MONGOLIA, NOMADIC BY NATURE & NAADAM FESTIVAL 2027

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

Naadam Festival Opening Ceremony – Naadam Night Gala Dinner

Today, experience the excitement and vibrant traditions of Naadam Festival, Mongolia’s largest and most celebrated annual cultural event. The festival is centered around the traditional Three Manly Games – Mongolian wrestling, horse racing and archery, which have deep roots in Mongolia’s nomadic heritage and warrior traditions.

• At 8:30 AM, meet your local guide in the hotel lobby and join the Naadam group for a transfer to the Central Naadam Stadium.
• Begin your Naadam experience by visiting the ankle-bone shooting (Shagai) competition, one of Mongolia’s traditional games requiring precision, concentration and skill.
• Next, visit the archery field, where skilled male and female archers compete in colorful traditional costumes, demonstrating their remarkable accuracy and technique.
• Afterwards, enter the main stadium to witness the spectacular Naadam Opening Ceremony, featuring traditional music and dance, colorful performances, parades and ceremonial displays celebrating Mongolia’s rich cultural heritage. The opening ceremony usually takes place from approximately 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM.
• Following the ceremony, enjoy some free time around the Naadam Stadium. Take the opportunity to observe local people dressed in beautiful traditional costumes, explore food stalls and traditional handicrafts, and experience the lively festive atmosphere.
• Around 2:00 PM, you may re-enter the main stadium to watch the Mongolian national wrestling competition. The traditional tournament features 512 wrestlers, competing through nine elimination rounds over two days. Witness the strength, skill and unique rituals of this iconic Mongolian sport.
• At 3:00 PM, meet your guide at the designated meeting point and return to the hotel. Enjoy some free time to relax and prepare for the evening celebration.
• In the evening, conclude your Naadam experience with our exclusive “Naadam Night” Gala Dinner, hosted by AMICUS.
  Enjoy a festive evening featuring traditional Mongolian music and dance, cultural performances, and authentic Mongolian cuisine – a memorable celebration of Naadam in true Mongolian style.
  Accommodation: Hotel 4*.  Meals: Breakfast and Gala Dinner.

Naadam Horse Race – Bayan Gobi sand dunes

• Early this morning at 08.00am, we will drive out of the city for a hour to Hui Doloon hudag (horse racing field of Naadam festival) for witness the Naadam horse races, featuring children riding bareback across the steppe. All of these racers from each corners of Mongolia.
• You will experience the brilliant madness of the horse race field and the unsurpassed cultural opportunity to watch the horse racing competition included around 150-200 horses. Also, there are you will have a great opportunity to take photography local horse trainers, peoples with traditional garments and so more contrast.

After explore Hui doloon khudag, drive to Bayan Gobi sand dunes – surrounded by hills with willow trees, streams and bushes, and appear as a small desert in the center of the country. This sand dune is 80km long and the widest part of the sand dune is 9-10 km.
After some time of refreshment in the Ger camp, we will visit local camel herder family in their Ger, explore their unique nomadic lifestyle. Also, we have lunch with them. Its chance to try drinking Hormog (fermented Mongolian camel milk).
The sand dunes are the perfect place for camel riding. We will discover this magnificent place on camel back. Mongolia is home to 2/3 of the two-humped Bactrian camels in the world. It is a gentle, calm and extraordinary patient animal and can carry on without water for a month.
Accommodation: Tourist camp. Meals: B, L, D.

Orkhon Valley & Orkhon Waterfall

Today we will travel to across vast grassy plains, interspersed with basalt rocks and meandered rivers. Our slow progress on the damaged track leaves us plenty of time to observe the different scenes of nomadic life. Orkhon Valley recognized as a “Cultural Landscape” of the UNESCO World Heritage in 2004. Orkhon waterfall was formed by volcanic eruption and earthquakes some 20000 years ago. The Waterfall cascades down from a height 27 meters. Once we come, we will check in and have lunch. Take an excursion to the waterfall and explore around the nature.
In the evening, we will enjoy visiting the local nomad family to experience firsthand how people live in the country side and a lifestyle which has not changed for centuries. From there, we explore the around nature from horseback for one hour.
Accommodation: Tourist camp. Meals: B, L, D.

