Lunar New Year with Nomad Family
6-Days Tour
Tour Overview:
Lunar New Year is called Tsagaan Sar (White Moon) in Mongolia. This is one of the biggest holidays. Mongolians celebrate Tsagaan Sar on every first day of Spring. Which means, surviving winter without any loss of stock animals and welcoming new spring.Tsagaan Sar has been celebrated since the 13th century. The New Year days, full of foods and sweets, tables have been prepared, greet everyone in a special way and visit elders. This tour allows you to celebrate Tsagaan Sar with the Nomad Family in a nomad way. Have you ever herded before? If not, it will be a great experience to herd stock animals during this trip. Thousands of the brightest stars twinkle in the winter sky. It is just wonderful. Isn’t it?
Celebrate Tsagaan Sar with nomads—authentic rituals, warm hospitality, and stunning winter scenery!
Best of this tour:
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Celebration of Lunar New Year
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Living with nomad family
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Experiencing nomad culture and tradition
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Participate daily works of nomads /Herding stock animals, cooking, etc./
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Tranquility in a charming, scenic village Khugshchuul
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Unwind beneath a canopy of thousands of brilliant stars
Itinerary
DAY 1
Arrival to Mongolia/
Ulaanbaatar-city tour
DAY 2-4
Hugshchuul Village
DAY 5
Back to Ulaanbaatar
DAY 6
Departure
We will pick you up at the airport or train station and private transfer to a hotel in the city center. After checking-in a hotel, you will have some rest /it depends on your flight and it can be changed a little bit/ . For lunch, we will have a Mongolian traditional meal in a local restaurant. City exploring begins with The National Museum of Mongolia /or Museum of Chingis Khan. Because it depends on the winter schedule and also changes because of holidays/. Then, we will take a walk in the winter market which presents everything for the Lunar New Year. Last stop is a folk art concert- traditional throat singing, folk song, contortion etc. This is the end of the day after dinner. Dinner will be served at your hotel.
folk art concert- traditional throat singing, folk song, contortion etc. This is the end of the day after dinner.
Overnight in the hotel
After having breakfast at the hotel we will start our tour to Khogshchuul Village. Along the way, we will stop to see the equestrian statue of Chingis Khaan. On the way toward Hugshchuul Village, Baganuur district which is one of the remote districts of Ulaanbaatar city and was established based on a coal mine will be discovered. We will have lunch there. After driving 30 km, we will reach our destination. Kherlen river which is one of the largest rivers in Mongolia, flowing from the Khentii Range to the Pacific Ocean via Dalai Lake near Hugshchuul Village. Most of the villagers are Buryats. The way of living, tradition, culture and speaking are different from other ethnic groups. We have a chance to discover and meet them. You can help the family to prepare holiday foods /dumplings, sheep whole back to, special cookies for Tsagaan Sar, other white meals…/ as their family member. All these days have their traditional activities to do. For instance, eve of the Tsagaan Sar, ceremonies table, new deel /traditional costume/ are prepared, play ankle bones games, put three pieces of ice on the door head jamb, all things should be cleaned like a new even all peoples soul for the New Year. Tsagaan Sar morning, all families wake up before sunrise, wear new costumes, and males go to the nearest sacred place to see the first sun of the upcoming new year to be more healthy, happy and successful. Housewife makes traditional milk tea and gives the first tea to the spirits of nature and after that all families greet each other by age categories and then start to have prepared meals together. Imagine, you will participate and try all these activities.
Overnight in the yurt/Ger of nomad family (160k/ 3-4h)
Enjoy some last minute walking and breathtaking sights in Hugshchuul Village. It is time to say goodbye to the nomad family. Head back to Ulaanbaatar after breakfast. You can pause and take a photo or just feel the moment when you see picturesque places. Lunch on the way in a local restaurant. We will reach Ulaanbaatar after lunch. It will be the last dinner we have together. A warm hug and beer to celebrate the awesome experience you had! Private transfer to the hotel. The rest of the evening at leisure - walk along the streets and explore the city night, with many shops, bars and cafes.
