What wildlife can I see on this Gobi Desert tour?

The highlight wildlife experience is tracking the Przewalski's horse (Takhi) at Hustai National Park, the last truly wild horse species that was successfully reintroduced after going extinct in the wild in the late 1960s. You'll also encounter bearded vultures (lammergeyer) in the Yol Valley and have opportunities to visit local herder families with their livestock.

How many nights will I stay in traditional gers during the Mongolia expedition?

You'll sleep in traditional felt-lined gers heated by wood stoves for eight nights in the countryside during this tour. The gers feature painted wood-framed beds and most camps have central facilities with western-style toilets and showers, with an upgrade option available for gers with indoor bathrooms where available.

What are the Three Manly Sports featured at the Naadam Festival?

The Naadam Festival showcases Mongolia's ancient 'Three Manly Sports' of wrestling, archery, and horse racing, dating back to the era of Genghis Khan. These games originated as military training where every soldier had to master riding fast, shooting arrows, and wrestling enemies in combat.

What dinosaur discoveries can I see at the Flaming Cliffs in the Gobi Desert?

The Flaming Cliffs are red sandstone formations where the first dinosaur eggs were discovered and hundreds of dinosaur fossils have been unearthed over the past century. Expeditions from the U.S., Poland, Japan, and Russia continue to make exceptional discoveries, with rain and wind revealing new fossils each year.

What activities are included in the Gobi Desert portion of this tour?

Gobi Desert activities include hiking the dramatic Yol Valley, exploring the legendary Flaming Cliffs where dinosaur eggs were first discovered, and riding two-humped Bactrian camels across the towering Moltsog Els sand dunes. You can also visit the ancient Havtsgait petroglyphs dating back 3,000-4,000 years and explore monastery ruins along ancient Silk Road routes.

How do I get to the Gobi Desert from Ulaanbaatar?

The tour includes a 1.5-hour domestic flight from Chinggis Khan Airport in Ulaanbaatar south to Dalanzadgad in the Gobi Desert. This domestic airfare ($150) is included in all pricing tiers and eliminates the need for long overland drives to reach the remote desert regions.

What is the historical significance of Erdene Zuu Monastery in Harhorin?

Erdene Zuu is Mongolia's first and largest Buddhist monastery, built with stones from the ruins of Karakorum, the 13th-century capital of Genghis Khan's Mongol Empire. Located in the UNESCO-listed Orkhon Valley, it stands over the remains of the ancient imperial capital that was completed during the reign of Ogedei Khan, Genghis Khan's third son.

What is included in the pricing for this Mongolia Gobi Desert tour?

The all-inclusive pricing covers accommodations in hotels and ger camps, domestic flight to the Gobi, all land transportation, meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner), entrance fees, and an English-speaking guide throughout. International airfare, personal expenses, drinks, medical evacuation, and optional upgrades like gers with indoor bathrooms ($345) are not included.

What makes the countryside Naadam Festival in Harhorin special compared to other festivals?

The countryside Naadam in Harhorin offers a far more authentic experience than the large-scale Ulaanbaatar event, allowing you to immerse yourself in the genuine energy and pageantry of this ancient celebration. You'll experience the festival in the historic setting where Genghis Khan's empire once stood, surrounded by the UNESCO World Heritage Orkhon Valley landscape.

Mongolia

Ultimate Mongolia: Naadam Festival & Gobi Desert Tour

Duration

12 Days / 11 Nights

Price

$5,250

Discover More

Mongolia Tour Overview

Ultimate Mongolia: Naadam Festival & Gobi Desert Tour

A 12-day expedition through the Gobi Desert and Naadam Festival, from the Flaming Cliffs and ancient Karakorum to Hustai’s wild horses

Duration

12 Days / 11 Nights

Price

$5,250

Difficulty

Moderate

Best Time

July

This 12-day expedition takes you from the bustling streets of Ulaanbaatar deep into the Gobi Desert and across Central Mongolia’s historic heartland. Fly to the vast Gobi to hike the Yol Valley, stand where dinosaur eggs were first unearthed at the Flaming Cliffs, ride Bactrian camels across towering sand dunes, and explore centuries-old monastery ruins along ancient Silk Road routes. In Harhorin, walk the grounds of Erdene Zuu—Mongolia’s oldest Buddhist monastery—built over the ruins of Genghis Khan’s imperial capital, then experience the raw spectacle of a countryside Naadam festival with its wrestling, archery, and horse racing. The journey concludes at Hustai National Park, home to the remarkable Przewalski’s horse, the last truly wild horse on earth.

