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Trip Itinerary
Saturday - Sunday, August 5 - 6
U.S. /Beijing, China
Depart the U.S. on Saturday. Arrive in Beijing, China on Sunday and
transfer to your hotel. (Meals aloft)
Monday, August 7
Beijing, China / Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Transfer to the airport for your flight to Mongolia. The contrast
between ancient traditions and the dawning of a 20th-century democracy
is most visible in Ulaanbaatar where traditional gers (felt tents) and
Buddhist monasteries coexist with modern high-rises. Upon arrival at
the airport, you will be welcomed by your Mongolian guide and transferred
to the Ulaanbaatar Hotel, a comfortable, centrally located hotel
within walking distance of various museums and shops. For your first
evening in Ulaanbaatar, enjoy dinner at a large ger restaurant.
Included meals: B, L aloft, D
Tuesday, August 8
Gobi
In the morning, fly over vast steppe land to the Gobi, Mongolia's southernmost
province of semi-arid desert. Of all the world's arid lands, the
Gobi (which means simply “desert”) has about it the greatest air of mystery,
perhaps because it lies at the heart of Asia's remotest hinterland
between the Siberian wilderness to the north and the Tibetan Plateau to
the south. Contrary to the sterile sameness that the word “desert” suggests,
the Gobi holds many fascinations including sites of some of the
most important paleontological discoveries of this century. For three
days, explore the stunning landscape of the Gobi, habitat for Bactrian
camels, Argali mountain sheep, ibex, goitered gazelle, golden eagles,
saker falcons, jerboas - similar to kangaroo rats - and many endemic
reptiles.
While in the countryside, you will overnight in gers, the traditional felt
tents of nomadic herders. Made of a latticed wood structure covered
with layers of felt and canvas, each ger is heated by a wood stove and
furnished with beautifully painted wood-framed beds. The camp restaurant
and western-style toilet and shower facilities are located in a central
building found a few hundred feet from the gers. Based on double occupancy,
the gers provide an authentic and memorable taste of Mongolian
culture and allow you to visit areas which otherwise lack traveler accommodations.
Most visitors find their stays at ger camps to be among their
most enjoyable experiences in Mongolia.
Included meals: B, L, D
Wednesday, August 9
Yol Valley National Park
Wake early in the morning to the sight of the sun rising over the vast
Gobi landscape. After breakfast, drive to Yol Valley National Park, cradled
between the foothills of the Altai Mountains. An ancient river,
whose remnant streams create ice formations that sometimes persist as
late as July, carved this surprisingly green valley. A hike through the valley
allows us to discover habitat for indigenous vulture-like lammergeiers,
Altai snowcocks, ibex, yaks and Argali mountain sheep.
Enjoy a picnic lunch including a traditional Mongolian barbecue
(horhog) before visiting the local natural history museum for an
overview of the flora and fauna of the area. Return to the ger camp in
time for a traditional cultural performance featuring local musicians and
performers.
Included meals: B, L, D
Thursday, August 10
Flaming Cliffs
After breakfast, travel to the legendary “Flaming Cliffs,” named for its
glowing orange rock. It was here, in 1922, that Dr. Roy Chapman
Andrews and his exploration team from the American Museum of
Natural History found the first nest of dinosaur eggs the world had ever
seen. To the trained eye, the red sandstone cliffs of the Flaming Cliffs
are rich with dinosaur fossils and paleontological expeditions continue
to make significant discoveries at this site. We will have the opportunity
to imagine how Roy Chapman Andrews felt as we discover the terrain
of the area by Bactrian (two-humped) camel. Return to the ger camp in
time for dinner and overnight.
Included meals: B, L, D
Friday, August 11
Gobi / Ulaanbaatar
Morning flight to Ulaanbaatar and transfer to your hotel. In the afternoon,
travel back in time with a visit to the dinosaur halls of the
Natural History Museum, showcasing the spectacular fossils found in
the Gobi desert. On display are fierce Tarbosaurous fossils (closely related
to Tyrannosaurus Rex), dinosaur eggs, large hadrosaur fossils (duckbilled
dinosaurs), and many others, all of which illustrate the richness and importance of the paleontological sites in the Gobi desert. In the
evening, enjoy a cultural performance featuring traditional Mongolian
dancers and hoomi (throat) singers followed by dinner.