Overnight in the hotel (160k/ 3-4h)
Meet your tour guide and driver in the hotel lobby and private transfer to the airport for your return flight. See you again soon in Mongolia! Bayrlalaa… Bayartai (you will learn these words during your adventure)
Naadam Festival
6-Days Tour
Tour Overview:
Saikhan Naadaj baina uu?/Are you enjoying the Naadam Festival?/This is the greeting only used on Naadam days. Naadam /”Three Manly Games: wrestling, horse racing and archering”/ is one of Mongolian biggest festivals and it has been celebrated since the 13th century. The main official event is scheduled for July 11-13 in the Ulaanbaatar city however, other cities and province even small soums celebrate Naadam at similar dates all around Mongolia. Naadam was listed in UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010. You will see colorful traditional costumes known as “Deel” of Mongolians everywhere and can see pride, joy and happiness on every face. This tour allows you to experience Mongolian culture, tradition, art and lifestyle that reflect the true national identity. Not only celebrate Naadam, but you also enjoy and find peace in Terelj National park. Finally, the equestrian statue of Chingis Khaan will be our next destination.
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Join in and Be part of the colorful and cultural Naadam Festival!
Best of this tour:
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Celebration of Naadam Festival
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Experiencing art, culture and tradition
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Terelj National Park
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The equestrian statue of Chingis Khaan
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Capital Ulaanbaatar
Itinerary
DAY 1
Arrival to Mongolia/
Ulaanbaatar-city tour
DAY 2
July 11 Naadam Opening Ceremony
DAY 3
July 12 Hui Doloon Khudag
DAY 4
July 13 Terelj National Park
DAY 5
Drive back to Ulaanbaatar
DAY 6
Departure
We will pick you up at the airport or train station and private transfer to a hotel in the city center. After checking-in a hotel, you will have some rest /it depends on your flight and it can be changed a little bit/ . For lunch, we will have a Mongolian traditional meal in a local restaurant. City exploring begins with The National Museum of Mongolia- presents the Neolithic era right to the present day. Then, we will head to the Gandan monastery- Buddhist center in Mongolia. One of the last stops is folk art concert- traditional throat singing, folk song, contortion etc. This is the end of the day after dinner. Dinner will be served at your hotel.
Overnight in the hotel
After having breakfast at the hotel we will start our tour to Sukhbaatar Central Square to see the carrying of Chingis Khaans’s Nine White Banner from Government Palace to Central Stadium. Once Chingis Khaan’s Nine White Banner is placed in the Central Stadium of Naadam, the Official Opening Ceremony will start with majestically. There are many attractions to enjoy and have fun such as archering, wrestling, ankle bone shooting, cuisine and so on.
Overnight in the hotel
On the second day of Naadam, we will drive to the Horse racing venue- Khui Doloon Khudag. At the festival, the fastest horses in 6 age categories race at a distance of 25-30 km. There is a unique etiquette for the racing horses at the start and finish line. Also, it allows you to get soaked into the atmosphere and feel the emotions of the Mongolians who are excited and happy to see those racing horses.
Overnight in the hotel
Proceed to Terelj National Park with a stop in the center to admire the Turtle Rock- It is 24 meters tall and was formerly known as the Silver Rock also really looks like the turtle. Until 1960, crystal and amethyst were mined in Terelj. Extraction was interrupted due to high tide levels. Then we will visit Arya Bala meditating temple which is located on the side of the mountain. Finally, we will arrive at the tourist camp to host us. That place is surrounded by high granite mountains and the highest point is Mount Avkhaan, 2664 meters above sea level. It is nice to walk around the hills.
