. You can swim in hot weather and lie on the bank. The next mysterious thing is shapes of rock formations. Such as lizard shaped rock, hugging couple' shape, head of a pig, sea turtle, chairs of theatre, uvula, womb and even penis shape. You can explore others and name the shapes through hiking. The entire mountain looks like a lying woman from far, so it is named as a Mother mountain. We will visit the cave, which is 24 m squire big. There was a Buddhist monk who lived in a cave here about one hundred years ago. Thus led to this mountain becoming a popular pilgrimage destination. Stay over in tent. (Gobi-Altai province; Isolated rock-mountain)
Day 12 Red clay mountain – Ulaan Yvir
The morning we will drive to Biger village. Hike through 700-800 m long red clay in the slope of a mountain. Again, it is a different brilliant natural creature. Stay over in tent. (Gobi-Altai province; Gobi-Altai mountain range)
Day 13 Relax in natural hot spring in Hasagt Khairhan Mountain
Next destination is Hasagt mountain. One of the natural beauty of Gobi-Altai province. This mountain has four different characters of nature. It starts with sand as the Gobi. And continue with steppe terrain at 2200-3000 meter high from sea level. There is a green forest, different types of grasses, rare flowers and medical plants, rivers, rock cliffs. Above 3000-3500 meter, it is a cold rocky peak. It is a natural reserve, protected area with wild animals and, rare medical plants. It is rich with deer, ibex, wild sheep, lynx, wolf and birds. We will stay in a spring treatment camp. (Gobi-Altai province, Gobi Altai mountain range)
Day 14 Northern Tsenkher cave – rock painting art in a cave
Morning, nearly after 8-hour drive by paved road we will arrive in Northern Tsenkher cave. The cave is registered on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List in 1996. Two remarkable caves about 20 meters (66 feet) deep which were inhabited by humans between 40000 and 12000 years ago during the Paleolithic Era. The walls of the entrance cave are covered in numerous Stone Age rock paintings, drawn in deep ochre or brown paint against the yellow and white walls. Paintings of animals still prevalent today such as cattle, ibex, camel and gazelles and are now extinct mammoth, buffalo and ostrich. Others depict birds, snakes and trees. Nearby nature slope of a small mountain along the banks of a small river is gorgeous picturesque. Sleepover in camp. (Hovd province; Altai mountain range)
Day 15 Bayan-Ulgii town – Kazakh tribe
We will drive to Ulgii the town, where lives Kazakh tribe. Those are Muslim religious people. Who has a slight Caucasian look rather than being overtly Asian. The men wear moustaches and skullcaps. Women wear long dresses and cover their heads in colorful scarves. They speak the Kazakh language, in city signage is in both Cyrillic and Arabic. Homes in residential areas are made of mud and twigs with a flat roof. Ulgii has a lot of bazaars, a mosque and madrasah, or Islamic school. Outside the town, Kazakhs also live in Mongolian Ger. Their cuisine is different from the smell of flat oven-baked bread and shashlyk or kebabs. Here we will stay in a hotel. Visit Bayan-Ulgii province is not only an opportunity to see the most magnificent mountain scenery Mongol Altai Range. But to know the Kazakh lifestyle which, in many ways, is more traditional than in their "native" country. Most Kazakhs here continue their centuries-old nomadic lifestyle herding domestic animals like sheep, goat, horses, yaks and eagle. As elsewhere in Mongolia, they move a year seasonally, returning to solid winter quarters on southern facing slopes. Their hospitality is equally legendary. Stay over in the local Hotel. (Bayan-Ulgii province; Altai Moun)
Day 16: Altai Tavan Bogd; visit Tuva ethnic nomad family
After breakfast, we will drive to Altai Tavan Bogd National Park (170 km). The homeland of eagle hunter nomad families. On the way, we will drive through the white river. The river flows from 100 m deep Ice Ages’s glacier. On the way, we will see the man stone, cemetery of Kazakh tribe, Kazakh tribe’s winter and summer places. This part is different than Mongolian another part. Of there are plenty of wild animals and legend of yaks, camel, horse and sheep. There are pristine lakes and rivers, glacier parks, snow-capped peaks, and green mountain forests. Today we will visit Tuva ethnic family. Evening discovers the rock paintings. Stay in Ger or tent.
