Classic Mongolia - Biking, Horseback Multi-Activity Tour - 9 days

Itinerary

• Arrival in Ulaanbaatar, welcome dinner and tour briefing

  On arrival at Ulaanbaatar airport, you will be transferred to a 3-star hotel in the city center. Some rest will be followed by a welcome dinner during which you will be given an informal introduction to the exciting multi-adventure tour ahead of you.

  • Dinner
  • Hotel

• Cycling excursion of Khustai National park

  Meet with your guide and travel to the Khustai Natural reserve. Here, in 1993 a small number of Mongolian wild horses also known as “Przewalski horses" were reintroduced to their historic habitat from European zoos to allow them to breed in the genuine wilderness. Today the project is rightfully recognized as one of the most fruitful wildlife preservation efforts not only in Mongolia but also globally, with over 400 wild horses, 1500 red deer, and sizable populations of gazelles, wild mountain sheep, and other wild animals roaming the grassy hills and rugged mountains in the park. On arrival, we mount bikes and leisurely pedal to a designated spot to watch wildlife. Apart from large mammals, we can watch a multitude of marmots and birds of prey. Overnight in a comfortable holiday camp comprised of felt-covered Mongolian yurts.

  • Breakfast, lunch, dinner
  • Yurt

• Horseback or cycling excursion in the Mongolian grassland

  Today you can choose between a full day of wildlife watching hike through grassy hills in the interiors or a half a day cycling along the national park’s periphery. While hiking you will be able to spot wild horses, red deer, marmots, black vultures, black kites and flocks of partridges whereas the chances are slimmer when on a bike. To compensate, the cycling route is undulated and allows exciting climbs and downhills. Tonight, you will stay in some plain wooden cabins in a secluded valley of the park. Having completed cycling, you can still climb neighboring hills to spot wildlife.

  • Breakfast, lunch, dinner
  • Yurt

• Cycling tour to Tuul river

  Today you can bike as much as you wish and make most out of the smooth packed surfaces. In the afternoon rugged rocks alternated by grassy hills soon give way to a wide-open grassland across which winds a massive river. From the day’s highest point, we enjoy the panorama of the boundless steppe and continue a yurt camp at the riverside. Located off-grid the camp is an amazing location for star gazing. High altitude and dry air ensure a perfect clarity of the sky that lights with myriads of stars at night.

  • Breakfast, lunch, dinner
  • Yurt

• Horseback riding day trip

  Accompanied by local cowboys we today explore the grassland on horseback. The striking feature of horseback riding in Mongolia is the absence of fences. It gives you a feeling of an exciting freedom not to mention that you are free to choose the direction and pace. Although only 14 hands tall, Mongolian ponies are strong and listen to simple commands sturdy and can carry you on any terrain. You will be able to visit a nomadic family home and learn about their life and culture. We return to our base for dinner and overnight.

  • Breakfast, lunch, dinner
  • Yurt

• Cycle to mini-Gobi dunes

  Another half a day of cycling across vast grassland with rocky outcrops as the background. We pedal on a packed soil along well-established car tracks. Throughout the day you will be seeing massive herds of sheep and goats, herding camps comprised of mushroom-like yurts and Mongols busy with chores of nomadic life. Stopping to exchange greetings and to interact with nomads is always an interesting experience. Invariably, you will be welcomed into their yurt for a cup of tea and dairies. Today’s destination is the min-Gobi, a spectacular area of dunes that stretch across arid steppes. It is the geographic center of modern Mongolia and home to authentic nomadic existence that relies on the 5 principal animals that include horses, cattle, camels, sheep and goats. Tonight, we enjoy a night in a yurt camp beside dunes.

  • Breakfast, lunch, dinner
  • Yurt

• Cycling or horseback riding to historic monastery ruins

  Again, you are free to choose between biking and horseback riding. From our camp by the dunes we explore the mini-Gobi and areas beyond it. The dunes originate far south in the Gobi proper and in a beautiful contrast stand out of the surrounding landscape of green steppes, rugged mountains and granite rock formations. We travel along he dunes to ruins of a Buddhist monastery while listening to the dramatic history of 17th century Mongol’s internal struggle for supremacy on the grasslands of Asia. Upon reaching the historic site we explore the massive site with impressive granite cliffs as the backdrop.

  • Breakfast, lunch, dinner
  • Yurt

• Return drive to Ulaanbaatar

  Having loaded bikes, we travel back to Ulaanbaatar. The remaining time is for your own disposal that you might spend for shopping and additional visits. At welcome dinner you will be served extraordinary specialties of the Mongolian cuisine.

  • Breakfast, lunch, dinner
  • Hotel

• Departure from Mongolia

  You will be transferred to airport for your departure flight.

  • Breakfast