Overnights in the tourist ger camp- dinner at the restaurant (110km/ 3h)
Enjoy some last minute walking and breathtaking in Terelj National Park. It is time to say goodbye to the family. Head back to Ulaanbaatar after breakfast. Along the way, we will stop to see the equestrian statue of Chingis Khaan. The equestrian statue of Chingis Khaan was built to commemorate the 800th anniversary of the founding of the Great Mongol Empire. It is currently the largest equestrian statue in the world. You can pause and take a photo or just feel the moment when you see picturesque places. Lunch on the way in a local restaurant. We will arrive at Ulaanbaatar after lunch and if time allows us and if you want, we will visit the cashmere factory store for shopping. It will be the last dinner we have together. A warm hug and beer to celebrate the awesome experience you had! Private transfer to the hotel. The rest of the evening at leisure - walk along the streets and explore the city night, with many shops, bars and cafes.
Overnight in the hotel (110km/ 3h)
Meet your tour guide and driver in the hotel lobby and private transfer to the airport for your return flight. See you again soon in Mongolia! Bayrlaa… Bayartai (I hope that you will learn these words during your adventure)
Golden Eagle Festival
13-Days Tour
Tour Overview:
This trip allows you the beautiful snow-capped mountains and lakes, pristine wild nature and the wonderful heritage and culture of the Kazakh nation of the 3 western provinces of Mongolia. Bayan-Ulgii province is the true cradle of Kazak nations and they cannot be imagined without eagles. Since ancient times, eagles have been domesticated and trained to hunt small animals. Now, keeping this tradition, during the Golden Eagle Festival, the best trainer and the most skilled hunter eagle are awarded and Kazak nations celebrate it every year. If you are a crowded city escaper or novelty seeker, this tour is right for you to experience all about Kazak nations and beautiful 3 western provinces of Mongolia.
Soak into the atmosphere!
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Best of this tour:
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Kazak nations culture and tradition
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Golden Eagle Festival
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Altai Tavan Bogd National Park
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Potanin Glacier
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Oigor Petroglyph
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Milk or White River
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Little Turgen Waterfall
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Snow-capped Tsengel sacred mountain
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Ancient petroglyphs and stone monument
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Deep Blue Depression of the Great Lakes
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Camping
Itinerary
DAY 1
Arrival to Mongolia/
Ulaanbaatar-city tour
DAY 2
Flight to Ulgii city and Tsagaan Salaa, Oigor Petroglyph /185km/
DAY 3
Altai Tavan Bogd National Park and and Potanin Glacier
DAY 4
Milk or White River
DAY 5
Khoton, Lamb Lake and Little Turgen Waterfall
DAY 6-7
Golden Eagle festival in Ulgii city
DAY 8
Lake Achit and Lake Uureg in Uvs Province
DAY 9
Ulaangom city and Uvs Lake
DAY 10
Hyargas Lake and Hetsuu Rock
DAY 11
Khar Us Lake /Black Water Lake
DAY 12
Khovd city and flight back to Ulaanbaatar
DAY 13
Departure
We will pick you up at the airport or train station and private transfer to a hotel in the city center. After checking-in a hotel, you will have some rest /it depends on your flight and it can be changed a little bit/ . For lunch, we will have a Mongolian traditional meal in a local restaurant. City exploring begins with The National Museum of Mongolia- presents the Neolithic era right to the present day. Then, we will head to the Gandan monastery- Buddhist center in Mongolia. One of the last stops is folk art concert- traditional throat singing, folk song, contortion etc. This is the end of the day after dinner. Dinner will be served at your hotel.
Overnight in the hotel
Our journey will begin by boarding a flight to Bayan-Ulgii province from Chinggis Khan Airport. After landing in Ulgii city, have breakfast and move on to Tsagaan Salaa river and Oigor Petroglyph. Oigor is a rock art complex that holds the distinction of being one of the largest in North and Central Asia. It is also known for its exceptional historical significance, as it boasts the highest number of rock art images and the highest quality of imagery in the region. Some of the designs may have predated the domestication of animals; the petroglyphs illustrate a transition from hunting to pastoral nomadism during the period of approximately 2000 BCE (Bronze Age) to 1000 BCE (early Iron Age).
