The journey to Mongolia is a long-awaited one, and the group is excited to explore the vast country with its astonishing history and spectacular nature. With their guides, Chimgee and Ariuka, and drivers, Nasaa and Uugii, they begin their journey from the hotel and head towards the airport.
Long-awaited Mongolia travel begins in the Gobi Desert
As we all had learnt about the country named Mongolia in our middle schools, all of us were excited to travel around the vast country with an astonishing history and spectacular nature. We met our perfect team consisting of guides Chimgee and Ariuka; as well as our drivers Nasaa and Uugii. There the long-awaited journey began, and we departed from our hotel at 8:53 am on the 18th of June.
On the way to the airport, the traffic was pretty bad however we have spent our time talking about the current lifestyle in Ub and Overall Mongolia. Also, we had a precious time to introduce ourselves carefully and spoke about our occupation and the purpose to visit Mongolia.
We said that we understand the current Mongolian situation because Korea had also gone through this kind of times in their history in 1970-1980s. Then we stopped by Sansar Supermarket, which is one of the big supermarket chains in Mongolia as the guide said. We didn’t buy anything, not even a snack. However, only ladies bought snacks and other things.
Moreover, 10:30 it is time to depart from UB. We have filled our car bank and ready for the long drive to White Stupa.
One of the fantastic things our tour was that we are not just driving around the beautiful nature we have an excellent opportunity to enjoy it by having an outdoor lunch which flavouring the journey with a little bit of camping. Moreover, there we found out that our guide, Chimgee, is a super talented chef.
Around 7:00 pm, Finally we arrived at our very first camp, Stupa of Gobi. The driving in off-road was like a rollercoaster has been an ultimate experience. All of us enjoyed the fun and adventurous road where we can see the beautiful land of Mongolia and tribes of live stocks.
On the way to camp, tourists saw the horse and camels grazing freely that make us felt the stress less and free nomadic lifestyle.
Then the moment, we have waited for long, finally came at 7:20 pm. All of our tourists are excited to see wonderful White Stupa, which has an unbelievable hidden story about how it can exist in the middle of gobi.
The incredible natural wonder has been impressive beauty for our tourists. We enjoyed the nature a lot and spent almost an hour to take a picture. After a long drive, all of us must have been tired. However, natural beauty has refreshed our strength more powerfully.
Happy tourists are ready for the delicious dinner which mixed Korean side dishes with Mongolian meal.
BEAUTY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GOBI DESERT
19th of July.
Attraction: Yol Valley in South Mongolia
The very first stunning breakfast made by local chefs in the camp was waiting for us in the canteen (Big ger) at 7:50. You can see how the local families are running its service in the traditional way of hospitality.
So, after a delicious breakfast, we had some time to pack and arrange our stuff. In those pictures, you can see the gers we had spent a night, and it was hot and having the perfect natural air-cycling system which makes us feel the fresh air in the Gobi.
Then we departed at 9:00 am to our second stop Yol Valley. When the guide talks about the beautiful mountainous valley, everyone was surprised and excited about the wonder.
On the way to stop, our favourite outdoor lunchtime had finally come. Our guide Chimgee made us spicy fish soup and long waited for fried camel meat; as well as Korean egg appetiser.
After delicious camel meat for lunch, we departed to next stop Yol valley at 2:30 pm. On the way, we have discussed the beautiful nature of Mongol, especially Three Beauty National Park. Finally, at 3 pm we arrived at spectacular Yol valley and walking through the windy mountainous area was like refreshing in hot gobi. Our team were amazed to see high rocky cliffs in the middle of the gobi.
Finally, we had walked for two hours in the valley; however, the cold air and wind make this felt like a few minutes. On the way, we have seen the natural animals such as wild goats and squirrel; as well as enjoying handmade souvenirs made by local artisans and meditating in nature.
After we departed from the valley around 5 pm, the way to camp has been one of the unforgettable times of the tour. Guide and tourist have to teach one another’s musical culture. After the 2-hour musical drive, we arrived in another well-organised camp.
SURPRISE! According to the plan, we all were supposed to have free time after dinner. However, our guides have surprised us with unexpected attraction, Mukhar Shivert, near to the camp.
Visiting the iced valley in the middle of gobi was spectacular and genuinely surprised for us.
