Mongolia, China, Tibet

Itinerary

• Days 1-2: Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia)

  Begin in Ulaanbaatar, the political and cultural heart of Mongolia, and the country’s capital. Visit the Gandan Monastery, showcasing a 20-ton gilded statue of “the Lord Who Looks in Every Direction,” and the National Museum of History, displaying Stone and Bronze Age artifacts, sacred relics, and costumes of Mongolia’s minority tribes. Explore Bogd Khaan Palace Museum, the former home of Mongolia’s last Living Buddha, and pay your respects to the fallen Mongolian and Soviet soldiers killed in WWII at the memorial on Zaisan Hill. Back in the capital, admire the fascinating dinosaur skeletons on display at the Museum of Paleontology at Hunnu Mall.

  HIGHLIGHTS

  • Ulaanbaatar, capital and most important city in Mongolia
  • Gandan Monastery, with the 20-ton gilded statue of “the Lord Who Looks in Every Direction”
  • National History Museum, an overview of the country’s history and culture
  • Bogd Khaan Palace Museum, former home of Mongolia’s Last Living Buddha
  • Museum of Paleontology at Hunnu Mall, displaying many dinosaur bones and nests discovered by expeditions that have combed the Gobi Desert
• Day 3: Day trip to Gorkhi-Terelj National Park, Ulaanbaatar

  Depart for a full day of exploration in alpine Gorkhi-Terelj National Park, getting a feel for the high steppe and magnificent scenery of the Mongolian countryside. Pause at the giant stainless-steel equestrian statue of Genghis Khan; sightseers can take in the views by entering inside and riding an elevator to a viewing platform perched on the horse’s head. After lunch in a local ger, visit Terelj’s sacred Turtle Rock as well as Aryapala Meditation Temple, created in 1998 as a center for Buddhist retreat and meditation. Enjoy an opportunity to hike and ride horses in Mongolia’s beautiful outdoors, and visit with a nomadic family in their ger, conversing over a favorite traditional drink of salted and buttered tea.

  HIGHLIGHTS

  • Gorkhi-Terelj National Park on the high steppe, dotted with monumental rock formations
  • Aryapala Meditation Temple, graced with majestic views and profound quiet
  • Visit with a nomadic family
• Days 4-7: South Gobi Desert, Ulaanbaatar

  Fly to the South Gobi, Mongolia’s legendary southernmost province of semi-arid desert. Explore the Flaming Cliffs, one of the most renowned paleontological sites in the world where the world’s first nest of dinosaur eggs was discovered in 1922. Discover one of the few areas of sand dunes in the Gobi, Moltsog Els, where the constantly shifting sands are piled by the wind and reach surprising heights. Visit a semi-nomadic, camel-herding family to learn about their daily lives in the harsh Gobi environment, and take a short camel ride in the desert if you wish. Continue to Yolyn Am (“Vulture’s Mouth”) Canyon, which cuts a narrow path into the rocky slopes of the Gurvansaikhan Mountains.

  Fly back to the capital, enjoying a visit to the Zanabazar Museum of Fine Art followed by free time for independent exploration, last-minute shopping, or packing. Toast your Mongolian adventure at a festive farewell dinner featuring a special performance of Mongolian throat-singing. It’s an otherworldly musical form in which a single vocalist simultaneously produces two or more distinct tones, or overtones.

  HIGHLIGHTS

  • Legendary Gobi Desert, stretching 3,000 miles along the border of Mongolia and China
  • Flaming Cliffs, where the first nest of dinosaur eggs was discovered
  • Moltsog Els, one of the Gobi’s rare regions of sand dunes
  • Visit with a semi-nomadic, camel-herding family
  • Yolyn Am (“Vulture’s Mouth”) Canyon
  • Cultural performance of traditional song and dance with throat-singing