Mongolia & the Gobi Desert

16 days
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Group Tour
Wild and untamed, Mongolia is a deeply spiritual land of nomadic cultures and dreamy landscapes of snowcapped mountains, crystalline lakes, and great swathes of grassy plains and ancient desert. Even today, Mongolia evokes a time when Genghis Khan and his warrior horsemen thundered across the steppe to establish the largest land empire the world has ever know...
From$4,595
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Overview

Trip type
Group Tour
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Balanced schedule

Highlights

    • Explore the Mongolia city
    • Visit to Gorkhi-Terelj National Park
    • Explore the Zanabazar Museum of Fine Arts
    • Explore the western shore of Lake Khovsgol
    • Experience camel riding in Gobi Desert
    • Discover Yol Valley

What's this trip about?

    Wild and untamed, Mongolia is a deeply spiritual land of nomadic cultures and dreamy landscapes of snowcapped mountains, crystalline lakes, and great swathes of grassy plains and ancient desert. Even today, Mongolia evokes a time when Genghis Khan and his warrior horsemen thundered across the steppe to establish the largest land empire the world has ever known. Discover Mongolia’s diverse land and people, from the bustle of Ulaanbaatar and alpine beauty of Khovsgol Lake to the vast expanse of the Gobi Desert. Meet with nomadic herding families, learn about ancient shamanistic beliefs, ride a camel in the desert dunes, and discover why Mongolia is known as the "Land of Blue Sky" during stays in authentic ger tents—just as modern-day nomads and their ancestors have done for centuries. Travel to Mongolia, a pristine land that time forgot, for an adventure you’ll treasure forever.

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Details

Itinerary focusOff the Beaten Path
Group sizeStandard Group - 25 + people
Age rangeNo age restrictions
Flights and transportAll internal ground transport included
Start CityUlaanbaatar
End CityUlaanbaatar

Travel Themes

  • Cultural
  • Local Immersion & Homestays
  • Transformative

Destinations

Activities

  • Bird Watching
  • Camel Riding
  • Culture
  • Hiking
  • Historic Sightseeing
  • History
  • Homestays & Cultural Immersion
  • Horseback Riding & Equestrian
  • Trekking
  • Wildlife Viewing

Trip includes

    • All land transportation and two internal round trip flights
    • Accommodations for 15 nights
    • 39 meals—daily breakfast, 12 lunches, and 12 dinners (including 2 Home-Hosted meals)
    • 20 small group activities
    • Services of a resident, English-speaking OAT Trip Leader
    • NEW: Gratuities for local guides, drivers, and luggage porters
    • 5% Frequent Traveler Credit toward your next adventure—an average of $373

View Similar Trips

Itinerary

Travel Map

Day 1: Arrive Beijing • Fly to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Meals: Lunch and Dinner

Accommodations: Kempinski Hotel Khan Palace or similar

After our early morning arrival in Beijing, we fly to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, with those who chose to take the pre-trip extension to Mystical Yunnan: Kunming, Dali & Lijian...

Day 2: Explore Ulaanbaatar

Meals : Breakfast and Lunch

Accommodations: Kempinski Hotel Khan Palace or similar

Today we begin a city tour of the Mongolian capital, situated on the banks of the mighty Tuul River and surrounded by holy mountains. The first capital of the modern Mongo...

Day 3: Shaman visit • Home-Hosted Lunch

FOUNDATION VISIT

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodations: Alungoo Camp or similar

After breakfast, we’ll delve deeper into Mongolia’s spirituality by visiting a shaman in his home and participating in a shamanistic ritual. Our visit will...

Day 4: Ulaanbaatar • Gorkhi-Terelj National Park

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodations: Alungoo Camp or similar

This morning we’ll travel east into the Mongolian countryside. Our destination is Gorkhi-Terelj National Park, a nature reserve set in a deep valley between forested hillsides, gr...

Day 5: Genghis Khan monument • Meet with nomadic horse-breeding family

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodations: Alungoo Camp or similar

Today begins with a visit to a rather remarkable monument. The people of Mongolia decided to honor Genghis Khan in a big way—by erecting a statue of him astride his horse that sta...

