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Mongolia is one of the world's last undiscovered travel destinations. Permanent dwellings are few and far between, and fences are even fewer. This trip begins in the surprisingly urban city of Ulaanbaatar, now experiencing a resurgence of its Buddhist traditions. Though Mongolia has a literacy rate of almost 90 percent, and an impressively well-informed population, outside the cities the way of life is much as it was at the turn of the last millennium and curiously immune to modernism.
At Khogno Tarniin Els, we'll spend time with local nomadic families, who'll take us for a horse-back ride and introduce us to home-made dairy products. We'll stand in the shadow of Genghis Kahn in historic Karakorum. We'll fly to Khovsgol National Park to explore the wilderness of mountains, thick pine forests, lush meadows and pure alpine lakes and to meet the nomadic Tsaatan reindeer herders. In the otherworldly landscape of the Gobi Desert we'll look for dinosaur bones (the first fossil eggs were found at the Flaming Cliffs here), ride the two-humped camels across the dunes and listen to the sound of the Khongoryn Els. The stark, ravishing landscapes and the traditional hospitality of the nomadic inhabitants we meet are unforgettable. We'll stay in the best available hotels, and in gers, the traditional round low-slung tent-like structures of the nomads.
This trip takes place during the Naadam Festival, the major Mongolian festival with roots in the nomad wedding assemblies and hunting extravaganzas of the Mongol Army. We'll visit the Festival in the countryside, away from the tourist hordes. There is pageantry and competition in the age old sporting events of horse racing, wrestling and archery, and much raucous socializing. |
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| FACTS: |
| • | 17-day trip |
| • | Starts/finishes in Ulaanbaatar |
| • | Maximum 18 participants |
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| HIGHLIGHTS: |
| • | Cheering for your favourites at the Naadam Festival |
| • | Enjoying the rich ecosystem of Khuvsgul National Park |
| • | Camel riding in the Gobi Desert |
| • | Looking for fossils at the Flaming Cliffs |
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| ACCOMMODATIONS: |
| Ger Camp, Khogno Tarniin Els |
| Bayangol Hotel, Ulaanbaatar |
| Ger Camp, Kharkhorin |
| Ger Camp, Khustai NP |
| Ger Camp, Moron |
| Ger Camp, Khuvsgul NP |
| Ger Camp, Gobi Desert |
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| ITINERARY IN BRIEF: |
| Day 1: |
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Arrive in Ulaanbaatar |
| Day 2: |
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Ulaanbaatar |
| Day 3: |
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Ulaanbaatar-Khogno Tarniin Els |
| Day 4: |
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Khogno Tarniin Els-Kharkhorin |
| Day 5: |
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Kharkhorin-Khustai National Park |
| Day 6: |
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Khustai-Ulaanbaatar |
| Day 7: |
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Fly Ulaanbaatar-Moron |
| Day 8: |
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Naadam Festival |
| Day 9: |
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Naadam Festival-Khuvsgul |
| Day 10: |
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Khuvsgul National Park |
| Day 11: |
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Khuvsgul National Park |
| Day 12: |
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Fly Khuvsgul-Ulaanbaatar |
| Day 13: |
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Fly Ulaanbaatar-Gobi Desert |
| Day 14: |
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Gobi Desert: Khongoriin Els |
| Day 15: |
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Gobi Desert: Flaming Cliffs |
| Day 16: |
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Fly to Ulaanbaatar |
| Day 17: |
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Depart Ulaanbaatar |
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 Marguerite has travelled extensively in South America and has a passion for the archaeology, culture, natural history and most of all the peoples of this sometimes overlooked continent. She speaks Spanish and loves to share her knowledge of mysterious Easter Island.
416-633-5666 / 1-800-387-1483
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