We will begin the route at the new “Genghis” Khan International Airport in Ulaanbaatar (inaugurated on July 3, 2021, located 52 km/32.3 miles away, approx. +2 hours’ drive, depending on traffic), the capital of Mongolia, where you will be greeted by the Samar Magic Tours team. This is one of the most fascinating routes in Mongolia. Next, we will depart northeast to visit the Equestrian Statue of Genghis Khan, a stainless-steel statue measuring 40 meters high. At the base of the statue, visitors can see a replica of the legendary golden whip of the Great Khan. Tourists may ascend by elevator inside the statue. The exit is located at the level of Genghis Khan’s thighs, from where one can walk up to the horse’s head for a panoramic view of the steppe. We will also visit a small Bronze Age Museum, located in the basement of the statue. We will continue northeast towards Gorkhi-Terelj National Park, situated at an altitude of 1,600 meters above sea level, with towering Mesozoic granite formations, mountains, steppes, alpine forests, and unique rock shapes from the Mesozoic era such as the famous Turtle Rock and the Reading Monk Rock, among others. The Park is located at the foot of the Khentii Mountains, the region where Genghis Khan was born. Declared a National Park in 1993, it covers an area of 300,000 hectares.
From here, we will take a flight from Ulaanbaatar/Dalanzadgad (capital of South Gobi Province, approx. 1hr 30min. Domestic flights are subject to cancellations or changes without prior notice). We will then explore the Yolyn Canyon (Vulture’s Gorge) in the “Gobi Gurvan Saikhan” National Park (“Three Beauties” of the eastern, middle, and western ranges), the fossil deposits of the giant dinosaurs, and the beautiful sand dunes known as “Moltsog”. We will also visit a family of breeders of Bactrian camels and enjoy a camelback excursion across the Gobi dunes. Later, we will return on a flight from Dalanzadgad /Ulaanbaatar (domestic flights subject to final scheduling).
Dalanzadgad is the capital of the province of Ömnögovi (Gobi Desert) in Mongolia. It is located 540 km/336 miles south of Ulaanbaatar.
Altitude: 1470 m a.s.l.
Climate: Desert.
Coordinates: 43°34′12″N 104°25′33″E / 43.57, 104.42583333333.
In Central Mongolia, we will visit the Monument to the Mongol States, located on a hill overlooking the city of Karakorum (Kharkhorin), on the banks of the Orkhon River. Next, we will visit the Erdene Zuu Monastery (Hundred Treasures), the Turtle Monument, and the Karakorum Museum to see the relics of the ancient capital of the Mongol Empire. The Buddhist Erdene Zuu Monastery, with its 108 stupas and the first Buddhist Lamasery (16th century), was the most important religious center of Mongolia. Out of its more than one hundred temples, only three have survived to the present day, remaining as the most remarkable cultural heritage of Mongolia. Afterwards, we will depart for Lake Ugii—a suitable location for migratory birds, which gather in this area at the end of April, May, and throughout the summer. The lake stretches over 25 km/16 miles in a beautiful valley, where herds of yaks, sheep, horses, and cattle graze. We will also visit a small museum of local flora and fauna. Here, there are opportunities for birdwatching.