MONGOLIA with the Nadaam Festival
now booking for July 2023 on a private tour basis
The Magnificent Nadaam Festivals... Explorations in the Gobi... and the iconic sights of Mongolia
This extraordinary journeyhighlights the beauty of Mongolia: the exciting Naadam Festival in the capital UB, the beauty of the Gobi and the traditional life in Central Mongolia dating back to the Genghis Kahn Empire and Buddhist influence. In this trip you will combine the beauty of Mongolia with its incredible culture. A CLASSIC itinerary that goes beyond the ordinary by presenting the essence of Mongolian nature and culture with visits to nomadic settlements, active Buddhist monasteries, art and artifacts, and natural parks. We’ll experience dramatic landscape changes --from the golden dunes of Gobi to the open green valleys dotted with wild flowers, through vast steppes! Between July 11 and 13, the great Naadam Festival is thrilling three-day event that dates back to the Genghis Khaan Empire. Coupled with an extraordinary guide, a small, intimate group, and the years of Asian Odysseys experience, you will have a “trip of a lifetime”.
Mongolia Itinerary Synopsis
Day 1. /2 July/ Arrival in Ulaanbaatar
Arrival. Meet our guide and driver, then transfer to the hotel. Shangri-La Hotel.
Day 2. /3 July/ City tour in Ulaanbaatar
Breakfast at hotel. City tour including National Museum, and Gandan monastery. Visit paleontologist at dinosaur museum and learn about dinosaur findings in Mongolia. Evening performance of classical Mongolian dance and song. Shangri-La Hotel. (B/ L/ D)
Day 3. /4 July/ Fly to Gobi / Yol- Eagle Valley
Fly to South Gobi and tour Yol Am (Eagle Valley) -a sunless canyon in the middle of Gobi has a particular beauty with narrow paths broadening in places between rocks, while buzzards and eagles wheel and glide in the blue skies above. The cliffs of the canyon block the sunlight from the rivers below, so that they remain frozen throughout the year. After lunch, walk up a nearby mountain to visit Bulgan Temple, a meditation temple perched on its peak. Three Camel Lodge (B/ L/ D)
Day 4. /5 July/ Moltsog Els/ Bayanzag- Flaming Cliffs
Begin the day with a drive to Moltsog Els, one of the few regions of the Gobi covered by sand dunes. Visit a nomadic family here to learn about their traditional ways of life. Experience camel riding in the sand dunes. Drive to Bayanzag - classic desert of rock, red sands, scrub, sun and unbelievable emptiness has become known to the world as "Cemetery of Dinosaurs”. The red sandstone cliffs and canyons of Bayanzag are where the American paleontologist Roy Chapman Andrews first discovered fossil beds of dinosaur bones and first ever recorded dinosaur eggs in 1922 - discoveries which made world headlines. Three Camel Lodge. (B/ L/ D)
Day 6. /7 July/ Ongi Monastery
Drive to the north towards Central Mongolia. Overnight stop in Middle Gobi province, at the Ongi monastery ruins. Ongi Monastery Ger camp. (B/L/ D)
Day 7. /8 July/ Kharkhorin
Drive to Kharkhorin – ruins of ancient capital of Mongolian Empire built by Ugudei Khaan in 1235. The city was strategically located at the crossroads of traditional routes, creating a staging post for migrating nomads and merchants caravans. Ikh Khorum hotel. (B/ L/ D)
Day 8. /9 July/ Elsen Tasarkhai Sand Dunes
Drive to Elsen Tasarkhai – the north point of Mongolian desert with lovely sand dunes. From here, we walk towards Uvgun temple settled in the magnificent Khogno khan mountain. Out of Nowhere Ger Camp. (B/ L/ D)
Day 9. /10 July/ Drive to Ulaanbaatar : NAADAM FESTIVALS
“Deeltei Mongol” Festival starts at 14:00 and National Flag Raising Festival starts at 20:00 at the main square of UB in the afternoon. Before attending festival we will visit Zanabazar Fine Art Museum, which has 12 exhibition galleries covering the arts from ancient to modern times. Shangri-La Hotel. (B/ L/ D)
Day 10 /11 July/ Naadam Festival
Grand Naadam Festival days. Naadam festival will include festival colors and tradition: famed wrestlers, horse racers and archery athletes will compete for best titles. Opening ceremony starts at 11 A.M. In the afternoon visit archery and ankle-bone shooting area and visit Choijin Lama Temple museum in Ulaanbaatar.
