Day 01 |
Hong Kong / Mongolia (Ulaanbaatar) Flight schedule: OM298 12:05-16:45
Arrival to Ulaanbaatar, traditional entertainment and welcome dinner
Your guide will meet you on your arrival in Ulaanbaatar and transfer to hotel in the center of Ulaanbaatar. Time permitting, you can explore the downtown of the capital city, that’s been undergoing rapid changes toward global culture in the last decade. At 6 pm, we will watch a folk performance with traditional music, folk songs, and throat singing. Then follows a welcome dinner and tour briefing hosted by the guide. (hotel; dinner)
Overnight: Bayangol Hotel Meals: -- / -- / Dinner
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Day 02 |
Ulaanbaatar/ Grassland Distance: 50km; 950m up, 810m down
Transfer to the starting point and cycle in the grassland
Expedition cars carrying mountain bikes will be awaiting you this morning. We take a short car transfer to the edge of Ulaanbaatar. Soon after leaving the city, you will see many domestic animals: horses, cattle, sheep, and goats. Mongolia has 50-60 million animals, the bulk of the rural economy.
We start the day by cycling across vast open grassland alternated by gentle hills. Except for just a short part, most of today’s distance of 50km is on distinct car tracks with a smooth packed surface. On our route lies an interesting site. It is a shamanistic ritual site where shamans periodically gather to enhance their supernatural skills. Shamanism, as a religion, has rapidly been reviving since three decades ago when Mongolia embraced Western-type democracy.
Our first night in the Mongolian countryside will be in a comfortable glamping camp on the edge of a vast open grassland. The riding surface is dominated by packed soil, smooth and easy for biking. Each day, however, you can expect some rocky sections, grassy trails, and stream crossings, which always allow a fun experience.
The camping style has all the features of glamping: spacious 2-person tents where you can freely stand, big sturdy folding beds and warm sleeping bags, a spacious shower tent with an electric shower, camping toilets with a choice of pit latrine or chemical toilet, and a dining tent for social time and meals. Also, there is a cook with an assistant providing tasty meals. There will be snack stops with a plentiful ration of fresh fruits, nuts, and drinks.
Overnight: tents Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
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Day 03
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Cycle to XIII Century Mongolia Theme Park Distance: 53km; 930m up, 830m down
The first 10km this morning is easy pedaling across grasslands most commonly associated with Mongolia. Further and until the end of the day, grasslands alternate with mountain slopes and scenic rock formations in the background. Our destination is the "XIII Century Mongolia" theme park. Having reached it, we explore several encampments perched on a mountain slope with spectacular rock formations. It is a stylized demonstration of the life of medieval Mongolia. A horse-relay station, a shaman's camp, and a King's camp allow a realistic understanding of Mongolia’s medieval life. At the King’s camp, you can have your photo taken dressed as Mongol nobility. The lavishly decorated interiors, wild environment, and absence of modern features make the atmosphere feel real. Tonight, we camp in the vicinity of the theme park.
Overnight: tents Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
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Day 04
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Cycle across the great steppe to Khenty mountain range Distance: 49km; 990m up, 1120m down
Today we get a chance to admire the vastness of the Mongolian grassland. Often called the steppe, it’s a boundless expanse where the horizon lies as far as one can see. The feeling of its immensity and pristineness is inconceivable. Just a few nomadic tents and some domestic animals are all that we see today. Encounters with herders are always a great opportunity to learn about the local culture and lifeways, not to mention a great photographic opportunity. This evening, we camp having reached the edge of the Siberian mountains.
Overnight: tents Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
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Day 05
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Cycle in the Khenty mountain range Distance: 38km; 940m up, 660m down
Further into the mountains, we leisurely pedal along scenic mountain slopes covered in Siberian woods, enjoying impromptu encounters with local people. We visit their homes and taste food and dairy products. Tonight, we spend another night in tents in a spectacular campsite with lush meadows and woods in the background.
Overnight: tents Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
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Day 06
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Cycle to Tull river Distance: 42km; 530m up, 750m down
Here lies the southern edge of the Siberian mountain ecosystem. Bear, wolf, lynx, and boar inhabit its depths, as well herbivores such as elk, a few kinds of deer, and the many fur animals typical to boreal forests. But, of course, it’s not realistic to encounter wild animals in warm seasons and especially on trails trodden by human beings, yet you acutely feel the immensity of the wilderness. The terrain gradually grows mountainous as we make our way along mountain slopes covered in small patches of larch and birch. After lunchtime, we reach the day’s highest point, and until the end of the day, we descend along the lush riverside on predominantly smooth tracks with some muddy and rocky sections. Gentle climbs, knee-deep stream crossings, and fast descents dominate the ride. This evening, we camp at a picturesque riverside with high willow growth and wooded mountains in the background.
Overnight: tents Meals: Breakfast / - / Dinner
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Day 07 |
Visit the statue of chinggis Khan, and return to Ulaanbaatar
After breakfast, we head back towards Ulaanbaatar. Along the way, stop at the giant statue of Chinggis Khan on horseback, a Guinness Records contender as the tallest horseback rider’s statue in the world. Here, you can glance at the grassland for the last time and take your photo with the Man of Millenia, the Chinggis Khan. Other optional activities include riding a camel, taking a photo holding a Golden eagle, or trying your hand at Mongolian archery. The rest of the day is at your disposal. You can do optional activities and shop for souvenirs and cashmere before the goodbye dinner at the best hotpot restaurant in the city.
Overnight: Bayangol Hotel Meals: Breakfast / - / Dinner
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Day 08
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Mongolia (Ulaanbaatar)/ Hong Kong Flight schedule: OM297 13:45-18:20
Early morning transfer to airport for flight back to Hong Kong.
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