Genghis Khan Trails & Naadam Festival

Day 1 - Fly London to Ulaanbaatar

Fly overnight from London to Ulaanbaatar.

Overnight: In flight

Day 2 - Arrive Ulaanbaatar (Ulan Bator).

On arrival at Ulaanbaatar there will be a group transfer to your hotel in the city centre. The rest of the day is free to relax and recuperate after your flight.

Overnight: Bayangol Hotel, Ulaanbaatar

Day 3 - Drive to Khogno Khan Mountain, 1,967m/6,453ft - 290km, 5-6 hours.

You drive out of Ulaanbaatar and then across the open steppe and rolling hills of Tuv Province. There are very few permanent buildings and apart from the small village of Lun, most of the population in the area live a nomadic existence. You arrive at a ger camp by a lake approximately 8 km from Khogno Khan Mountain. As with most ger camps, this one has several sleeping gers, a dining ger and a separate shower/toilet block. The sleeping gers are furnished in traditional style, have 2 or 3 single beds around the sides, a table, a couple of chairs, and a multi-fuel burning stove in the centre. You can make a request to have your stove lit after dinner so you have a nice, cosy ger to sleep in. Sheets, blankets and pillow cases are provided. You will have plenty of time in the afternoon to explore your immediate surroundings. You could swim in the adjacent lake, take a camel or horse ride, or simply relax and enjoy your peaceful surroundings.

Overnight: Ger Camp

Day 4 - Walk to Khogno Tarniin Ovgon Khiid Monastery - 12km, 2-3 hours.

It is a gentle, predominantly flat walk towards Khogno Khan Mountain which is a massive granite rock that has been sculpted by the weather to form dramatic boulders, arches, caves and peaks. There are some trees, plants and wild flowers growing amongst the rocks and wildlife includes wolves, ibex and many birds of prey. Here you can see the ruins of Ovgon Khiid which was built in 1660 and destroyed by the communists in the 1940s. Tragically the monks were massacred. Two new monasteries and meditation places were built in the early 1990s after the Soviet withdrawal from Mongolia. You can have a look around the new monasteries where it is expected that you will be happy to leave a small donation plus approximately T2000 will be asked for if you are taking photos inside the monastery. A small shop nearby sells attractive paintings of Mongolian landscapes, amongst other things, and some of the proceeds go towards the upkeep of the monastery.

For the energetic there is a walk a further 2km up the valley which takes you to another ruined monastery. The return hike will take you approximately 1½ hours. After a picnic lunch you will walk for 3-4km to your ger for the night, situated at the foot of Khogno Khan Mountain and sheltered from the wind. The dining area is in a large ger with attractive wall-hangings of traditional Mongolian scenes.

Overnight: Ger Camp

Day 5 - Hike to Little Gobi - 13km, 4 hours.

Today you will drive the short distance back to your original ger camp and start your walk from there. You begin hiking beside the lake where you are likely to see swans and possibly eagles. You are walking along an open plain to Elsen Tasarkhai, "Little Gobi", where an 80km long belt of desert zone cuts across the central steppe. The scenery is of big golden sand dunes and desert vegetation. You will see several ger camps en route although it is wise to make detours to avoid them as all have guard dogs to protect their animals. As well as the summer camps, you will also see some abandoned winter camps which will be reclaimed by the nomadic herders when summer finishes. You will have lunch at the Bayangobi ger camp which is where you will spend the night. There are plenty of options for your afternoon's activity.

You can take a horse ride, a camel ride, a hike to the river or around the sand dunes, or simply relax and enjoy the serene atmosphere at Bayangobi. For the really energetic, there is a rocky ridge just beyond the river and this makes a pleasant two hour hike. If you don't fancy going all the way to the summit, just ascend to the nearest knoll and admire the impressive situation of your ger camp.

The dining area at the ger camp is housed in a large ger decorated with Buddhist festival masks. There are a couple of resident, colourful birds which make frequent appearances in the dining ger. The food is good here and you are likely to be served four courses comprising salad, soup, a meat-based main dish with rice or potatoes (or vegetarian option if you don't eat meat), and a small dessert. Water and tea are also provided. There will usually be water and electricity in your sleeping ger. The toilet/shower block is nearby. The people at the Bayangobi ger are very friendly and some speak good English.

Overnight: Ger Camp

Day 6 - Visit Kharkhorin and Erdene Zuu Monastery.

