Winter Wonderland, The Taiga

Winter Wonderland, The Taiga

Taiga is a winter wonderland in Mongolia, where one of the most interesting ethnic groups living near the lake is the Tsaatan or as they are better known – ‘The Reindeer People’. A small tribe of Tsaatan consisting of about 40 families lives with its herds of reindeer in the forests around the lake. These graceful animals provide the tribe with all its basic needs - milk, transportation, meat, skins and bones and antlers used as building materials and for tools.

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Ulaanbaatar

Stop At: Ulaanbaatar City Museum, Peace Avenue, Ulaanbaatar Mongolia
We meet our guide at the airport, and head to the city center. The short drive passes through the shanty town inhabited by those who were once nomads, but have neglected their traditional lifestyle in the hope of finding a little fortune in the city, which not too long ago has seen some rapid development. The urban landscape quickly changes into expansive shopping malls and brand new residential complexes, shifting again to the scenes of the city center, where modern high-rises are quickly built amidst soviet-era buildings. After checking into our hotel, and if time permits, we will have an orientation tour of the city center through the central square. Right at the heart of the square we see the figure of D. Sukhbaatar, one of the heroes of the communist revolution of 1920’s, boldly raising his arm towards the statue of Chinggis Khan, the nation’s forefather whose name wasn’t allowed to be mentioned during the 70 year communist reign. We then visit the National History Museum, which holds a permanent exhibition on the different civilizations that have inhabited the territory of Mongolia from prehistoric times to the present. This exhibition includes a significant display of objects from the era of the Great Mongol Empire. From here we take a short walk to the drama theater where we attend an impressive folk concert, featuring some traditional Mongolian art forms. After a welcome dinner, we drive back to our hotel for a good night’s sleep.
Duration: 4 hours

Meals included:
• Lunch: Mongolia barbeque.
• Dinner: Welcome dinner in one of the best restaurants in Ulaanbaatar.
Accommodation included: Overnight in 4-star hotel.

Day 2: Murun, Khovsgol province

Stop At: Lake Hovsgol National Park, Khatgal Mongolia
Today we will embark on a long drive north to Murun, the capital city of Khuvsgul Province. The long road offers diversified landscapes, from vast, open steppes to beautiful sand dunes. Today we cross the Selenge River, part of the Yenisei which is the world’s 5th longest river. It’s source is in Central Mongolia, and it runs through Siberia all the way to the Arctic Ocean. In the late evening we will arrive in Murun. Overnight in a local hotel.
Duration: 10 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Local hotel in Murun, Khuvsgul.

Day 3: Tsagaan Nuur

Stop At: Khovsgol Nuur, Mongolia
After breakfast we continue driving north along the lake ice to Tsagaan Nuur village. Arriving in the evening we meet a nomadic family and hold a welcome dinner and learn about their remote life and unique traditions in Darhad basin. If time permits we do a short sightseeing in the village. Overnight with a nomadic family.
Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight with a nomadic family.

Day 4: Taiga

Stop At: Khovsgol Nuur, Mongolia
Today we drive by beautiful Darhad basin lakes surrounded by high mountains covered with thick pine forests. We have our first experience meeting a Tsaatan family, known as Reindeer family. A small tribe of Tsaatan consisting of about 40 families lives with their herds of reindeer in the forests around the lake. These graceful animals provide the tribe with all its basic needs - milk, transportation, meat, skins and bones and antlers used as building materials and for tools.
Duration: 4 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight with a Reindeer family.

Day 5: Taiga

Stop At: Khovsgol Nuur, Mongolia
We embrace Reindeer people life style by participating in their daily life chores such as herding and riding reindeers, milking and drinking it with tea. Depending on the season of our visit we will learn distinct aspects of their life style. In summer Tsaatans choose to live in lower lands as reindeers feed mostly on green grass whereas in winter time they live in deep forest at higher altitude for their reindeers' need for moss. Overnight with a Reindeer people.
Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight with a Reindeer family.

Day 6: Taiga

Stop At: Khovsgol Nuur, Mongolia
Living with Reindeer people.
Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight with a Reindeer family.

Day 7: Tsagaan Nuur

Pass By: Khovsgol Nuur, Mongolia
Parting from the family around noon we drive back to Tsagaan Nuur village. Upon arrival we visit secondary school and hospital of the village to learn about the Mongolian education and healthcare system. Overnight with the same family hosted us on the second day of our adventure.

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight with a nomadic family.

Day 8: Moron

Pass By: Khovsgol Nuur, Mongolia
After breakfast we drive back to Murun. On our way we will stop at an ancient burial site featuring Mongolia’s mysterious deerstones, memorial stones representing important leaders and warriors, carved with deer motifs located near Erkhil Lake. Arriving late in the evening we check-in to our hotel room. Overnight in a local hotel.

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight in a local hotel in Moron, Khuvsgul.

Day 9: Erdenet city

Pass By: Erdenet Inn Hotel, Баян-Өндөр сум, Тюряковын гудамж, Вэнс компанийн байр, Эрдэнэт хот 61020, Mongolia
An exciting day awaits us. Protected in 1965 by the government of Mongolia, Uran togoo volcano, is 1686 meters above sea level, dormant volcano that became dormant some 25 thousand years ago. We take an easy hike to the top the volcano for the view of the crater inside as well as the surroundings. Afterwards we continue driving to Erdenet, Mongolia’s third biggest city, founded in 1974 in an area of large copper mine. In the afternoon we visit the copper mine and learn about its history, operation scope and contribution to the county's economy. Overnight in local hotel.

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight in a local hotel.

Day 10: Khustai Nuruu

Pass By: Khustain Nuruu National Park, Ulaanbaatar Mongolia
After a short drive we arrive at Amarbayasgalant Monastery. Built between 1727 and 1736 by the Manchu Emperor Enkh Amgalan, Amarbayasgalant is among the largest monasteries in Mongolia to have survived the purges of the 1930’s. With about 60 monks living and studying there, the monastery functions today as one of Mongolia’s central religious institutes, and consists of 29 different temples, all built in the classic Tibetan style. Leaving the monastery in the afternoon we continue driving to Khustai SPA. The SPA was established as part of a unique project to reintroduce the world’s last surviving wild horses back to their natural environment. Overnight in ger camp.

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight in Khustai ger camp.

Day 11: Ulaanbaatar

Pass By: Gobi, Industrial Street 3rd khoroo, Khan-Uul District, Ulaanbaatar 110000 Mongolia
We enjoy a morning of leisure, resting from the past few days of intensive exploration. We then go on an exploration of the wildlife of the protected area. On the brink of extinction during the last century, only a very few Takhi or Przewalski’s horse were left in zoos around Europe. This graceful steppe horse was returned to Mongolia, and today, thanks to this special project, two herds again roam the Mongolian steppes. After lunch at the ger camp we go to Ulaanbaatar for free shopping time in the late afternoon. Mongolia is world renowned for its fine cashmere and you will find this and many other souvenir items in the city. Overnight in a 4-star hotel.

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight in 4-star hotel.

Day 12: Departure

Pass By: Ulaanbaatar International Airport, UNAP Rd, Mongolia
After breakfast at the hotel, we drive to Chinggis Khan International Airport for our departure flight.

No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.