Day 1
Flight from Finland to Mongolia, with a stopover in Istanbul.
Day 2 Ulan Bator
We arrive in Ulan Bator at 07.15, transfer to the hotel (time to rest). At 13.00 starts the city tour. The most convenient way to get around Ulan Bator is on foot. Traffic jams are heavy in the centre, and it is safe to walk on foot on the footpaths. Ulan Bator is an unusual city – a mixture of new and old. We will explore Sukhbaatar Square, the central square of Ulan Bator and the heart of the city. It is also known as Genghis Khan Square. Later, drive to the southern part of Ulaanbaatar, to the Zaisan Monument in Khan-Uul Duureg, which offers a magnificent view over the city. On the hill is a World War II-era monument erected to honour the Mongolian and Soviet soldiers who died in the war. The Zaisan Monument is a huge circular mural depicting the friendship between the Soviet Union and Mongolia, the Soviet Union’s support for Mongolia’s independence in 1921, the defeat of the Japanese army at Halhin-Gol in 1939, the fall of Nazi Germany, and peacetime achievements such as the Soyuz 39 space flight that carried the first Mongolian into space.
In the evening we will go to hear a throat singing concert. Mongolian traditional culture includes throat singing hoohi and music played on horse whistle. Mystical throat singing, traditional dances and mask dancing from the Buddhist tradition create a mystical atmosphere. Horse-head singing is a UNESCO heritage site. (A)
Day 3 Ulan Bator – Mini Gobi Hugnu Tarna National Park (280km, 5 hours en route)
Breakfast at the hotel, we hand over the hotel rooms. We drive from the capital to Khogno Khan National Park, also known as Hugnu Tarna. There are many historical sites there, including the ruins of a 17th century monastery. The park is located in the Gurvanbulag district of Bulgan province, about 280 km west of Ulaanbaatar. The area has a unique combination of mountains, forests and Gobi-type landscape in one place. Accommodation in a campsite, in a yurt, one yurt accommodates 2-3 people. The campsite has shared toilet and shower facilities. (A, L, I)
Day 4 Hugnu Tarna – National Park
This is a busy nature day. The whole park is dedicated to protecting the plants and ecosystem of the taiga, steppe and semi-desert. Khogno Tarna National Park has a variety of natural zones and landscapes, including the rugged Khogno Khan Mountain with its birch cover, including 80 km of Mongolian sand dunes.
Later, we were visited by Man Stone (stonemasons) on site. It is one of the most widely discovered archaeological monuments in Mongolia, which are in the shape of a man. Closely linked to the ideology, beliefs and rituals of Shamanism, the monuments are an important source for the study of the material culture of the period and the monuments bear witness to themselves.
We will enjoy nature and take a walking tour through the landscape of purple dunes. Accommodation at the campsite, in a yurt, one yurt sleeps 2-3 people. The campsite has shared toilet and shower facilities. (A, L, I)
Day 5 Mini Gobi – Karakorum (approx. 105 km, 2 hours drive)
After breakfast we head to Karakorum. It was a kind of capital of the Mongol Empire for some decades.One cannot talk about Mongolia without mentioning Genghis Khan, who united the numerous different Mongol tribes in the 1200s. On the border of the Gobi Desert, in the former capital Karakorum, there are still signs of the empire founded by the Chinggis Khan.We will explore the city and visit the oldest monastery in Mongolia, Erdene Zuu.
Accommodation in a campsite in a yurt, one yurt accommodates 2-3 people. The campsite has shared toilet and shower facilities. (A, L, I)
Day 6 Karakorum – Erdenesant village – Hustain National Park (approx. 300 km, 5 hours)
Drive to Hustain Nuruu National Park, where you can see the Przewalski’s wild horses. On the way we will visit Erdenesant village, a pastoralist family.
In the afternoon we arrive at the eco-camp, we will stay in a yurt, one yurt accommodates 2-3 people. The campsite has shared toilet and shower facilities. (A, L, I)
Day 7 Hustain National Park
This is another busy nature day. Hustai Nuruu Nature Reserve about 100 km from the Mongolian capital Ulan Bator. The Mongolian wild horse, or Przewalski’s horse, disappeared from the wild in the 1960s, but the species was successfully preserved by means of specimens protected in zoos. The Mongolian wild horse is still an endangered species and the only wild horse in the world that has survived from prehistoric times. We will learn about the life of wild horses and how to observe them. We stay in a yurt, one yurt sleeps 2-3 people. The campsite has shared toilet and shower facilities. (A, L, I)
Day 8 Hustain National Park – Gorkhi Terelj National Park ( approx. 170 km, 5 hours en route)
After breakfast we drive towards Terelj National Park, said to be the most beautiful place in Mongolia. In the evening we arrive at the park. We stay in a yurt, one yurt accommodates 2-3 people. The campsite has shared toilet and shower facilities. (A, L, I)
Day 9 Gorkhi Terelj National Park Aryapala Temple and Turtle Rock
We explore the national park. After lunch, a short hike in the area of the Araypala Meditation Centre. We recommend climbing up to the Aryapala temple if you can. There are stunning views and a beautiful and unassuming, but all the more atmospheric temple. Mongolians are a horse-riding people, and good riding skills are a point of honour here. As the saying goes, children learn to ride before they can walk. For those interested, a horseback ride on the windy plains is an option. Mongolian horses are small, the size of a pony, and very easy to ride even for a beginner. In the evening, return to the yurt camp for dinner. Terelj also has great terrain for hiking. We stay in a yurt, one yurt sleeps 2-3 people. The campsite has shared toilet and shower facilities. (A, L, I)
Day 10 Gorkhi Terelj – Genghis Khan Giant Statue – Ulan Bator (approx. 100 km, 3 hours)
Today we return to Ulan Batar. On the way we will stop to see the 40 m high equestrian statue of Genghis Khan. The statue is located next to the Tuul River and houses a museum that tells the stunning history of the Mongol Empire. In addition to the statue’s immense size, its special feature is the staircase inside and the lift that takes you up to the top to view the stunning aromatic scenery.
Arrive in Ulan Bator, accommodation at the familiar Baynagol 4-star hotel. (A)
Day 11 Ulan Bator
After breakfast you have free time in Ulan Baror, e.g. to shop for Mongolian specialties (local handicrafts), artworks and accessories made of cashmere wool. Reliable shopping opportunities are offered by the State Department Store and souvenir shops. The State Department Store also houses the best grocery store in Ulan Bator.
You can also visit the Gandan Monastery, where you can see a 20-metre Buddha statue, the Natural History Museum and the Bogd Khan Winter Palace .
Day 12 Return home
Transfer to the airport. Flight home, stopover in Istanbul. At 18.50 we arrive at Helsinki-Vantaa airport. Welcome home!
Accommodation:
Ulan Bator – Bayangol hotel
Hustain National Park – Tourist Camp
