Day by Day Itinerary

July 20 Depart Los Angles, LAX
Sunday
We board Korean Air flight KE18 this afternoon in LAX at 12:30 PM.
(meals enroute)

July 21 Connect in Seoul, Korea
Monday Arrive Ulaanbaatar
We arrive in Seoul, Korea at 4:55 PM where we will connect with our short flight to Mongolia. We will board Korean Air flight KE867 at 8:05 PM and arrive in Ulaanbaatar at 10:35 PM. Welcome to Mongolia! Transfer to our hotel for the night.
(meals enroute)

**** Ulaanbaatar Hotel

July 22 Ulaanbaatar
Arrive in Ulaanbaatar and transfer to hotel. Tour the Museum of Natural History with its splendid collection of Dinosaur exhibits. Dinner at hotel. Evening tour of Ulaanbaatar city, including the War Memorial at Zaisan if time permits. Overnight at hotel. (L/D)

July 23 Ulaanbaatar
City tour of Ulaanbaatar including visit to Gandantegchinlen Monastery. Gandan is the largest and most significant monastery in Mongolia and one of Ulaanbaatar’s most interesting sights. Built in the mid 19th century, it is the only monastery where Buddhist services continued during the communist years. Temples are flocked by visitors during religious services. Tour the Megjid Janraisig temple, the most important part of the monastery. The Megjid Janraisig (Avalokiteshvara) Temple was built in 1911-1912 to celebrate the end of Manchu domination in Mongolia and, it is said, to heal the Bogd Gegeen (Khaan) from blindness. The Janraisig statue of 25.6 meter in height and 20 ton in weight is inside of Temple. The deity was consecrated in 1996, is hollow and contains a storehouse of precious items including sutras, medical herbs, bundles of Buddhist mantras and even a statue was built with donations of Mongolian people as symbol of Buddhist revival in the mid 1990’s.
Visit to the Museum of National History of Mongolia with excellent displays on several millennia of history of Mongolia-beginning with the Stone Age, running through the Turkic and Mongol Empires, the rise of Buddhism, the communist regime and ends with a colorful display of contemporary society.
Enjoy the evening folklore performance. Dinner and overnight at hotel. (B/L/D)

July 24 Hovsgol Lake
Transfer to the airport for the flight to Moron town, the center of Hovsgol province. Hovsgol is one of the most scenic destinations in Mongolia. This is a land of tall taiga forest, crystal-clear lakes, icy streams and lush grass. It does rain a lot during summer, but this only adds to the scenery: rainbows hang over meadows dotted with white gers and grazing horses and yaks. The area is also famous for its fishing opportunities. The province is dominated by the magnificent Lake Hovsgol, one of the most scenic spots in Mongolia. The lake is surrounded by several peaks of almost 9000 feet in height. To the West, there is the Darkhadyn Khotgor Depression, with plentiful forests and lakes. In this region, around Tsagaan nuur, live the fascinating, but fast disappearing, Tsaatan people, whose lives revolve around domesticated reindeer. Other ethnic groups include the Khalkh, Buryat, Uriankhai and Darkhad.
Upon arrival transfer to the ger camp at the lake. Overnight at ger camp. (B/L/D)

July 25 Hovsgol Lake
Full day to explore the breathtaking shores of this beautiful lake, horseriding or fishing. There is an ample opportunity to discover local nomad's lifestyle. Visit reindeer breeder’s family. Free hiking and photo session along the shorelines, a home to rich wildlife and birds. Dinner and overnight at base camp. (B/L/D)

July 26 Ulaanbaatar
Drive back to Moron town to catch the flight to Ulaanbaatar. Flight to Ulaanbaatar arrives late in the afternoon. Remainder of the day at leisure. Overnight at hotel. (B/L/D)

July 27 Gobi/Yol Valley
Flight to the Gobi Desert, one of the most famous and exotic areas in the world. Gobi Desert region has a history of adventurers and explorers. Known to be one of the harshest environments on the earth, with extreme temperature and seasonal changes, the Gobi is surprisingly full of wildlife such as white and Blacktail gazelles, wild ass or hulan in Mongolian, wild camel or havtgai, antelopes, argali sheep-the biggest wild sheep on the planet, ibex-the wild goat and the endangered Gobi bear- Mazaalai. The majority of Mongolia’s population of Bactrian camels live in this are and visitors can take a camel ride.
Upon arrival transfer to the base camp in Gobi. Visit the Yol Valley National Park for morning trek and opportunity to photograph the stunning landscape, “Gobi Glacier” and intriguing wildlife. Yol (Lammergeyer) Valley is the narrow canyon of river that flows through Zuun Saikhan Mountain (950 feet above the sea level). The gorge gas sheer rock walls with a height of 7 feet in the central part. It has been protected since 1965. During the rainy season, rain falls at the summit of mountain and flows down into the sheer canyon, forming waterfalls. Only two people can pass through the narrowest part at the same time and you will see only the blue line of sky. A small museum marks the entrance to the protected zone and provides information on the petrified tress, fauna and flora of the Gobi.
Return to the base camp for dinner. Visit to a camel breeder camp for photo opportunity, camel riding session and explore the nomad’s lifestyle. Return to the camp for overnight. (B/L/D)