BEAUTY OF THE MONGOLIAN GOBI DESERT
20th of July
Attraction: Khongoryn Els - Dunes
Another beautiful morning started, and the delicious breakfast was ready at 8 am as usual.
Camp: Dungenee’s camp
At 9 am, we departed to the third attraction in the Gobi, Khongoryn Els. Our guide taught us that Els is Sand in Mongolian. When we were in high school in Korea, all of us were taught about Khongor Sand Dunes, the most massive sand dunes in Asia. Many of us were excited to see the long-lasting spectacular dunes that have a length of 180km.
Additionally, our guide Ariuka informed us about Mongolian governmental units. Before we come to Mongolia, we knew that Ulaanbaatar going to be the well-developed and modern city and outside of the capital city it is going to be surrounded by herder family.
However, as the guide said, Mongolia has 21 provinces which are divided into over 300 soums, the smallest unit of government and all the herder families belonged to their nearest soums. On our way to dunes, we stopped by Bayandalai soum and while we were waiting for the gas station and there the family of goats and sheep came to water next to us and that was an excellent opportunity to observe them.
Lunch: 12:30-13:30
Menu: Fried Rice /Camel Meat/ + Korean Side Dishes.
Then we move on to the third attraction, which was seen through the whole road around 4 pm. There our fantastic night plan was waiting after 2 hours rest until the dinner.
Then the long waited time to riding a camel. Our guides were kind to negotiate camel owners to ride a camel to the dunes. One exciting thing about the Khongoryn els is that since it has a length of 180km, its several parts have various names.
The area we are going to is named Seruun Bulag, which is named after the nearby pond. We had a totally 1 hour to ride a camel. For us, it has been the first time to ride two-humped camels. While we are riding a camel, we had a great time talking with local camel guides about Mongolian camel’s featured and its lifestyle as the camel guide said.
Usually, camels don’t like to go to dunes. However, we were lucky to have their kindness. The beauty of nature is one of the best places to relax.
According to our guides, the highest dune of the Khongoryn Els is around 180m high, which is named as Singing Dune because it makes a sound like an aeroplane or helicopter when a person is sliding to bottom. For older people like us, climbing up to “Seruunbulag” dune was good enough, because it is the right amount of high at 40-50m.
Also, we climbed to the dune around 7:45 pm, which was a great time to see the beautiful sunset while relaxing in dunes and the sand was cool enough to walk barefoot. After that, we had a great time to chill in front of the beauty of the gobi before we go back to the camp.
Discover the historical place of the mother earth in Mongolia travel
Attraction: Flaming Cliffs
Date: 21st of July
Every morning starts with our morning exercise. In the fresh and smooth air, we had joyful exercise time around 7 am. Then the breakfast began at 8 am with Korean seaweed soup and Mongolian pancake, which was an unusual experience.
Before departing from the guesthouse, we had small-talk with other tourists and even exchanged our business cards.
Depart to the fourth attraction: 9 am. There our is another off-road drive to Bayanzag, the Flaming Cliff, started at 9 am. The most exciting thing on the way was the car’s tire is bumped that ladies were riding.
The guys were driving a Delica and waiting for the other car and worried if something happened, however, our driver Nasaa was like a hero who came out in the middle of the gobi with a proud face after changing the tire alone.
Our ladies said that they weren’t worried at all, because all of them believed in our driver Nasaa to handle any problem.
Then we decided to have lunch in a local ger- restaurant in Bulgan Soum at 1 pm. Luckily, as soon as we arrive in a restaurant, the chefs were slaughtering a sheep and preparing newly meat for a meal, which was a great chance to see the traditional way to butchering the animal.
Excitingly, the neighbourhood kids were playing around, and we had an excellent opportunity to look around the soum with our baby local guides. Kids were introducing the neighbourhood and guiding us to the local supermarket.
When we came back to the restaurant, our order was ready, and the meal looked delicious. Then we drove back to our stop, and fortunately, it was only 10 minutes’ drive and arrived in Bayanzag at 3 pm. The Bayanzag was looking fabulously red just like it is described as the guide said.
Our guide, Ariuka, told us the impressive and great history behind the “Flaming Cliff”. All of us were amazed by the story and enjoyed the beautiful nature.
Furthermore, before we leave the attraction, we stopped by a local souvenir shop and bought a handmade gift.
