DAY 1:  To Bulgan or Arkhangai

We will pick you up from your hotel with a Russian 4wd minivan, complete with our guide, cook, equipment and provisions for the Naiman Nuur Trek, and leave Ulaanbaatar for the west.  If you are interested in birds, there are three prime birding sites to choose for today’s camp site, as we are staying in tents.  The first birding stop is at Bayannuur (Rich Lake) in Bulgan province, where there are usually not only plenty of ducks but possibly Relict Gull, White-naped Cranes or Swan Geese. If we do fine with time, we can drive until Ögii Lake in Arhangai province, which has nice marshes on its western shore.

DAY 2:  To Hotont

After breakfast, we load up the luggages and drive further west, a short way to the Tsagaan Sumiin Gol (White Soum River) area in Hotont district, at the foot of the Khangai Mountains. Many herders occupy this area in the summer and we will be able to experience our first encounter with the hardy nomads of Mongolia. They live in Mongolian gers (yurts) and usually keep horses, cows, yaks, goats and sheep for their livelihood.

DAY 3:  To Tövkhön Hermitage on foot

Today we will spend most of the day hiking, entering the Khangai Mountains National Park and the UNESCO appointed World Heritage Landscape on foot from the secluded northern side.  We arrive at the remote Tövkhön Hermitage after a few hours of hiking upwards through the forested hills. The little monastery sits on top of a ridge at 2312 meters above sea level and we are rewarded with breathtaking views of the surrounding forested mountains. Women may not climb to the very top of the cliff due to the religious belief of local Mongolian herders (nomads), but the panoramic views from just below are almost equally great. Zanabazar (1635-1723), the first Buddhist leader and spiritual head of the Gelug lineage of Tibetan Buddhism in Mongolia, used the place as a retreat and there are several small caves where he meditated in total seclusion. Today Tövkhön is a lively pilgrimage site for local Buddhists. We hike the last 2½km to the road head where we will meet our vehicle again and drive to Horgoi Hurem across the bridge spanning the Orkhon River, to the Upper Orkhon Valley and we will be pitching our tents next to some nomad families.

 DAY 4:  To Huis Lake

Today the pack yaks are loaded by our hosts and native nomads of the area who will lead us on this Naiman Nuur trekking journey. We start our trek across the hills and ridges into the Naiman Nuur area. Our support vehicle will not be able to follow. At higher altitude’s we catch spectacular, panoramic views over this wild terrain. We set up our tented camp at Huis Lake for two nights.

DAY 5:  To Shireet Lake

Today we hike through a valley, passing several lakes until we reach Shireet Lake, the biggest lake of Naiman Nuur which has a narrow peninsula going into it. We catch scenic views of the forested hills along the way. The landscape is of volcanic origins here and extinct invisible volcanoes are dotted in the landscape. In early summer, lots of wildflowers grow on the meadows.

DAY 6:  To Horgoi Hurem

Today, again the pack yaks are being loaded with all our luggage and provisions and we trek yet another route out of Naiman Nuur back into the upper Orkhon Valley. Again we can enjoy fantastic views. At the high altitude, nomads raise mainly hardy yaks rather than cattle.

DAY 7:  Horgoi Hurem

By now we have befriended the local Mongolian nomads (herders), who are our hosts. We will spend the day hiking in Horgoi Hurem area, which is quite populated with Mongolian nomad (herder) families during the summer.

DAY 8:  To Högnö Khan Khan via Karakorum

In the morning, we load up our vehicle and drive along the Orkhon River which forms small canyons here. We stop at the scenic Ulaan Tsutgalan waterfall, popularly known as the Orkhon waterfall. Continuing our drive to the lower parts of the Orkhon River Valley we reach Harhorin, a small town located at the site of Karakorum, the ancient capital of the Mongol empire. Here we visit Erdene Zuu Monastery, the first and one of the largest Buddhist monasteries established in Mongolia. It was founded in 1585 and for its construction the stones from the old capital Karakorum (Harhorin) were used. The city had been completely destroyed 200 years earlier by the Ming Chinese army. Around mid afternoon, we drive for two more hours to the Högnö Khan Mountain Nature Reserve, where we will stay at a ger (yurt) camp.

DAY 9:  To Ulaanbaatar

In the morning after breakfast, we have the opportunity to visit the small Erdenekhamba Temple, and hike up a gully to the Övgön Monastery ruin. Högnö Khan has an amazing history and its giant rock formations are part of the Mongolian granite belt.  After lunch at the ger (yurt) camp, we drive back to Ulaanbaatar and drop you of at your hotel.

Day 1: To Upper Tuul River Valley

After breakfast we leave Ulaanbaatar for the Upper Tuul River Valley in the Khan Khentii Strictly Protected Area (some 110 km away); a 3 three-hour drive by bus or car. After one hour we leave the tarmac road and carry on through a beautiful steppe valley, where there are many herding families with their gers and livestock. Crossing a ridge at Zamtiin pass we now drive mainly through forests until we reach the Upper Tuul River Valley. Here we meet the local herders, who will accompany us with their yak carts. We pitch camp next to the river.

Day 2: To Baruun Bayan

Today we load all our luggage and provisions onto the yak carts and start our trek. Our first campsite will be in a steppe valley, surrounded by the Khentii hills, which are covered with larch and birch forests. Herdsmen keep their livestock in the southern areas of Khan Khentii, following a lifestyle that has been essentially unchanged since the time of Genghis Khan.

Day 3: To Zaraa Tolgoi

Along the way we will split from the yak cart caravan and hike up into the mountains. We will enjoy stunning panoramic views from the ridges. Today we reach the northernmost point of our journey and set up camp at Zaraa Tolgoi (Hedgehog’s head).

Day 4: Upper Tuul River Valley

We are now in a very scenic area, where rivers flow down broad steppe valleys. Around us are forested hills and mountains. Along the rivers there are wooded and alluvial meadows with broad-leaf forests. We will set up our camp near the trailhead on a beautiful meadow.

Day 5: To Ulaanbaatar

After breakfast we drive back to Ulaanbaatar (3½ hrs). In the afternoon there is free time to explore the city. Distances are short and nearly all points of interest can by reached by foot.