July 28 Hongor Sand Dunes (Hongoryn Els)
Breakfast at the base camp. Drive to Hongor Sand Dunes (130 miles). Hongoryn Els is the largest accumulation of the sand in the Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park. The dunes rise abruptly from the plain. The dunes can reach an imposing 600 feet in height, 5-7 miles wide and stretches for over 100 miles. These high dunes are called “singing sands” by locals as it makes various sounds when the wind is blowing.
Leisure hiking, trekking and sliding in the dunes.
Ger accommodation at the camp. (B/L/D)

July 29 Bayan Zag, Flaming Cliffs
Drive to Bayan Zag, the Flaming Cliffs* (100 miles), for exploring the Gobi “Cemetery of Dinosaurs” and the trail of Roy Chapman Andrews. Petrified forests, remains of mammals and in particular the skeleton of a hornless rhinoceros, the largest known mammal in the world are found in the same area. Drive to the base camp for dinner and overnight. (B/L/D)

July 30 Ulaanbaatar
Breakfast at the base camp. Transfer to the airport for departure to Ulaanbaatar. En route to the hotel, visit Bogdo Khaan Winter Palace Museum.
Built between 1893 and 1903, the Bogdo Khaan Winter Palace is the home of last Mongolian King- Javzun Damba Khutagt VII. The Palace contains a number of Buddhist artworks and private collection of Bogdo Khaan, composed of gifts from rulers and kings from all over the world. The artworks displayed here were made by the top Mongolian, Tibetan and Chinese master-sculptors of the 18th and 19th centuries and represent the gods of Buddhist pantheon. Afternoon free at leisure for individual sightseeing and shopping. Farewell dinner and overnight at hotel. (B/L/D)

July 31 Karakorum
Drive to Karakorum (220 miles). Situated on the banks of river Orkhon, the site of the imperial capital Karakorum was chosen by Chinghis Khan in 1220. The city, capital of the largest land empire the world has ever known, served as a supply point for the Mongol armies and was a cosmopolitan and multi-cultural place in its time. Today almost nothing remains of the once-great city, but the sense of its grandeur and importance can still be felt by the visitor. Karakorum was located on trade routes and was surrounded by walls with four gates, each with its own market. The nearby Erdene Zuu Monastery was the first Buddhist monastery built in Mongolia, constructed using stones and bricks from the ruins of the ancient city in 1586. During the communist purges of the 1930s, many of the temples in the monastery complex were destroyed, but the remaining temples and stupas are some of the best examples of Mongolian Buddhist architecture. Erdene Zuu is now both a museum and a functioning monastery.
Visit to a horse-breeder’s camp to explore the lifestyle of nomads, see the making of airag (the Mongolian national drink of fermented mare’s milk) and horseback riding opportunity on Mongolian wooden saddles. Overnight in ger at the Urguu base camp. (B/L/D)

Aug. 1 Bayangobi
After breakfast at the base camp. Visit Erdene Zuu, once one of the largest monasteries in Mongolia and almost destroyed in the 1930s. Tour of the monastery grounds and several chapels with excellent examples of Buddhist iconography dating from the 16th century. Visit to the symbolic ruins of Karakorum, the 13th century capital of the Mongol Empire. After lunch Visit Shanh Hiid, the local Buddhist Temple functioning till this time.
Drive to the Bayangobi (50 miles). Bayangobi is a unique combination of steppe, forested mountains and desert-type landscape in one combination. The base camp is located along the sand dunes and it is the starting point for travel to the beautiful Hogno Khaan Mountains. Time at leisure for local exploration. Overnight at Double Zagal ger camp. (B/L/D)

Aug. 2 Ulaanbaatar
Drive to Ulaanbaatar. Arrive in Ulaanbaatar in the late afternoon. Evening tour of Ulaanbaatar city, including the War Memorial at Zaisan if time permits Dinner and overnight at hotel. (B/L/D)

Aug. 3 Ulaanbaatar
Tour the Zanabazar Museum of Fine Arts displaying unique collections of Buddhist art, sculptures including many of Zanabazar, 17th century Buddhist leader, sculptor of Mongolia.
Visit Choijin Lama Religious Museum. Choijin Lama Temple Museum Complex was built in 1904 and 1908 for Choijin Lama (a lamaistic title) Lubsankhaidav, the State Oracle and younger brother of the eighth Bogdo Gegeen, and is one of the most beautiful monasteries in Mongolia. This is the only museum where all religious objects are kept ready for Buddhist chanting ceremonies. The museum is famous for its collection of Buddhist artworks, original silk icons and Tsam dancing masks.
Afternoon at leisure for individual sightseeing or shopping.
Transfer to Chingis Village for farewell dinner. Overnight at hotel. (B/L/D)

August 4 Depart Ulaanbaatar
Monday Arrive Los Angeles, LAX
Our flight on Korean Air KE868, departs just after midnight at 12:20 AM and arrives in Seoul, Korea at 4:15 AM. In Seoul, we will have day rooms available during this layover. We then board KE001 at 11:15 AM and arrive back at LAX at 9:00 AM the same day.

Welcome home!

B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner
Flight schedules always subject to change.