Tour Overview
| Duration | 10 Days / 9 Nights |
|---|---|
| Destination | Mongolia — Ulaanbaatar, Central Steppe & Gobi |
| Price From | $1,795 per person (twin share) |
| Tour Style | Festival & Cultural Deep Dive |
| Best Time | July 11-13 (Naadam Festival) |
| Data Source | Amicus Mongolia / Asia Odyssey Travel 2026 |
Itinerary Highlights
Days 1-3: Naadam Festival — Ulaanbaatar
The Naadam Festival, Mongolia’s “Three Manly Games” — wrestling, horse racing, and archery — is the cultural event of the year. Over three days, 512 wrestlers compete in an open-air tournament (no weight classes, no time limits — a match can last hours). Child jockeys aged 5-13 race horses across the steppe at distances up to 26km. Archers compete with traditional composite bows made from horn, sinew, and wood. The opening ceremony alone, with hundreds of performers in traditional deel robes, mounted warriors, and Buddhist rituals, is worth the trip. You’ll have premium seats for all main events.
Day 4: Terelj National Park
Escape UB to Terelj National Park, 70km east. The landscape is classic Mongolia: rolling green steppe, granite rock formations (Turtle Rock is iconic), and gers scattered across the valleys. Horse riding through wildflower meadows. Visit a nomadic family in a ger, help milk yaks, and try airag (fermented mare’s milk — an acquired taste). Overnight in a ger camp.
Day 5: Genghis Khan Statue Complex
Visit the 40-meter stainless steel statue of Genghis Khan on horseback — the largest equestrian statue in the world. Climb to the horse’s head for panoramic steppe views. The complex houses a museum on the Mongol Empire. Overnight in UB.
Days 6-9: Gobi Desert Expedition
Fly to the Gobi for a 4-day expedition covering the Flaming Cliffs, Khongoryn Els (singing sand dunes), Yolyn Am gorge, and a camel trek with a local herder family. Search for dinosaur fossils, climb sand dunes, and sleep in ger camps under the clearest night sky you’ll ever see — no light pollution for hundreds of kilometers.
Day 10: Return & Depart
Fly to UB. Souvenir shopping for cashmere and traditional crafts. Transfer to airport.
Inclusions
- 9 nights (3 nts UB hotel + 6 nts ger camps)
- All meals during Gobi + Terelj portions
- Naadam Festival VIP tickets (3 days)
- Domestic flights UB ↔ Gobi
- Horse riding in Terelj (2 half-days)
- Camel trek in Gobi
- 4×4 vehicle + English-speaking guide
- Nomadic family experiences
- Genghis Khan Statue Complex entry