Day 6: Ulaanbaatar • Monastery visit

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Accommodations: Kempinski Hotel Khan Palace or similar

Today we'll return to Nalaikh to visit the Sain Nomun Monastery, where local monks will be waiting to show us how to practice meditation.

Next, we'll have lunch tog...

Day 7: Fly to Moron • Transfer to Khovsgol Lake

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodations: Ashihai Lake Camp or similar

Explore the western shore of Lake Khovsgol in Mongolia

After breakfast, we visit a workshop that produces traditional morin khuur (horse head fiddles), registered on U...

Day 8: Boat ride on Khovsgol Lake • Horseback ride

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodations: Ashihai Lake Camp or similar

Encounter reindeer and yak herding families on the Mongolian steppe

After breakfast, we begin the day with a morning excursion out onto Khovsgol Lake, whose crystal-cl...

Day 9: A Day in the Life of modern Mongolia

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodations: Ashihai Lake Camp or similar

After breakfast, we’ll experience A Day in Life of modern Mongolia, first stopping to meet with members of a yak-herding family on the Mongolian steppe. Our meeting will reve...

Day 10: Overland to Moron • Fly to Ulaanbaatar

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Accommodations: Kempinski Hotel Khan Palace or similar

After breakfast and some time at leisure, we drive back to Moron and enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. Then we head to the airport for a flight to Ulaanbaatar, arriving in late afternoon. Dinner is on our own this evening.

Day 11: Fly to the Gobi Desert

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodations: Dream Gobi Camp or similar

After a morning at leisure, we leave Ulaanbaatar and fly to the Gobi Desert. Covering much of southern Mongolia, the Gobi Desert is a breathtaking region of semi-arid desert te...

Day 12: Explore Yol Valley

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodations: Dream Gobi Camp or similar

Today we explore Yol Valley (also known as Vulture Valley). We’ll travel across the Gobi Desert to the Gurvan Saikhan Mountains and enter this deep gorge in a Mongolian nationa...

Day 13: Gobi Desert • Flaming Cliffs • Camel ride in the dunes

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodations: Dream Gobi Camp or similar

Bayanzag Flaming Cliffs, Gobi Desert, Mongolia

We begin the day with a visit to an area of the Gobi Desert known as Bayanzag, but more commonly referred to as the Flamin...

Day 14: Fly to Ulaanbaatar

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Accommodations: Kempinski Hotel Khan Palace or similar

Statue of Damdin Sukhbaatar in front of the Parliament building, Suhbaatar square, Ulan Bator, Mongolia

After breakfast, we drive to Dalanzadgad, where we make our ...

Day 15: Ulaanbaatar • Fly to Beijing, China or begin post-trip extension

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodations: Royal Phoenix Hotel or similar

Depart for the airport for a flight to Beijing, where you'll enjoy an overnight stay. Or, if you're taking Siberian Odyssey: Lake Baikal & Irkutsk, depart for your flight to Irkutsk and begin Day 1 of your post-trip extension.

Day 16: Return to U.S.

Meals : Breakfast

Transfer to the airport for your return flight home.

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Dates & Availability

Price From $4,595
Price per day$287
Last Updated: 8/2/2018

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Overseas Adventure Travel (O.A.T. Tours).

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

Overseas Adventure Travel (O.A.T. Tours) Reviews & Ratings

4.9/5  Excellent
Excellent
442
Great
13
Average
8
Disappointing
0
Terrible
7
L

LE101

Apr 2020

Written on

AWFUL SERVICE; RIP-OFF; AVOID THIS COMPANY!

In 2019, I booked a trip thru O.A.T. to Mongolia for 2 weeks starting on July 1st to, among other things, go to the Na'am festival. It is usual and customary to prep...

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P

Policy over practical customer service. zero customer service

Dec 2023

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don't expect humanity or common sense

This letter is effectively what was communicated no less than 8 times in writing and conversation to OAT representatives up the chain, beginning 19 days before the t...

