12 days Central Mongolia and Gobi road trip

Day 1. Sunday: Welcome To Ulaanbaatar

SIXT Limousine Service will pick you up upon your arrival at Ulaanbaatar Airport or Ulaanbaatar Central Train Station and drive you to the Kempinski Khan Palace Hotel.

Start your city tour at the Sukhbaatar Square and visit the close by Choijin Lama Temple. The area is ideal for your lunch break with several good restaurants around the temple like Millies, Silk Road, Veranda, Choijin Temple Restaurant and more restaurants and coffee shops are in the close by Shangri La mall.

Continue your afternoon with a visit to the Gandantegchinlen Monastery and Zaisan Memorial with a great view over the city.

End the day by attending the Tumen Ekh Ensemble - one of the best national song and dance ensembles in Mongolia.

*Contact us for city tour guide bookings and tickets to the Tumen Ekh Ensemble.

Day 2. Khustai National Park

(Altanbulag, Argalant, and Bayankhangai soum of Tov province)

Start your trip at Khustai Mountains. Khustain National Park provides more of a wild experience through out the year. The main reason many people visit this park is to observe the Takhi (Przewalski's) horses, the last remaining wild horse species in the world. During the summer months the Takhi horse head to the ridges to escape the increasing heat. They come down into the valleys at the cooler times of day. It’s worth spending at least one night in the park, as you are most likely to see Takhi and other wildlife at dusk or dawn. However, as with all wildlife, they can prove to be elusive.

Day 3. Elsen Tasarkhai Sand Dunes - Karakorum

(Bulgan soum of Ovorkhangai province)

Elsen Tasarkhai is your next stop. Located 280 km west of Ulaanbaatar and 80 km east of Karakorum, this area is a small sequence of real desert in the midst of green steppes. Drive to Erdene Khamba Monastery ruins, which is only 18 km north from Elsen Tasarkhai. Also ride the horses and camels proposed by tourist camps of this area. Take a break for the picnic and then continue your road trip to Karakorum city. Time to head for a sleeping place. End up for the night in the tent nearby the city or experience the local hotel or a family guesthouse.

Day 4. Karakorum

(Kharkhorin soum of Ovorkhangai province)

Karakorum was the capital city of the Mongol Empire between 1235 and 1260, and of the Northern Yuan dynasty in the 14–15th centuries. There’s a museum built on the ruins that will unfold the intriguing history of the ancient city. Also, you can visit one of the earliest surviving Buddhist monastery in Mongolia, the Erdene Zuu Monastery which located right next to the ruins of Karakorum.

Day 5. Orkhon Waterfall & Tuvkhun Monastery

Orkhon Waterfall/Red Waterfall

(Kharkhorin soum of Ovorkhangai province)

Also known as Ulaan Tsutgalan (Red Waterfall), Orkhon Watefall is a must see and the most beautiful place in central Mongolia. If you’re interested in ice climbing, you can come here in winter. The waterfall stays frozen from mid November to late March for about 130 days during the winter. Ice wall is 24m tall and it is formed 85-90 degrees vertical. And there’s a remote location called Khuisiin Naiman Nuur (Khuisiin 8 Lake) 30km away from the waterfall to the north. It has eight lakes with different sizes and the distance between them ranges from 500m to 3km.

Tuvkhun Monastery

(Khujirt soum of Ovorkhangai province)

Drive to Tuvkhun Monastery and explore its beautiful area, which is located in the dense forested and picturesque mountain Shijvee. There are several temples, a small cave for meditation and another cave called Mother belly. Go for hiking to rocky hills and enjoy the stunning beauty of the wild nature. Find a nice spot on the hills around the monastery for your HEIMPLANET tent and stay there overnight.

Day 6. Ugii Lake

(Ugiinuur soum of Arkhangai province)

Time to explore one of the biggest (freshwater) lakes of Mongolia. Drive to Ugii lake, a stopover point for more than 150 species of migrating water birds. Ugii lake is also renowned for its fishing, and is rich in Perch and Pike. Don’t forget to take your swimming costume as the water is very warm during summer. Also it is enthusiastic for swimming, sunbathing, horse and camel-back riding around the lake. Make sure to keep your camera and binoculars handy for spotting and documenting rare bird life. There are several ger tourist camps around the lake to stay overnight, as well as information and training center.

Day 7. Ongi Monastery

(Saikhan-Ovoo soum of Dundgovi province)

Formerly one of the largest monasteries in Mongolia, Ongi monastery was founded in 1660. The monastery consisted of two temple complexes and the older one has various administrative buildings as well as 11 temples. Meanwhile, the newer complex was built in the 18th century, consisted of 17 temples. The Ongi monastery also had 4 religious universities and could accommodate over 1000 monks at a time. Unfortunately, in 1930s the monastery was completely destroyed and over 200 monks were killed by the communists.

