Remote Lands

Mongolia

Suggested Itinerary

Day 1 – Ulaanbaatar

VIP arrival at the Chinggis Khaan International Airport in Ulaanbaatar, the capital, also called Ulan Bator, or UB by the locals. Mongolians are fiercely proud of their founding father, Genghis Khan, ruler of the largest contiguous empire in world history and one of the most successful military leaders of all time. Although he died almost 800 years ago, the name of this iconic figure is still ubiquitous in Mongolia, including on the airport and on your hotel, the Chingis Khaan.

Note the multiple English spellings for most words because Mongolian uses the Cyrillic alphabet from Russian and other Slavic languages. This use is a vestige of Mongolia's 70 years of Communism and formerly close relationship with Russia; Mongolia became a democracy in 1990.

Visit Sükhbaatar Square in the city center, which was named for Damdiny Sükhbaatar, Mongolia's na- tional hero who laid the groundwork for the Mongol revolution and allegiance with Russia. Born of humble means, Sükhbaatar rose to prominence in the military and became Commander in Chief of the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Army in 1921. He died at the age of 30 two year later under mysterious circumstances, and in remembrance of him, this square as well as Ulaanbaatar itself was named in his honor.

Have dinner at Ger Restaurant, which is a housed in a large decorated ger (or yurt). Your meal will be followed by a performance of traditional Mongolian folk music, including throat singing, a unique traditional style of music found all over central Asia that involves manipulating the size of one's mouth and respiratory organs to produce rich, deep sounds of various pitches. Mongolia alone is home to several genres of throat singing.

Day 2 – Renchinlhumbe

Take a helicopter to Renchinlhumbe up near the Siberian border which normally takes four days to reach by a combination of plane, jeep and horse. Stay with the Tsaatan reindeer people, nomadic herders of tamed reindeer, who live in teepees similar to those of Native Americans. Despite having lived in this area for 4000 years, the Tsaatans are an endangered minority culture, and sadly, only a few hundred of these warm and gentle people remain.

Help your hosts prepare dinner of warm reindeer milk and freshly caught fish or game, and afterwards listen to their style of throat-singing called Khöömii.

Day 3 – Renchinlhumbe

Ride a reindeer to the nearest river and go fly-fishing for grayling, lenok trout and the legendary taimen fish, which can be as large as three feet long. Have a picnic on the shore of the pristine river, and come back and help milk the reindeer and prepare the fish for a delicious dinner.

After dinner meet a shaman and watch him perform his magical rituals to heal the sick or bring on favorable weather. In the Tsaatan belief system, all life is controlled by invisible spirits; by communing with the spirits while in a trance, the shaman requests their assistance in bringing on beneficial outcomes.

Day 4 – Kharkorin

Take the helicopter to Kharkorin and visit Erdenezuu monastery, built in 1586 and the first Buddhist monastery in Mongolia. Attend a private monk ordination ceremony, and visit the home of the senior monk and have tea with him.

Visit the family of Asashyoriuy Dagvadorj, the famous Mongolian Sumo wrestler. Have a delicious dinner at their home accompanied by ayrag, fermented mare's milk, which is the Mongolian beverage of choice.

Day 5 – Gobi Desert

Fly the helicopter into the Gobi Desert in southern Mongolia and see the astounding Khermen Tsav cliffs and the Zulganai desert oasis.

Mongolia is one of the world's most sparsely populated nations with only 2.4 million people in a country equivalent in size to all of Western Europe. Until the 20th century Mongolia was actually twice its current size, encompassing parts of Siberia, and Inner Mongolia, which is now part of China (the term Outer Mongolia refers to Mongolia in its current state).

In the afternoon fly to the remote home of a family of camel breeders and spend the night with them. Learn how to make traditional Mongolian dumplings, a staple of the local diet, and have a delicious dinner with your host family.

Day 6 – Zorgol Kairkhan/ Arburd Sands

Take your helicopter to Zorgol Kairkhan Mountain. Zorgol is a holy mountain for Mongolians and there is a small religious site there, a tree with blue cloths wrapped around and hanging from its branches. Have a picnic lunch here and then take a short, easy hike around the mountain. Argali sheep live on Zorgol and you may see one if you are lucky.

Fly by helicopter to the Arburd Sands and arrive in a remote location where locals and camel carts will be waiting for you to transport your luggage to the luxury ger camp. Although Arburd Sands is in the Gobi, it is important to understand that in reality the Gobi is less than 10% sand. Most of the Gobi is grassland with small patches of sand and dunes. In addition to Argali sheep, the area is also home to Siberian ibex, and occasional packs of wolves.

If you have the energy, we can arrange a short desert trek by camel, or horseback riding in the grasslands for you. Horse culture is the heart and soul of Mongolia, even though parts of the once nomadic population have begun to settle, there are still more horses in the country than human inhabitants. Horseback riding across the grasslands is one of the best ways to experience the Mongolian landscape as it has been for millennia. In fact, your hosts in Arburd Sands come from one of the most respected families of horsemen in the country, winners of many races in the annual Nadaam festival, a national celebration of Mongolian traditions including horse racing, archery and wrestling.

Have dinner and spend the night in your luxury ger camp.

Day 7 – Jalman Meadows

Take a short, leisurely hike in the morning, or go for a short ride on horseback. Have breakfast back at your ger camp.

Fly 30 minutes by helicopter to Jalman Meadows. Jalman Meadows is an area in the Tuul River Valley, where grasslands threaded with rivers are flanked by hills dotted with forests of larch and birch. It is located in the Khan Khentii Strictly Protected Area, a wilderness three times the size of Yellowstone National Park in the US, but completely without any infrastructure or human habitation. This pristine willderness area is a "transition zone" from steppes to taiga forests. The region is usually completely green from June through August, providing a striking contrast to Arburd Sands.

Go "yak-cart rafting" in the Tuul River, which empties into the Arctic Ocean. An inflatable raft will be taken to the river by yak cart and have a picnic lunch on the banks of the Tuul. A portable sauna has been set up here for you so take a warm soak in the sauna before go rafting down or swimming in the Tuul as the river is rather cold.

Watch an archery demonstration and have an informal lesson in the sport.

Return to your camp in Jalman Meadows for dinner

Day 8 – Jalman Meadows

Have breakfast in your ger camp.

Meet with nomadic families in their moveable homes. Spend the day with them to learn about their distinctive way of life. Learn how to make and have a delicious lunch with your host family of authentic Mongolian food, which may include Mongolian barbecue, where an entire sheep or goat is cooked over hot rocks. Relax and appreciate their slower pace of life.

Day 9 – Khen Khentii Wilderness/ Ulaanbaatar

Have breakfast in your ger camp.

After breakfast, board your private helicopter for a 15-minute flight over Khan Khentii's boreal forests, which stand in sharp contrast to the treeless steppes and desert. You will land near Hagiin Black Lake, the source of the Tuul River, which is to the northeast of Ulaanbaatar and unreachable by car. Hike through the pristine, dense Siberian forest along the lakeside while a private chef prepares lunch for you.

Fly on your helicopter from Khan Khentii to Ulaanbaatar.

Have a farewell dinner with a remarkable local dignitary, top government or business leader to celebrate your last night in Mongolia.

Day 10

Depart for home.

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