Ulaanbaatar - Bayan Enjuul - Gobi - Kharkhorin – Ulaanbaatar
14 days, 13 nights

The staff of the Ecotravel Mongolia truly believes that we all deserved some slack: past two years were a disaster for both travelers and travel companies. The war in the Middle East, SARS scare in Asia and all those things that happened all of a sudden in various parts of globe had there impact. So, this year we all deserved some quiet time and the Ecotravel Mongolia is offering the craziest sale ever in order to take you away from those fears, anxieties of the last year. And again - we miss having you in Mongolia !!!
The offer comprises all the best things you can do in Mongolia . You spend 3 days horse riding in the steppes of central Mongolia, staying in nomadic camps, witnessing true nomadic culture and civilization, then 4 days in Gobi desert, enmesh yourself in the breath-taking sunsets and sun-rises, follow the trails of world re-known anthropologists who discovered the largest remains of dinosaur fossils, have fun camel riding, then spend 3 days in Khakhorin and Erdenezuu, two of the most famous remains of the great time in Mongolian history. In the countryside we will provide the tent accommodation, for those who wish to spend a night an two in tourist ger camps in Gobi and Kharkhorin we will provide such opportunity at their own expense. Interpreters/guides will accompany the group, meals in the country side will be provided, transportation will be provided throughout the trip, horses also will be provided. The offer also includes 3 days in the city.

The itinerary is as follows:

Day 1 Drive from UB for 150kms to a place called \"Ulahiin bulan\". It is located on the bank of the river Tuul and is combination of semi-desert and grassy valleys. Visit local family and spend a night in tent.

Day 2 Take horseback riding lessons. Local herdsmen will help you to adjust to Mongolian horse. After lunch ride to a hill called \"Badrah\" in 10-15kms. Visit locals on the way. Overnight in tent.

Day 3 Ride to a place called \"Elsen am\" in 10kms. It is a small piece of desert in the middle of grassy valley and nearby mountains and river. There are quite a few camels in the this area. We will prepare a special Mongolian meal called boodog where a whole body of goat will fried on fire.

