Dinosaurs of the Gobi

The contrast between ancient traditions and a 21st-century democracy is most visible in Ulaanbaatar, where traditional gers and Buddhist monasteries sit side by side with modern high-rises. Upon arrival at the airport you are welcomed by your Mongolian guide and transferred to a centrally located hotel within walking distance of various museums and shops.

(Shangri-La Hotel - Deluxe Room)

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 in which ancient shamanist practices are 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.

Monasteries across the country are again opening their doors to worshippers, and the few lamas who survived the purges are training. Continue to the Paleontological Laboratory of Mongolia to get advanced knowledge of Mongolian Paleontological science. 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.

Next, head to National Museum for an excellent overview of Mongolia’s history and culture. The newly remodeled museum displays traditional implements of daily nomadic life including Stone and Bronze Age artifacts, historical costumes of Mongolia’s minority tribes, sacred religious relics, and agricultural, fishing, and hunting equipment. In the evening, enjoy a welcome dinner at a fine local restaurant. Overnight in hotel.

(Shangri-La Hotel - Deluxe Room; B, L, D)

After breakfast, transfer to the airport and fly to the Gobi Desert. Upon arrival, drive to Tugregiin Shiree. Spend the next two days on excursion at Tugregiin Shiree, the site where the famous “Fighting Dinosaurs,” a fossil of a Protoceratops and Velociraptor locked in combat, was discovered in the 1970s. Explore this white-sandstone escarpment and nearby sand dunes. Overnight in tents.

(Tent Camp; B, L, D)

After breakfast, drive to Hongoryn Els Sand Dunes (4 hours). Hongoryn Els extend for 60 miles alongside the Gobi Altai Mountain range and reach 600 feet in height. Those who are interested will have the opportunity to visit a camel-herding family and explore the area on the back of a Bactrian camel. Overnight in local ger camp.

(Ger Camp - Standard Ger; B, L, D)

After breakfast, travel to the legendary Nemegt Basin, the site where the famous “Tarbasorous Bataar” fossil of a distant cousin of the T-Rex was discovered in the 1970s (6 – 7 hours drive). Upon arrival, get settle into tents and receive your instructions for fossil digging from your guide. For the next 2 days, you will discover the hidden treasures of the Mongolian Paleontology, which are an indescribable amounts of dinosaur fossils. This region in particular is known to have an abundance of fossils and you will be left wanting to discover more than two days’ time allows. Overnight in tents.

(Tent Camp; B, L, D )

Drive to Ukhaa Tolgod (5-6 hours), an already legendary site discovered by the American Museum of Natural History in the mid-1990s where an almost complete fossilized embryo in an egg was unearthed with several nests with the mothers on top. Overnight in tents.

(Tent Camp; B, L, D)

In the morning, drive back to Hongoryn Els sand dunes (4 hours). Upon arrival, settle at local camp and spend rest of the day at leisure. Overnight in gers.

(Gobi Erdene Ger Camp - Standard Ger; B, L, D)

After breakfast, drive to Three Camel Lodge (4 hours), located at Bulagtai Mountain on the edge of Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park. Spend the rest of the afternoon at leisure or explore the surroundings on your own. The lodge offers a wide variety of activities for travelers; such as reading a book on Mongolia, watching a documentary about nomadic culture, learning how to play traditional Mongolian games, or enjoying a relaxing massage. Overnight in gers.

(Three Camel Lodge - Deluxe Ger; B, L, D)

After breakfast, drive to Yol Valley National Park (1.5 hours), cradled in the foothills of the Altai Mountains. An ancient river carved this surprisingly green valley, and its remnant streams create ice formations that sometimes persist as late as July. A hike through the valley leads to the habitat of indigenous vulture-like Lammergeiers, Altai snowcocks, ibex, yaks, and Argali mountain sheep. After exploring the valley, visit the local natural history museum for an overview of the flora and fauna of the surrounding area. Drive back to Three Camel Lodge in time for lunch (1.5 hours).

In the late afternoon, drive to Bayan Zag (1 hour), commonly known as the Flaming Cliffs for the orange glow of its rock at dawn and dusk. It was here in 1923 that Dr. Roy Chapman Andrews and his exploration team from the American Museum of Natural History found the first nest of dinosaur eggs. Although not obvious to the untrained eye, the Flaming Cliffs are rich with dinosaur fossils and have been the site of important paleontological discoveries. Overnight in gers.

(Three Camel Lodge - Deluxe Ger; B, L, D)

In the morning, transfer to airport for flight to Ulaanbaatar (1.5 hours). Upon arrival, visit Bogd Khan Palace, home of Mongolia’s last theocrat, Bogd Jabtzan Damba Hutagt VIII, which displays elaborate ceremonial robes, other personal effects of Mongolia’s 8th Living Buddha. In the evening, enjoy a traditional Mongolian performance followed by farewell dinner at fine local restaurant. Overnight in hotel.

(Shangri-La Hotel - Deluxe Room; B, L, D)

After breakfast, transfer to airport for departure.

(B)