Ultimate Mongolia: Naadam Festival & Gobi Desert Tour

Your Mongolia Tour Itinerary

Route Overview 12 Days · Mongolia

Day 1

Arrival in Ulaanbaatar

Arrive at Chinggis Khan International Airport and transfer to the centrally located Tuushin Best Western Hotel for check-in and rest. In the evening, enjoy a welcome dinner and orientation at the hotel or a nearby restaurant, where your guide will introduce the expedition ahead and answer any questions about the journey through Mongolia's Gobi Desert and Central Highlands. Meals: D.

Crowds gathered at Mongolian Naadam Festival in Ulaanbaatar with traditional flags and statue

Ulaanbaatar Arrival

Luxurious hotel lobby with crystal chandelier, colorful mosaic wall, leather seating and double-height ceiling

Your Hotel

Colorful traditional Mongolian dishes served on decorative plates with bread, meat, and vegetables

Welcome Dinner

Day 2

Ulaanbaatar — Monasteries, Empire, and Throat Singing

Begin with a private blessing from a Buddhist monk at Gandan Monastery, home to an imposing 90-foot statue of Megjid Janraisag that was rebuilt through a nationwide campaign after the original was destroyed by Soviet authorities in the 1930s. Visit the Zanabazar Fine Arts Museum with its exceptional collection of golden 17th-century Buddha statues and some of the world's best-preserved tankas. After lunch, explore the new Chinggis Khaan Museum to trace the history of the Mongol Empire and modern Mongolia. The evening features a traditional Mongolian music and dance performance showcasing Khoomii throat singing, followed by dinner at a fine local restaurant. Meals: B, L, D.

Large golden Buddhist statue inside ornate temple with traditional architecture and offerings below

Gandan Monastery

Museum exhibit featuring Mongolian desert landscape mural with stone statues and display case

Zanabazar Museum

Three musicians playing traditional Mongolian horsehead fiddles in front of screen displaying pastoral scene

Throat Singing

Day 3

Into the Gobi — Yol Valley and the Flaming Cliffs

Transfer to Chinggis Khan Airport for a 1.5-hour flight south to the vast Gobi Desert. Upon arrival in Dalanzadgad, drive to the Yol Valley, named after the bearded vulture lammergeyer, for a 1-2 hour hike through this remarkable introduction to the Gobi's diverse ecosystem. Visit the local Natural History Museum, then transfer to your ger camp on the basin floor. In the late afternoon, drive to the Flaming Cliffs — red sandstone formations stretching over three kilometers where hundreds of dinosaur fossils have been discovered over the past century by expeditions from the U.S., Poland, Japan, and Russia. Each year, rain and wind reveal new fossils and exceptional discoveries continue to be made every summer. Approximately 2 hours of driving. Meals: B, L, D.

Orange sandstone cliffs glowing in sunset light across the Gobi Desert landscape in Mongolia

Flaming Cliffs

Hikers walking through dramatic canyon valley with rushing stream and towering rock walls in Mongolia

Yol Valley

Person leading camel across golden sand dunes during sunset in Gobi Desert Mongolia

The Gobi

Day 4

Ancient Petroglyphs and Camel Rides on the Moltsog Dunes

After breakfast, take an optional visit to the Havtsgait ancient rock art site, a remarkable collection of rock drawings dating back 3,000 to 4,000 years located atop a small rocky mountain. Leading Mongolian specialist Dr. Christopher Atwood concluded that this site may contain one of the earliest recorded depictions of a Mongolian ger. Note: this activity requires climbing a rocky outcrop with steep sides and loose rock. After lunch, visit the Moltsog Els dunes, one of the largest in the area. Enjoy an hour of riding Bactrian camels and climbing the towering dunes for sweeping Gobi panoramas. Return to the ger camp for dinner and overnight. Approximately 4 hours of driving. Meals: B, L, D.

