In Search of Dragons & Eagles

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 your centrally-located hotel within walking distance of various museums and shops.

(Shangri-La Hotel - Deluxe Room)

Strolling past the Sukhbaatar Square named in honor of the revolutionary leader who commanded the Mongolian army to fight for the nation’s independence in 1920s, you’ll find your way to the Chinggis Khan Museum, Mongolia’s newest and largest museum.

The nine-story museum showcases over 10,000 cultural exhibits revealing 2000 years of history linked to Mongolia’s Great Khans, nobles, nomads, and their statehood from the Xiongnu Empire to the end of the 20th century.

After lunch, walk to the 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.

Enjoy welcome dinner at a fine local restaurant.

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

Transfer to the airport for a morning flight to Ulgii (2.5 hours), capital of Bayan-Ulgii, Mongolia’s western most province. Ninety percent of the population of Bayan-Ulgii is Kazakh, Mongolia’s largest ethnic minority. The isolation of the Altai Mountains has preserved the language and traditions of the Kazakhs, who live amongst some of the most spectacular scenery in Mongolia.

On arrival, drive south of Ulgii town to crystal-clear Tolbo Lake (1 hour), which mirrors the dramatic Khunguin Mountains. This saline lake attracts numerous birds such as swans and gulls, and is home to over eight different types of fish. Enjoy a walk along the lake shore and you may also have the opportunity to visit a local Kazakh family.

In the late afternoon, drive to your temporary ger camp. Dinner and overnight at the camp.

(Golden Eagle Festival Ger Camp - Standard Ger; B, L, D)

The official opening ceremony commences with the participants parading in on horseback with their eagles. The competition begins with each Kazakh hunter displaying his hunting outfit and accessories, the most elaborate and beautiful of which receive the highest points. In the afternoon, the golden eagles will be evaluated for their speed and agility. The eagles will be released from a cliff while their owners stand below, signaling for them to land upon their arms, as they do while hunting. Those with the fastest times and best technique will be awarded the highest scores.

After dinner, attend a special performance of traditional Kazakh dance, song, and music organized in honor of the competitors. Overnight in gers.

(Golden Eagle Festival Ger Camp - Standard Ger; B, L, D)

In today’s competition, the golden eagles will be released from a cliff to attack fox skins dragged by their owners on horseback. The eagles will be judged on speed, gripping technique, and success in grabbing the fox. As the points for the competitions are tallied, the Kazakh hunters will compete in a traditional game called kukbar, a tug-of-war on horseback that tests horse-riding skills, strength, and agility. There will also be two horse races and displays of various traditional horseback Kazakh games, including Tenge Ilu, which involves picking money up from the ground in a full gallop, and Kyzguar, which young men and women play as a way to getting to know each other better. In the late afternoon, the winners of the festival will be announced at the awards ceremony.

Enjoy a celebration dinner in the evening.

(Golden Eagle Festival Ger Camp - Standard Ger; B, L, D)

Transfer to the airport for a return flight to Ulaanbaatar. Check in to your hotel upon arrival and spend the afternoon at leisure. In the evening, enjoy a performance featuring traditional Mongolian dancers and khoomi throat singers, followed by dinner at a fine local restaurant.

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

Begin the day with a drive to Gorkhi Terelj National Park. Comprised of the southern Khentii mountain range, this mountain, forest, and steppe region serves as a habitat for a variety of bird and plant life.

En route stop to visit the Chinggis Khaan Equestrian Statue (1 hour). The massive statue made of 250 tons of gleaming stainless steel will take your breath away. Once inside the two-story base of the statue, visitors can see a replica of Chinggis Khan’s legendary golden whip and also take an elevator to a deck on the horse’s head and marvel at the surrounding area overlooking the beautiful Mongolian steppes.

Continue your drive to Terelj National park and on arrival, embark on an adventurous hike towards the Aryabal Monastery. A hike up along a steep road leads to a wooden suspended bridge known as “The bridge that leads to wisdom.” After crossing the bridge, trek up 108 steps to finally arrive at the temple. Along the way, the path is lined with signboards displaying Buddha’s teachings. The monastery is special for its spectacular views of the surrounding green valley.

Return to Ulaanbaatar in the evening. Dinner is independent. Overnight at the hotel.

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

In the morning, transfer to the airport for a flight to the Gobi (1.5 hours). Contrary to the sameness that the word ‘desert’ suggests, the Gobi is a fascinating and diverse region, and includes sites of some of the most important paleontological discoveries of the 20th century. For the next few days, explore the stunning landscape of the Gobi, habitat for Bactrian camels, Argali mountain sheep, goitered gazelle, golden eagles, saker falcons, jerboas (similar to kangaroo rats), and many endemic reptiles. The Gobi is also home to some of the Northern Hemisphere’s most rare and elusive mammals, such as the dhole, snow leopard, Gobi bear, and the wild Bactrian camel.

Upon arrival, drive to the Yol Valley National Park (45 minutes). Located in the northern part of the Gobi in the foothills of the Altai Mountains, this surprisingly green valley was carved by an ancient river. Its remnant streams now create ice formations at the base of the valley that sometimes persist as late as July. Hiking through this deep canyon leads to the habitat of indigenous Lammergeiers, vulture-like birds that feast mostly on the carcasses of dead animals. However, unlike other such birds, whose diets mainly consist of meat, Lammergeiers primarily feed on bone marrow, dropping large bones from the sky to break them into smaller pieces.

Next, drive to the Three Camel Lodge (1 hour), Nomadic Expeditions’ luxury ger camp located near Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park.

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

Begin the day with a visit to one of the local families for a display of nomadic culture, including the making of dairy products, daily chores of tending animals, and work around the ger.

In the afternoon, drive to the Havsgait petroglyph site (25 minutes). Hike up the side of a local mountain to a site that is home to hundreds of stone carvings from the Bronze Age.

Note: It is a steep hike over loose gravel covered ground.

In the evening, return to Three Camel Lodge for an overnight stay.

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

In the morning, drive to Moltsog Els (1 hour), one of the few regions of the Gobi covered by sand dunes. Explore the sand dunes on foot.

Later this afternoon, continue driving to the legendary Flaming Cliffs (35 minutes), named for the orange glow of the rock at sunset. 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 the world had ever seen. Although not obvious to the untrained eye, the red sandstone of the Flaming Cliffs is rich with dinosaur fossils, and paleontological expeditions continue to make significant discoveries at this site.

Return to Three Camel Lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

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

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for the return flight to Ulaanbaatar (1.5 hours). On arrival, visit the Dinosaur Museum, showcasing the spectacular fossils found in the Gobi Desert. On display are fierce Tarbosaurous fossils (closely related to Tyrannosaurus rex), dinosaur eggs, and many others, all of which illustrate the richness and importance of the paleontological sites in the Gobi Desert.

If time allows, visit Gandan Monastery, the seat of Buddhism in Mongolia. 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 a new generation. Extensive reconstruction and renovation projects are underway and priceless artifacts that were hidden for safekeeping by nomadic families are now being returned to monasteries.

Spend the rest of the afternoon at leisure. In the evening, enjoy a farewell dinner at a fine local restaurant. Overnight at the hotel.

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

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for departure.

(B)