Enjoy National Pride Concert for Naadam Festival on 11th of July at State Song and Dance Ensemble at 18:00.
In the evening you will enjoy “Evening of Ulaanbaatar” show at Sukhbaatar square.
Wrestling: The 512 wrestlers fight in the stadium, for the prestigious title “State Titan”. Both the “Titan” himself and the trainers, have the opportunity to choose partners during the first few rounds, thus reducing the number of less experienced wrestlers early on and creating more excitement for the final matches at the second day. The rules are very simple: The wrestling area is unrestricted; there are no weight-classes and the one who touches the ground the any part of the body, other than the feet, has lost. The winner continues to the next round. The loser has to stand under the wings of the proud winner. The wrestlers wear tight pants and a small vest with arms across the shoulders, which barely cover their well-trained bodies.
Archery: Mongols are almost born with the archery skills, an integral part of nomad’s lifestyle. From the very childhood such qualities as perfect eyesight, measurement, patience and strength are nourished to develop a good archer. Mongolian bows are very tight ones, so that it requires a pure strength to stretch it out. As a rule, several teams of archers compete. Each team of 5-7 archers should hit 33 leather cylinders from a distance of 75 meters.
Day 11. /12 July/ Naadam Festival
Horse racing: The most impressive spectacle is surely the horse racing.
Afternoon free at leisure or for shopping. sShangri- La Hotel. (B/L/D)
Day 12. /13 July/ Chingis Khaan Statue and Terelj National Park day tour/
Visit local family in Ulaanbaatar’s ger district, where 60% of the capital city’s population resides. On the way, stop Chinggis Khaan Statue Complex, the biggest horse riding statue in the world. Then we head to Terelj NP and hike along the steep road and across the suspension bridge to Ariyabol Meditation Temple. An hour horse riding to symbol of the park, Turtle Rock and surroundings.
Drive back to Ulaanbaatar (B/ L/ D)
Day 13. /14 July/ Departure
Transfer to the Airport & Departure. (B)
REQUEST PRICING AND DETAILED INFORMATION:
[email protected]
818.458.8118
Day 1. /2 July/ Arrival in Ulaanbaatar
Arrival. Meet our guide and driver, then transfer to the hotel. Shangri-La Hotel.
Day 2. /3 July/ City tour in Ulaanbaatar
Breakfast at hotel. City tour including National Museum, and Gandan monastery. Visit paleontologist at dinosaur museum and learn about dinosaur findings in Mongolia. Evening performance of classical Mongolian dance and song. Shangri-La Hotel. (B/ L/ D)
Day 3. /4 July/ Fly to Gobi / Yol- Eagle Valley
Fly to South Gobi and tour Yol Am (Eagle Valley) -a sunless canyon in the middle of Gobi has a particular beauty with narrow paths broadening in places between rocks, while buzzards and eagles wheel and glide in the blue skies above. The cliffs of the canyon block the sunlight from the rivers below, so that they remain frozen throughout the year. After lunch, walk up a nearby mountain to visit Bulgan Temple, a meditation temple perched on its peak. Three Camel Lodge (B/ L/ D)
Day 4. /5 July/ Moltsog Els/ Bayanzag- Flaming Cliffs
Begin the day with a drive to Moltsog Els, one of the few regions of the Gobi covered by sand dunes. Visit a nomadic family here to learn about their traditional ways of life. Experience camel riding in the sand dunes. Drive to Bayanzag - classic desert of rock, red sands, scrub, sun and unbelievable emptiness has become known to the world as "Cemetery of Dinosaurs”. The red sandstone cliffs and canyons of Bayanzag are where the American paleontologist Roy Chapman Andrews first discovered fossil beds of dinosaur bones and first ever recorded dinosaur eggs in 1922 - discoveries which made world headlines. Three Camel Lodge. (B/ L/ D)
