OVERVIEW
Tour Highlights:
- This small group tour to western Mongolia takes you on a fascinating journey of discovery, attending at the Golden Eagle Festival in the remote Altai Mountains
- Visit an authentic nomadic Kazakh Eagle Hunters in their remote family yurts, experiencing their life style, culture and tradition.
- There are great opportunities to take photos of the Eagle Hunters with their trained Golden Eagles. Also, it is able to hold and have a photo taken with a Golden Eagle.
- Travel with us for a culturally enriching experience of Western Mongolia
BRIEF ITINERARY
27 Sep – Day 01: Arrive in Ulaanbaatar
28 Sep – Day 02: Ulaanbaatar, Sightseeing tour in the Nomads’ city
29 Sep – Day 03: Hustai National Park (Wild Horse Park)
30 Sep – Day 04: Flight to Western Mongolia-Kazakh Eagle Hunter Family
01 Oct – Day 05: Golden Eagle Festival Opening Ceremony /Competitions
02 Oct – Day 06: Second day of the Golden Eagle Festival,
03 Oct – Day 07: Fly back to Ulaanbaatar
04 Oct – Day 08: Terelj National Park – Genghis Khan’s Statue complex
05 Oct – Day 09: Departure
DATE & PRICE
Small-Group Tour – Price 2022
Arrival date | Departure date | Price: per person (US$) | Spaces |
---|---|---|---|
September 27 | October 05 | US$ 2740 | Available |
- This is a small group tour with a fixed itinerary and guaranteed departures.
- Prices are based on twin occupancy.
- Normally 8pax and max 12 passengers in a group.
- This tour package can be fully customizable to fit your travel plan for a private tour!
What’s included in the Price?
What’s NOT included in the Price?
DETAILED ITINERARY
28 Sep - DAY 01
Arrival in Ulaanbaatar
Welcome to Ulaanbaatar, the capital city of Mongolia. Upon arrival, you will be greeted by Amicus driver in the arrivals hall at the international airport and transferred to your hotel. After check-in, free at leisure and have a good rest to recover from the jet lag. If you feel like going for a walk and checking out places nearby, feel free to ask the hotel receptionist for recommendations.
Accommodation: Hotel 4*. Meals: None
29 Sep - DAY 02
Ulaanbaatar, Sightseeing tour in the Nomads’ city
In the morning, at 9am tour guide will pick you up at your hotel.
Today, we explore the city, visit Gandan Monastery, Mongolia’s largest functioning Buddhist monastery. Listen to the horns calling lamas and monks to temple and capture the monks’ daily rituals. While visiting the adjoining Megjid Janraisig Temples, we will see 26-meter-high majestic gilded statue of Migjid Janraisig.
Next, visit Sukhbaatar square and Parliament House displayed with Great Khans memorial statue. The square lies at the heart of the city surrounded by theaters, government buildings.
Continue to visit National Museum of Mongolia for to get an overview of Mongolia’s history and culture including nomadic life, traditional costumes of ethnic groups, sacred religious relics, and Stone & Bronze Age artifacts.
After lunch, we will visit Zanabazar Fine Art Museum. The museum displays collections of world’s and Mongolian famous artists, including many original works of Zanabazar, who was Mongolian religious leader and artist in 17th century.
Afterwards, we will go to see “Wonders of Mongolia” folklore show by famous Tumen-Ekh ensemble – is one of the most successful folk-art groups to share traditional Mongolian music with the world, having traveled to over 40 countries. End of the performance, transfer to the hotel.
Accommodation: Hotel 5*. Meals: B, L.
30 Sep - DAY 03
Hustai National Park trip (Wild Horse Park)
After relaxing breakfast, at 10am, you will day trip to Hustai National Park. This area is home to the Mongolian wild horse known as Perzevalski horse (takhi) with unique landscape that features mountain and steppe.
Upon arrival, visit the Information Center about the national park and wild horse.
In the afternoon, we will take a short driver and hiking to see the wild horses in their natural habitat. Seeing these truly wild horses which numbered in the hundreds of thousands of years ago, will make you feel like you have traveled thousands of years back in time. There is great opportunity to take photo for these endangered horses. If you are lucky, you can see fox, deer, roe deer, eagle, and more animals and birds…
Afterwards, return to the city and transferred to the hotel.
Accommodation: Hotel 5*. Meals: B, L.
01 Oct - DAY 04
Flight to Western Mongolia – Kazakh Eagle hunter family
Transfer to the airport for flight to Ulgii (~3 hours), capital of Bayan-Ulgii, Mongolia’s westernmost province. Ninety percent of the population here is Kazakh, Mongolia’s largest ethnic minority. The isolation of the Altai Mountains has preserved the language and traditions of the Kazakhs, who live amongst some of the most spectacular scenery in Mongolia.
After lunch in Ulgii town, we will take a drive to meet with famous a local eagle hunter’s family and golden eagle in their settlement. Kazakh family’s Gers are slightly larger than Mongolian Gers, and are decorated with brightly colored rugs. We will enjoy their hospitality and friendliness and learn more in deep about their culture. You will see their traditional technology to make colorful rug.
There is great chance to learn the real way of how eagle hunter family lives and how they train their eagles, Kazakh families are quite large, consisting of three generations, grandparents, parents and children. You would have chance to hold the eagle on your arms and taken photos.
Accommodation: Tourist camp. Meals: B, L, D.
02 Oct - DAY 05
Golden Eagle Festival – 1st day
After breakfast we will drive to Sayat small hill for Eagle festival.