Overnight in the yurt/Ger of nomad family- dinner with the nomad family (185km)
Have a first breakfast with a nomad family together and we will drive to Altai Tavan Bogd which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In this Altai Tavan Bogd national Park, there are snow-capped mountains, fresh water rivers and lakes, rare animals- mountain sheep, ibex, red deer, beech marten, snow leopard etc, various types of medicinal plants, and birds- golden eagle, which have preserved their original wild nature. We will camp near a beautiful lake today.
Overnight in a tent (60km)
We will continue our journey from Altai Tavan Bogd area to Milk or White River, Khoton and Lamb Lake today. That place is marked in history as the place where the heroic Oirad Mongolian youths fought against more than 2000 Manchurian soldiers to free Mongolia from the Manchurian oppression. This evening, we can sit around the campfire, sing songs and tell legends and stories about this place together.
Overnight in a tent (80km)
Today’s destination Little Turgen Waterfall is a 15-meter high waterfall that flows from the snow-capped mountains and descends from the Baga Turgen Gorge in the midst of the pristine wild nature, which is a natural wonder. On the way back to Ulgii city, we will pray and wish our all wishes to the Tsengel Sacred Mountain. Dinner in the local restaurant.
Overnight in the yurt/Ger of nomad family- dinner with the nomad family (140km)
The Kazakh nations celebrate its Golden Eagle Festival for 2 days in the first week of October every year. The event includes: ceremony parade, eagle calling on arms, Kykbar – Tug of war played on horseback with goat skins, chasing games, Camel or horse racing, a coin grabbing on a horseback, eagle’s agility and ability to grip stuffed baits dragged by horses, traditional art concerts and any other interesting programs.
Overnight in the hotel (190km)
After wonderful journeys in between majestic snow-cupped Altai Mountains, we will continue our journey to the Deep Blue Depression of the Great Lakes in Uvs Province. On this day, we will see the freshwater Achit Lake and then go to the legendary salted Uureg Lake. Having lunch on the way, we will continue to the shore of Uureg Lake and spend the night at the camp. In the afternoon, we will spend the evening walking along the shore of the lake.
Overnight in the tourist ger camp- dinner at the restaurant (180km)
We will leave to see the deep blue Uvs Lake. It is the largest lake in Mongolia, located at the northernmost edge of the Great Lakes depression. The lake, registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is considered the most important nesting and breeding ground for Central Asian waterfowl. Have lunch in Ulaangom city and explore one of the western three provinces. Listening to the sounds of the lake and listening to the chirping of birds will be the highlight of the day.
Overnight in the tourist ger camp- dinner at the restaurant (140km)
After breakfast, we will continue our journey to the most beautiful part of Khyargas Lake, Hetsuo Khad. Some of the tops of those rocks stick out of the water and look like islands. That protruding peak is a haven for waterfowl, where they build their nests and lay their eggs.You can spend your free time walking and swimming along the shores of the lake.
Overnight in the tourist ger camp- dinner at the restaurant (230km)
On this day of the trip, we will cross the Zavkhan River connecting Khyargas Lake and Airag Lake, and ride across the vast plains of the Great Lakes to arrive at the shore of Khar us Lake. Khar Us Lake is one of the largest lakes in Mongolia. This will be the last day of joying with the Great Lakes in western Mongolia.
Overnight in the tourist ger camp- dinner at the restaurant (220km)
Morning coffee and lake are the perfect feeling. Isn’t it? Today we are going to visit the last of western 3 cities in Mongolia. Enjoy some last minute walking and breathtaking in Khovd city. It is time to say goodbye to the western three provinces. If time allows us and if you want in Ulaanbaatar, we will visit the cashmere factory store for shopping. It will be the last dinner we have together. A warm hug and beer to celebrate the awesome experience you had! Private transfer to the hotel. The rest of the evening at leisure - walk along the streets and explore the city night, with many shops, bars and cafes.