Three camels with riders crossing golden sand dunes in desert landscape at sunset

Camel Riding

Ancient Petroglyphs

Group of tourists sitting on sand dunes watching sunset over vast Gobi Desert landscape

Moltsog Dunes

Day 5

Ongiin Hiid — The Pearl of the Gobi

Drive north to Ongiin Hiid Monastery on the northern edge of the Gobi Desert. Once called the 'Pearl of the Gobi,' this monastery sat at the crossroads of Central Asian Silk Road camel caravans. Starting in the mid-1990s, Lama Bat-Erdene single-handedly worked to revive this once-flourishing Buddhist center. Over more than 20 years, he taught the basics of Buddhist teachings to over 30 local children, many of whom now study in India and elsewhere before returning to help their teacher. Recently, the founding lama Barigri Damtsagdorj has been reincarnated in the Gobi, renewing hope that this sacred site will come back to life. Explore the monastery ruins and surrounding hills on foot, then stay at a ger camp on the banks of the Ongi River. Approximately 5-6 hours of driving. Meals: B, L, D.

Lone horseback rider crossing vast Mongolian steppe grasslands with mountains in distance

Northern Gobi Steppe

Traditional Mongolian monastery with green-tiled roof and white stupa set against barren hills

Monastery Ruins

Ongi River

Day 6

Harhorin — Capital of the Mongol Empire

Transfer to Harhorin, the ancient capital completed during the reign of Ogedei Khan, Genghis Khan's third son who inherited the empire in 1228. Located within the beautiful Orkhon River valley — a UNESCO World Heritage Site bearing hundreds of historically significant sites going back 2,000 years including burial sites, deer stones, and ruins that all pre-date Genghis Khan. Harhorin was completely destroyed by the Ming Dynasty's army in the 14th century after the collapse of Mongolia's Yuan Dynasty in China, and its remains were used to construct Erdene Zuu, Mongolia's first and largest Buddhist monastery, which stands today. Dinner and overnight at a local ger camp. Approximately 6 hours of driving. Meals: B, L, D.

Erdene Zuu

Traditional Mongolian gers with smoke rising in vast valley surrounded by rolling hills and grazing livestock

Orkhon Valley

Golden Buddha statue inside ornate Mongolian Buddhist monastery with colorful painted ceiling murals

Temple Interior

Day 7

Erdene Zuu and the Orkhon Valley Heights

After breakfast, visit the Erdene Zuu Monastery grounds and the newly constructed Harhorin Museum. In the afternoon, hike to Yol Rock, the highest point in the Orkhon Valley, for a spectacular view of the UNESCO World Heritage landscape. The Orkhon Valley is an outstanding example of a site illustrating several significant stages in Mongolian history: it was the center of the Mongol Empire, reflects a Mongolian variation of Turkic power, served as the setting for the development of Mongolian Buddhism at Tuvkhon Monastery, and contains Khar Balgas, reflecting Uighur urban culture. Return to the ger camp for dinner and overnight. Meals: B, L, D.

Traditional Mongolian monastery with green tiled roofs and ornate architecture under clear blue sky

Erdene Zuu

Ancient stone monument with carved figures stands before modern museum building in Karakorum, Mongolia

Harhorin Museum

Orkhon Valley

Day 8

Naadam Festival — Mongolia's Ancient Games

Spend a full day at the Naadam games in Harhorin. Naadam originated as military training — every soldier had to ride fast, shoot arrows, and wrestle enemies in combat. In Mongolia's vast landscape, where individual herders live far apart, these gatherings served as essential community training events, which is why Naadam is often referred to as the 'Three Manly Sports': horse racing, archery, and wrestling. Over time it evolved into a celebration of important events. July 11th and 12th commemorate the regaining of Mongolian independence in 1921. Immerse yourself in the energy and pageantry of this countryside Naadam, far more authentic than the large-scale Ulaanbaatar event. Return to the camp for lunch. In the evening, enjoy a traditional Mongolian barbecue dinner. Meals: B, L, D.

