8-DAY Ulaanbaatar and Gobi Desert
This Classic Kazakhstan Tour is a rich journey through Kazakhstan’s cultural heart, dramatic landscapes, and modern capitals, blending ancient nomadic heritage with striking contemporary life.
Key info
Overview
Discover the highlights of the Gobi on this 8-day overland journey from Ulaanbaatar through Mongolia’s central and southern regions. This tour combines history, culture, and breathtaking desert landscapes into one compact adventure.Explore the ancient capital Kharkhorin and the historic Erdene Zuu Monastery, visit the ruins of Ongi Monastery, and witness the world-famous Flaming Cliffs. Experience the natural beauty of Yol Valley and the towering Khongor Sand Dunes.Enjoy authentic experiences such as camel riding, visiting nomadic families, and exploring ancient petroglyphs at Khavtsgait Petroglyphs—making this journey a perfect introduction to the Gobi Desert.
The package includes:
- Meals as noted in itinerary (Breakfast-B, Lunch-L, Dinner-D)
- English speaking guide
- Accommodations as noted in the itinerary
- Bottled or filtered water 2servings per day
- All ground transportation, including airport transfers
- All sightseeing, events, and visits as noted in the itinerary
- All entrance fees, service charges, and standard taxes
- Visit to shaman and nomad families
- Domestic flights
The package excludes:
- Travel Insurance
- Single accommodation (available on request)
- Round trip airfare and en-route expenses to/from your trip in Mongolia
- Passport and visa fees
- Increase in VAT or other tourism taxes, which may occur at any time
- Excess baggage charges, departure fees, and airport taxes
- Personal expenses and incidentals, such as phone calls, internet, and laundry
- Trip cancellation, travel delay, and baggage loss insurance
- Charges incurred as a result of delays beyond the control
- Gratuities for trip leaders, local guides, drivers, porters, and other staff
Itinerary
Arrival in Ulaanbaatar
Day 1
Upon arrival at Chinggis Khaan International Airport, the Juulchin World Tours team will warmly welcome you to Mongolia. After transferring to your hotel and taking some time to rest, visit Zaisan Memorial, a Soviet-era monument dedicated to the Second World War and one of the city's well-known viewpoints, offering a panoramic view over Ulaanbaatar.
Ulaanbaatar City Tour
Day 2
After breakfast, visit Gandan Tegchenling Monastery, the largest central Buddhist monastery in Mongolia. Continue to the National Museum of Mongolia, where you can gain a deeper understanding of the country's history, from ancient nomadic tribes to the modern democratic state. After lunch, take a private tour of the Paleontology Laboratory of the Academy of Sciences of Mongolia. Meet some of the scientists and explore dinosaur discoveries and findings that have not yet been made available to the public.
Gobi Desert & Khongor Sand Dunes
Day 3
After breakfast and checking out of the hotel, transfer to the airport for a flight to Dalanzadgad, located in the Gobi Desert. One of the world's most famous and distinctive desert regions, the Gobi is characterized not only by sand but also by rolling steppes, forests, and snow-capped mountains. The region is home to a variety of wildlife, including gazelles, wild asses, wild camels, antelopes, argali sheep, and the endangered Gobi bear. The Gobi is also home to a large proportion of Mongolia's two-humped Bactrian camels. Upon arrival in Dalanzadgad, meet your guide and drive towards the Khongor Sand Dunes. Hongoryn Els is the largest accumulation of sand in Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park. The dunes can reach approximately 650 feet in height and are known locally as the “singing sands,” as the movement of the wind across the sand can create distinctive sounds. Enjoy the surrounding landscape before continuing to the Ger Camp for dinner and overnight accommodation, offering an opportunity to experience the traditional way of life and culture of the Mongolian people.
Lake Adag & Excavation Site
Day 4
After breakfast, meet your guide for a private excursion to nearby Lake Adag. Continue to an excavation site in this fossil-rich region, where you will have the opportunity to search for dinosaur and mammal fossils. The area is particularly significant for paleontology, as Mongolia's first dinosaur egg nest was discovered in 1928. The geological beds in this region have yielded dinosaur remains, mammal fossils, other animal species, and baby dinosaur fossils. After the excavation activity, return to the Ger Camp. Enjoy dinner and the opportunity to sample Mongolian specialties.
Bayan Zag & Flaming Cliffs
Day 5
Today, take a private excursion to Bayan Zag and the Flaming Cliffs, one of the world's renowned paleontological sites, often referred to as the “Cemetery of Dinosaurs.” The site was explored by American zoologist Roy Chapman Andrews, who named the area the Flaming Cliffs because of the distinctive red color of its cliffs. The region is known for discoveries of petrified forests, mammal remains, Protoceratops fossils, dinosaur eggs, and the skeleton of a hornless rhinoceros. Enjoy time exploring the striking red cliffs and the surrounding landscape. The area also contains ancient rock drawings dating back approximately 3,000 years, depicting mountain goats, maral deer, and wild sheep. After lunch, continue to Bayanzag, meaning “saxaul forest,” an area of red cliffs shaped by wind and water erosion over millions of years. After the excursion, continue to the Ger Camp for dinner and overnight accommodation.
Yol Valley
Day 6
Today, visit the famous Yol Valley, named after the lammergeier vulture. Hike through the canyon and experience its distinctive rock walls and the stream flowing through the valley. In many years, an ice glacier remains in the middle of the Gobi Desert until the end of June, creating a striking contrast with the surrounding desert landscape.
Return to Ulaanbaatar
Day 7
In the morning, take your return flight to Ulaanbaatar. Upon arrival, enjoy the afternoon at leisure to relax or explore the city on your own. In the evening, attend a folklore performance by the Tumen Ekh Song & Dance Ensemble at the State Youth Theater. Experience live traditional Mongolian music and dance, including Mongolian throat singing, traditional Asian instruments, contortion performances, and colorful traditional costumes.
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