Mongolian Magic

 

Day 1: Your Ulaanbaatar airport transfer will take you directly to our joining hotel, ready for a mid morning start tomorrow. Today you will meet your crew for your tour briefing and welcome dinner.
Day 2: A short ride today as we become accustomed to our bikes and riding in Mongolia. We visit the enormous Genghis Khan statue, the world's largest statue of a horse then onto one of the most stunning regions in Mongolia, the Gorkhi- Terelj National Park, a region of mountains, rivers and bizarre rock formations.
Day 3: A longer ride today as we head due north toward Russia and into the Selenge Aimag (province) through a vast unspoiled landscape of rolling green hills and distant valleys. We arrive at the gateway city of Darkhan for a night in another great hotel, our last for a few days.
Day 4: Today we ride into an incredibly remote part of Mongolia, an utterly silent landscape dotted with Gers, yaks and wild horses, before hitting the dirt via a series of tracks that roughly follow the Selenge River. We visit the Amarsbaysagalant Monastery where we have our first ger camp experience under an impossibly star laden sky.
Day 5: Today will offer some of the finest riding as we ride across the vast Mongolian Steppes and yawning valleys of green, bordered by distant mountains. Another wonderful ger camp experience.
Day 6: We ride a vast empty landscape dotted with nomadic gers and populated with wandering horses, yaks and goats. We ride onto what is known as the “blue pearl of Mongolia” Khovsgol Nuur (lake), an utterly stunning freshwater lake located in the shadow of a series of towering granite peaks and forested slopes.
Day 7: A day is spent off the bikes exploring this beautiful region; perhaps take a boat onto the lake, go fishing or horse riding, visit nearby reindeer farmers or simply wander the lakeshore.
Day 8: A short ride today as we return south stopping at the Meridian Line (that runs from the north to south poles) then go off road on wonderful empty single lane tracks across an expansive valley floor to visit UNESCO listed deer stones from the bronze age. We feel like we are the last humans on earth such is the silence and remoteness of these stones. We overnight in a ger camp north of Murun.
Day 9: Leaving the hospitality of the ger camp behind we continue due south into the most remote regions of the entire ride, crossing into the Arkhangai Aimag all on dirt. The scenery is breathtaking, riding spectacular & the silence stunning.
Day 10: Definitely the most challenging riding day today as we venture further into remote Mongolia; this is a region rarely visited, it is a region of mountain passes, epic Mongolian Steppe, pure air and a wonderful clarity of colours. We arrive at one of Mongolia’s scenic highlights Khorgo–Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur or Great White Lake. where we spend two nights allowing us time to soak in this idyllic landscape.
Day 11:We have a day to explore this magnificent scenic region of volcanoes and lava flows. First stop will be the amazing Yellow Dog Hell Cave then a ride to the near perfect volcanic cone and lava flow that ends at the lakes edge before returning to our beautifully located ger camp for a second night here.
Day 12: Today we ride through a landscape of more volcanoes and lava fields with occasional herds of grazing yaks to keep us alert. After so many days spent in superb wilderness it is somewhat of a shock to stay at a town again, but a stay at the Australian owned and run Fairfield Guesthouse is a must as is there legendary cinnamon rolls!.
Day 13: Leaving the Fairfield it isn't long before we are on the dirt again ascending into the remote Khangai Mountains only to ascend into the beautiful UNESCO listed Orkhon Valley. We eventually arrive at Kharkhorin, founded by Chinggis Khan in the mid 13th Century and former capital of Mongolia.
Day 14: We start our final day off with a visit to the wonderful Erdene Zuu Khiid Monastery, the oldest monastery in Mongolia dating back to 1585 that was spared the ravages of Stalin's religious purges in the 1930s. Our final ride, is on paved roads that progressively become busier, at least the roads seem busy compared to the last two weeks of empty track riding! We shall arrive into the capital of Ulaanbaatar mid afternoon.
Departure day: Spend some time exploring Ulaanbaatar or fly home or on to your next adventure.