Majestic Mongolia: Small-Group Tour with Five-Star Shangri-La Ulaanbaatar Stay, Authentic Ger Tent Experience and More
Discover the untouched desert scenery of Mongolia’s steppes on an eight-day, small-group tour (max. 12 travellers). Hike through rugged gorges, hear the hum of singing sand dunes, take in sunset views above the ‘Flaming Cliffs’ and unwind in traditional Ger campsites on this nomadic adventure. Includes two nights at the five-star Shangri-La, five nights in traditional Gers with private facilities, daily breakfast and a selection of lunches and dinners, internal flights, return airport transfers, private transportation throughout the tour, local expert guides, all sightseeing and entrance fees and more.
Welcome to Mongolia – a country of nomads, conquerors and some of Central-East Asia’s most enchanting deserts. Hear the song of the ‘Singing Dunes’, climb through gorges and over cliffs, sleep in private desert tents, meet Bactrian camels and eat mouth-watering Mongolian hotpots in the country’s mysterious capital during this adventure – tailored for the truest of wanderers.
What You’ll Love…
The Scenery – Scenic gorges, singing sands and sunset cliff views
Named after the majestic Lammergeier vulture, the Yolyn Am gorge lies deep between some of Mongolia’s greenest and most rugged landscapes. Keep your eyes to the sky and watch for soaring eagles and scan the desert dunes for animals such as Ibex, Alashan ground squirrels or the tiny round-eared pika.
The ‘Singing Dunes’ of the Khongoryn Els dune ranges turn this towering desert ridge into one of the world’s most magical desert landscapes. Listen to their enchanting song as you hike up the sands, taking in views of the Gobi Desert below.
Bayanzag or the ‘Flaming Cliffs’ is world famous for its ochre-red tinge and the countless dinosaur fossils discovered here. Take a sunset stroll along the ridge before sitting down to a picnic dinner accompanied by a traditional Mongolian music performance.
The Accommodation – Secluded camping beneath the stars and five-star hotel stays
Start and end your journey with style at the Shangri-La Hotel in Ulaanbaatar. Ranked as the number one hotel in the city on TripAdvisor, this hotel has received rave reviews for a home-away from home feel, a restaurant with mouth-watering Mongolian and Chinese options and stunning décor.
Hide away from the desert heat as you rest in a series of private tents across the Gobi Steppes. With private shower facilities, comfortable bedding and fresh food on offer during your stays, they’re the perfect place to unwind after days exploring Mongolia’s scenic sands.
Your Package Includes:
- Seven nights of accommodation, featuring two nights at the luxury five-star Shangri-La Hotel in Ulaanbaatar and five nights in private tents in the Gobi Steppes (Ger camp)
- Return domestic flight from Ulaanbaatar to Dalanzadgad
- Daily breakfasts, five lunches and seven dinners
- Local English-speaking guides, private transportation, sightseeing and entrance fees throughout the tour itinerary
- Scale Khongoryn Els, the largest and most beautiful dunes in the country
- Guided climb of the Bayanzag “Flaming Cliffs” at sunset
- Meet with a camel breeder where you’ll learn more about his daily life and the uses of this two-humped camel – known to the locals as the ‘Prince of Gobi’
Your tour starts and ends in Ulaanbaatar. Flights to and from Ulaanbaatar are available with carriers like Air China, China Southern, Cathay Pacific and Korean Air with an approximate flight time of 20+ hours from Australia.
Private return airport transfers are included in your tour on the first and last day only. Please arrive into Ulaanbaatar before 2pm on Day 1 and depart any time after breakfast on Day 8.
You MUST complete your booking form within 48 hours of booking. Following its completion, our Tours Concierge will be in touch to assist with any additional arrangements – including flights.
A visa may be required to the destination you are visiting. It is each traveller’s responsibility to ensure they are holding a current visa. Please take the time to visit our preferred vendor website Visa’s Direct to assist you with any visa application requirements and processes. If you require any supporting documentation when applying for your visa please let us know and we would be more than happy to assist. Click here to visit the website.
Day 1: Arrive Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Welcome to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia’s capital and largest city where nomadic Buddhist tradition and Soviet-era architecture meet. Upon arrival at the airport, meet with your local tour guide and transfer to your hotel. Depending on your arrival time, the rest of the day is at your leisure – perhaps head to the sprawling Sukhbaatar Square or the National Museum of Mongolia for a history lesson if you have time. This evening you’ll enjoy a Mongolian BBQ welcome dinner with your group.