Program in 1st day of the festival:
- The official opening ceremony commences with the participants parading in on horseback with their eagles.
- The competition begins with all eagle hunters will show their hunting outfit and accessories, the most elaborate and beautiful of which receive the highest points.
- The festival includes a Uriankhai archery competition. The Uriankhai are a small ethnic group of Mongolia and known for their unique style of archery. Instead of shooting at a raised target, a leather ball is thrown into the distance.
Also, you can see 2 humped camel races as well as a sort of fashion show where couples would ride around the arena and show off their traditional outfits and camels. - In the evening, we will enjoy at traditional concert with some traditional songs and music at local theater in Ulgii town.
Accommodation: Tourist camp. Meals: B, L, D.
03 Oct - DAY 06
Second day of the Golden Eagle Festival.
Today, we continue to attend at the 2nd day of the festival.
The eagle hunters will compete with some traditional and interesting games.
- The Kyz Kuar (Catch up with a girl) game show is a traditional horseback riding game for couples were the boys being whipped by girls if the girl can catch the boy.
- Calling eagle on arm. (Eagle will be released from top of mountain, and trainer must meet up eagle from the bottom just among people down)
- Closing and award ceremony for best eagles with their best trainers.
Return to the Ger camp for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation: Tourist Ger camp. Meals: B, L, D.
04 Oct - DAY 07
Fly back to Ulaanbaatar
Today, we will return to Ulaanbaatar. Depending on departure time, if we have time we will visit local museum and explore local life and market.
Upon arrival in the city, transferred to the hotel.
Accommodation: Hotel 5*. Meals: B, L.
05 Oct - DAY 08
Genghis Khan’s Statue Complex – Terelj National Park trip
In the morning, our trip departs for “Genghis Khan Statue Complex” which is currently the biggest (40m high) equestrian statue in the world. There is a recreation area, restaurants, and souvenir shops occupy the base structure. From here, we use an elevator or walk to the head of the horse through chest and back neck of the horse, where we can have farseeing and good panorama view over the complex area.
Continue drive to Terelj National Park. It’s one of the most visited national parks in Mongolia. You can see the extraordinary formation of rocks and stones; some of them look quite similar to turtles.
After lunch, explore the national park and visit Turtle Rock – interesting rock formation looking like a turtle and visit Ariyabal meditation temple – surrounded by scenic mountains with massive rock formations and sits at top of the mountain. The distance between the gate and the actual temple is about 1 km and it is only accessible by walking. To get to the top, you would cross the suspension bridge and climb up on 108 stairs, according to Buddhist prayer beads. This small hike is seen as a ritual to cleanse one’s sins. From the top, you can enjoy the breathtaking view overlooking the Terelj National Park.
Also, we will visit local nomadic family to experience firsthand how people live the country side, a lifestyle which has not changed for centuries. Here you can help the herders with their daily tasks to get an idea of how nomadic people alongside of their livestock.
After dinner, transferred to the hotel.
Accommodation: Hotel 5*. Meals: B, L, D.
06 Oct - DAY 09
Departure
You will be free at leisure in your hotel or wander around on your own until being escorted to the Chinggis Khaan International Airport for your departure flight home. End of service. Meal: Breakfast
FAQ & HELP
- If you would like to book this trip, please send us your request.
- A deposit of 20% of the total tour price is required to book and confirm this trip.
- The balance must be paid at least 30 days prior to departure.
Deposit:
- We accept online payments with Master/Visa/AMEX cards only as a deposit to confirm the trip.
Balance payment:
- You should pay the balance to us by wire transfer. Usually it takes 2-3 working days until payment reach in our account.
- Western Union is the fastest way to pay us. We can get your payment in a few minutes once you send the money.
- Cash payment is only accepted in exceptional cases.
You will stay in a good 4-star hotel in Ulaanbaatar. An upgrade is possible on request!
During the excursion in the countryside, you will stay in Tourist Ger camps.
Tourist Camp is a kind of hotel that serves customers with Ger (Yurt) instead of a hotel room and always located at the best viewing spot. It’s the most popular accommodation type for a countryside trip in Mongolia that consists of 30-40 Gers (Mongolian traditional yurt), a restaurant and some entertainment facilities.
Most visitors happy to stay in Ger, which provide an authentic taste of Mongolian culture and adventure, their most enjoyable experience in Mongolia.
More information and pictures: What is the Tourist camp?
During your trip in Mongolia, you will be served mainly European dishes and sometimes authentic Mongolian foods. Lunch and dinner consist of 3-4 courses (soup and/or salad, main course, dessert) and bottled water.
If you require special meals due to religious, medical limitation and vegetarian food, please inform us so that arrangements can be made in advance.
Car: A good car is an important part of your comfort trip in Mongolia. There will be a good 4×4 car for this trip based on the number of people in your group.
Road: The asphalted roads are 40% and the unpaved roads are 60%.
During the trip, it takes approximately 2-6 hours driving (80-280km) from one to next destination depending on road and weather condition on each driving day. But it is not nonstop drive! We can take a short stop frequently everywhere along the road for photographs, toilets, stretch and meet with local nomads.
- 1st best months: June, July and August.
- 2nd best months: May and September.
More information: The Best time to visit Mongolia
Hiking boots and sandals, waterproof jacket, raincoat, umbrella, sunscreen, sunglasses, hat, comfortable shoe, insect repellent, sunscreen, and prescription medication (if required).
Gear: Camera, binoculars, flashlight and travel lamp. Some Tourist camps do not have 24-hour electricity. It is therefore recommended to bring your own travel lamp!
More read: Mongolia Travel FAQ