<p>Arrival at the Chinggis Khaan international airport in Ulaanbaatar, the capital city of Mongolia. Your guide-interpreter and driver will welcome you at the airport and lead you on the city tour. The capital has plenty to offer. On the tour you will visit the Gandan Monastery, a historical and spiritual Buddhist temple in the city. Then you can walk around the National History Museum and the Chinggis Khaan Square in front of the Mongolian Parliament house to help you get a general knowledge and information about the Mongolian history and culture.</p><p>FB, Peaceful night at « White House » tourist hotel</p>
<p>You leave the capital and move to the “Khogno Khan”, called the Central Gobi, one of the 33 “Gobi” (a local word for “Desert”) in Mongolia. Visit a nomadic family, settled in the middle of the pastures. Upon the visit, you can have a taste of “White food” and notably Airag, a traditional drink made from fermented mare’s milk. Continuing your trip, you will visit one of the country’s ancient Buddhist monasteries - The Erdene Khamba monastery, which is located in the sacred Mountain Khugnu Khan. Return to the family and discover the nomadic way of life by participating in their daily life: cooking traditional dishes, looking after the herd, milking the animals, etc.</p><p>FB, Overnight with a nomadic family</p>
<p>Continuing your trip, you depart to Khushuu Tsaidam via Ogii freshwater lake, which attracts anglers and bird watchers from everywhere, and is located 90 km from the Karakorum city. Lake Ogii is part of the RAMSAR conventions (spaces that include wetlands of great importance for their richness in avifauna). Upon your arrival in “Khushuu Tsaidam” you will take a break at “Tsaidam” ger camp. Then you will visit the Turkish history museum full of ancient artefacts and a dedicated memorial of Bileg Khan. At the end of the day, you’ll meet your nomadic friends and your horses to start the horseback riding journey in this paradise of horses.</p><p>FB, Overnight with a nomadic family</p>
<p>These three days will be spent peacefully on your horse, riding to the West across the huge empty steppes, while taking in the vast landscape and nature. The first day you’ll ride towards the Khar Balgas, nicknamed “black ruins”, a former capital of the Uyghur tribe. On the second day, ride in the territory of the Arkhangai region. On the third day, you arrive in Tsetserleg, a capital of Arkhangai province (the northern Khangai), which is set in a beautiful area. This town, its name also meaning “Garden” in Mongolian, with a population of about ten thousand, lives mainly off its herds of horses and the production of rich wood. On your way you visit the Ethnographic Museum “Zay gegeen”. </p><p>Before noon: 3 hours of horse riding</p><p>Afternoon: 3 hours of horse riding </p><p>FB, Nights in bivouac tent</p>
<p>Today you will change scenery, while following your route through beautiful landscapes of forests, mountains and rivers. Nomadic yak herders are more numerous in this region. You finally arrive at Tsenkher, famous for its hot springs from which the water naturally spurts out at a temperature of 86 ° C...In the afternoon, you can relax in your yurt camp’s spas.</p><p>Before noon: 3 hours of horse riding </p><p>Afternoon: 3 hours of horse riding</p><p>FB, Overnight in “Shiveet Mankhan” camp</p>
<p>Leaving the hot spring, you depart to the Orkhon Valley, crossing the basaltic stone field at the foot of the Khangai Mountains, towards the Uvurkhangai region! On the way, this is the opportunity to start great gallops to compete against the Mongolian riders encountered on the way. With its landscapes of green hills which endlessly undulate, its coniferous forests, its fauna and flora, the Arkhangaï has become the symbol of the landscape of Mongolia! </p><p>Before noon: 3 hours of horse riding</p><p>Afternoon: 3 hours of horse riding</p><p>FB, Nights in bivouac tent</p>
<p>Ride to the waterfalls of the Orkhon River, located in the heart of the valley. Strangely the waterfall has water only after rain or showers, but getting there allows you to pace around the beautiful area. At about fifteen meters high, it offers a nice walk along the banks of the river and, after a difficult descent, at the bottom of canyon! </p><p>Before noon: 3 hours of horse riding</p><p>Afternoon: 3 hours of horse riding </p><p>FB, Night in bivouac tent</p>
<p>Here, you’ll ride in the Orkhon Valley, inscribed by UNESCO in the World Heritage List (one of a few in Mongolia) as representing evolution of nomadic pastoral traditions spanning more than two millennia. The beauty of the valley’s natural site consists not only of green plains and hills bursting with basalt lines extending on both sides of the Orkhon River, but also deer steles, hirgesuur (tombs in cairn), tombs with slabs, anthropomorphic and zoomorphic statues, ruins of ancient capitals ... On the way, you’ll enjoy the unique formation of nature such as a small waterfall, Uurtyn tokhoi canyon, Temeen chuluutyn am site, etc. On the 12th day, the last day horse-riding, you will arrive at the “URSA MAJOR” geolodge camp. At night, when the sky is clear you can stargaze by MEADE LX-200, the most powerful telescope in Mongolia. You can observe the stars, planets and galaxies from the steppes of the Orkhon Valley... </p><p>Before noon: 3 hours of horse riding</p><p>Afternoon: 3 hours of horse riding </p><p>FB, Overnight in tent, Second night in yurt</p>
<p>Ending your journey by horse, you will depart with your team by a 4×4 to the Khogno khan Nature Reserve via Karakorum. “Karakorum” was the capital of the Mongol Empire during the time of Chinggis Khaan (1162-1227). Now it is a small town in the middle of the grasslands. There are some remains of the city scattered to see around. However, most stones of the old buildings were later used to build the nearby “Erdene Zuu” Monastery. Erdene Zuu means’ hundred treasures. The building dates from 1586 and once consisted of more than a hundred temples. Sadly, the complex has been subjected to many political ups and downs, at last being actively restored since 1990. It is one of the cultural and spiritual highlights in Mongolia. The complex is fully fenced and every fifteen meters there are stupas, 108 in total, in the walls. It is one of the cultural highlights in Mongolia. You continue and drive to Khogno Tarna Park. </p><p>FB, Night in yurt</p>
<p>After breakfast you return to the capital Ulaanbaatar and arrive at your hotel. Take this time to have a little rest, then you’ll go shopping in the State Department Store, the largest shopping mall in Mongolia, a leftover of the Soviet occupation. There, you can find cashmere, leather, and whatever you want for souvenirs, presents and gifts. </p><p>In the evening you’ll indulge in Mongolian culture with a folklore show, concert of traditional music and contortion. You’ll hear performances with the Traditional Mongolian instrument Morin Khuur, a two-string fiddle adorned with a carved horse’s head; overtone singing, previously only used by shamans to enter into communication with the spirits.</p><p>At last, a farewell dinner with your team to wrap up an excellent journey full of memories.</p><p>FB, Night in “White House” tourist hotel</p>
<p>After having breakfast in the hotel, your team will drive you to the “Chinggis Khaan” international airport 2 hours before your departure.</p><p>Have a safe journey back!</p>
