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Saturday 7th February
Arrival day and Ulaanbaatar City Tour
Airport Transfer | Whatever your time of arrival, we’ll pick you up from the airport and take you to the group hotel.
Sukhbaatar Square | Once you've had a chance to relax, we'll head out into the city for a bit of light exploration. Visiting the nation's heart, Sukhbaatar Square, surrounded by important buildings constructed during Mongolia’s communist period. There is an equestrian statue of Sukhbaatar, and a massive bronze monument of Genghis Khan flanked by two of his many sons and two of his most important generals.
State Department Store | Our city walking tour will take us from the central square down one of the nation’s main avenues to the beautiful State Department Store, a chance to peruse some of the more unusual on sale in this luxury department store where the weird and wonderful is mixed in with the everyday and the usual. Washing machines on one floor, stuffed eagles on another.
Beatles Statue | Then, we’ll head out to the Beatles Statue to discover why there is a monument to this Liverpudlian band in the heart of Outer Mongolia, after which, we’ll take a leisurely stroll back towards the city centre along Seoul Street – Ulaanbaatar’s attempt to create a bar culture in the middle of the city – on our way we’ll pass other incredible Soviet buildings such as the Art and Drama Theatre, and the first Elementary School.
Group Meal | Finally, it's off to dinner for our first group meal.
Meals | Dinner
Overnight | Standard hotel; single room available
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Sunday 8th February
Fly to Moron, Ice Lakes and Shamans
Morning Flight | After breakfast, we head back to the airport to catch our flight across the frozen Mongolian steppe to the country's far north and the town of Moron.
Moron & Danzadardscha Monastery | This small settlement only received its first paved road in 2014, and for us it’s a great starting point with a visit to its monastery Danzadardscha Khiid, a small affair home to only a few monks, and a shadow of the 16 monasteries that once made up this religious outpost.
Moron Town | From the monastery we will stop in town to pick up some supplies and essentials for our coming days on the shores and ice of Hövsgöl lake.
Lake Hovsgol | A two hour drive takes us further north to the shores of Lake Hövsgöl, often called the "Blue Pearl of Mongolia," frozen crystal clear water framed by dense pine forests and rolling mountains. This ancient, glacier-fed lake holds nearly 70% of Mongolia's freshwater and exudes a tranquil, untouched beauty that reflects the sky like glass.
Free Afternoon | This afternoon, we’ll enjoy a hearty lunch at our ger camp and check into our beautifully appointed Mongolian tented homes. Late in the afternoon, you have the chance to rest or enjoy some light hiking along the icy shores of the lake.
Meals | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight | Ger Camp
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Monday 9th February.
Nomadic Families and Horse Sledding
Local Nomadic Family | After breakfast we’re off onto the landward side of the shore as we venture out to visit a local nomadic family. We’ll have the chance for some interaction learning how they manage their livestock in the depths of winter, heat their Gers and cope with the wintery conditions.
Optional Horse Ride | For those of you who wish you will also have the opportunity to ride a famed Mongolian horse for a short trek with a local guide.
Horse Sleds | We’ll return to the warmth of our camp for a well deserved lunch before we head out onto the ice for further horsey fun, this time we wrap up warm as we use horse drawn Mongolian sleighs as we check out tomorrows marathon route.
Shamanic Blessing | This evening after diner we will receive a shamanic fireside blessing as we prepare for our main event, the Chinggis Khan Ice Marathon.
Meals | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight | Ger Camp
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Tuesday 10th February
Marathon Day
The Chinggis Khan Ice Marathon
Chinggis Khan Marathon | Today is the day of the Chinggis Khan Ice Marathon. You have the choice of running a 5km, 10km, half marathon, or full marathon. The event will begin at 9am near to the small harbor whose ships remain locked within the icy clutches of the lake.
• For the 10km event and half marathon, there will be a heated ger at each finish line. Those who wish to complete the full event will run the return course.
• There will be a mix of vehicles on hand to help out as well as horse sledges to aid runners returning to the start point. For those who are not running, you can cheer at the start line along with the locals or even help at one of the drink stations supplying heated beverages to our runners.
Return to Ger Camp | Upon completion of the run, all who wish will be taken back to our ger camp immediately for a hot sauna and well-deserved rest.
Free Evening | This afternoon is free for relaxing or one final look at the lake before this evening’s dinner and celebration.
Meals | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight | Ger Camp
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Wednesday 11th February.
Fly back and drive to Gorkhi-Terelj National Park
Flight to Ulaanbaatar | This morning its up early as we bid farewell to our hosts and make our way to Moron airport for our flight back to Ulaanbaatar. The adventure continues as we head to the famed national park of Terelj, once Chinggis Khan’s hunting grounds.
Turtle Rock | We make a stop and the odd but interesting Turtle Rock, resembling (not surprisingly) a giant turtle! A striking natural rock formation resembling a giant turtle, it is a popular landmark nestled in the scenic landscapes of Gorkhi-Terelj National Park.
Aryabal Temple | Our next stop may help with a few of those achy legs as we visit the Aryabal Meditation Temple, located within the confines of the Park, the Aryabal temple is a serene Buddhist temple renowned for its unique architecture and spiritual ambiance. Constructed in 1998, the temple's design is inspired by an elephant's head, with its 108 stone steps symbolising the elephant's trunk. If your legs are not too tired, there is a pleasant hike up to this rocky retreat.
Return to Ger Camp | This evening, we return to a beautiful, warm ger camp for a well-deserved rest.
Meals | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight | Ger Camp
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Thursday 12th February.
Drive back to Ulaanbaatar via the Equestrian Statue of Chinggis Khan Statue
Depart Terelj | Today as we drive back to Ulaanbaatar we will make an important detour as we visit the famed Chinggis Khan equestrian monument.
Chinggis Khan Statue | A visit to this towering 40-meter (131-foot) stainless steel monument of Genghis Khan on horseback is the largest equestrian statue in the world. As you approach, the sheer scale of the statue against the vast Mongolian steppe is breathtaking.
Chinggis Khan Statue Museum | Inside the base, a museum offers insights into Mongolian history and the life of the legendary Khan. Visitors can take an elevator up into the horse's neck, leading to a viewing platform with panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. The combination of history, engineering marvel, and natural beauty makes it a powerful tribute to Mongolia’s most iconic leader.
Return to Ulaanbaatar | After our Khan visit we head back into Ulaanbaatar arriving late afternoon we’ll be sure to stop by one of the country’s famed cashmere factories to catch a glimpse of this exotic production process one of the few that actually show us how its produced. After returning to the hotel you have free time for those last minute purchases or resting before our final group meal.
Meals | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight | Hotel 9
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Friday 13th February.
Departure Day
Departure & Airport Transfers | Today, it's time to bid goodbye to Mongolia. We'll head to Chinggis Khan International Airport to see you off. Although the tour is over, we hope you'll be flying home with a head full of memories and stories to share with your friends and family!
Meals | Breakfast