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Terry

Feb 2023

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Be careful

Booked for July and gave them $12,000. They talked us into early arrival and then come back to us a two months later saying we can't offer. We have to keep our airli...

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Logistics

Accommodation

Kempinski Hotel Khan Palace

Ulaanbataar, Mongolia

This modern, 102-room hotel is conveniently situated in the center of Ulaanbaatar, within walking distance of shops, theaters, and museums. The hotel features two restaurants, a fitness center, beauty salon, and boutique. Rooms include an Internet connection, climate control, and a private bath with shower.

Alungoo Camp

Gorkhi-Terelj National Park, Mongolia

Alungoo Camp is a rural camp located about an hour-and-a-half’s drive northeast of Ulaanbaatar in a natural valley fringed by forested mountains. There are 30 traditional ger tents at the camp, with private bath facilities in each ger. We’ll also enjoy authentic Mongolian cuisine in the large communal dining ger.

Ashihai Lake Camp

Khovsgol Lake, Mongolia

Set on the western shore of Lake Khovsgol with scenic mountains in the distance, the Ashihai Lake Camp features 15 traditional ger tents, with a restaurant at the main lodge. Bath and shower facilities are located in a main lodge building.

Dream Gobi Camp

Gobi Desert, Mongolia

Set in the Gobi Desert 39 miles northwest of Dalanzadgad, the Dream Gobi Camp features 40 traditional ger tents, each with private bathroom facilities. When not exploring the surrounding landscape, we’ll enjoy authentic Mongolian cuisine in the large communal dining ger or relax on the terrace with scenic views of the desert landscape.

Royal Phoenix Hotel

Beijing, China

The Royal Phoenix Hotel is located close to the shops of Wangfujing Street, near Forbidden City and Jingshan Park. Hotel amenities include restaurants serving Chinese and Western cuisine, bar, and lounge. There are 193 air-conditioned rooms, each with safe, minibar, coffee- and tea-making facilities, and private bath with hair dryer.

Cancellation policy

Cancellation Charges Generally: Unless otherwise stated next to the program’s rate chart, you will receive a refund equal to your Trip Price less the following per-person charges. Charges shown include the $300 administrative fee.

Cancellation Charges for Land Tours:

  • If Prior to departure is 90 days or more, then charge is $300
  • If Prior to departure is 89-60 days, then charge is 10% of selling price or $300—whichever is greater
  • If Prior to departure is 59-30 days, then charge is 65% of selling price
  • If Prior to departure is 29 days–departure, then charge is 100% of selling price
Travel Insurance
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance alongside your travel package to safeguard against unforeseen circumstances such as medical expenses, trip cancellations, and other contingencies. It offers you peace of mind and ensures you are prepared for unexpected events that may occur before or during your journey
Visa requirements
Visa requirements vary depending on your country of origin and your country of destination. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the relevant requirements. For a handy tool that can help you quickly find the requirements, please visit this link .
Meals Included

15 Breakfasts 12 Lunches, and 12 Dinners

Age Requirements
No age restrictions
Optional Activities

Extensions

Pre-trip: Mystical Yunnan: Kunming, Dali & Lijiang

8 nights from only $2195 |  Single Supplement: FREE

Before you travel to Mongolia, experience southwestern China’s Yunnan Province. With its deep spirituality and sweeping scenic vistas, many claim that this is the legendary land of Shangri-La. Witness a forest seemingly made of stone in Kunming, discover Bai culture in the walled city of Dali, and explore the splendor of Lijiang, home to one of the best-preserved Old Towns in China.

Post-trip: Siberian Odyssey: Lake Baikal & Irkutsk

6 nights from only $3195 |  Single Supplement: FREE

Explore the remote beauty of southern Siberia, an atmospheric land of ancient and modern Siberian cultures, and nature at its most unspoiled. Visit the Siberian cities of Irkutsk and Listvyanka, and spend time at a former Cossack settlement along the shores of majestic Lake Baikal, the largest and most ancient body of fresh water on Earth.

Additional Information
Trip ID
overse-MonGobOve

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