Tsenher Hot Spring, Khangai Mountains

After breakfast, drive towards through forested mountain road to the beautiful valley of Tsenkher, which is the some of the lushest countryside in Mongolia with green forested mountains and meandering rivers.
There is famous Tsenkher hot spring that reaches +86.5″C, supposed to have curative properties for arthritic joints and other ailments.
Check-in, lunch at Ger camp and time for relaxing. There are you can do hike and walking around the camp for watching wild flowers. Have a relaxed evening taking a hot bath in the hot spring water.
Accommodation: Tourist camp. Meals: B, L, D.

Karakorum & Erdene Zuu Buddhist Monastery – Ugii Lake

In the morning, head to Kharkhorin, a small village, and one of the country’s major tourist destinations. Historically known as Karakorum, which was an ancient capital of Mongolia Empire founded by Genghis Khan in 1220. Also, Karakorum was one of the most important cities in the history of the Silk Road.
After lunch, we will visit the museum of Karakorum and learn more about the beautiful ancient Karakorum city and Genghis Khan.
Continue to visit the magnificent and the oldest Buddhist Monastery complex of Erdenezuu, built in the 16th century, with 108 buddhis stupas. Here you can see interesting listen to monk chanting Buddhist sutras.
In the late afternoon, we will take 1.5hrs drive to Ugii Lake – is located up 1337m from the ocean level and it is a pure water steppe lake, which is 7.9km long, 5km wide. The lake Ugii is a famous for its birdlife. Ogii lake has registered in the Ramsar Convention for being important breeding and staging area for a variety of waterfowl.
Check-in Ger camp on shore of the lake.
The rest of the day free time for your own.
Accommodation: Tourist Ger camp. Meals: B, L, D.

Hustai National Park trip (Wild Horse Park)

Depart for the Hustai National Park. This area is home to the Mongolian wild horse known as Perzevalski horse (Takhi) with a unique landscape that features mountain and steppe.
Lunch and check-in at tourist camp near the National Park.
In the afternoon, we visit the information center and learn familiar with the national park and wild horse.
Take a short drive and walking to see the horses in their natural habitat. There is a great opportunity to take photos for these endangered horses. If you are lucky, you can see fox, deer, roe deer, eagle, and more animals and birds…
Accommodation: Tourist camp. Meals: B, L, D.

Terelj National Park trip

Today, we will depart for Terelj National Park. This is one of the most visited national parks in Mongolia which is by its natural beauty, forested alpine mountains and interesting rock formations (Massive wool-sack weather conditions) very well known.
In the afternoon, we will explore the national park and see Turtle Rock – interesting rock formation looking like a turtle. Also, visit the Ariyabal meditation temple – surrounded by scenic mountains with massive rock formations and sits on top of the mountain. From the top, you can enjoy the breathtaking view overlooking the Terelj National Park.
Accommodation: Tourist Ger camp. Meals: B, L, D.

Genghis Khan’s Statue Complex – Ulaanbaatar City Tour

After breakfast, return to Ulaanbaatar. On the way, visit the impressive Genghis Khan Statue Complex, home to the world’s largest equestrian statue of Genghis Khan, standing 40 meters high. Enjoy panoramic views from the viewing platform and explore the complex.
In the afternoon, continue the city tour with a visit to Gandan Monastery, Mongolia’s largest functioning Buddhist monastery. Explore the Megjid Janraisig Temple, home to its magnificent 26-meter-high gilded Buddha statue, and observe the daily rituals of the monks.
Continue to the National Museum of Mongolia to discover the country’s rich history and nomadic heritage, followed by Sukhbaatar Square, the heart of Ulaanbaatar and home to several important historical monuments and government buildings.
After sightseeing, transfer to the hotel.
Accommodation: Hotel 4*. Meals: B, L.

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