9 Days : Ulaanbaatar - Hustai National Park - Elsen Tasarhai Sand Dunes - Mt. Hugnu Khan - Orkhon Valley - Karakorum - Harhorin - Genghis Khan

Tour overview:

Explore Mongolia, the Land of the Blue Sky! Visit the vast Mongolian steppe, see wild horses, visit a nomadic family, sleep in gers, visit the towering Genghis Khan Statue, and more.

Day 1 - Arrive Ulaanbaatar

Arrive at Chinggis Khaan International Airport just outside Ulaanbaatar and travel into the heart of Mongolia's cosmopolitan capital. Settle into the five-star Novotel Ulaanbaatar, one of the nation’s top-rated hotels. (D)

Novotel Ulaanbaatar or similar

Day 2 - Ulaanbaatar

Join your tour leader on a walking tour of Mongolia’s capital. Explore the country’s history at the spectacular Chinggis Khaan National Museum, newly opened in 2022, and marvel at the splendid art and architecture of the Choijin Lama Temple Museum. (B,L,D)

Novotel Ulaanbaatar or similar

Day 3 - Wild Horses

Travel west on the vast Mongolian steppe and embark on an early morning expedition to Hustai National Park, the home of the world’s last wild horses. See Przewalski’s horses, formerly extinct from the wild, but reintroduced to Hustai in the 1990s through an international conservation effort. Also enjoy an optional horseback ride on one of Mongolia’s famed (domesticated) horses. Then, continue west to Hugnu-Tarna National Park, a dramatic mixture of steppe, mountains, and sand dunes. Spend the night at a picturesque ger camp in the shadow of the Elsen Tasarhai Sand Dunes. (B,L,D)

Burd Star Ger Camp or similar

Day 4 - Khans and Lamas

Experience life on the steppe with a visit to the ger of a family of nomadic herders who pasture their animals near sacred Mt. Hugnu Khan. After riding Bactrian camels with the family, venture further onto the steppe to explore the remote UNESCO World Heritage Orkhon Valley, the cradle of nomadic civilization. Reach Harhorin, the site of Karakorum, the 13th century capital of the Mongol Empire, and visit Mongolia’s oldest monastery, 16th century Erdene Zuu. Spend the first of two nights at a ger camp just outside of Harhorin. (B,L,D)

Secret of the Silk Road Resort or similar

Day 5 - Valley of History

Enjoy a final day in the Orkhon Valley, exploring the stunningly beautiful area south of Harhorin. Join your tour leader on a search for ancient graves and monuments marking millennia of nomadic life, enjoying herds of yaks and horses in pastures alive with demoiselle cranes and other bird life. (B,L,D)

Secret of the Silk Road Resort or similar

Day 6 - Steppe Traditions

Travel back east to the beautifully decorated Mongol Nomadic Cultural Heritage Center. The family that runs the resort delights in sharing nomadic traditions, such as games, food and music, with guests. Join them in a demonstration of steppe nomadic traditions, and settle into your ger for the night. (B,L,D)

Mongol Nomadic Cultural Heritage Center or similar

Day 7 - Ulaanbaatar.

Return to Ulaanbaatar. Attend a performance of folk music, dance and throat singing by the renowned Tumen Ekh Ensemble. (B,L,D)

Novotel Ulaanbaatar or similar

Day 8 - Genghis Khan

See how contemporary Mongolia is shaping its future with an eye toward the past. On a day trip to the steppe east of Ulaanbaatar, visit the towering 131-foot tall Genghis Khan Statue, built in 2006 for the 800th anniversary of the Mongol Empire. Enjoy a final city evening and farewell dinner. (B,L,D)

Novotel Ulaanbaatar or similar

Day 9 - International Departure

Return to the airport for your flight home. (B)