12days/11nights
Tour grade: Easy
Style: Traveller
Stretching from the Black Sea across the vast expanses of Siberia to Kamchatka and the Bering Straits, Russia is truly a country of epic proportions. A land long closed by the Soviet era has now opened to reveal a fantastic diversity of experience. Cross the Urals to Asia and the great lakes and Taiga forest of Siberia await - magnificent untouched landscapes ideal for exploration. Mongolia, the ‘Land of Blue Sky’, home of the greatest empire the world has ever known and Asia’s last undiscovered wilderness. Awesome expanses of rolling steppe, home to Mongolia’s famous horses and herdsmen, meet high glacial mountains, impenetrable forests and deep, crystal lakes. To the south the great Gobi Desert stretches to the horizon; empty save for deep canyons and sweeping dunes. Across much of this vast land little has changed since the days of Genghis Khan, and your visit here will truly be an experience beyond imagination.
Arrival in Irkutsk, City Tour including Decembrist museum
Arrive Irkutsk, your guide and driver will meet you at the airport/railway station. Lunch in a café (or late breakfast depending on the time of your arrival). City tour around all of Irkutsk major historical sights. Guided tour to the Decembrist museum in Prince Volkonsky Mansion. Check in to your hotel. Good Hotel 3* L
Lake Baikal. Taltsy open-air museum. Baikal museum. Chersky viewpoint
This morning we take a private transfer to the village of Listvyanka by the Lake Baikal with visits to the Wooden Architecture Museum and the Museum of Lake Baikal. Local lodge B+L
(Thu, Sat and Sun) Famous Circum Baikal train trip - Lake Baikal
Breakfast. Ferry from Listvyanka to port Baikal. Train trip along the historical Circum-Baikal Railway track to the southern extremity of the lake. During excursion you will have 4 stops to visit old galleries, tunnels, and bridges, walk in the forest and at Lake Baikal shoreline. The train runs along the shore while everyone can admire beautiful views of the lake’s expanses. Packed lunch is provided. Return from Sludyanka to Irkutsk with the same train. Meeting at the railway station. Transfer to a hotel in Irkutsk. Local lodge B+L
Irkutsk - Train To Ulaanbaatar
After breakfast we are transferred to Irkutsk, enjoy a half day city sightseeing including the Znamensky Russian Orthodox Church, Historical museum and the Central food market, then transfer to the train station in the evening for the train to Ulaanbaatar. On the train B+L+D
On The Trans-Siberian Train
We enjoy a day of viewing the endless forest of Siberia and the views of the Lake Baikal with plenty of stops at small Russian villages. On the train
Arrival In Ulaanbaatar, City Sightseeing
Arrival in Ulaanbaatar, our guide and driver will meet us at the train station and aid with check-in at the central hotel. After checking in, we rest. Meet in the afternoon and we take a tour of the city, including the Gandan Monastery, Mongolian National Museum and Genghis Monument on the Sukhbaatar Square. Centrally located excellent hotel 3* L
Ulaanbaatar – The Gobi - Yoliin Am Gorge
In the morning, we catch flight to the Gobi desert. After landing we visit the Yoliin Am gorge in the stunning Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park. Hiking on the Gobi glacier and viewing the wildlife. Drive to Bayanzag, the Flaming Cliffs. Ger camp B+L+D
Bayanzag- Moltsog Sand Dunes - Bayanzag
This morning we explore the Flaming Cliffs for dinosaur remains. Visit a nomadic camel breeder’s and see their lifestyle. We drive to the Gobi airport via the Moltsog Els sand dunes. Transfer to camp. Ger camp B+L+D
The Gobi – Ulaanbaatar – Hustai national park
This morning we take the flight back to Ulaanbaatar, upon arrival we drive for 2 hours to the Hustai national park, one of the most popular national parks of Mongolia through the rolling steppes. Arrive in Hustai view the wonderful Takhi wild horses and other wildlife. Optional hiking around the hill. Ger camp B+L+D
Hustai national park - Terelj national park via Genghis monument
Drive to Terelj NP, on the way to the Terelj NP visit the Giant Genghis Statue, arrive in Terelj and transfer to Ger camp. Lunch. Then enjoy seeing Turtle Rock, overnight in Ger camp. Ger camp B+L+D
Terelj national park – Ulaanbaatar
We drive back to Ulaanbaatar for 1 hours on paved road and transfer to the hotel. Then we visit the Bogd Khaan’s Palace Museum – the residence of the last king of Mongolia and the Buddha Park. Farewell dinner. Centrally located excellent hotel 3* B+L+D
Departure
Transfer to the airport after breakfast for departure flight for home. B
| Single Supplement Charge | US$400 |
Irkutsk: The town of Irkutsk was established as a fortress on the banks of the Angara in 1651, and from humble beginnings developed into the administrative center of Eastern Siberia. The town initially grew rich and prospered on the profits of the fur trade, and then boomed following the discovery of gold in the area. Though much of the fine, classic Russian architecture of these boom-times was lost during the Soviet era, old gingerbread log houses remain in areas, and this atmosphere, combined with the Asiatic influences of neighboring Mongolia and China, serve to make Irkutsk one of the most interesting places to visit in the area.
Aug 10, 2012. Gobi & Karakorum Explorer tour
Our recent "The Gobi & Karakorum Explorer" tour with you was excellent, everything exceeded our expectations! It was a super trip in our lives and we loved our Mongolia holiday so much. Our guide Joe was kind, well organised, accurate and informative, polite and caring and always provided us with timely information. And our driver Jack is super, very friendly, professional and always on time.
We are wild travelers, having been to many places in the world - but Mongolia is still truly unspoiled and uncontaminated. Selena Travel's services were perfect right from the very first email. We would like to thank Selena Travel, our guide and our driver for having made this Mongolia experience a truly beautiful one with so many wonderful memories.
by Rafaella, Benedetta, Lidia
Sending you some of our nicer pictures. Some are chosen for their beautiful scenery while the rest are just us happily playing and goofing around. There are a couple of shots of us doing some Mongolian wrestling, as suggested by Oyuna since we missed out on the mini-Naadam festival. She said since we missed it, we might as well organise our own festival by playing some Mongolian games. Haha... We had so much fun playing those games!!! :)OK, I hope you like the pictures we send you. Best regards to everyone at Selena Travel and thank you once again for all your assistance.
by Margaret Suganda
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