Cycling to The Gobi Desert Tour | 11 Days

The contrast between ancient traditions and the dawning of a 20th-century democracy is most visible in Ulaanbaatar where traditional gers (felt tents) and Buddhist monasteries coexist with modern high-rises.  Upon arrival at the airport, you will be welcomed by your Zendmen Travel guide and transferred to a comfortable, centrally located hotel within walking distance of various museums and shops. You will visit Gandan Monastery, the largest Buddhist monastery in Mongolia where you can see a gigantic Janraisag Statue, the god of eternity, as tall as a 9 stories of apartment block.  In the afternoon, you will visit the National Museum of Mongolia, one of the 100 best museums in the world where you can see traditional costumes of different ethnic Mongols, archaeological discoveries of prehistoric people and the Mongol Empire of the 13th century. Enjoy a welcome dinner at a local restaurant.

            (Hotel****; L, D)

Embark on an overland journey to the Gobi Desert. Through the rugged terrain, you will be greeted with stunning landscapes and picture perfect sceneries. Ih Gazariin Chuluu is an interesting area where unusual rock formations and granite pinnacles stick out in the middle of the dusty plains. Spend half a day exploring caves and the area before continuing journey southwards Tsagaan Suvarga.

(Ger camp; B, L, D)

Days of cycling awaits you. You will start paddling gently on Mongolia’s fascinating steppes and across vast plains of the Gobi Desert. The area is well-known for its famous petrified trees. Enjoy Gobi’s sunset at Oosh sand dunes trimmed with ancient forest of Saxaul trees. Oosh Manhan is well known for its therapeutic sand dunes for rheumatism and kidney dysfunction.

(Camping; B, L, D)

Tsagaan Suvarga witnesses the geological history of ancient times down to date. Different minerals giving rise to different colours form the face of the cliffs.  Enjoy hiking through the colourful natural cliffs. The Gobi sunset offers you an opportunity to shoot incredible photos and take an advantage of the moment.

(Ger camp; B, L, D)

Another day through a barren land of the Gobi Desert awaits you where grass is short yet nutritious and people are few and hospitable. Algui Ulaan Tsav was believed to be a nesting site for lithostrotian titanosaurs during Cretaceous      period. Legendary red hills emit tales of ancient times which testify nature’s enigmatic past. Enjoy tranquillity of the Gobi Desert where you could hear wings of passing birds and gentle breeze of wilderness while learning dinosaur history at the colourful hills.

(Camping; B, L, D)

Your journey will head to world famous “Flaming Cliffs”, home to ancient dinosaurs where an American scientist Roy Chapman Andrews excavated the first known dinosaur eggs in paleontological history in 1923. The beauty of the place makes an interesting visit. Enjoy celebrating the achievement of reaching to the Gobi Desert on your bike with your fellow travellers.

(Ger camp; B, L, D)

Some of the Gobi’s most breathtaking sights await you today. You will continue your journey driving to Yol Valley in the Gobi Gurvan Saihan National Park, cradled between the foothills of the Altai Mountains. An ancient river carved this surprisingly green valley. Now, its remnant streams create ice formations at the base of the valley that sometimes persist as late as July. You will hike at an altitude of 2,000m in order to reach the ice. A day hike is involved to reach the valley.

 (Ger camp; B, L, D)

You will take a short flight to Ulaanbaatar and upon arrival the journey continue to Hustai National Park. Wild life exploration in Hustai National Park will be one of the highlights of the journey where you will encounter the Wild Horse ‘Takhi’, the only species of wild horse in the world. Takhi have being reintroduced since 1993 and this is the only place you can see this beautiful animal in the wild. When you arrive in the national park, you will check in your ger camp and will make Mongolian traditional ger as your home. After a short rest you will have your lunch. There is a small museum in the ger camp where you can hear wild horse related information and about the Takhi reintroduction programme in the national park.

(Ger camp; B, L, D)

Various art and cultural activities await you in Ulaanbaatar. You visit Mongolia’s Fine Art Gallery and Zanabazar’s Fine Art Museum. Last minute shopping in Ulaanbaatar can be fitted to your itinerary. In the evening, you will enjoy Mongolia’s traditional folk concert with religious Tsam Dance by Tumen Eh ensemble followed by a farewell dinner at local restaurant.

(Hotel****; B, L, D)

After breakfast transfer to the airport for the flight home.

(B)