Accommodation: Shangri-La Hotel
Meals: Dinner
Day 2: Ulaanbaatar - Dalanzadgad
Transfer to the airport for a flight south to Dalanzadgad – a jumping point for explorers of the Gobi Desert. On arrival, meet with your local drivers. Visit Yolyn Am (Vulture Canyon), an oasis of streams and gorges that attracts a variety of Mongolian wildlife such as the Lammergeier – the old-world vulture which the canyon is named after. Enjoy an afternoon hiking through this striking gorge and keep an eye to the sky to spot the massive buzzard, then return to your campsite to relax before enjoying dinner.
Accommodation: Gobi Oasis Ger Camp with en suite facility
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 3: Khongoryn Els
Start your morning with a drive to Khongoryn Els. Standing at 800 metres tall, 12 kilometres wide and 100 kilometres long, the massive dunes of Kongor are widely known as the largest and most beautiful in the country. The dune lies at the northwest corner of the Gurvan Saikhan Mountain Range, around 180 kilometres from the provincial capital of Dalanzadgad city. Here, the sound of the wind blowing up the sand can be heard miles away which creates a melodic sound against the 200-metre high dunes. Thus, they have been named the ‘Singing Dunes’ – listen for their song as you scale the dunes while enjoying amazing views of Gobi.
Accommodation: Gobi Erdene Ger Camp with en suite facility
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 4: Gobi
Incredibly hardy with sturdy carrying capabilities and resistance to extreme cold and hot weather, it’s easy to see why the Bactrian camel became the pack animal of choice for most of inner Asia. Today, you will meet with a camel breeder and learn more about his daily life and the uses of this two-humped camel – known to the locals as the ‘Prince of Gobi’. Later, we take an easy hike to the top of the Khongor sand dunes for amazing views of the surrounding scenery.
Accommodation: Gobi Erdene Ger Camp with en suite facility
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 5: Bayanzag
Today you’ll visit Bayanzag, also known as the “Cemetery of Dinosaurs” or the “Flaming Cliffs”, before scaling the ridge. Formed 60 to 70 million years ago, this area is famous for its dinosaur remains and ancient red rock formations. The area was named Flaming Cliffs by Roy Andrew Chapman, an American explorer who visited Mongolia in 1920s. Frequently described as being like a real ‘Jurassic Park’ this unique area is characterized by classic desert of rock, red sands, shrubs and vast empty spaces. Take the chance to climb the Flaming Cliffs at sunset, taking a stroll along the ridge before sitting down to a picnic accompanied by traditional Mongolian music. (subject to weather condition)
Accommodation: Mongolian Gobi Ger Camp with en suite facility
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 6: Moltsog Els
Northeast of the Flaming Cliffs sits Moltsog Els, a long dune range of scenic dunes and scattered sands. After breakfast, travel to the dunes for a quick hike before continuing to your luxurious Dream Gobi Ger camp for the evening. This stunning campsite, with excellent Mongolian cuisine, soft clean beds and hospitable staff, is an oasis of opulence in the middle of the Gobi which you’ll quickly come to appreciate.
Accommodation: Dream Gobi Ger camp with en suite facility
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 7: Moltsog Els - Dalanzadgad - Ulaanbaatar
It’s an early start today before you return to Dalanzadgad for your flight back to Ulaanbaatar. Once you touch down, the rest of the day is at your leisure. Either relax in the modern facilities of your five-star hotel, take to the streets for some souvenir shopping or search for the local monasteries or palaces such as Ganan Khiid or the Winter Palace of the Bogd Khan – many of which boast a distinctively Eastern architectural style. Regroup with your new friends in the evening for a final dinner at a traditional Mongolian hotpot restaurant.
Accommodation: Shangri-La Hotel
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Day 8: Depart Ulaanbaatar
Your tour ends today with a transfer to Ulaanbaatar International Airport (ULN) in time for your departure flight.
Meals: Breakfast
The ‘7 day change of mind guarantee’ does not apply for Tour bookings. Due to the high demand and limited departures any cancellation / refund requests must be made within 48 hours of purchase. Otherwise, the standard Refund Policy applies.
