The costumes, jewelry, hair styles and accessories of the Mongol culture has inspired many costume designers including the Star Wars films. In addition to their own traditional music, dance, contortionism and theatre, the Mongols have also developed Western-style Opera and Ballet. UlaanBaatar, the capital city is an interesting combination of Mongolian tradition, Russian influence and modern Western influence. By contrast, the Nomads in the countryside are living essentially as they have for 2,000 years. Mongolia also has many unique sites and georgeous countryside. From the Gobi desert (where you can possibly see and touch dinosaur fossils), Karakhorum (the ancient site of the capital of Chingis Khan and the ErDenn Zuu monastery), Lake Huvsgal (unsurpassed beauty and the home of the Tsaatan people, the reindeer people) and the various treks into the Hanghai and Altai mountains, Mongolia is truly a land of wonders. We will provide you many opportunities to experience the people, wonders, sites and culture of Mongolia on this unique trip to this unique land.
Day 1: Depart USA You will leave the US for China. The adventure begins!
Day 2: Beijing You will arrive in Beijing and then transfer you to your to the hotel.
Day 3: Beijing You will start the day going on a tour of a Hutong. Then we will take you to Yong He Gong Lamasery. This is the only active Tibetan Buddhist Temple in Beijing. There are many interesting exhibits in the four small buildings which are in the four corners of the property surrounding the temple. After lunch you will be taken to the 2nd Hand Street Market, which is where the Beijingers shop. Then we will take you to the Beijing Opera theatre.
Evening performance: Beijing Opera
Day 4: Beijing Today we will take you to the Great Wall at Simitai. This is the most dramatic site to see the Great Wall and the least restored. This is a full day excursion.
Day 5: Ulaanbaatar Today you will fly to Beijing and into Mongolia! When you arrive at the airport of UlaanBaatar, your guide will pick you at the airport and take you to the Chingiis Khan campground on the way into Ulaanbaatar. This interesting ger hotel has replicas of the old platform gers, heroes totems, ancient weapons and costume (from a movie the Mongols made about Chinggiis Khan).
You may also have an opportunity to take a short horse ride end enjoy the area. Then we will go to UlaanBaatar. After a brief orientation of the center of town (including Sukhbaatar Square and the surrounding buildings), we will transfer you to the hotel.
Day 6: Ulaanbaatar In the morning we will take you to the Zanabazar Art Museum. Then you will visit the Choijin Lama Buddhist Museum, which was once an active monastery. This site has much interesting Buddhist art and architecture and a gift shop with some very nice costumes and artifacts. After lunch we will take you to the National Theatre and the Opera House. At these two venues, the Mongols perform their operas, ballets, orchestras (both traditional Mongol and Western orchestras), and even modern popular concerts.
Evening options: Go to a performance of an opera, ballet or other concert (as available).
Day 7: Ulaanbaatar In the morning you will meet some professors of the Mongolia University Dramatic Arts dept. You can see the University and its facilities and learn about Mongolia's approach to the Arts, both traditional style and Western-style. Then you will visit the Gandan Monastery. Then we will take you to the Bogd Khan Summer and Winter Palace.
Evening: In the early evening we will take you to the theatre where the Tumen Ekh perform.
Evening performance: Tumen Enkh National Performers
Day 8: Gobi Desert Fly to Dalanzadgad area in the morning. Then you will be taken to your ger camp. Once settled in the camp we will take you on a tour of the area, including Yol Am. This incredibly beautiful valley features one of the anomalies of nature found in Mongolia - here in the midst of the Gobi Desert is a glacier coming out of the mouth of a cave that is still frozen even throughout the summer.
Day 9: Gobi Desert Full day tour, including the Flaming Cliffs (where dinosaur fossils were discovered in Mongolia), a camel herder, and the large dunes and varied countryside sites. If there is time we can take a brief tour of Dalanzadgad.
Day 10: Ulaanbaatar Enjoy the ger campsite and the beautiful scenery in the area. Fly back to UlaanBaatar and then transfer to your hotel.
Day 11: Ulaanbaatar In the morning we will set up a meeting with a Costumer. In the afternoon we will take you to the Costume Lab of the Moonstone Cultural Show to see the many costumes which they have reflecting much of Mongolia's history. You can meet the director.
Evening performance: The Moonstone Cultural Show.
Day 12: Karakhorum Leave in the morning to go on a jeep trek to Karakhorum. See the beautiful Mongolian Steppe and the Shoestring Gobi patch. Visit Nomads along the way and enjoy Nomad hospitality. Arrive at the ger camp. Go to the 9th century stone tortoises. Eat and sleep at ger camp.
Day 13: Hustai Reserve Visit the Erdene Zuu Monastery. You will see several interesting buildings, Buddhist artwork and possibly a Buddhist service. Then we drive you back east to visit the Dutch Horse Ranch. You will spend the night there.
Day 14: Ulaanbaatar After breakfast, you will return to UB.
Day 15: Ulaanbaatar We will take you to the History Museum which has some wonderful exhibits, especially concerning Chingiis Khan, and an ethnic Mongol tribes exhibit that includes the festive clothing, jewelry and artifacts from each Mongol tribe. After lunch we can take you shopping at the Gobi Store, which features fine Mongolian cashmere and camel hair garments.
Evening option: Dinner and show at a ger restaurant, which includes dinner and a private performance of contortionists, Tuvan Throat Singers, dancers, musicians.
Day 16: Return USA We will take you on an early flight back to Beijing and continue back to the USA with a lifetime of wonderful memories.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Exact price is dependant on the international airfare prices Private room only guaranteed in hotels. Private gers in ger camps are dependant on the number of clients at the camp at the time.
Note: Other departure cities can be substituted or connection flights included for a reasonable fee.
Tour price includes: Domestic Chinese flights, domestic Mongolian flights, buses, jeeps, private transportation, all tours, guides, drivers, transfers, 4-star hotels (double occupancy) in China, hotels in Mongolia, meals as listed.
Not included: International air flight round trip USA-China, items listed as "optional" Airport tax *(Chinese visa, next-day air, service and handling), tips, dinners in UlaanBaatar (this is to allow those who want to rest in UB to go back to the hotel and rest).
Note: We do provide visa service for China. We can provide international flights at excellent rates.
Also see tour packages in:
Asia
China
Mongolia
Cultural Journey
Archeology/History
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