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Day 1 : Ulan-Bator
Reception at the airport by our team. Transfer to the hotel. We go after lunch to explore Ulaanbaatar, an amazing city. This Soviet-style city still marked by its history is very much alive today. At the crossroads of Eastern and Western influences, it seems in transition between communist and capitalist economy, nomadic and sedentary lifestyle.
Visits of National Museum of History and of Gandan Monastery, the largest religious center of Mongolia, will provide a clear historical and cultural basis for exploring the country. Evening at the national academy for a traditional songs and dances performance.
Night: in hotel, lunch at restaurant
Day 2 : Ulan-Bator - Zorgol Khairkhan - Baga Gazariin Chuluu
Early morning we leave the bustle of the capital to start our adventure in 4x4 in direction of the Gobi desert. Soon, we taste the pleasures of the track which replace the asphalted road! We drive to south through the vast steppes, and we discover amazed our first images of Mongolia: herds of wild horses galloping along the track, smoking yurt isolated at the bottom of an irrigated valley ...We picnic on the foothills of sacred mountain Zorgol Khairkhan: Rocky Mountain in the form of a lying fawn.
A short drive in the afternoon between the semi-desert steppes leads us to the site of Baga Gazariin Chuluu: plain covered with ocher-colored granites eroded by the natural elements. During a walk through the strange rocky formations, we enter the gorge of Sudut endowed with trees of Trembles.
Night: in yurt of host family, 4-6 h of drive, 2-3 h of hike
Day 3 : Baga Gazariin Chuluu - Tsagaan Suvarga
A long day's drive in the heart of a barren landscape now allows us to reach the cliffs of Tsagaan Suvarga (White stupas). These cliffs 30 meters of height, shaped as stupas, marked by erosion, carried a few million years ago an ocean. This is one of the natural secrets that Gobi Desert preserves for us.
Night: in tourist camp, 5-7 h of drive, 1-2 h of hike
Day 4 : Tsagaan Suvarga - Zuun Saikhan
Early morning we will jump in time to discover the petroglypes of Khushuut, a real open-air museum. Then we enter the Gobi-Gurvan Saikhan National Park "Gobi and Three beautiful" referring to the three highest peaks of the Gobi-Altai mountain range, by the massif Zuun Saikhan: "Beautiful oriental." We are in the country's largest park so characteristic by its desert flora and fauna: saxoauls, ibex, black-tailed gazelles, wild camels, etc.
Night: in yurt of host family, 4-6 h of drive, 1-2 h of hike
Day 5 : Zuun Saikhan - Yoliin Am - Khongoriin Els
We start a morning walk along a stream joining the gorge of Yolin Am. Possibility to do it on a horseback. This is so closed that the sunlight reaches it only a few hours during the day, keeping a layer of ice covering it all year long. On the road between dry steppes and mountains, we discover the Khongor Els sand dune, the longest in the country extending over 180 km height and 20km width. This huge dune welcome to its feet, a stream forming a green oasis. It is by the swaying rhythm of the camels, that we discover this surreal scene, combining lush plains and dunes in the north. The sunset that awaits us at the end of the day promises to be magical.
Night: in yurt of host family, 4-6 h of drive, 1-2 h of hike, 1-2 h of camel
Day 6 : Khongoriin Els - Bayanzag - Ongiin Khiid
We begin our ascent towards the great massif of the Khangai. Several interesting steps enliven our way. To start, it is the famous cliff Bayanzag "Flaming Cliffs" which was a real Jurassic sanctuary that deserves our stop. It was here in 1922 that were discovered skeletons and fossilized dinosaur eggs, now on display at the Museum of Natural History in Ulanbator. If you are "dinosaurophobe", you can still admire the beautiful cliffs and saxaul woods: Typical upland bushes struggling against the advancing of the desert.
After lunch, we continue our road to the north. A detour to the impressive ruins of the Ongiin Khiid monastery is required. Nestled on the banks of Ongiin River, this monastery was the most important Buddhist center in the region populated by the Mongolians "Khalka", before being destroyed by the Communists.