Day 8. Flaming Cliffs & Khongor Sand Dunes

Flaming Cliffs

(Bulgan soum of Omnogovi province)

Bayanzag red sand cliffs, better known as “Flaming Cliffs” due to their ochre and red colors, has many sedimentary sand cliffs where numerous dinosaurs’ fossils have been found. Ride through the prehistoric giant reptiles’ home on camelback.

Khongor Sand Dunes

(Sevrei and Bayandalai soum of Omnogovi province)

Also known as the Duut Mankhan (singing dunes), Khongor Sand Dunes stretches more than 180km and dunes’ height reaches 15-30m. You can climb to the top of the sand dunes and slide down, which will make the dunes to emit an interesting sound similar to singing. The desert view from the top of the sand dunes is amazing.

Day 9. Tsagaan Suvarga

(Ulziit soum of Dundgovi province)

The rocky formations of Tsagaan Suvarga was an old seabed with sedimentary structure shaped by millions of years of natural forces and the different colors represent different times. You can explore Khevtee Bosoo agui (Lie and Stand Cave) or Del uul (Mane Mountain). Del uul is famous for its Bronze Age rock drawings and considered to be largest site of rock drawings in Central Asia.

Day 10. Ikh Gazriin Chuluu

(Govi-Ugtaal and Gurvansaikhan soum of Dundgovi province)

Ikh Gazriin Chuluu is a mountain of granite rocks in the Gobi desert reaching 1706m at its peak. These rocky mountains has over 40 caves and the area is a home to over 20 species such as jerboa, eagles, bats, fox, wild sheep and siberian ibex. There are lots of myths about famous as well as infamous people who had nestled in the caves and those caves are usually named after the people once stayed in there.

Day 11. Back To Ulaanbaatar

Wake up early and drive back to Ulaanbaatar. Check-in at the Kempinski Hotel. Return the keys from SIXT rental car to the hotel reception. Enjoy your last night in Mongolia at 5* hotel.

Day 12. Departure Time

Enjoy your breakfast at the Kempinski Hotel. Afterwards, SIXT Limousine Service will bring you to the airport or train station.

Travelling with friends?

Upgrade your package from 2 Persons to 3 or 4 persons for additional rooms at the Kempinski Hotel and extra tent with two sleeping mats.

SEPTEMBER until MAY:

• 1 person - $1000 (single room, single tent)
• group of 2 - $700 per person (double room)/ $800 per person (single room, single tent)
• group of 3 - $700 per person(double room)/ $800 per person(single room, single tent)
• group of 4 - $650 per person(double room)/ $750 per person(single room, single tent)

JUNE, AUGUST:

• 1 person- $1100 (single room, single tent)
• group of 2- $800 per person (double room)/ $900 per person (single room, single tent)
• group of 3- $800 per person (double room)/ $900 per person (single room, single tent)
• group of 4 - $750 per person (double room)/ $850 per person (single room, single tent)

JULY:

• 1 person- $1.400 (single room, single tent)
• group of 2- $900 per person (double room)/ $1000 per person(single room, single tent)
• group of 3- $900 per person (double room)/ $1000 per person (single room, single tent)
• group of 4- $850 per person (double room)/ $950 per person(single room, single tent)

Available extras and package upgrades:

• Camper Van instead of Suzuki Jimny – $280
• Nissan Navara 4x4 or Ford Ranger 4x4 Pickup Truck instead of Suzuki Jimny – $340
• Optional car rental insurances:
  • Loss Damage Waiver:
  • Excess: MNT 1,320,000 (approx. $542) per day - $2
  • Excess: MNT 400,000 (approx. $164) per day - $18
  • Excess: MNT 0 per day- $25
  • Roadside Protection per day - $6
  • Gravel Protection per day - $10
  • Tire and Windscreen Coverage per day - $5
  • Sand and Ash Protection per day - $10
• ZeroSolar Power Bank and Solar Panel Rental Set for your Photo, Drone and Electronics for 6 days – $120
• Internet to go per day - $8
• Tour Sim (2GB) for 14 days - $20 (keeps you connected during your trip and you can navigate with Google maps on your smart phone)
• Mountain Bike for 10 days – $120
• Hotel and Ger camps bookings per night per person– starting at $36
• Driver service for 10 days – $480
• Guide service for 12 days – $864

Activities:

• Tumen Ekh Ensemble Tickets – $10 per person

Want to see more of Mongolia?

• We recommend you the following extensions:
• 2-3 days: Terelj National Park
• 4-7 days: Mongolia’s north and the Khuvsgul Lake
• 7-14 days: Mongolia’s West and the Altai Mountains