Included meals: B, L, D
Saturday, August 12
Ulaanbaatar / Hustain Nuruu
Begin the day with a visit to Gandan Monastery, the seat of Buddhism
in Mongolia. Woven through Mongolia's nomadic culture is a rich
Tibetan-Buddhist tradition with ancient Shamanist practices still evident.
Although Buddhist monasteries were either destroyed or converted
into museums during the Stalinist purges of the 1930s, Gandan
Monastery continued to operate as a “showpiece” for government officials.
However, in spite of the government's efforts to suppress
Buddhism and other religious beliefs, Mongolia's spirituality persisted
and a significant resurgence of Buddhism began in 1990 when
Mongolia became a democracy. Visit the National History Museum for
an excellent overview of Mongolia's history and culture. The newly
remodeled museum displays traditional implements of daily nomadic
life including historical costumes of Mongolia's minority tribes, sacred
religious relics, and agricultural, fishing and hunting equipment.
After lunch, drive through the rolling grassland surrounding
Ulaanbaatar, to Hustain Nuruu National Reserve. With special permission,
explore the beautiful reserve which is home to a thriving population
of Przewalski's Horse, also known as the Wild Asian Horse, with
the opportunity to spot these beautiful horses in their natural habitat.
The last remaining truly wild horse in the world, Przewalski's Horse is a
distinct species with a different number of chromosomes than all other
horses. They were reintroduced into the wild in 1994 from zoo populations
by the Foundation for the Preservation and Protection of the
Przewalski's Horse in the Netherlands, which flew 16 horses to
Mongolia, their historic homeland, twenty-five years after they became
extinct in the wild. Since then, more than a hundred healthy foals have
been born in Mongolia. Overnight in gers.
Included meals: B, L, D
Sunday, August 13
Hustain Nuruu / Kharakhorum
Today drive to Kharakhorum, site of the 13th-century capital of the
Mongol Empire. It is impossible to mention Mongolia without conjuring
up images of the great warrior, Chingis Khan. The empire created
by Chingis and his descendants was the largest contiguous land empire
in recorded history, and its scope has never been matched. The great
Khan and his son created the beautiful and legendary Kharakhorum to
serve as the heart of this monolithic empire. There are only a few traces
left of this once great city, but Mongolia's largest monastery, neighboring
Erdene Zuu, was reputedly constructed from the ruins of
Kharakhorum in the 16th century. In the afternoon, enjoy a special display
of traditional Mongolian sports, including wrestling and horseracing,
which are featured annually at Naadam, Mongolia's national games.
You may also sample horseback riding, Mongolian style. Overnight in
gers.
Included meals: B, L, D
Monday, August 14
Kharakhorum / Hogno Han
Surrounded by 108 stupas, Erdene Zuu has been a place of Buddhist
activity for more than 1,000 years. Explore the monastery grounds and
observe the monks as they perform their morning prayers and rituals.
In the afternoon, drive through rolling steppe to Hogno Han, a ger
camp located in the foothills of the beautiful Hogno Han Mountains
and at the confluence of three geographical zones (steppe, desert, and
forest). Explore the stunning landscape and experience the hospitality of
local horsebreeder families. Relatively unchanged for centuries,
Mongolia has one of the last remaining horse-based cultures in the
world. Learn how typical nomadic families live including a demonstration
of their horse-breaking skills and riding abilities. Also observe
mares being milked for the production of airag, the national drink of
fermented mare's milk. Overnight in gers.
Included meals: B, L, D
Tuesday, August 15
Ulaanbaatar
In the morning, begin driving to Ulaanbaatar, stopping for a picnic
lunch along the way. After arriving at your hotel, the afternoon will be
free for individual sightseeing and shopping. In the evening, enjoy a
farewell dinner.
Included meals: B, L, D
Wednesday, August 16
Ulaanbaatar / Beijing
Transfer to the airport for your flight to Beijing, China. Upon arrival,
transfer to your hotel. Dinner is on your own.
Included meals: B, L aloft
Thursday, August 17
Departure to U.S.
Transfer to the airport for your flight to the U.S.
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