After you have made your booking, please follow the instructions on your confirmation email and ensure you complete your traveller information details within 48 hours.
Please note: It is important to remember that Mongolia is still a developing country with basic infrastructure and an emerging tourism industry. This is what makes Mongolia so unique and adds to the allure of this charming country.
Valid for select departure dates:
LOW SEASON:
5 June 2020
31 July 2020
14 August 2020
4 September 2020
HIGH SEASON:
3 July 2020
Important: Please allow for travelling time from Australia. International flights are not included in your package and must be purchased separately. It is your responsibility to make your own travel arrangements and ensure that you arrive in Ulaanbaatar by 2pm on your chosen tour date.
Instant Booking: To secure your dates at purchase, click ‘Instant Booking’ and select your preferred package. Once your preferred package is selected you’ll click through to ‘Choose Your Dates of Travel’ and will be able to enter in your preferred tour commencement date.
Twin-share package: The package is valid for ONE PERSON aged 18 years or older (based on twin share). If you are travelling with another person you must purchase TWO PACKAGES, otherwise, an additional solo traveller surcharge will apply. Solo travellers will get their own room throughout the tour.
Maximum tour capacity is 12 people, minimum tour capacity is two people.
Guests must be aged 18 years or older. If you wish to travel with children, please enquire about a private tour (minimum of four people required for a private tour).
Tour includes accommodation at the following hotels:
Shangri-La Hotel Ulaanbaatar
Gobi Oasis Ger Camp
Gobi Erdene Ger Camp
Mongolian Gobi Ger Camp
Dream Gobi Ger Camp
Accommodation is subject to availability and may be substituted for a hotel of a similar standard.
Maximum Room Capacity: The maximum room capacity is two adults.
Please Note: It is important to remember that Mongolia is still a developing country with basic infrastructure and an emerging tourism industry. Accommodation standards in Mongolia vary greatly throughout the country and we will always use the best available options with private en suite bathrooms. This is what makes Mongolia so unique and adds to the allure of this charming country.
Please note, disability access is limited during the tour, please consider this when making your booking.
Packages do not include international flights, visa fees, travel insurance, additional activities and upgrades and anything else not listed in the itinerary.
Baggage Restrictions: Please note internal flights have a weight restriction of 10kg of checked in luggage and 5kg of carry on luggage per person. We recommend you pack a weekend bag/duffel bag. Luggage can be left at the Shangri-La Hotel and collected on your return.
Travel insurance is compulsory. We suggest purchasing travel insurance as soon as possible after purchasing this package.
Tipping and gratuities are not included in the package and are at your own discretion (as a guide, approx. US$10-15 per person, per day is the industry standard).
Strictly no refunds for this package for amendments and change of date.
Arrival and departure transfers are only available on the first and last day of the tour. Any arrivals and departures outside of these days will need to make their own arrangements to/from the airport.
Travellers should have a good level of physical fitness and mobility and must be able to negotiate uneven surfaces, climb stairs and board boats.
Travellers are advised to check with their local health professional at least 45 days prior to departure, as some vaccinations require 30 days or more to be effective. Proof of vaccination is not usually required unless you are coming from an infected area.
Dining inclusions do not include beverages (unless otherwise stated) and menu options are subject to change.
Not valid in conjunction with any other offer or on existing reservations.
Any unused portion of the package is non-refundable and cannot be exchanged for other services or cash.
Additional expenses such as (but not limited to) flights are not included with this package.
Package cannot be split.
Multiple packages cannot be purchased or combined.
Offer only available for consecutive nightly stays.
Your passport must be valid at least 6 months beyond your intended stay overseas.
A visa may be required to the countries you are visiting and transiting. It is your responsibility to ensure you are holding a current visa.
The value and comparative savings have been determined based on published rack rates and the value of inclusions. Please be advised that rack rates may not be reflective of actual rates being charged, dependent on the timing and manner of your booking and therefore are only indicative of the level of saving.
Occasionally our itineraries are updated prior to departure to incorporate improvements stemming from past travellers’ feedback as well as updates from our ground operators. Please note that while we operate successful tours in this region throughout the year, some changes may be necessary due to inclement weather and common seasonal changes to timetables and transport routes. This can happen with little notice so please be prepared for modifications to the route. The order and timing of included activities may also vary from time to time.
All activities and services are subject to availability.
Please note that full terms and conditions apply.