Wild Horizons: 31 Days Across Mongolia

Leave the city behind and head south into the wild steppe. Today’s destination, Baga Gazriin Chuluu, is a land of dramatic granite formations and peaceful desert valleys. Explore ancient meditation caves and take a sunset walk among towering cliffs glowing orange in the fading light.

• Accommodation: Ger camp

• Meals included: B, L, D

Continue your journey through the Gobi to the surreal Tsagaan Suvarga, or “White Stupa.” These colorful limestone cliffs resemble a painted canyon, shaped by centuries of wind and rain. Take a walk through the formations and capture the perfect photo as the evening light turns the cliffs gold and rose-red.

• Accommodation: Ger camp

• Meals included: B, L, D

Enter the Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park, home to mountains, rare wildlife, and icy gorges. Stroll through the Yolyn Am Canyon, where even in summer, thick ice lingers in the shade. Eagles circle overhead while yaks graze below, a striking mix of desert and mountain life.

• Accommodation: Ger camp

• Meals included:

Wake up to endless desert horizons. After breakfast, drive to the stunning Khongor Sand Dunes, the largest in Mongolia. Visit a local camel herder family, learn about desert life, and take a camel ride across the golden waves of sand. As the sun sets, climb to the top of a dune for an unforgettable panoramic view.

• Accommodation: Ger camp

• Meals included: B, L, D

Travel to Bayanzag, where the world’s first dinosaur fossils were discovered. Walk among the Flaming Cliffs, glowing deep red in the afternoon sun. This was once a lush forest millions of years ago, today it’s one of Mongolia’s most iconic landscapes.

• Accommodation: Ger camp

• Meals included: B, L, D

Journey north through the desert to the Ongi River, where the ruins of Ongi Monastery lie quietly on the riverbank. Once one of the largest monasteries in Mongolia, it was destroyed during the 1930s purges. Walk among the remnants and enjoy a peaceful evening by the water.

• Accommodation: Ger camp

• Meals included: B, L, D

Drive into the heart of central Mongolia, the Orkhon Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Stay with a local nomadic family and experience authentic ger life. Help herd animals, share milk tea, and listen to stories around the stove.

• Accommodation: Local guesthouse

• Meals included: B, L, D

Saddle up for a horseback ride across open valleys and rivers leading to the majestic Orkhon Waterfall. Enjoy a picnic lunch by the water and explore the basalt canyon carved by ancient lava flows. This is nomadic Mongolia at its best.

• Accommodation: Ger camp

• Meals included: B, L, D

Travel to Kharkhorin, the 13th-century capital of the Mongol Empire. Visit Erdene Zuu Monastery, Mongolia’s oldest Buddhist monastery, and the Karakorum Museum, where the Great Khan’s history comes alive.

• Accommodation: Ger camp

• Meals included: B, L, D

After days of adventure, it’s time to relax. Drive through forested hills to Tsenkher Hot Springs, famous for its natural thermal waters. Soak in the outdoor pools surrounded by mountains, and enjoy a peaceful evening under a sky full of stars.

• Accommodation: Ger camp

• Meals included: B, L, D

Journey west to Terkhiin Tsagaan Lake, a beautiful alpine lake created by volcanic eruptions. Hike up Khorgo Volcano for breathtaking views, then unwind by the lakeshore. Watch herds of yaks graze nearby as you enjoy the stillness of the evening.

• Accommodation: Ger camp

• Meals included: B, L, D

Continue your road trip through rolling green hills and wildflower-covered valleys. Stop for photos, meet herders along the way, and enjoy the sense of vast, untouched Mongolia all around you.

• Accommodation: Local guesthouse

• Meals included: B, L, D

Reach the northern town of Murun, the gateway to the country’s most beautiful lake. Visit the local market, stretch your legs, and prepare for your northern adventure ahead.

• Accommodation: Ger camp

• Meals included: B, L, D

Drive to Khuvsgul Lake, Mongolia’s most pristine freshwater lake, surrounded by mountains and pine forests. Walk along the shore, take a dip in the icy-clear water, or simply breathe in the pure mountain air.

