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Highlights of Mongolia’s Heartland by
Bicycle
August 9 – 23, 2008 (15 days) 3150 US $ |
Click here to see detailed information on logistics, trail conditions, accommodation, etc. for this itinerary
August 9: Arrive in Ulan Bator (UB), overnight in standard hotel.
August 10: Arrive in Ulaanbaatar (UB), Pick up from the airport (or railway station). After lunch, sightseeing in UB: Russian Friendship monument and Sukhbaatar Square, overnight in standard hotel.
August 11: We drive over one of Mongolia’s few sealed roads to Karakorum, the ancient capital of the Mongolian Empire and visit Erdene Zuu, Mongolia’s biggest monastery built from the remains of the old capital. Overnight in a local ger camp.
August 12: We follow the Orchon river upstream in its broad valley over fast earthen tracks to our first campsite in the steppe.
August 13: A short but steep climb brings us to the base of Tovchen Heed, a famous and spectacular monastery situated on a cliff high of the forest floor. It was the retreat of Zanabazar who was the first Bogd Khan (Buddhist religious leader) of Mongolia. It has numerous small caves, some used by hermit monks, a footprint of Zanabazar in the rock and a high platform with a wide few over the adjacent mountains and valleys. We descend from the monastery back into the broad valleys and will camp again in the open steppe.
August 14: We leave Overchangai province and cycle into the heart of the Hangai mountains. In the late afternoon, we will arrive at the Tsenker Hotspring where we can rest and relax our muscles in the hot pools. Overnight in shared gers next to the hot pools.
August 15: We had for Tsetserleg, described as Mongolia’s prettiest town and have lunch in a local café. In the afternoon the road climbs steeply to the top of the White Pass from where it is a long and fun downhill into the valley of the Ich Tamir river. We will camp beside the river near Taikhar Chuluut (literally: the big rock), a famous local landmark. The local population will surely tell us the origin of the rock, when a local hero squashed a huge serpent under it…
August 16: For most of the day we follow the Tamir River up. Today’s lunch stop is beside Khan Undor Brigade, which is home to Mongolia’s oldest school and was the site of a huge monastery, sadly
destroyed in the purges of the 30’s. Now all that remains are mounts of rubble and the newly renovated 9 Stuppa Monument.
Overnight in tents.
August 17: We are now in the valley of the Chulut river which we will follow downstream for the next 2 days. We pass the small town of
Chargalant and camp somewhere beside the river.
August 18: After lunch we reach the gorge of the Chulut river, an impressive sight. We stop at the “tree with a 1000 branches” where all local drivers ask for a successful and safe journey. Overnight in tents near the gorge.
August 19: Today is our last day on the bikes. We need to cross the dusty volcanic plains before we reach the small town of Tariat, the gateway to Terchin Tsagan Noor (The Great White Lake) National Park, described as Mongolia’s nicest lake. We check into a comfortable ger camp and enjoy our first shower for a while. Overnight in gers.
August 20: A free day to explore the lake shore and climb the now extinct Khorgo Vulcano. It’s lave outflow created the lake and there are wide views from the top over the lake and the route we have just cycled on. Overnight again in gers.
August 21: A long drive from Tariat brings us to a ger camp on the Mongol Els, the famous Mongolian sand dunes that stretch for hundreds of
kilometers south from Archangai. Overnight in a ger camp close to the dunes.
August 22: Drive back to UB (6 hours). The afternoon is free for some last minute shopping. Overnight in a standard hotel.
August 23: Airport transfer to the flight home.
Click here for a list of recommended gear for this trip
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