Another early start today as you drive to Kharkhorin (Karakorum), the place where Genghis Khan established the capital of the Mongol Empire. You are likely to see cranes, hawks and eagles soaring ahead as you cross from sandy desert-like terrain to vast grassy steppe. A number of earlier central Asian empires were centred within 50km of here and on the hill beside the ger camp, there is a new monument, a map of the largest three empires, created from mosaic tiles.

In the afternoon you visit Erdene Zuu Monastery, the presence of which dominates the town with its distinctive walled enclosure comprising 108 stupas.

Erdene Zuu was the original centre of Buddhism in Mongolia. It was founded in the sixteenth century on the site where Genghis Khan had his capital nearly 400 years earlier. The monastery is surrounded by a massive wall composed of 108 white stupas. Many of the temples within were destroyed during the Communist era, but the monastery is again active and one can spend several hours wandering around the temples and appreciating the atmosphere.

There is a lovely walk along the Orkhon valley and around the surrounding hills, or you can drive up the hill to examine the mosaic maps of the Asian Empires. No doubt your guide will also take you to see the stone turtle (representing eternity) which was one of four protecting the ancient capital's boundaries. There are many possibilities, so it is advisable to speak to your guide about the best options for the time available. If you would prefer a ride on horseback across the steppe, your guide can arrange this.

Overnight: Ger Camp

Day 7 - Drive to Tsenkher Hot Springs. Visit nomadic family.

Today you drive the short way to Tsenkher Jiguur where boiling hot mineral water bubbles out of the ground and has been channelled into rock pools at the nearby ger camp. Enjoy a dip in the hot tub, relax and enjoy the view of the surrounding hills.

In the afternoon, there will be time to visit a nomadic family and see how they live this ancient and fascinating lifestyle. Try their summer diet of a variety of milk products (fermented mare's milk, tea, clotted cream, yoghurt, cheese, curds, etc.) and perhaps have a ride on their yak and cart. In the evening you can relax again in the outdoor hot bath at the ger camp.

Overnight: Ger Camp

Day 8 - Attend the Naadam Festival.

Today you start early in the morning to drive to Tsetserleg town to see the Naadam Festival. As much a sporting competition as a festival. Celebrating Mongolia’s nomadic culture and athletic traditions there are competitions in the three ‘manly’ sports of wrestling, archery and horse riding with displays of strength, speed and agility.

The Festival is a colourful, exciting and fun event, and is hugely popular amongst the locals, who mostly attend on horseback both to watch and compete. Initially you will see the opening ceremony and then the fun starts with wrestling and archery. Later on you will see the long distance horse racing.

It will doubtless rank as the highlight of your trip, so make sure you have fully charged camera batteries.

Overnight: Ger Camp

Day 9 - Drive to Khustain Nuruu National Park - 120km, 4-5 hours. Evening walk.

Today you will drive to Khustain Nuruu National Park with a stop by Ugii Nuur Lake on the way. The lake is famous for its diversity of birdlife.

Khustain Nuruu National Park is a 50,620-hectare reserve formed to protect the steppe environment and Mongolia's wild horse, the takhi. While nomads have used the park as a pasture reserve for their stock, the park has never had a permanent settlement or been used for agriculture. This limited use has allowed the preservation of one of the world's most threatened ecosystems. The National Park is a fine example of the wide river valleys separated by hilly terrain that characterize forest steppe and there are dozens of wild animals such as wolves, deer, and Przewalski horse, which was reintroduced in 1990.

You will take a walk through this protected area and with luck be able to view some of the wildlife.

Overnight: Ger Camp

Day 10 - Return to Ulaanbaatar - 95km, 2-3 hours. Sightseeing in the afternoon and a concert in the evening.

Drive back to Ulaanbaatar to your hotel. A last chance to enjoy the Mongolian steppe as you leave the wilderness and approach the city.

In the afternoon you will have a city tour including a visit to Gandantechinlen Monastery where the 13th Dalai Lama lived in 1904 when fleeing the British.You will also go to the Fine Art Museum with its bizarre yet beautiful exhibits of Buddhist art. Time to reflect on your adventure.

In the evening you will attend a concert of traditional music and dance at a local theatre. Your leader will suggest a restaurant for dinner for your last night in Mongolia.

Overnight: Bayangol Hotel, Ulaanbaatar

Day 11 - Transfer to the airport. Fly to the UK.

After breakfast there will be a group transfer back to the airport for your flight to London.