Day 6. /7 July/ Ongi Monastery
Drive to the north towards Central Mongolia. Overnight stop in Middle Gobi province, at the Ongi monastery ruins. Ongi Monastery Ger camp. (B/L/ D)
Day 7. /8 July/ Kharkhorin
Drive to Kharkhorin – ruins of ancient capital of Mongolian Empire built by Ugudei Khaan in 1235. The city was strategically located at the crossroads of traditional routes, creating a staging post for migrating nomads and merchants caravans. Ikh Khorum hotel. (B/ L/ D)
Day 8. /9 July/ Elsen Tasarkhai Sand Dunes
Drive to Elsen Tasarkhai – the north point of Mongolian desert with lovely sand dunes. From here, we walk towards Uvgun temple settled in the magnificent Khogno khan mountain. Out of Nowhere Ger Camp. (B/ L/ D)
Day 9. /10 July/ Drive to Ulaanbaatar : NAADAM FESTIVALS
“Deeltei Mongol” Festival starts at 14:00 and National Flag Raising Festival starts at 20:00 at the main square of UB in the afternoon. Before attending festival we will visit Zanabazar Fine Art Museum, which has 12 exhibition galleries covering the arts from ancient to modern times. Shangri-La Hotel. (B/ L/ D)
Day 10 /11 July/ Naadam Festival
Grand Naadam Festival days. Naadam festival will include festival colors and tradition: famed wrestlers, horse racers and archery athletes will compete for best titles. Opening ceremony starts at 11 A.M. In the afternoon visit archery and ankle-bone shooting area and visit Choijin Lama Temple museum in Ulaanbaatar.
Enjoy National Pride Concert for Naadam Festival on 11th of July at State Song and Dance Ensemble at 18:00.
In the evening you will enjoy “Evening of Ulaanbaatar” show at Sukhbaatar square.
Wrestling: The 512 wrestlers fight in the stadium, for the prestigious title “State Titan”. Both the “Titan” himself and the trainers, have the opportunity to choose partners during the first few rounds, thus reducing the number of less experienced wrestlers early on and creating more excitement for the final matches at the second day. The rules are very simple: The wrestling area is unrestricted; there are no weight-classes and the one who touches the ground the any part of the body, other than the feet, has lost. The winner continues to the next round. The loser has to stand under the wings of the proud winner. The wrestlers wear tight pants and a small vest with arms across the shoulders, which barely cover their well-trained bodies.
Archery: Mongols are almost born with the archery skills, an integral part of nomad’s lifestyle. From the very childhood such qualities as perfect eyesight, measurement, patience and strength are nourished to develop a good archer. Mongolian bows are very tight ones, so that it requires a pure strength to stretch it out. As a rule, several teams of archers compete. Each team of 5-7 archers should hit 33 leather cylinders from a distance of 75 meters.
Day 11. /12 July/ Naadam Festival
Horse racing: The most impressive spectacle is surely the horse racing.
Afternoon free at leisure or for shopping. sShangri- La Hotel. (B/L/D)
Day 12. /13 July/ Chingis Khaan Statue and Terelj National Park day tour/
Visit local family in Ulaanbaatar’s ger district, where 60% of the capital city’s population resides. On the way, stop Chinggis Khaan Statue Complex, the biggest horse riding statue in the world. Then we head to Terelj NP and hike along the steep road and across the suspension bridge to Ariyabol Meditation Temple. An hour horse riding to symbol of the park, Turtle Rock and surroundings.
Drive back to Ulaanbaatar (B/ L/ D)
Day 13. /14 July/ Departure
Transfer to the Airport & Departure. (B)
REQUEST PRICING AND DETAILED INFORMATION:
[email protected]
818.458.8118
