Mongolia’s Ancient Mysteries & Modern Marvels - 2023

PACING:

• This adventure is moderately-paced
• This trip features four different locations with an average stay of 2.5 nights in each destination
• In addition to a long international flight, your journey includes three internal flights and some coach transfers.
• You will spend 2 nights in Seoul, 2 nights in Ulaanbaatar, and 4 nights in two different camps in the Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park. From here you fly back to Ulaanbaatar for another night. After a festive Farewell Dinner, you’ll fly overnight flight to Seoul and have a day room to relax in before a mid-afternoon flight home
• If you embark on the Nadaam Festival departure, you will spend 2 nights in Seoul, 3 nights in Ulaanbaatar, 3 nights in a camp in the South Gobi Desert, and 1 more night in Ulaanbaatar. Then, you’ll fly overnight flight to Seoul and have a day room to relax in before a mid-afternoon flight home

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENT:

• This is a tour for active travelers.
• Travelers should be able to walk unassisted for three miles each day and participate in approximately six hours of activities per day
• Due to the number of stairwells on this adventure, this trip is not suitable for travelers using wheelchairs, walkers, or other mobility aids

TERRAIN & TRANSPORTATION:

• Travelers will experience terrain that may be uneven or rocky, by foot as well as via 4x4 vehicles on roads that can be very bumpy
• In the Gobi region, travelers will ascend dunes and rocky outcrops to take in expansive desert views

CLIMATE:

• Temperatures are at their highest during July and August departures, and coldest in November. 
  There can be a big temperature difference between day and night, so bring warmer clothes just in case.
• Additionally, travelers should bring appropriate clothes for dusty or muddy roads, including a rain coat.
• Since the weather is unpredictable, please check weather sites online for 10-day forecasts closer to your departure date to plan your packing accordingly.

ACCOMMODATIONS:

Your city accommodations during this trip are in Deluxe hotels where you will enjoy all the comforts you are used to at home (and then some). For the festival departure, you will stay in a Gobi Desert camp with traditional ger wood and felt tents. If you join the non-festival departure, you'll stay in the Gobi for 4 nights and in another camp with log cabin-style guesthouses for 1 night. These units are not air-conditioned (none is needed) and during cooler weather stoves and heaters provide warmth. Both offer ensuite private bathrooms with showers. At these camps we'll enjoy fresh, Mongolian-style meals (with a few western favorites) in a communal pavilion that also has a bar. Expect clean but simple lodgings where electricity can occasionally be spotty. But in return for any possible slight inconvenience, you will gain an unrivaled, first-hand appreciation for Mongolia culture and nature.