MONGOLIA SELF-DRIVE ROAD TOUR

Arrive in Ulaanbaatar for a warm welcome! Your Mongolia road trip kicks off with a team representative greeting you, and swiftly whisking you to your designated hotel. 

Surrounded by lush pine forests to the north and verdant steppes to the south, the city of Ulaanbaatar is known for its contrasting landscapes. 

In the evening, a scrumptious dinner will be served and as the conversation flows, you will get acquainted with all your fellow travelers.

Prepare for a day of cultural splendor at Naadam, the renowned Mongolian festival. Witness locals participating in archery, wrestling, and horseback racing as a part of the festivities. The origin traces back to the rise of the Great Mongolian Empire and served as the crux of Genghis Khan’s strategy to ensure his warriors stayed fit. Acknowledged by UNESCO in 2010, this event seamlessly combines tradition and competition and has preserved the country's heritage for years which is why it’s a significant part of this Mongolia road trip itinerary.

The rest of the day is at leisure and you are free to explore this vibrant city.

Prepare for a day of thrilling 4x4 adventure through the Gobi Desert, the ancient realm of dinosaurs. Conquer the towering dunes and feel the adrenaline rush with every turn of the wheel before you reach Ikh Gazriin Chuluu in Dundgovi province. This government-protected haven boasts stunning rocky outcrops and dry grassland making the landscape look otherworldly. It’s home to a spectacular variety of flora and fauna, including the rare argali wild sheep. We will end the day of our Mongolian adventure with camping in traditional ger tents amidst the breathtaking scenery, and relish a fabulous dinner with a bonfire amidst granite rock formations that would look even more ethereal under the night sky.

Today is reserved for yet another exhilarating Gobi Desert escapade in this Mongolian self-drive expedition. 

Roaring through the vast landscapes, we conquer challenging terrains for a while, before stopping in Dalanzadgad for a delectable lunch. Afterward, we head towards the mesmerizing Yol Valley, a slender gorge embraced by the rugged Gobi Gurvan Saikhan mountain range.

As you sit behind the wheel, navigating through the U-shaped canyons, each twist will offer a new kind of thrill. In the afternoon, our tires hum with anticipation as we keep driving with the air charged with the promise of adventure. But the excitement doesn't stop there.

We will rev up for another off-road experience towards the Flaming Cliffs, named so because the sunset makes them look as if they are on fire. The cliffs are also renowned for dinosaur fossils and a research expert will accompany us to help us enlighten more about the latest discoveries in paleontology. As the sun sets we will return to our stay and indulge in a scrumptious dinner before retiring for the night.

On day five, race toward the majestic Khongoryn Els Sand Dunes. 

The entire stretch of the road will test your driving skills with dirt, grime, and granules of sand paving the way. As you navigate this truly off-beat terrain, sitting behind the wheel of your 4x4, with wide open valleys blurring past, you will feel the rush of adrenaline cruising through your veins.

The Khongoryn Els dunes are popularly known as the Singing Dunes because they make a humming sound whenever touched by a breeze mimicking a melody. Apart from this phenomenon, the color of the dunes also changes as the day progresses. 

We will be camping right in the heart of this natural wonder and spend the rest of the day at leisure.

We rev our engines for a day full of conquering dunes from sitting behind the wheel of our 4x4, witnessing the local customs from up close, and riding a double-humped Bactrian Camel. 

A road trip is incomplete without experiencing the country’s culture which is why we have ensured that you will also get to experience the warmth and hospitality of Mongolians as you spend your day with a camel herdsman's family by adding this day to your Monogolia road trip itinerary.

In the evening we will head back to the camp and indulge in a scrumptious dinner.

Today we will speed northward through mountainous twists and indulge in yet another off-roading escapade where our convoy will navigate the many serpentine routes to reach our next destination. 

After a long day of driving, we will reach our camps where we will relax for a bit before heading towards the Ongiin Monastery. 

We will stroll through the region, and trace the Ongiin River's curve, uncovering the remnants of two monasteries destroyed in the communist upheaval of the 1930s. We will also get to witness the expansive complex of 28 temples that once stood tall crowned by a small temple built later on, which is now referred to as Ongiin Khiid. 

In the evening, we will indulge in dinner and share our stories from today’s adventure before retiring for the night.

Gear up for an exhilarating morning filled with promise as we head north to Kharkhorin via a thrilling dirt road. The day consists of a long drive on dirt roads and by the time you reach the city, it’d be time for the sun to set.

The ancient city of Kharkhorin consists of many archaeological wonders. Genghis Khan himself founded this city in 1220, nestled in the Orkhon River valley, which is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It served as Mongolia's 13th-century capital under his son, Ogedei Khan.

The evening will be all about delicious dinner, and engaging conversations around a bonfire under the starry Mongolian sky.

Today we will explore the magnificent Erdene-zuu Monastery, the oldest surviving Buddhist hermitage in Mongolia. Surrounded by the remnants of Kharkhorin's ancient walls and adorned with 108 stupas, Erdene-zuu dates back to the late 1500s. After retracing its ancient ruins we will brace ourselves for an exhilarating drive back to Ulaanbaatar, with a pit stop at the enchanting Hustai National Park—a Specially Protected Area since 1993.

In the evening, cultural performances by Mongolian throat singers and folk dancers along with a Saker Falcon hunt await you at the ger camp.

Today marks the final day of gripping drives as a part of this Mongolia expedition and we will spend it by diving into the heart of the country - Ulaanbaatar. 

Visit the impressive Gandantegchinlen Monastery, a spiritual haven nestled in an otherwise urban landscape. Then gear up for a drive to the Zaisan Memorial, offering panoramic views of the city against the backdrop of the Bogd Khan Mountain.

At last, visit the National Museum of Mongolia where you will get to learn more about the country’s history and culture.

It is time to bid farewell to the beautiful country and the people you explored it with. You will be transferred to the airport, from where you’ll depart. Rugged, enormous, and historic; Mongolia will surprise you in the most wonderful of ways. A visit to this country – full of some of the warmest people you will ever meet – will ensure you make memories of a lifetime.