SURPRISE: Camp Mongol Gobi
Then there comes another surprise. We arrived at camp at 4.15pm, and there were boys as concierge service and a welcoming lady holding milk in a silver cup carved with Mongolian traditional art. This was the very first welcoming ceremony we have experienced during our tour.
As our guide explained a tradition of welcoming Mongolian greeting is treating the guest with cow milk, which is the most precious drink in Mongolian culture.
Moreover, when we go through the reception ger, we found traditional Mongolian game made with live stock’s ankle bones.
See the discovery of dinosaur fossils (paleontology’s findings) in original site in Mongolia travel
After dinner, we were going to Bayanzag cliff for a night walk. However, it wasn’t just a good walk. It was a chance to see the discovery of dinosaur fossils (palaeontology’s findings) in the original site. The national park staff let us see the precious outcomes which will be delivered to a research laboratory in September.
This is the most amazing and unforgettable time in our life-time, not just during the trip. We are happy for this tour and thank you for ENZA TOUR LLC.
Buddhist places in Mongolia travel
Attraction: Ongi Monastery
Date: 22nd of July
Camp: Ongi Energy camp
Breakfast was at 7 am, one hour earlier than usual, and we had a buffet consists of local cow milk, butter and Mongol soup and prepared to depart after it. The exciting thing different from another camp, there was a good-bye ceremony just as a welcoming greeting.
For the parting ceremony, the lady throws milk to air and pray for us to have a safe trip. Also, we met friend tourists came from France who had the same route with us and going to the same tourist attraction.
On the way, we stopped by another small som and have a short tour around it and stop by stone Ovoo which is made by residents. We also did the traditional custom as locals do. The weather was gloomy and in some parts of the way it had heavy rain. Gladly we passed through a storm quickly and arrived in our camp safely at 11:40 am.
The rich view of nature with the river, mountains and trees were one of the beautiful scenes of the trip. It was the best environment to have an outdoor lunch during the middle of the day at1 pm, which was a great arrangement that our guides did.
After lunch there, we started our walk to Ongi Monastery. The whole visit to old monastery ruin was between 2pm-5pm. During the trip to ruins, we visited an antique shop that sells the thing used in the 18th century and a monastery’s museum; as well as tasted a spring comes from the mountain where the monastery located.
In addition, we even climbed up to the sculpture on top of the mountain that locals built for wishing the Ongi river to re-flow after it dried around 2011. The view from the top of the mountain where the sculpture built, the neighbourhood area looked pleasing.
During the visit, our guide Ariuka had talked about Buddhism in Mongolia and its history. After having a pleasant time in nature while talking about the history of religion in Mongolia, we had a rest time until dinner.
After dinner, we had a short walk to another mountain named Tsogt-Ovoo to while discussing the days in the Gobi because today was the last day in the Gobi. All of us had an unforgettable time in gobi region, which we have heard and dreamt a lot when we were a child.
Welcome to Khangai region of Mongolia travel
Attraction: Ulaan Tsutgalan Waterfall
Date: 23rd of July
Camp: Khusug
As usual, we had our breakfast at 7 am, which was prepared by the camp. Then we departed the next stop, Ulaan tsutgalan Waterfall which located in Uvurkhangai Province. We learnt that khangai in Uvur khangai representing the mountainous region of the land of Mongolia.
In other words, today we are going to witness that transference of two different central regions of the Mongolian land. We can see the difference between the natural view in the below picture.
Around 1 pm we stopped by Khujirt Soum to have lunch in a local restaurant. For the information, we get to know that Khujirt soum is popular with its hot spring and the water plant of Khujirt mineral water. While we were waiting for lunch to be ready, we had a short time to visit the local temple.
In the temple, it can be seen that residents arrived to listen to the Buddhist teachings and there we can see that civil’s religious customs. Also, there had a chance to taste Mongolian traditional alcoholic drink, Airag, which is made by fermented horse milk.
For lunch, we had a one of traditional Mongolian dishes named Khuushuur which Mongolians eat as a holiday meal during Naadam Festival.
After lunch, we started driving to our stop. Because we are coming from a different region, it took longer than the usual drive. However, our guides have never disappointed us during the long trip by talking about interesting stories of Mongolia.
Welcome to the Orkhon Valley. High cliff and river surrounded by tall trees flow to the bottom of it demonstrated that we are in the Khangai region.
One of the special events of today is that Yak Festival. Therefore, we went to the festival directly.
