Mongolia Golden Eagle Festival

About this trip

Exactly what you do each day, where you sleep, and how it flows — written by us, from the real itinerary.

1. 1
   Day 1 · UlaanbaatarAdventure starts in Ulaanbaatar (dinner)

   You arrive in Ulaanbaatar with no set activities, leaving space for your own exploration—Sukhbaatar Square, the National Museum and State Department Store are worth a look if you've got time. At 6pm you meet your tour leader and group for dinner at a local restaurant.

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   Day 2 · Terelj National ParkDrive to Terelj National Park via the Genghis Khan statue (breakfast,lunch,dinner)

   After breakfast, drive two hours to Terelj National Park, stopping at the 130ft Genghis Khan statue en route. Explore rock formations and wildflower meadows, visit Aryabal Meditation Temple for panoramic views, then spend the afternoon with a nomadic family learning about their life and tasting homemade yoghurt, cheese and curds.

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   Day 3 · DalanzadgadFly to Dalanzadgad; travel through rocky plains of Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park (breakfast,lunch,dinner)

   

   Early flight to Dalanzadgad, then into Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park's rocky and sandy desert landscape. Drive 50km to Yolyn Am (Vulture's Mouth), a canyon so narrow and deep that snow persists on the valley floor even in summer.

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   Day 4 · BayanzagHiking around the Flaming Cliffs of Bayanzag (breakfast,lunch,dinner)

   

   Drive 70km to Bayanzag, the Flaming Cliffs, and hike amongst red, yellow and orange sands. This 1920s dinosaur fossil site discovered by Mongolian and American palaeontologists offers the chance to spot fossils yourself before a picnic lunch and afternoon at camp.

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   Day 5 · Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National ParkVisit the Singing Dunes, the largest dunes in Mongolia (breakfast,lunch,dinner)

   Five-hour drive (200km) to Khongoryn Els, the Singing Dunes, which stretch for 200km and reach heights of 300m. They're named for the resonant sound the wind creates as it moves across them.

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   Day 6 · Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National ParkExplore the Singing Dunes and visit a nomadic camel-breeding family (breakfast,lunch,dinner)

   Spend a full day exploring the Singing Dunes and surrounding terrain. Visit a camel-breeding nomadic family to learn about the lifestyle of local herders.

7. 7
   Day 7 · BayangoviExplore the region of Bayan Gobi and the Bichigt Khad petroglyphs (breakfast,lunch,dinner)

   Drive across the Khatan Suudal Steppe through flat, stony Gobi Desert landscape to the Bayan mountains. Visit the Bichigt Khad petroglyphs—3000-year-old rock inscriptions and paintings depicting ibex, argali and men on horses. Hike up to the cliffs for closer inspection if you wish (steep 60m climb requiring walking poles).

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   Day 8 · Ikh BogdTransfer to Arvaikheer via Ikh Bogd mountain (breakfast,lunch,dinner)

   

   Drive to Tsagaan Agui (White Cave), cross the Taats River with views of Ikh Bogd, the highest mountain in the Gobi Altai range. Picnic lunch, then 11 hours total driving (415km) skirting the eastern edge of Ikh Bogd to reach Arvaikheer on the Gobi's northern edge.

9. 9
   Day 9 · ArvaikheerVisit Arvaikheer Museum; to Kharkhorin via Shankh Monastery (breakfast,lunch,dinner)

   Morning at Arvaikheer's local market and museum, which holds nature collections, stone figures and Turkic scripts. Drive to Kharkhorin, stopping at Shankh Monastery, once home to Zanabazar, the great Mongolian theorist. Arrive at camp for dinner after 150km and four hours driving.

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    Day 10 · KarakorumVisit Karakorum and Erdene Zuu Monastery; drive to the Little Gobi Desert (breakfast,lunch,dinner)

    Visit Karakorum, the 13th-century Mongol Empire capital established by Ogedei Khan. See Erdene Zuu Monastery, built in 1586 on the site's ruins—its impressive 108-stupas wall and temples remain despite Stalin-era destruction. Two-hour drive to Mongol Els (Little Gobi Desert) and explore its dune belt in the steppe.