Day 4 Drive from Ulaanbaatar in 140-150 kms to a place around Zorgol hairkhan mountains. Visit the family of Dondov, nomadic family. Witness nomadic life, taste Mongolian food. Drive towards Baga gazryn chuluu for another 130-140 kms from the family camp. Visit Baga gazryn chuluu, it has very unusually shaped stone formation right in the middle of sandy grass lands. Visit what remains from a small monastery Delgeryn choir. In the afternoon we will drive towards Mandalgobi, the center of Dund gobi province, which is located in some 80 kms. Tent accommodation.   Day 5 Drive towards Tsagaan suvarga. This is also understood to be an ancient ocean bed, with unusual rock formations. It will be a long ride of almost 180 kms kms. Over night in Tsogt Ovoo. Tent accommodation.   Day 6 In the morning we will set towards Eagle valley or Yolyn am in Mongolian language. After an extensive ride for another 140 kms we will reach it. On the Eastern side of the Gurvan Saikhan mountains there is a place called Eagle Valley . It is located in Gurvan saikhan mountains. The mountains are located in the central part of Onmogobi province and goes from West to Southeastern direction. The highest point of the Eastern part is Mount Tahilgat (2846m), of the middle part - Erdenetsogt (2824m), and Western part - Bogd (2511m). It is surrounded by rock formations as high as 2600m above the see level. During the winter the small spring in the valley freezes, but during the summer due to the lack of sun locked by surrounding rocks the spring barely flows. The local legend says that in ancient times an old noble decided to marry a beautiful young woman. However, she was in love with a young man and in order to part them the old noble sent the young man to Eagle valley to hunt down young eaglets. When young man went down to the valley, the old noble cut the robes using which the young man went down and left the young man die. Then the old noble brought the young woman to his house. But before the wedding ceremony the young woman managed to run away and threw herself from the rocks surrounding the Eagle valley. Since then the place is called Eagle valley and rocks that surround the valley Okhiny hutul, meaning the young girls mount. Spend an night in tourist camp ger.   Day 7 In the morning we will reach Moltsog els, sand dunes. This is a good photo ops. Then drive towards Bayanzag, or Flaming cliffs as called by tourist companies. The Gobi has one of the world's most acclaimed excavations of dinosaur fossils. Dinosaurs became extinct more than 65 mln years ago and of the 12 different types 8 existed on the territory of current Mongolia . This is the place that was visited by Roy Chapman Andrews and where he found the dino fossils. In the evening we reach Moltsog els, sand dunes. Spend a night in tent.   Day 8 After visiting the ruins of the monastery and surroundings, drive towards Kharkhorin. This is going to be a long ride of almost 350 kms to reach Kharkhorin. So we will spend a night on the way in some distance from Khakrhorin after passing Arvaikheer, the province seat. Tent accommodation.   Day 9 In the morning drive towards Kharkhorin reach it before noon . After lunch visit the sites here. Situated in between the river of Orkhon and in the valley of Khangai mountains, Kharkhorin was the capital of one of the most powerful and extended nomadic Empires - the Empire of Chinggis Khaan. The construction was started by Chinggis Khaan himself and in 1220, during the reign of his third son Egedei, it was named the capital city. Major constructions were finished by 1236. The city was surrounded by rectangular walls approximately 4x4 kms. Four gates were located on each side and on the eastern gates trade was conducted on grains, vegetables, on western gates - sheep and goats, on southern gates - carts, bulls, handcrafts and, finally, horses market was on the northern gate. Closer to the northern end was the castle of Egedei Khaan , named the Khaan of Ten Thousand Prosperity. Today only the basement walls of the castle are remaining. According to old legends four turtles were created to protect the city from floods. One of them is still intact near the gates. Many foreign guests visited the city and left their writings about the city. One of them writes that in the center of the city a golden fountain was erected that during the festivals and other occasions was discharging milk, vine, vodka, honey and airag. A woman's figure playing on the flute was a the summit of the fountain. A French designer created the fountain. The city has existed for a relatively short time and in the mid-13th century Khubilai Khaan moved the capital to Kaiping (currently know as Beijing ). In one hundred year after that the city was burned by Chinese troops and in 16th century it was completely ruined during in-fighting between Mongolian nobles. The remains of the city were found in the 1940s. Visit Erdene dzuu monastery is one of the oldest monasteries on the territory of Mongolia . It was created in 1586 in the location just opposite Kharkhorin by the most influential noble of the time Avtaikhaan. The construction began in 17th century and continued until the early 19th century. When erecting the monastery the stones from the remains of Kharkhorin were used. Most of the work was done under the supervision of the Mongolian architect Manzshir. It is believed that not a single nail was used in the construction of the monastery. The territory of the monastery was surrounded by 400x400 meter walls connecting 108 surbagan (the stone constructions erected on the occasions of important events or the burials of nobles). 10 thousand lams inhabited the monastery at the its peak and more than 60 praying houses were in inside. The praying houses that remain now contain Mongolian, Chinese, Arabic and Tibetan writings dating back to 13th and 14th century. There are various monasteries remaining throughout the territory of the Monastery. Most notable among them are Gurvan dzuu (Three Dzuu) - central, western and eastern. They contains most remarkable religious artifacts. The monastery was badly damaged in 17th and 18th century during the in-fighting between Mongolian nobles and struggle against Manchu aggressors. It was also damaged very seriously in the 1930 during anti-religious purges. The monastery was restored several times and the latest restoration took place in the 1990s.   Day 10 Drive back to UB, it is over 350 kms reach UB in the evening. Stop over in the Uvgun monastery on the way.

Days 11- 14 3 days before or after the countryside trip will be reserved for seeing the Naadam festivities in the city, visiting the museums (2 museums) and shopping.

The price includes interpreters/guides, meals in the country side, transportation will be provided throughout the trip, transfer to and from the airport/railway station, horses for the first 3 days, apartment accommodation in the city on a shared basis, tent accommodation in the countryside, admissions as per itinerary.