Wild Mongolia multi-activity cycling, hiking tour - 9 days

Itinerary

• Arrival in Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar city sightseeing tour

  Arrive in Ulaanbaatar and transfer to a 4-star hotel in the city center. Time permitting, you can take a guided tour to some of the city’s highlights, including a giant Buddha statue at Mongolia’s main Buddhist center, a museum of traditional wooden puzzles, and a folklore show showcasing contortion and throat singing. Welcome dinner and trip orientation in the evening.

  • Dinner
  • Hotel

• Day of cycling to Gorkhi, Terelj national park

  A short car transfer east of Ulaanbaatar brings you to the giant mounted statue of Genghis Khaan, marking the gateway to his homeland. While bikes are being tuned take a panoramic view of the surrounding steppe and mountains from an observation deck on the horse’s head. We then start riding along the Tuul River, a major river that empties into Lake Baikal in Russia. We cycle across rolling hills and lush meadows with some wooded mountains as a backdrop. Invariably we ride on smooth car tracks, at times slightly sandy and at times muddy depending on how much rain had fallen. As you bike you will catch a glimpse of a life that has seemingly not changed for a few hundred years. Large flocks of yaks, sheep, and goats roam the area and circular tents of local herders can be seen from time to time. This morning as a warm-up we have a few insignificant uphills and after lunch climb up to a wooded pass at 1887m. The effort is rewarded by spectacular views over wide valleys and forested mountains and a long descent to the Tuul river bank. Here we erect our tents and take a shower before dinner.

  • Breakfast, lunch, dinner
  • Tent
  • 47km, +737m

• Trekking in Khenty mountain range

  Today we trek along the Sutsadav ridge which allows spectacular views of vast valleys with the more pretty countryside and forests covering the hillsides to either side of us. We will stay on single trails made by wild animals and local herding horsemen. The trekking altitude will range from 1600-1900m. From the high point amongst beautiful granite boulders and wildflowers, we will have a scenic lunch break and descent to the foothill of 2656m Altan-Ulgii mountain which is our next day’s challenge.

  • Breakfast, lunch, dinner
  • Tent
  • 20km

• Climb Altan-Ulgii mountain

  Today we undertake the main challenge of the tour and climb the Altan Mt. which is the last frontier of human habitation on the edge of the pristine Siberian mountains covered in dense woods, home to abundant wildlife such as bears, wolves, deer, and sables to name just a few. A good 7 hours return trip will take us to the height of 2600 meters and allow us to glance at the endless sea of mountains and forests beyond. Return to our camp for dinner and a deserved rest.

  • Breakfast, lunch, dinner
  • Tent
  • 18km

• Biking to Bayangol, valley of nomadic culture

  The whole of the morning we ride upstream along the Tuul river on smooth but at times muddy tracks. A few small stream crossings lie on your way. Around lunchtime, we reach the highest point of the day. After lunch, we enjoy a long downhill followed by a 20km easy roll across a wide valley that will bring us to our 2nd campsite. Today we will satisfy your curiosity by stopping at a nomadic family tent and introducing you to the “whats, hows, and whys” of Mongolian nomads.

  • Breakfast, lunch, dinner
  • Tent
  • 49km, +632m

• Cycling to the “XIII century Mongolia” theme park.

  We continue riding across more open grassland to the "Mongolia in XIII century" theme park. It consists of several stations each showcasing an aspect of the medieval life of Mongolia. "Horse relay station" is where you can get your photo taken in traditional clothes and armor, "Craftsmen camp" introduces you to traditional smith, wood, and leatherwork, at the "Educational camp" visitors are introduced to traditional calligraphy and games. The last station is the "Khan's Palace" - a huge ornate yurt decorated with medieval costumes and warrior implements. Here you may try royal costumes on and test your archery skills etc. Each station is about 500m from each other so we take short rides to visit them. After completing the visits, we climb to the top of a local highest mountain to a campsite that offers a 360-degree panoramic view. The climb is a 9km gradual ascent on grassy tracks.

  • Breakfast, lunch, dinner
  • Tent
  • 63km, +610m

• Cycling to classical Mongolian grassland

  Last cycling day. Again, we take easy ups and downs across the grassland. We will serve a snack stop nearby some granite boulders as a backdrop before taking the highest climb of the tour at 1830meters above sea level. Weather permitting, we have lunch at the top of the pass and enjoy great panoramic views of Mongolian steppe land. A 3km steep descent is ridden by rainwater ravines so use your breaks!!! When at the bottom of the descent we roll for another 20km across grassland with no significant ascents. Here we load bikes and travel through Terelj national park, a picturesque valley dotted with granite formations, and arrive at a camp comprised of traditional circular tents known as yurts. And here is your chance to experience the comfort of a Mongolian yurt.

  • Breakfast, lunch, dinner
  • Yurt
  • 35km, +470m

• Return travel to Ulaanbaatar

  We take a 2-hour return transfer back to Ulaanbaatar. The remainder of the day is at your disposal for further explorations of Ulaanbaatar, possible shopping, and visits. This evening we celebrate our Mongolian adventures at a farewell dinner.

  • Breakfast, dinner
  • Hotel

• Departure from Mongolia

  You will be transferred to airport for your departure flight.

  • Breakfast