Festival de Naadam en Mongolie - Visite du désert de Gobi

Today, we will be attending the opening ceremony of the Festival of naadam in Ulaanbaatar national stadium. It’s Mongolia’s biggest, most colorful and most important annual cultural event, focusing on three sports: horse racing, Mongolian-style wrestling, and archery. It's no coincidence that all three skills derive from the capabilities of Genghis Khan's legendary military - a force that conquered and controlled the largest empire the world has ever known.

* At 8am picked up from the hotel lobby, join in naadam group and visit central naadam stadium.
* First visit is stadium of ankle-bone shooting competition.
* Next, visit the archery field. The field will be filled with men and women archers in colorful ethnic national costumes who shooting arrows from their bows.
* We will wander around outside of the Naadam stadium to watch locals who dressed their national costumes, food and trade corners etc.
* Afterwards, we will enter into main stadium for the opening ceremony of Naadam Festival.
* Once finish the opening ceremony, we will watch the beginning of 1st part of Mongolian national wrestling. In the usual 512 wrestler tournament, there will be nine elimination rounds of wrestling over two days.
* After lunch, 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.
* End of these experience, return to the city and transferred to the hotel.

Accommodation: Hotel 4*. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.

In early morning, you will be transferred to the city airport for morning flight to Gobi Desert (~1.5 hours). Upon arrival, your local Gobi tour guide meet you and depart to the Bayanzag which is a famous for the first discovery of fossilized dinosaurs.
Bayanzag is also well known for red tall hillocks formed as a result of wind and water erosion which look like fire in the middle of the desert from distance.
When we arrive at Ger camp, we will watch interesting video about how Roy Chapman Andrews and American expedition discovered the first dinosaur eggs from Bayanzag and transferred dinosaur skeletons on the camel back through Gobi Desert. Their findings proved to the world that dinosaurs laid eggs.
Then we will take 5min drive to the Flaming cliffs and wander on the red hillocks. We will find bones of dinosaurs around Bayanzag. White fossilized bones are still found nowadays. Return back ger camp and overnight.

Accommodation: Ger camp. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Total distance: 110km, driving for ~3hrs.

On this day, our trip will continue driving west to the extraordinary sand dunes of Khongor. This is one of the most scenic areas of Gobi. The dunes rise abruptly from the plain, in some places reaching a height of 300 meters, and extend over an area between 2-12 km in width and 180 km in length.
Upon we arrive, we will have lunch and relax at cozy Ger camp until Gobi hot temperature decrease.
In the evening, we will visit camel herder family in their Ger, and explore their unique nomadic lifestyle. Its chance to try drinking Hormog (fermented Mongolian camel milk). Then we will ride a camel.
The Khongor 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.
Afterwards, we will hike and climb up to the Singing Dune, one of the highest dunes. From the top of the sand dunes, the view of the desert is awesome and amazing sunshine panorama of sand dunes. When it is windy some of the dunes give a strange sound like the engines of an aero plane, for which they are named the “singing dunes”. The Khongoryn River flows along the sand dunes and gives birth to oases.

Accommodation: Ger camp. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Total distance: 160km, driving for ~4hrs.

After breakfast, we will go ahead to Yol valley (Eagle or Vulture valley) situated in “Three beauties of Gobi” Mt. National Park. This valley is originally established to conserve birdlife in the region. But it’s now more famous for its dramatic scenery in the middle of the Gobi Desert with a meter’s thick ice almost all year around, except late summer.
After lunch at local restaurant at Bayandalai village, we will drive through Dungenee Canyon and reach at the Yol valley. There we will do hiking through grassy meadows, small streams, long and narrow valley with sheltered by high cliff walls, sunlight bouncing off amazing rocks, covered with wild flowers and Gobi plants. You may be lucky enough to spot wild sheep and goat, grazing high on the cliff walls.
After visit and explore the national park, we will take a short drive to another Ger camp for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Ger camp. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Total distance: 200km, driving for ~5hrs.

Early this morning, transferred to the local airport for morning flight to Ulaanbaatar. Upon arrival in the city, drive to Terelj National Park, this is one of the most visited national parks in Mongolia.
In the afternoon, we will see 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. From the top, you can enjoy the breathtaking view overlooking the Terelj National Park.
Also, 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. Here you can help the herders with their daily tasks to get an idea of how nomadic people alongside of their livestock.

Accommodation: Ger camp. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Total distance: Flight takes 1.5hrs and 80km driving for ~2.5hrs.

After breakfast, we will return to Ulaanbaatar. On the way visit “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, you can ascend to the head of the horse using an elevator. There you have a good panoramic view over the complex area and the scenery beyond. You are now definitely in Genghis Khan’s country!
Upon arrival at Ulaanbaatar city, we will have lunch at "Modern Nomads" which is one of the best restaurants in the city.
Afterwards, Sukhbaatar square which is lies at the heart of the city surrounded by important buildings such as government palace, banks and theaters and post office. There is an equestrian statue of Sukhbaatar and a massive Bronze statue of Genghis khan with his four warriors in front of Parliament House.
Continue to visit Museum of Mongolian National History – the museum presents Mongolian history and culture from prehistoric times to the present day.
Next, we will visit “Gandan” Monastery, Mongolia’s largest functioning Buddhist monastery including the Mongolian Buddhist University. The highlight of visiting to Gandan is 26-meter-high majestic gilded indoor statue of Megjid Janraisig.
In the evening at 6pm, we will visit “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.
Dinner is at “Bd’s Mongolian Barbeque” international chain restaurant. After dinner, transfer to the hotel.

Accommodation: Hotel 4*. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Total distance: 100km, driving for ~3hrs.

As your memorable trip comes to end, then you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to your next destination or home. Meal: Breakfast