Mongolian wrestlers competing at Naadam Festival with spectators and traditional flags on grassland

Naadam Wrestling

Mongolian horse riders racing across grassland steppes during Naadam Festival with mountains in background

Horse Racing

Traditional Mongolian horsemen in ceremonial dress with colorful banners riding across grassland steppe

Naadam Festivities

Day 9

Hugno Khan Mountains — Where Steppe Meets Desert and Forest

Drive to the Hugno Khan Mountains at the stunning confluence of three geographical zones: steppe, desert, and forest. Visit the Ovgon Monastery, originally built in 1660 but later destroyed by the armies of Galdan Boshigt from western Mongolia in the 18th century. The monastery was subsequently rebuilt, only to be demolished again by communists in the 1930s. Some temples are now being restored. After lunch at a local ger camp, explore the monastery ruins and the dramatic mountains of Hugno Khan on foot. Approximately 3.5-4 hours of driving. Meals: B, L, D.

Rocky granite formations and green valley with white gers in Khogno Khan Natural Reserve Mongolia

Three Zones Converge

Ancient stone ruins in arid Mongolian landscape with traditional ger and scattered trees

Ovgon Monastery

Traditional Mongolian gers with colorful doors in rocky landscape with mountains and blue sky

Hugno Khan Camp

Day 10

Hustai National Park — Home of the Wild Horse

Transfer to Hustai National Park, one of three sites where the Takhi, or Przewalski's Horse, has been reintroduced over the last two decades. After the last individuals disappeared from the wild in Mongolia in the late 1960s, genetically pure animals were bred in captivity in European zoos and successfully reintroduced into three distinctive habitats in Mongolia. Upon arrival, check into your gers and visit the local information center, including a documentary screening on the Takhi horses. Explore this diverse park of natural grasslands, mountains, and river shores with further encounters with Takhi herds. Approximately 4 hours of driving. Meals: B, L, D.

Przewalski's horses grazing in Mongolian grassland with mountains in background

Last Wild Horse

Hustai National Park

Herd of Przewalski's horses grazing in Mongolian steppe with mountains in background

Wild Horse Herd

Day 11

Ongot Monuments and Return to Ulaanbaatar

In the morning, further explore the park with an optional visit to a local herder family and the Ongot Monuments, a gravesite just outside the western border of Hustai Park composed of a number of granite statues built by people of Turkish origin approximately 1,200 years ago. After lunch at the camp, return to Ulaanbaatar. Enjoy a farewell dinner at one of the capital's finest centrally located restaurants, reflecting on 11 days of extraordinary landscapes, ancient history, and nomadic culture. Approximately 2 hours of driving. Meals: B, L, D.

Young girl waving from doorway of traditional Mongolian yurt with solar panel on grassland steppe

Traditional Mongolian meal with dumplings, noodles, and shredded carrots served in decorative bowls

Ancient stone monument standing in barren Mongolian steppe landscape with sparse grass and distant mountains

Day 12

Departure

After an early breakfast, transfer to Chinggis Khan International Airport for your departure flight home. End of tour services. Meals: B.

Mongolia Tour Details

Scheduled Departures

Transparent pricing with all-inclusive land costs and flexible group rates.

July 3 – July 14, 2026

12 days

Available

From $5,250 per person

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Deposit & Payment: A 25% deposit secures your place (credit card accepted). 50% balance due 90 days before departure. Final balance due 60 days prior. ACH bank transfer available at reduced fees. Bookings within 60 days require full payment.

Cancellation: 90+ days: full refund minus $500 admin fee. 60-89 days: 50% refund. Under 60 days: no refund. Comprehensive travel insurance covering emergency evacuation is required for all participants.

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Ultimate Mongolia: Naadam Festival & Gobi Desert Tour

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