• Accommodation: Ger camp

• Meals included: B, L, D

Travel deeper into the north to Tsagaan Nuur, the gateway to the reindeer people’s homeland. The journey takes you through lush forests and remote valleys where few travelers ever go. Arrive at a lakeside camp and prepare for your adventure into the taiga.

• Accommodation: Local guesthouse

• Meals included: B, L, D

This morning, leave the road behind and head into the forest, either on foot or by horseback. Follow your local guides through larch trees, rivers, and hidden trails until you reach the Tsaatan reindeer tribe, one of the last communities on Earth who live in harmony with reindeer. Settle into your camp and meet your hosts.

• Accommodation: Tipi

• Meals included: B, L, D

Spend a full day among the Tsaatan, learning how they care for their reindeer, craft traditional tools, and live close to nature. Experience a shamanic ritual, an ancient ceremony connecting people and spirits of the forest. It’s a humbling and unforgettable cultural encounter.

• Accommodation: Tipi

• Meals included: B, L, D

Say farewell to your new friends and travel back through the forest, retracing your route to Tsagaan Nuur. Relax by the lake and reflect on your incredible time in Mongolia’s far north.

• Accommodation: Local guesthouse

• Meals included: B, L, D

Start your drive southwest toward the Altai Mountains, passing through vast steppe, rivers, and mountain passes. Stop in small towns along the way and watch the scenery shift as Mongolia’s northern forests fade into wild western landscapes.

• Accommodation: Ger camp

• Meals included: B, L, D

Today’s drive takes you west to Airag Nuur, a tranquil lake surrounded by open steppe and birdlife. Watch the sunset reflected on the water and unwind in nature’s silence.

• Accommodation: Local guesthouse

• Meals included: B, L, D

Continue your overland journey through Mongolia’s heartland to Khovd, one of the oldest towns in the west. Visit local markets and enjoy the colorful blend of cultures.

• Accommodation: Ger camp

• Meals included: B, L, D

Head deeper into Bayan-Ölgii Province. Arrive at the entrance of Altai Tavan Bogd, where snow peaks rise dramatically above glacial valleys.

• Accommodation: Ger camp

• Meals included: B, L, D

Take a rest day with the local Tuvan people who live near the park. Enjoy their hospitality, explore Tolbo Nuur, and learn about mountain life in this remote corner of Mongolia.

• Accommodation: Ger camp

• Meals included: B, L, D

Begin your 16km trek toward the base camp of the Tavan Bogd Peaks, passing rivers, glaciers, and wild alpine scenery. Camp at the foot of the mountains surrounded by silence.

• Accommodation: Tent camp

• Meals included: B, L, D

Summit Malchin Peak, one of the sacred “Five Kings” of the Altai. From the top, take in panoramic views across Mongolia, Russia, and China, a moment you’ll never forget.

• Accommodation: Tent camp

• Meals included: B, L, D

Descend through the valley, retracing your path past glaciers and meadows. Return to the ranger station and celebrate your climb with a hearty meal.

• Accommodation: Ger camp

• Meals included: B, L, D

Meet the legendary Kazakh eagle hunters. Learn how they train golden eagles and witness the bond between hunter and bird, one of the world’s most fascinating traditions.

• Accommodation: Local guesthouse

• Meals included: B, L, D

Immerse yourself in Kazakh culture. Join the eagle hunters for a day of storytelling, photography, and sharing meals with their families.

• Accommodation: Local guesthouse

• Meals included: B, L, D

Morning flight to Ulaanbaatar. Enjoy a farewell dinner with your team and relive the highlights of your incredible journey across Mongolia.

• Accommodation: Hotel

• Meals included: B, L, D

Transfer to the airport for your flight home, taking with you memories of vast horizons, mountain summits, and the warmth of Mongolian hospitality.

• Accommodation: /

• Meals included: B