Education meets exploration
In 1580 the Mongol prince Avtai Sain Khan and his brother Tumenkhan met with the 3rd Dalai Lama and made plans to establish a monastery on the ruins of Karakorum, the former capital city of the Mongol Empire. They would later finish the construction of Erdenezuu monastery and declare Tibetan Buddhism to be Mongolia’s official state religion. At its prime, Erdenezuu monastery was not only the center of Buddhism in Mongolia but also a center of learning and culture, where sages and academics from many countries gathered and shared their wisdom. In the 1930s the Communist purges destroyed most of the monastery, with the only remaining structures surviving as museums. Today, the monastery is active as a religious site once more and is considered one of Mongolia’s most important religious sites.
Come with us on a 7-day discovery tour of central Mongolia and visit this historic site and the nearby ruins of Karakorum. Travel into the Khangai mountain range to explore the mountaintop Tuvkhun monastery to learn about the first Bogd Gegeen Zanazabar and his influence on Mongolian culture. Spend your nights sleeping in local nomad camps and visit Khustae National Park to witness the reintroduction of wild horses to the Mongolian steppe. A complete Mongolian adventure where education meets exploration!
Leave the capital city of Ulaanbaatar. Travel for most of the day and arrive for an overnight stay at a ger camp close to the Khugnu Khan mountains.
A full day of hiking to the remote mountain peak of Khugnu khan for offerings. Visit a famous shaman totem rock of horses. Overnight stay in a ger camp.
Travel to Karakorum, the former capital of the 13th century Mongol Empire, stopping by a unique sand dune formation along the way. Visit the Erdenezuu monastery in Karakorum to learn about the influence of Buddhism in Mongolian culture. Visit the ruins of Karakorum to learn about Ghengis Khan and his importance in Mongolian history and culture. Overnight stay at a ger camp along the Orkhon River.
A day of driving into the Khangai mountain range. Overnight stay in a nomad ger camp.
Hike up to Tuvkhun monastery in the Khangai mountains (4-5 hours of hiking), where you’ll learn about Bogd Zanazabar and his influence on Mongolian culture. Overnight stay in a nomad ger camp.
Drive to Khustae National Park and learn about the reintroduction of wild horses to the Mongolian steppe. Explore the park on foot and learn about local flora and fauna. Overnight stay in a ger camp.
Drive back to Ulaanbaatar.
