Plan Holidays In Mongolia For A Unique Experience

Mongolia offers visitors a unique landscape of rolling hills, towering mountains and glaciers, undulating deserts and wide-open steppes. There are also pristine coniferous forest and river and lake valleys that take you to a time when nature was relatively untouched by man. Mongolia also offers some exceptional cultural experiences.

The country offers a host of holiday tours, and you can choose ones that focus on adventure to those that show you Mongolia’s rich cultural heritage. Each of them will give you a unique holiday experience that you would not have had before. You can also opt for holidays in Mongolia that combine both experiences or choose the ones that interest you.

Here is a quick look at some of these options so you can pick the ones that interest you:

Adventure Trips:

•    Tsambagarav Trek: A 7 days riding or walking trip that takes you to the craggy hills and deep cut gorges of the Khatu Valley and the open plains at the foot of Tsambagarav Mountain. You can also enjoy the Tsambagarav national park and see the Hovd River. The trip gives you the best of mountains, valleys, rivers and plains in the space of a week.

•    Terelj Trek: Explore the lesser-known and visited areas of the Terelj National Park. The horse riding trip combines the best of nature with authentic homestays in gers near the Tuul River. You can also enjoy kayaking and visit the famous Chinggis Statue

•    Khangai Hills: You get to enjoy the open steppes, the rugged hills and stunning landscapes of Central Mongolia in this trip. You also get to experience a unique hike to Mt. Bogd and see the 8-lake NaimanNuur in addition to the Orkhon Valley

Cultural Trips:

Winter Festivals: Not many people know that Mongolia has some of the most distinctive winter festivals in the world. You can also enjoy the Ice Festival on the frozen surface of Lake Khovsgol in North Mongolia and take in the Eagle Festival on the steppes outside Ulaanbaatar, and the Camel Festival in the Gobi Desert.

Nomadic Elements: This trip gives you unique nomad stay experiences. You get to enjoy homestays with the Mongolian nomads and see interesting cultural events such as tree planting project in addition to varied landscapes and historical sites. You also enjoy a countryside cooking lesson and learn how to put up a ger just the nomads have done for centuries.

Discover the Mongolian Festival during Mongolia Holidays

Mongolia boasts of a rich history and a diverse culture. According to archaeological evidence, the country has been inhabited for over two million years. One can experience a glimpse of the past by observing the traditional nomadic herders galloping across the vast steppes as they used to at the time of Genghis Khan. The supreme reign of the Great Genghis Khan gave Mongolia its famous equestrian lifestyle, and this is still followed by the local nomadic herdsmen who live in the countryside.

Mongolia is a fascinating country with unique landscapes, vast open spaces and ancient ruins which speak volumes about the country’s rich history and culture. The locals are very generous people and are known for their warm hospitality. They are simple and very down to earth. They always offer help to everyone including guests and outsiders, if the need arises. A week long trek allows one to relive the rich history of Mongolia and experience the nomadic rituals and traditions of the locals living in the vast undulating steppes and deserts.

Living with the local tribes and nomadic people will help you discover the famous Mongolian festivals during your stay. One of the most important festivals of the Mongolian people is the Naadam festival. This festival is one of the highlights of Mongolia during the summers and is influenced by the traditional nomadic way of life of the locals and their gallant nature.

This festival showcases the vibrant hues of the Mongolian people who participate in this festival with full vigour and enthusiasm. It is an annual sporting event wherein the locals participate in traditional sports like archery, wrestling, and horse riding. Mongolians consider the strength, skill and dignified character as the hallmark of the great wrestler champions of Naadam.

The other significant festival of the Mongolians is the Golden Eagle festival. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Cultural Event and sees around 70 eagle hunters participate with their magnificent eagles. The festival happens on the first weekend in October near Ulgii, the capital of Bayan-Ulgii province in Western Mongolia. This festival also reflects the adventurous spirit of the local nomads who believe in living life to the fullest.

Another festival is the Tsagaan Sar or the Mongolian lunar new year. It is celebrated one month after the first new moon following the winter solstice. Family and food form an important part of this event, and you are likely to witness large family get-togethers as members from all over the country come to meet everyone else in the home of the eldest member of the family.

Plan Your Mongolia Trekking Vacation in the Khangai Mountains

Trekking in Mongolia can be said to be out of this world. The beauty of the pristine landscape coupled with the breathtaking views makes the country a veritable paradise for any person who wishes to see the Earth for its real beauty. People can choose to trek for the time and days they like. The tour operators in the country offer a range of options in terms of days and locations. From single day treks to hiking tours spread over a week or more, the choices are plenty for avid trekkers.

Among the many treks that are popular among tourists is the Hills of the Khangai trek. The hills are located in Central Mongolia and provide an exploratory adventure amid the vast steppes, the rugged hills, the pristine forests and the clear rivers. Trekkers can enjoy nomadic homestays with the locals and sleep as people in the days gone by below the starlit sky.

