Immerse yourself in Mongolian culture. Travel deep into the Altai Mountains for an eagle festival celebrating the art of hunting with golden eagles. Visit nomadic families and explore the history of the Mongol Empire. Enjoy the rugged landscapes that Mongolians call home, and discover the art, music and beliefs they inspire.
Meet your tour leader at the airport in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia’s cosmopolitan capital, and settle into the five-star Novotel Ulaanbaatar. Enjoy a welcome dinner with your fellow travelers. (D)
Wednesday, September 15Ulaanbaatar
Explore Ulaanbaatar, home to almost half of Mongolia’s three million citizens. Visit Gandantegchenlin Monastery, the center of Mongolian Buddhism, and trace the country’s history at the Chinggis Khaan National Museum. (B,L,D)
Thursday, September 16Ulgii
Fly to the town of Ulgii in the heart of western Mongolia's Altai Mountains and settle into a basic hotel, your home base for your three nights in the mountains. (B,L,D)
Friday, September 17Sagsai Golden Eagle Festival
Celebrate the art of eagle hunting, falconry with trained golden eagles, a tradition practiced by nomadic herders in the Altai. Just outside Ulgii, attend the first day of the annual Sagsai Golden Eagle Festival, a two-day competition of dozens of eagle hunters. The festival also includes traditional sports, food, embroidery and a chance to enjoy the ruggedly beautiful mountain landscape. (B,L,D)
Saturday, September 18Eagle Hunters
Enjoy the second and final day of the Sagsai Golden Eagle Festival. Visit the family of an eagle hunter and see how the hunter raises and trains his prized golden eagle. (B,L,D)
Sunday, September 19The Steppe
Fly back to Ulaanbaatar and travel west onto the vast Mongolian steppe. Ride horses and spend the evening in a ger at a local ger camp. (B,L,D)
Monday, September 20Nomadic Life
At the ger of a family of nomadic herders who pasture their animals near sacred Mt. Hugnu Khan, cook and share a meal and ride horses. Settle into a deluxe ger at a second ger camp for a two-night stay in the shadow of Elsen Tasarhai, an area of sand dunes in the midst of the vast steppe grasslands. (B,L,D)
Tuesday, September 21Valley of History
Explore the history and legends of the steppe on a day trip to the town of Harhorin in the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage Orkhon Valley. Visit Mongolia’s oldest monastery, sixteenth-century Erdene Zuu. The monastery was built on and with the ruins of Karakorum, founded by Genghis Khan’s son as the thirteenth-century capital of the Mongol Empire. (B,L,D)
Wednesday, September 22Ulaanbaatar
Return to Ulaanbaatar and attend a folk music and dance performance by the renowned Tumen Ekh Ensemble. (B,L,D)
Thursday, September 23Genghis Khan
On your last full day in Mongolia, see how contemporary Mongolia is shaping its future with an eye toward the past. On the steppe east of Ulaanbaatar, visit the towering 131-foot tall Genghis Khan Statue, built in 2006 for the 800th anniversary of the Mongol Empire. Return to the city for your farewell dinner. (B,L,D)
