THE WITHOUT CORNERS SPACE TOUR 11 days / 10 nights Across the steppe and the Gobi Desert DAY 1 ULAAN BAATAR - KHARKHORIN Arrival at Ulaan Baatar Airport. Transfer to the centre of the Capital- Exchange Money- Rest time at a coffee shop. Then, departure to Kharkhorin, the ancient capital of Chinghis Khaan. After few minutes, you’ll leave the chaotic town plunging in the green steppe. Lunch at a local restaurant on the road. In the late afternoon arrival at the ger camp. Dinner and overnight stay. (FB) DAY 2 KHARKHORIN - TSENKHER HOT SPA Breakfast. The morning is dedicated to Kharkhorin. The ancient capital, known in the past as Kharakhorum, was entirely destroyed by the Chinese in the 14th century, but upon its ashes, in 1586, was built one of the most important monastery of the country: Erdene Zuu with its white walls, its 108 stupas, its temples. Lunch at a local restaurant in Kharkhorin. In the afternoon you’ll go towards Tsenkher Hot Spa, passing through green pasturelands where you can meet local families. In the late afternoon arrival at the ger camp. Time for relax, massage or go to the baths. Dinner and overnight stay. (FB) DAY 3 TSENKHER HOT SPA - ORKHON VALLEY & WATERFALLS Breakfast. You’ll drive across hills and woods, where old trees hold “hattag”, blue or white scarves that Buddhist pilgrims hang on the branches as offering. Arrival to Orkhon Valley, Chinghis Khaan’s sacred valley. Lunch picnic. After drive to Orkhon Waterfalls. Lodge at a family ger. All the afternoon is dedicated to attend how the local people manage their livestock and their lives. Possible horse riding. Dinner and overnight stay at the family ger. (FB) DAY 4 ORKHON- ONGII KHIID Breakfast. Today the trip shall lead us towards the Gobi desert. The green scenery turns into a wild, dry, dusty landscape. It is the Mid-Gobi that foretells of the true desert. On the way we will stop in Khujirt, a small village where you can buy water and other supplies and where you will have lunch. In the late afternoon arrival in Ongii Khiid ger camp. Dinner and overnight stay. (FB DAY 5 ONGII KHIID- BAYANZAG Breakfast. Drive to the Gobi desert, the great and wide desert where in summertime temperature can go above 45°C. Arrival at the ger camp close to Bayanzag. Lunch in the camp restaurant and time for relax. In the late afternoon trek on “Flaming Cliffs” where the American naturalist Roy Chapman Andrews found, in 1922, the first dinosaur fossils of Mongolia and the first dinosaur egg nest in the world. You will walk along and through the hills, searching for dinosaur bones. You’ll stay here until sunset to admire the rocks that go redder and redder, as if they were on fire. Return to the camp. Dinner and overnight stay. (FB) DAY 6 BAYANZAG - YOLIN AM - KHONGORIN SAND DUNES Breakfast. Drive to Yolin Am. Situated in the Gurvainsaikan National Park, you’ll walk along this narrow valley, watching ibex (wild goats), vultures, eagles, marmots, wild flowers similar to edelweiss. At the end of the valley, in summertime too, lie ice and snow accumulations. Lunch picnic. In the afternoon, through narrow canyons that cut the Gurvainsaikan mountain range, you will reach Khongorin Sand Dunes, a wild landscape where the wind accumulated the sand on the slopes of a black mountain chain. Lodging in the ger camp. Dinner and overnight stay. (FB)
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DAY 7 KHONGORIN - ONGII KHIID Breakfast. Morning trek or camel ride on the sand dunes. Then, drive back to Ongii Khiid. Lunch picnic. In the afternoon arrival in Ongii Khiid. Visit of the ruins of this big monastic complex that hosted more than 2.000 monks and that was destroyed by the Soviets in 1939. Dinner and overnight stay at ger camp. (FB) DAY 8 ONGII KHIID - ERDENEDALAI-BAGA GAZARYN CHULUU-BAYAN ONJUUL Breakfast. Departure to northeast direction. In the morning stop and visit of Erdenedalai’s monastery. Lunch picnic. In the afternoon arrival at Baga Gazaryn Chuluu, ancient shamanic site surrounded by impressive granitic relieves. Prosecution to Bayan Onjuul. Dinner and overnight stay at ger camp. (FB) DAY 9 BAYAN ONJUUL - ULAAN BAATAR Breakfast. Departure to Ulaan Baatar passing through wild areas where golden eagles built their nest on the ground. Arrival in the Capital and lunch at restaurant. In the afternoon visit the Natural History Museum that hosts a unique collection of Dinosaur fossils such as Tarbosaurus (a relative of the T-Rex), Protoceratops, eggs,......Dinner at restaurant. Overnight stay at hotel. (FB DAY 10 ULAAN BAATAR Breakfast. All day dedicated to the Capital. In the morning visit Gandan Monastery, the most important Buddhist core for the Mongolian people. Here, before the Soviet purges, there were more than 10.000 monks. You’ll visit the Buddhist schools, the Tibetan-style temple which contains a 26 mt. high Avalokitesvara’s golden statue, the Buddhist temples where it is possible to attend lamas’ prayers. After that visit the Fine Arts Museum (Zanabazaar Museum) with its ancient rock carvings, Zanabazaar’s magnificent works, Thangka, Mandala, paintings, etc... - Lunch at restaurant. In the afternoon visit of Chojin Lama Museum where you can see a wonderful collection of Tsam Masks, original and used in the past by the monks during ceremonies and sacred performances. Rest of day free for shopping and/or for watching a folk songs & dances show. Dinner at restaurant. Overnight stay at hotel. (FB) DAY 11 DEPARTURE - Breakfast and transfer to the airport. (BB)
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