The basic features that attracts avid trekkers to this part of the country is the rugged nature of the treks. Depending upon which trek they prefer, travelers can choose between trekking through meadows lush with wildflowers, river valleys that follow the pristine rivers, or forests that have not been touched by the modern world. They can also climb up to see lakes located high in the mountains, or simply explore the rugged mountains. The fact that there are no designated treks and each trip is a new one makes these adventures even more mesmerizing.

People can choose to stay in a single place –in a tent or at a nomadic homestay – and foray into the landscape for a day or two, or they can opt to go on a longer trek lasting over a few days that takes them through the different landscapes that abound in the region. The longer treks generally start from one place and end at another. During the way, people camp in the homestays of the nomads or pitch their own tents under the clear sky.

The best time for these treks is spring, summer, and autumn, as winter can be a bit chilly and the snow may make the journeys quite treacherous. The places that travelers can touch during their trek are the forested Khangai hills, the wide valleys of the Orkhon River, and the remote Naiman Nuur Lake. Travelers can also add a cultural aspect to their holiday by visiting the Tovkon Khiid and Erdene Zuu Monastery.

This Summer Unravel the Remote Mongolian Countryside

One the most spectacular destinations the world has to offer is Mongolia, and there is no better time to visit the country than the summer when the cultural season is at its peak, and the weather is just right to travel. Quite a few travel companies offer tours to the country but few, if any, match up to the many destinations on offer from the local tour companies in the country. These travel operators have had years of experience in taking foreigners around the amazing countryside and can be trusted to make any journey memorable. 

Travelling to the Mongolian countryside can be done in a number of ways, and you can choose from a 4x4 tour, a horseback holiday, a trekking expedition or a combination of all three. Let’s look each option to understand why it makes sense to go for a combination of all three.

1. 4x4 Tours: These tours are the most comfortable of them all as you simply sit and are taken around to see the amazing countryside. These trips are best for people who are not accustomed to horseback riding or trekking on foot. One disadvantage of these tourism packages, however, is the fact that most of the exceptional places that you must see in Mongolia are not accessible by vehicles, and you may miss out on them if you stick to only a 4x4.
2. Horseback Riding Packages: These are some of the most fascinating journeys that Mongolia has to offer. If you are comfortable riding a pony, you will find these tours some of the best ones you have undertaken in your life. From visiting the most remote valleys, mountains and forests to meeting inhabitants of remote settlements, Eagle hunters, and reindeer herders, the horseback rides will give you a taste of the unabashedly beautiful Mongolian countryside. You can choose from day treks that last for a few hours to ones that stretch over a few weeks. However, if you are not at all comfortable with horses or ponies, these rides may not be for you.
3. Trekking Tours: Seeing Mongolia on foot can be an exhilarating experience. You can trek through the high mountains, the pristine natural parks, see the ancient monasteries and trek through the vast steppes as you take in the beauty of the country. However, these treks will not be for you if you are not comfortable walking for long distances.

Considering the pros and cons of these options, the best way to explore the remote Mongolian countryside is by a combination of all three options. You can use the 4x4 to travel as far as possible and then get on horseback to go to the remote locations. Once there, you can trek on foot to see the sights that mesmerise tourists from all around the world.

UpliftYour Holiday Mood by Opting for Mongolia Tours

Mongolia is an untouched and a diverse land comprised of a unique culture, contrasting landscapes and a rich history. Located in East Central Asia, the country is one of the most unexplored and serene destinations in the world. It boasts of a rich topography spread across wide-open steppes and undulating windy deserts. Its magnificent coniferous forests, high altitude mountains, spellbinding waterfalls and pristine rivers and lakes are complemented by the rugged and dry landscape. The nation is famous for its horse riding adventures and the gallant horsemanship of the locals. Interestingly, the terrain keeps changing as one covers the length and breadth of the country.

Mongolia is the best place to explore for anyone who wants to enjoy the uninterrupted wide open spaces, unexplored countryside and a picturesque setting away from the chaos of the city life. Here are some interesting tours which would make your trip to Mongolia worthwhile.

•    The Great Gobi National Park: This national park came into existence in 1975 and is formally designated by the United Nations as the fourth largest biosphere in the world. The national park is home to well-preserved dinosaur skeletons and eggs dating back millions of years.

•    Baga Gazariin Chuluu Mountain: This is another unique and scenic granite stone mountain which houses remnants of old stone temple ruins from the 17th century. You may also visit the nearby Ongi Temple which is located on the bank of the Ongiin River. One can explore this region of Mongolia on Bactrian camels which are domesticated by herders and provide the basic means of transportation across the Gobi desert.