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    Day 11 · Hustai National ParkTransfer to Khustain Nuruu National Park trek to see wild horses (breakfast,lunch,dinner)

    Three-hour drive (200km) to Khustain Nuruu National Park, home to reintroduced Przewalski's horses (takhi), almost-extinct wild horses now roaming the steppes thanks to conservation efforts. Visit the Project Information Centre and trek with a guide to see them.

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    Day 12 · UlaanbaatarDrive to Ulaanbaatar (breakfast,lunch,dinner)

    Drive four hours (210km) back to Ulaanbaatar. Afternoon free to relax or explore the city. Optional evening: watch the Tumen Ekh dance troupe perform traditional Mongolian music and dance—throat singers, contortionists and Tsam dancers.

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    Day 13 · UlgiiFly to Olgii; visit a nomadic Kazakh village (breakfast,lunch,dinner)

    

    Morning flight to Olgii in western Mongolia, then drive offroad for an hour to Sagsai village. Spend the day with a Kazakh family—help with daily tasks like milking cows, goats and sheep, and taste homemade yak cheese and yoghurt. Return to Olgii ger camp for the night.

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    Day 14 · UlgiiEagle Festival (breakfast,lunch,dinner)

    First day of the Eagle Festival. Watch competitions for best Kazakh costume, horse racing and archery. Evening cultural performance at the local theatre.

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    Day 15 · UlgiiAnother day at the Eagle Festival (breakfast,lunch,dinner)

    Second day of the Eagle Festival. See eagle and hunter demonstrations, camel racing and kukhbar—a spirited sport where horseback riders wrestle over a goat skin. Return to camp for dinner.

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    Day 16 · UlaanbaatarFly to Ulaanbaatar; free time in the city (breakfast)

    Mid-morning flight back to Ulaanbaatar, arriving midday. Afternoon free for last-minute sightseeing or shopping—cashmere, leather goods and traditional handicrafts are worth browsing.

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    Day 17 · UlaanbaatarAdventure ends in Ulaanbaatar (breakfast)

What's included

• Guide: Tour leader throughout
• Meals: Traditional Mongolian diets are very meat and dairy heavy. While there are opportunities to try some of these products, such as dry curd and fermented mare’s milk, the meals provided in the ger camps are generally Western meals, at times with an Asian influence. There is normally some form of soup and salad plus a main course and desert. Vegetarians are generally well catered for; if you are vegetarian or have other dietary requirements, please inform us in advance. Breakfasts can vary from place to place, some are buffets while others are set, normally cereal, bread and possibly a hot dish. On some days, a pack lunch is provided, this is often still a proper meal (though without the soup). Water is provided and is generally from large water containers, so make sure to bring a refillable water bottle. Tea, coffee, soft drinks, beer, vodka and (most of the time) wine are available to buy at the ger camps. There is the opportunity to buy snacks in Ulaanbaatar and on a couple of other occasions along the way when we drive through towns or villages.
• Activities: All listed activities All internal flights Arrival & departure transfers
• Transport: We travel in a convoy of 4x4s (four passengers per vehicle) as we make our way around central Mongolia and the Gobi Desert. Driving in the wilderness can be hard going on minivans/larger vehicles. They may experience punctures and may need to be cooled down as overheating is common. We use Jeeps as they are much more reliable and able to navigate rough roads better than the larger minivans often used. Although rare, punctures/issues can occur so please come with an open mind. We may also use a coach for getting around Ulaanbaatar and Terelj National Park. We also use three internal flights.
• Accommodation: We use hotels in Ulaanbaatar and Arvaikheer and ger camps elsewhere. Gers are similar to yurts. This traditional accommodation is airy and usually contains a central wood-burning stove (in the summer the stoves are not normally needed). The bathrooms are shared and all have hot water (due to the remoteness of the camps this can be erratic at times). Many of the ger camps now have 24-hour electricity in the ger itself for charging batteries. If there is no charging facility inside the ger then there are charging facilities in the common area (though this may only be when the generator is turned on during limited periods of the day). Accommodation at the Eagle Festival is four people per ger. For the rest of the camps, it is two people per ger and hotels are on a twin-share basis too. Due to the remoteness of Olgii, there is a limited choice of accommodation and the ger camps here are more basic than elsewhere. There may also be rare occasions when a single cannot be guaranteed in a particular ger camp.

How travellers rate it

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