Luckily, we were able to watch the final of wrestling and the finish of the race. We were surprised that Mongolians have a Yak Race.
Our guide said that every Soum has its Naadam festival, and the Yak festival was like a soum Naadam. It has been a great time to see how the local people celebrate and enjoy the Naadam.
During the festival, we had a chance to taste and buy dairy products made by Yak Milk. All of us enjoyed the experience of traditional Mongolian snacks and dairy desserts while looking around the festival before dinner.
For dinner, we had one of the traditional meals, Khorkhog, which is steamed whole meat of sheep.
We think that khorkhog was the best meal to eat during the gloomy days and rainy weather. As we predicted, on the way to camp, the heavy rain started.
Due to the heavy rain, we decided to visit the waterfall the next day morning.
Sand dunes middle of the khangai - Mongolia travel
Attraction: Kharkhorum Museum, Erdene Zuu Khiid and Elsen Tasarkhai
Date: 24 July
As we decided on the previous day, we visited the natural attraction, Ulaan tsutgalan waterfall after our special breakfast. For breakfast, the camp owner prepared us a handmade yoghurt made of yak milk.
On the way to Kharkhorum soum, the very first capital city of Mongolia, we drove through the real herder family hood located between mountains. When we encourage next to gers, we met an aggressive family dog which can be seen as raised to protect the animals.
Then after lunch, we drive to Kharkhorum museum, and on the way, our guides talked about its fabulous history. As we had taught in our history class about the Mongol Empire, we were excited to see the first centre. In the museum, we have enriched our knowledge about Mongolian history from the Stone Age to the Yuan Empire.
More importantly, museum displays were impressive findings and discovery from various historical ages, which helped us to understand Mongolian lifestyles, culture and history.
Erdene zuu monastery – Mongolia travel
Next stop was the largest monastery in Mongolia which had lost 80-90% of it during the repression around 1937. Visiting the monastery, talking with monastery staff and looking around Mongolians’ religious custom was another opportunity to look into Mongolians mindset.
Then around 5 pm, we depart to our last camp, Khoyor Zagal, located near to the Elsen Tasarkhai. All of us were excited to see an unusual combination of Khangai and Sand. Just as we saw the high mountainous area, Three Beauty National Park (Yol Valley & Mukhart Shivert) in the middle of the gobi, we visit the sand area in the middle of the mountainous region.
All of these let us know the perfect natural combination in the broad land of Mongolia.
THE LAST DAY OF OUR MONGOLIAN TRAVEL
Attraction: Khustai National Park
Date: 25th of July
Mongolia is the homeland of the horse. Today morning, our team was looking forward to riding a horse in the beautiful land of khangai, nearby Khugnu Khan Mountain. After having breakfast in camp around 8 am, we went to the herder family to ride a wild countryside horse. When we visit the family, besides riding horses, we had a chance to see milk a horse and baby horses to have their milk too.
While we were riding a horse around one and a half hour, we talked about how to herd horses with horse guides. Learning about their daily routine was a quality time to understand their lifestyle. Riding a horse in the middle of the broad land was one of the extreme experiences during our trip.
On the way to our last stop, Khustai National Park, we had our previous outdoor lunch around Moltsog Els, which was surrounded by beautiful wildflowers.
Before we went into the national park, our guide Ariuka, told us about the only real wild-horse that has never been domesticated by humankind throughout the human’s history. Mongolians named the horse as Takhi; however, internationally it called as Przewalski's Takhi.
Searching the wild animals in the national park is one ultimate extreme experience that we enjoyed in Mongolia.
About Enza Tours LLC
If you want to make a Mongolian tour, we are the Mongolian travel agency, can create your unique trip in Mongolia. We also have other Mongolia tours, and while you travel, you can try the Khuvsgul with other destination, local nomadic family, and we can help you create a trip for you.
Just write an email to us, we will plan your tour with you and let’s create your happiness together.
We offer you the below tours and join our current tours:
Mongolian Khuvsgul lake tour (including Tsaatan community)
Discover the Mongolian culture
Mongolian horse or camel tour
We also work with a local travel agency such as eagle hunting show
We are Enza Tours LLC, the official tour operator, and we create Mongolia tours.
Our customers will discover the nomadic Mongolian people, the vast Gobi desert, reindeer community, ancient Mongolian capital, Mongolian customs and traditional Mongolian food. In addition to that beautiful nature will amaze the customers.