This is a duplication of the paragraph below about Gorkhi Terelj National Park. It is the same place. If you want to add in another park please add Khustai

•    Lake Khövsgöl: This Lake issurrounded by tall pine forest covered mountains and is Mongolia’s largest lake. Often referred to as a dark blue pearl, it is located in the northern province of Mongolia and is geologically a part of the Lake Baikal rift system. You can try practicing reindeer breeding and sports fishing besides watching the migratory birds that come every year from Siberia to this region.

•    Gorkhi Terelj National Park: Hiking across the mountains of Gorkhi Terelj National Park with its coniferous forests, pristine lakes, mountain streams, gushing waterfalls provides for spectacular views. One can even opt for rock climbing as the park has various rock formations, the most famous being Turtle Rock and Lama Praying Rock.Other interesting outdoor sports activities such as mountain biking, trekking, skiing, hiking, rafting, etc.

•    Khangai Hills: This mountain range allows the visitor to experience Central Mongolia. One can see the Khangai Mountain range and some of the mightiest rivers in the region including the Orkhon. The tour generally includes home stays with the local nomads in the Khustai, Khogno Khaan and Tsenkher valleys.

Spend Holidays in Mongolia and Discover the Remote Mongolian Countryside

Habituated by many ancient and distinct cultural groups, Mongolia is one of the most unexplored and serene destinations in the world. The country has maintained much of its centuries-old nomadic traditions and rituals and which can be best experienced with horse riding that takes one through the rough and natural yet rich Mongolian wildlife and countryside.

The rugged mountains and dense forests of the north, the lush grasslands of the central plains and the rolling desert dunes of the south gives the country an endless natural beauty. Mongolia prides itself of some of the most rugged yet pristine plateaus and mountains in the world which are complemented by untouched coniferous forests, lakes and waterfalls.

Northern Mongolia is rich in coniferous forests and pine trees such as birch and poplar. These trees and forests usually grow along the riverbanks and make for interesting treks. One can also come across high mountain ranges that rise to heights of 4,000m. The Altai Mountains in Western Mongolia are one of the highest and the oldest mountains. Treks to the region cover these pristine landscapes and you get to see some of the most remote corners of the Earth.

The hills of the Khangai cover the Central Mongolian region and include the Khustai, Khogno Khaan and Tsenkher valleys. One gets to see the Khangai Mountain range and some of the mightiest rivers in the region including the Orkhon. The great Orkhon waterfall is one of the most famous waterfalls in the country and has been created as a result of volcanic eruptions and earthquakes over the centuries. The area around the lake can be best described as being magical. Tourists from around the world visit this wonderful region and see for themselves how beautiful nature can be.

Mongolia’s largest lake, Lake Khövsgöl, is situated amidst tall pine forest covered mountains. The lake is located in the northern province of Mongolia and is geologically a part of the larger Lake Baikal rift zone that lies between the Eurasian Plate and the Amur Plate. One gets to see the picturesque and splendid views of the surrounding countryside lush with wildflowers on any of the amazing treks offered by some of the best tour companies in the country.

Mongolia Travel – Discover the Glorious History & Wonderful Culture of Mongolia

Mongolia, located in Central East Asia between Russia and China, has a glorious history and a diverse culture. Archaeological evidence shows that the country has been inhabited for over two million years. There are various places in the country where interested tourists can see dinosaur fossils and see prehistoric cave paintings. A land of various tribes in its early years, the country was unified under the rule of its great ruler Genghis Khan in the 12th and 13th centuries. Under him and his successors, the Mongol empire formed the world’s largest continental empire stretching from Korea and Hungary and encompassed many countries, cultures and languages.

Ruins of ancient cities, Buddhist temples and stone cairns called ovoos are still found dotting the countryside and magnificent high altitude mountains. The erstwhile capital of the Mongols, Karakorum, and Erdene Zuu Monastery that houses 108 stupas are a must visit for any tourist. The monastery was reconstructed at the end of the last century and is now maintained by the democratic government of Mongolia. The boundaries of the complex are very unique as they have been marked by turtles carved from stone.

Mongolia is also quite rich on the cultural front. The Naadam festival is one of the most important summer festivals of the Mongolian people. It is an annual sporting event wherein the locals participate in traditional sports like horse riding, wrestling and archery. Mongolians prize the strength, skill and dignified character that are the hallmark of the great wrestler champions of Naadam.

Mongolian hospitality is well known and is a very important part of Mongolian society and culture. Travellers are welcomed to the gers of the nomads to share cheese, yoghurt, and the fermented mares’ milk, airag which is also cherished by Mongolian city dwellers.

Mongolian music reflects a deep love and pride that Mongolians have for their country, its pristine beauty and wilderness. Khoomi singing, also known as throat singing, is quite famous. It allows the singer to produce harmonic tones that can mirror the sounds of waterfalls, the steppe winds blowing, and the chants of Buddhist monks and can be mysterious and mesmerising at the same time.