Night: in tourist camp, 4-6 h of drive, 1-2 h of hike
Jour 7 : Ongiin Khiid - Uurtyin Tokhoi
Leaving the Great Gobi behind us, we make our last miles before the massif of Khangai. For the Mongolians, the Khangai refers to a mountainous region with abundant water resources, where the animals graze peacefully, shielded from the wind.
After a long day's drive, we finally reach the famous Orkhon Valley, the true cradle of the Mongolian people, listed world heritage of humanity by UNESCO. Our camp is settled at the edge of the Uurltin Tokhoi canyon which offers stunning views over the valley.
Night: in yurt of host family, 5-7 h of drive, 1-2 h of hike
Day 8 : Uurtyin Tokhoi - Gyatruut
The Orkhon Valley is one of the most populated valleys. Its more favourable weather conditions have attracted many nomadic families living on their husbandry. We cross the valley from east to west in order to reach the encampment of our host family, which lives about fifty kilometres at the bottom of the valley.
Our slow progress on the damaged track leaves us plenty of time to observe the different scenes of nomadic life.
Night: in yurt of host family, 3-4 h of drive, 1-2 h of hike
Day 9 : Encampment of nomads
In order to understand, the real life of Mongolian herders, its constraints such as its pleasures, we spend this day with our host family. Those who wish, participate in various daily tasks of herding: deals with pets, make dairy products, etc. Possibility of horseback trekking in the valley.
Night: in yurt of host family
Day 10 : Ulaantsutgalan waterfall
Let's saddle up our horses. The space is ideal to gallop in the vast grassy plains, interspersed with basalt rocks and surrounded by ancient dormant volcanoes. On our side, Orkhon follows-up its banks, furrows between beds of Edelweiss and steep gorges.
Unexpectedly we find ourselves at the edge of the famous Ulaantsutgalan waterfall. A short walk through the canyon to the foot of the waterfall is worth seeing.
Night: in yurt of host family, 4-6 h of horseback trekking
Day 11 : Gyatruut - Tuvkhen - Kharkhorin
It is a cultural day ahead us today with a visit of the hermitage of Tuvkhen and the monastery of Erdene Zuu, as well as Kharkhorin, the ancient capital of the Mongolian Empire.
After saying goodbye to our nomadic hosts we go to visit the monastery of Tuvkhen dating from the seventeenth century. Built in a mountainside on the bottom of the Khangai range, we reach the site by 3-4 km climb on horseback or on foot. Only when we arrived at its foot that we find the monastery perfectly integrated in its natural environment. Immediately, we feel calm, serenity and contemplation emerging from this sacred place, dedicated to the worship of Zanabazar, the first Buddhist spiritual leader of Mongolians.
We picnic facing a breathtaking view over the Khangai mountain range and its surrounding valleys. Then we join, Kharkhorin the legendary city of Chinggis Khan, founded in 1220. The former imperial capital is home to important Erdenezuu monastery and other historic sites reflecting the glorious past of the different empires issued from the steppe.
Night: in yurt of host family, 4-6 h of drive, 2-3 h of hike
Day 12 : Kharkhorin - Khugnu Khan
Road towards the Khugnu Khan Natural reserve. This is here the eccentricity of Mongolian nature takes all its sense. Indeed, there is a strange marriage between the green steppe and huge sand dune planted here as a freak of nature. The sand dune Elsen Tasarkhai is known as the Baga Gobi (Little Gobi) and provides a typical ecosystem of the Gobi Desert.
A short hike among the strange rocky formations of Khugnu Khan Mountain allows us to reach the ruins of the Uvgunt monastery.
Night: in yurt of host family, 3-4 h of drive, 2-3 h of hike
Day 13 : Khugnu Khan - Ulan-Bator
We make our last drive in the heart of the Mongolian steppes before reaching Ulaanbaatar. We'll get there in the afternoon.
Transfer to hotel.
Free time for shopping or some visits in the city. Possibility of visiting the factory stores of cashmere.
Night: in hotel, 4 h of drive
Day 14 : Return
After breakfast at the hotel, a driver is waiting to transfer you to the airport.
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