Journey Through the Land of Genghis Khan

On this incredible week-long journey in Mongolia, get an instinctual feel for the nomadic life a world away from home. Explore the capital, Ulaanbaatar, witness the glow of the Flaming Cliffs at sundown, experience the living traditions of the Mongolian people on intimate visits to local ger camps, and open to the unfamiliar resonances of Mongolian throat-singing, created to combat the loneliness of the nomadic herder under the big sky.

7 Day Trip

  • Private Journey
    Minimum of 2 Travelers
  • Travels to:
    Mongolia
  • Flexible Essential:
    Ulaanbaatar, Gorkhi-Terelj, and the South Gobi

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Overview Itinerary

MIR Signature Experiences on this Tour
  • Admire the sweeping steppe landscape of Gorkhi-Terelj National Park
    Admire the rolling steppe and monumental rock formations in alpine Gorkhi-Terelj National Park; at over 5,000 feet, Terelj is a sweeping alpine landscape of grassland...
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  • Visit the home of a local nomad
    Visit the home of a local nomad and perhaps sample airag, fermented mare’s milk....
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  • Gaze upon the dazzling Flaming Cliffs
    Admire the Flaming Cliffs, named for their red-gold luminescence in the rays of the setting sun, where the first nest of dinosaur eggs was discovered....
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  • Discover the eerie sound of throat-singing
    Enjoy a performance of other-worldly Mongolian throat-singing...
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Why Travel with MIR on this Tour
  • Over two decades of Mongolia travel experience
  • Travel programs such as Princeton and Dartmouth have chosen MIR to guide them to Mongolia
  • Twice named one of National Geographic Adventure’s “Best Adventure Travel Companies on Earth”
  • On-the-ground support and quality you can trust
  • Personalized travel planning from start to finish
  • Guides and tour managers whom clients rave about
Download Detailed Itinerary
Flexible Essential Independent Private Trips

Flexible Essential Trips are well-designed private tour itineraries already researched and ready to book on the dates you choose.  Great for solo travelers, couples, or private parties who prefer to travel independently but appreciate a savvy pre-designed program.  Group size is flexible.

Itinerary & Highlights at a Glance

Days 1-2: Ulaanbaatar

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 the costumes of Mongolia’s minority tribes. Explore the 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 city, 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”
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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 enter the interior on an elevator and admire the view from a platform perched on the horse's head. After lunch in a local ger, visit Terelj’s sacred Turtle Rock and the lovely Aryapala Meditation Temple, created in 1998 to be 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, 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
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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 hear about their daily lives in the harsh environment of the Gobi, and perhaps take a short camel ride into the desert. 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 and some 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, an otherworldly musical form in which a single vocalist produces two or more distinct tones, or overtones, simultaneously.

Highlights

  • The legendary Gobi Desert, stretching for 3,000 miles along the border of Mongolia and China
  • Three Camel Lodge, Mongolia’s premier ger camp in the Gobi
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See Dates & Prices for more details or to see suggested extensions.

Download Detailed Itinerary
Flexible Essential Independent Private Trips

Flexible Essential Trips are well-designed private tour itineraries already researched and ready to book on the dates you choose.  Great for solo travelers, couples, or private parties who prefer to travel independently but appreciate a savvy pre-designed program.  Group size is flexible.

Tour Dates & Prices
Trip Length: 7 Days

Land Tour Price, Per Person
based on double occupancy

  • 2 Traveler Minimum $4,295
  • Plus Internal Air $325
  • Single Supplement $1,150

2019 Dates

Your Choice of Dates
Start any day of the week

Recommended months of travel:

  • June,  
  • July,  
  • August,  
  • September,  
  • FROM
  • $4,295
  • Min 2 Travelers
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Group Size

Pricing is based on a minimum of 2 travelers on this trip. Call for solo trip pricing.

Private trip prices vary by season and are subject to hotel availability for your travel dates. Hotel upgrades, additional nights and solo traveler prices are available on request.

What’s Included

On Your Tour

  • Shared accommodations in a superior tourist class hotel in Ulaanbaatar and in ger camps with shared facilities outside of the capital.
  • Breakfast daily, 4 lunches, and 4 dinners, per the itinerary.
  • Restaurant tips for included meals.
  • Services of experienced, English-speaking local guides, drivers and other staff.
  • One arrival and one departure transfer. (Additional arrival and departure transfers available at additional cost.) MIR will arrange for travelers to be met upon arrival and seen off on departure, whether we make your air arrangements or not.
  • Ground transportation throughout itinerary by private vehicle (type of vehicle depends on the size of your party).
  • Guided sightseeing tours and entrance fees as outlined in the itinerary.

Before Your Tour

  • Personalized pre-departure support from one of our knowledgeable Tour Specialists.
  • Complete pre-departure information including detailed packing list, reading list, insurance information.
  • Assistance booking your custom flight arrangements (on request; please note that international air fare is not included in the land tour cost).
  • Touring with MIR handbook with country-specific information, maps, and travel tips.
  • Final document packet including luggage tags, final updates, and more.
Download Detailed Itinerary
Flexible Essential Independent Private Trips

Flexible Essential Trips are well-designed private tour itineraries already researched and ready to book on the dates you choose.  Great for solo travelers, couples, or private parties who prefer to travel independently but appreciate a savvy pre-designed program.  Group size is flexible.

Prepare for Your Trip

International Airfare

MIR's in-house, full-service air department will gladly assist with your air travel needs.

More Info

Reading List

MIR recommends reading up before you leave home. So settle back in your armchair with some of our favorite books about our favorite places.

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Visas

Most MIR programs require one or more visas, and each visa requires a completely blank page in your passport. Visa information for this particular tour is listed in the Detailed Descriptive Itinerary.

More Info

Travel Insurance

Stay a Little Longer…

MIR can extend your stay with a train ride over the border into Siberia to explore Lake Baikal, or perhaps venture to Ulgii to visit the Kazakhs in western Mongolia. Consider traveling to China before or after the trip to visit Tibet, Xi’an, Shanghai, or Hong Kong. All of MIR’s destinations are open to you, and all can be attached to this program. Please contact MIR for more details about exciting options for extended travel.

Or, choose from one of these suggested itineraries:

Is this Trip Right for You?

This Flexible Essential Series program, by nature, is designed to be adventurous, but also as comfortable as is possible for rustic travel in this region. Accommodations will vary from a four-star hotel in Ulaanbaatar to more basic accommodation in a ger camp in the Gobi. 

A full list of details about the rigors of this tour are explained in the Detailed Descriptive Itinerary.

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