100% customisable travel idea
Frozen Lakes, Saunas and Horse-drawn Sleighs This winter visit Mongolia in the snow
Mongolia - Ulaanbaatar - Bulgan - Lake Khovsgol
100% customisable travel idea
Mongolia - Ulaanbaatar - Bulgan - Lake Khovsgol
100% customisable for you
Night on board, arrival the next day.
Upon arrival, you will be greeted personally and shown to your private transfer to your accommodation in Bayanzurkh, the central-eastern district of the capital. The blond stone of your hotel’s façade conceals a modern interior, filled with polished wood and padded leather - the Mongolian idea of contemporary luxury. The rooms are comfortable and equipped to international standards, and yours will be ready upon your arrival. To top it all off, the hotel’s restaurant is known for its excellent cuisine, giving guests a chance to discover local dishes: tsuivan (noodles), khuushuur (pastry filled with lamb or spinach and cheese), buuz (steamed dumplings filled with lamb), and chef’s buuz (with beef). The sauna offers a comforting contrast to the temperatures outdoors.
Included: the capital’s monasteries and museums by private vehicle. Led by a local driver and a guide, set out to explore the landmarks of this high-altitude capital, 1,351 metres (4,429 feet) above sea level. Gandantegchilen Monastery, the country’s largest Buddhist centre, contains several temples, stupas, prayer wheels, a college of traditional medicine and astrology, and a university. The National Museum of History holds significant collections of nomadic and sacred art, handicrafts, household objects and machines.
Included - traditional Mongolian arts. Your guide knows all you could wish to find out about Mongolian culture. They settled here several years ago after falling in love with the country and its people. They will enthusiastically take you from calligraphy and traditional dance to throat singing and playing the Morin Huur (a string instrument that is a source of great national pride). It produces a warm sound, similar to the neigh of the Mongolian horse that inspired its name.
At the end of the day, a private transfer will take you to the train station, to board the night train to Erdenet in a private four-berth compartment. Your guide will also travel with you, in a separate compartment. Dine in the restaurant car, or in your compartment with food bought before departure.
Arrive in the morning at Erdenet station. After breakfast in town, depart for your lodge, located in the northwest of Bulgan province. Your vehicle speeds along the sealed roads for a few hours before reaching a dirt road that marks the end of the journey. Stay four nights on the banks of the Erg River, in a serene retreat comprised of a handful of chalets. From the outside, your accommodation looks strikingly modern, with lots of beautiful wood and dark metal beneath sloping roofs. Inside, the large windows offer vistas of the beautiful snow-clad surroundings from your cosy room, warmed by a pleasant stove. From the bedrooms to the public lounge with plush armchairs, the decor features designer furnishings with a predominance of wood. Spend the afternoon settling in to your environment, with a visit to the spa.
Included - ice fishing. The Erg River, renowned for its abundance of fish, is just a short walk from the lodge. You can catch taimen (also known as the ‘Siberian salmon’) or lenok trout here. But first of all, you have to break the ice and cast your line - which calls for the right equipment and some experience. Fortunately, your guide has both! And after the effort, comes the reward! A barbecue on the river will cook whatever you have managed to catch.
Also included (evening) - meet a shaman. Firmly rooted in Mongolian land and tradition, shamanism believes all living things have a soul and a spirit. Their representatives are chosen by the spirits for their ability to communicate between different worlds. Watch this demonstration of spirituality with respect, then, burning with curiosity, engage in discussion with the shaman.
On your agenda - lunch with a nomadic family. Set off on horseback through the snowy landscape. Your destination is the winter camp of a nomadic family, which is set up about 10 km (6 miles) away. When you arrive, they’ll invite you into the warmth of their traditional ger (yurt). After getting acquainted over a hot drink, you’ll sit down to lunch together. The afternoon is spent observing this unique way of life before riding back to the lodge for dinner, where the chef will prepare a feast with the last of the fish caught the day before.
Included - meet a nomadic family. Barely recovered from the excitement of the previous day, another local family now extends an invitation into their home. Set off by car for this new experience, where your hosts teach you the art of cooking khorkhog, a traditional Mongolian dish made with mutton or lamb. After a few hours with the group, the return transfer to the lodge is full of lively conversation.
Continue north to Lake Khovsgol. After a 4-hour drive, stop in Moron for a well-deserved lunch, then continue on to Khatgal. The highlight of the drive is undoubtedly crossing over the ice in your vehicle - captivating and a little disconcerting. Settle in for the night in a comfortable camp on the south shore of the lake. The main house has a brick roof and large picture windows, so you won’t miss a single detail of the snow-covered vistas, especially at mealtimes. The interior design is sleek and warm, with a distinctly contemporary feel. And the spa in its lovely lakeside cabin deserves a special mention. This resort is where the cream of Mongolian society comes for the summer, leaving the property to a select few - including you! - in winter.
Included - horse-drawn sleigh ride and night in a traditional dwelling. Dressed in several layers, it is time to venture outdoors - and not just anywhere: onto the surface of Lake Khovsgol. The horse-drawn sleigh - a traditional mode of transport in this part of the country - travels easily over the ice. Nomadic families use it to transport provisions, firewood and fodder for their animals. Stop for lunch along the way, between two visits to nomadic families settled on the riverbanks. Then stay overnight with a welcoming group of Darkhad people. You’ll sleep in a yurt or log cabin - an alternative that suits the setting.
Accompanied by your guide, return to your elegant lodge on the southern shore of Lake Khovsgol, still by horse-drawn sleigh. Although you travelled this way the day before, the experience remains exhilarating and unique. Returning to the comfort of your first accommodation is a real pleasure, and you can’t wait to slip into the soft sheets, tucked in around the bed. The curtains close on this memorable experience!
Lake Khosvgol disappears in the rear-view mirror as you begin the return journey to Erdenet. Stop for lunch en route and arrive at your destination mid-afternoon. Stay one night in a city centre hotel. Rather austere from the outside, the 4-storey property’s bedrooms are generously sized and scrupulously clean while service is generally attentive. At breakfast time, there’s plenty to set you up for the day ahead. Choose from eggs, vegetables and even jams. And don’t forget the coffee!
Departure for Ulaanbaatar. The road trip unfolds on a well-maintained road, so you can focus on the scenery along the way. These landscapes are untouched by human activity, except for a few yurts or isolated villages. Everything is covered in a blanket of snow. More and more houses and vehicles appear, a sign you are almost at your destination. Stay one night in your first Mongolian home - the hotel that welcomed you on arrival. The place hasn't changed, but it's a different story for you after these few days exploring the northern territories.
Private transfer to the airport and international return flight.
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