Day 17: Potanin’s Glasier – horse trek
Morning, we will enjoy an exhilarating horseback ride trip through untamed wilderness and panoramic scenery. The horseback riding enthusiast will experience an unforgettable excursion through timbered ridges and mountain meadows. We offer horse pack trip suited for all ages and abilities with rides varying in length. Horse pack trips make you more closely with nature. In the evening, we will come back to our base camp and overnight in Ger.
Day 18: Khurgan Lakes - Eagle hunter nomadic family
After breakfast time, we will drive to Khoton & Khurgan Lakes (210 km). Located over 2000 above sea level, both lakes are connected to each other by 3 km long Sirgaal Channel. Nature is very picturesque, snowcapped mountains with coniferous forest and pristine clear streams gers of Kazakh people and pasturing yaks. There are about 20 islands in the lakes which are the home of species of rare birds: whooper swan, goose, eagle, hooded crane and various species of ducks. Stay with Eagle Hunter nomad family. They will great us with full of hospitality. You will try their food, and let the guide explain the culture. The family will enjoy having a conversation with a foreign visitor. Take a picture with an eagle.
Day 19: Hike to Waterfall
The morning we will hike to the waterfall. The waterfall locates on the Chinese border. The nature of the waterfall is gorgeous. Full of a forest, high rocky mountains and lot of nomad families.
Day 20: Ulgii province
Drive to Ulgii province and stay in Hotel in Ulgii.
Day 21: Fly to Ulaanbaatar
Early in the morning guide and driver will transfer you from your hotel to Ulgii airport. Fly back to Ulaanbaatar. From Ulaanbaatar airport, our driver will pick you up and transfer you to your accommodation.
Participants |
Price Per Person |
Included | Not included |
Start date | End date | Available | Status | Price | |
05/05/2020 | 06/16/2020 | 10 | Confirmed | 990$ | |
05/05/2020 | 06/16/2020 | 10 | Confirmed | 990$ |
For your journey in Mongolia, it is possible joining a fixed departure tour with a group, which has the advantage of providing a friendly atmosphere and to let you benefit from the best price. Our groups are composed of an average of 3 to 10 participants.
Our departures are confirmed without any additional fees to the price of 990 Euros from a minimum of 3 participants. If you are only 2 participants registered for this particular departure however, we can still organize the tour for you against an added fee of 300 Euros per person.
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Day 1 Wander around rocky mountain range – Baga gazriin chuluu
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Day 2 Hike in the valley of Vulture Gorge- Yliin am
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Day 3 Camel trek, climb up to Hongor sand
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Day 4 Nemegt Valley
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Day 5, 6 Hermen tsav Canyons
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Day 7 Bichigt Valley petroglyphs; Huge natural art gallery
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Day 8 White cave - 750000 years ago primitive people's home
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Day 9 Bayan-Undur village
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Day 10, 11 Discover "Eej Uul" means Mother mountain
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Day 12 Red clay mountain – Ulaan Yvir
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Day 13 Relax in natural hot spring in Hasagt Khairhan Mountain
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Day 14 Northern Tsenkher cave – rock painting art in a cave
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Day 15 Bayan-Ulgii town – Kazakh tribe
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Day 16: Altai Tavan Bogd; visit Tuva ethnic nomad family
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Day 17: Potanin’s Glasier – horse trek
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Day 18: Khurgan Lakes - Eagle hunter nomadic family
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Day 19: Hike to Waterfall
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Day 20: Ulgii province
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Day 21: Fly to Ulaanbaatar
Total distance: 3450km