Overnight in the hotel (95km)
Meet your tour guide and driver in the hotel lobby and private transfer to the airport for your return flight. See you again soon in Mongolia! Bayrlaa… Bayartai (I hope that you will learn these words during your adventure)
Ice Festival Tour in Khuvsgul Lake
6-Days Tour
Tour Overview:
In some corners of the world, there are unique and wonderful festivals with their own characteristics. One of them is the Ice Festival, which is held every winter /March- When the lake is completely frozen / in Khuvsgul Lake, the largest freshwater lake in Mongolia. This trip is a special trip that will give you a full opportunity to learn all about the Mongolian winter season, including the cold weather, how Mongolian nomads survive the winter and how to celebrate the Ice Festival together. The festival features horse and dog sledding, Ice sculptures, Tsaatan tribe and their reindeers and vibrant competitions such as ice skating, ice Sumo wrestling, tug of war, Ice Igloo building etc all these activities take place on frozen Khuvsgul Lake.
Love Winterful Blues!
Best of this tour:
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Mongolian winter
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Frozen Khuvsgul Lake
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Ice Festival activities
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Dog and horse sledding
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Nomad family in winter
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Coldest City Ulaanbaatar
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Tsaatan Tribe- Reindeer
Itinerary
DAY 1
Arrival to Mongolia/
Ulaanbaatar-city tour
DAY 2
Flight to Murun city
DAY 3,4
Ice Festival
DAY 5
Flight back to Ulaanbaatar
DAY 6
Departure
We will pick you up at the airport or train station and private transfer to a hotel in the city center. After checking-in a hotel, you will have some rest /it depends on your flight and it can be changed a little bit/ . For lunch, we will have a Mongolian traditional meal in a local restaurant. City exploring begins with The National Museum of Mongolia /or Museum of Chingis Khan. Because it depends on the winter schedule. Last stop is a folk art concert- traditional throat singing, folk song, contortion etc. This is the end of the day after dinner. Dinner will be served at your hotel.
Overnight in the hotel
Our journey will begin by boarding a flight to Murun city /Khuvsgul province- Northern Mongolia/ from Chinggis Khan Airport. After landing in Murun city, move on to Khatgal which is located on the lake’s southern shores and which serves as a base for further exploring. Today we will meet a hosting nomad family and discover how they survive winter, how they live, how their custom and tradition etc. Also, you can participate in their daily work such as herding stock animals, cooking and so on. The family will be glad to share their life-style with you.
Overnight in the yurt/Ger of nomad family- dinner with the nomad family (1.5h flight)
On these days, we will enjoy and celebrate Ice Festival together features horse and dog sledding and Ice sculptures, Tsaatan tribe and their reindeers, performance of Shamans /Khuvsgul province is the cradle of the most powerful Shamans in Mongolia/ and vibrant competitions such as ice skating, ice Sumo wrestling, tug of war, Ice Igloo building etc.
Overnight in the yurt/Ger of nomad family- dinner with the nomad family
Enjoy some last minute walking and breathtaking in Blue Pearl Khuvsgul lake. It is time to say goodbye to the nomad family. Flight back to Ulaanbaatar after breakfast. After arrival in Ulaanbaatar, If time allows us and if you want we will visit the cashmere factory store for shopping. It will be the last dinner we have together. A warm hug and beer to celebrate the awesome experience you had! Private transfer to the hotel. The rest of the evening at leisure - walk along the streets and explore the city night, with many shops, bars and cafes.
Overnight in the hotel (1.5h flight)
Meet your tour guide and driver in the hotel lobby and private transfer to the airport for your return flight. See you again soon in Mongolia! Bayrlaa… Bayartai (I hope that you will learn these words during your adventure)