EXPLORE MOGOLIA
BEIJING-ULAAN BAATAR-BAYANGOBI- ERDENE ZUU MONASTERY -SOUTH GOBI/ YOLIIN AN- MONGOLIA JURASSIC PARK-BEIJING (11 days)

Day 1 US/ BEIJING
Fly from US to Beijing. (Flight details to be discussed).

Day 2 ARRIVE IN BEIJING
Arrive in Beijing International Airport. Clear Chinese immigrations/customs. Airport reception/private transfer to Great Wall Sheraton Hotel (5-star, 20 minutes to the airport).

Day 3 BEIJING/ ULAAN BAATAR
AM: Private transfer to the airport for flight to Ulaanbaatar. Arrive Ulaan Baatar International Airport at around noon time. Clear Mongolian immigrations/customs. Airport reception/ private transfer to Ulaan Baatar Hotel (Great location, on People's Square).
PM: Private escorted tour to the Museum of Natural History. This is the best place to learn about Mongolia's geography, flora, fauna and history. The spectacular dinosaur skeletons found from the Gobi Desert are also displayed here.
EVENING: Mongolia Folk Dance by local troupes.

Day 4 ULAAN BAATAR/ BAYANGOBI
EARLY AM: Private escorted tour to Gandan Khiid/ Buddhist Monastery. This is the largest and most important monastery in Mongolia and one of Ulaan Baatar's most impressive sights. Observe the daily Buddhist ceremony and also visit the magnificent 25m tall golden statue of Migjiid Janraising ("the lord who looks in every direction"). Followed by a private escorted drive toward the west to Burd Village in Ovorkhangai to your base camp in Bayangobi (approximately 175 miles from Ulaanbaatar). The camp is near a river and surrounded by sand dunes, and hills covered with rare plants and a small forest. The scene is spectacular with a combination of mountains, forest and Gobi-type landscape.

PM: Arrive in Bayangobi in the late afternoon. Transfer to the base camp. Specially arranged private visit to a horse-breeding camp to observe the making of airag (airag is the "national drink" of Mongolia, a type of fermented mare's milk). Horseback riding on Mongolian wooden saddles available. Overnight at Bayangobi ger camp (traditional Mongolian felt tent).

Day 5 ERDENE ZUU MONASTERY EXCURSION
All-day private escorted drive to Karakorum, the Ancient Capital of Mongolia. The construction of Karakorum started in 1220 A.D under the rule of Genghis Khan and was completed by his son, Ogedai Khan. Marco Polo once visited this city. Karakorum served as the capital for the Mongolian Empire for over 40 years before Kublai Khan moved the capital to Beijing. The most famous site in Karakorum is the Erdene Zuu Monastery (Hundred Treasures). It took 300 hundred years to complete this marvel. You will see a magnificent 400-meter-long monumental wall here. There are also 62 temples and 300 gers set up inside the wall. The monastery is an excellent example of Buddhist iconography dating from the 16th century. Also visit the symbolic ruins of Karakorum. Overnight in the ger camp.

Day 6 ULAAN BAATAR
AM: Private escorted drive back to Ulaan Baatar. Explore the Sand Dunes en route.
PM: Arrive at Ulaan Baatar. Transfer to your ger. Private escorted city tour of Ulaan Baatar. Also visit the Bogd Khan Palace Museum (the former Winter Palace of Bogd Khan). The Palace was built between 1893-1903 A.D. and is still well-preserved. Mongolia's 8th Bogd Khan (Living Buddha) and the last king lived here for over 20 years.

Day 7 SOUTH GOBI/ YOLIIN AN EXPLORATION
AM: Private transfer to the airport for flight to Dalanzagad (Capital of south Gobi Desert) via Ulaan Baatar. Airport reception / private transfer to base camp. The Gobi Desert stretches about 3,000 miles along both sides of the Chinese border. Once the site of an ancient inland sea, the area has dried up and then eroded over the eons, providing paleontologists with magnificent specimens of dinosaur fossils. Nowadays, there are herds of Bactrian camels (with two humps), wild horses and donkeys, as well as leopards and mountain sheep. Private escorted drive (25 miles, about 1 hour) to Eagle Valley National Park to trek through Yoliin An. Yoliin An - the "Gobi Glacier" was an ice bound village that's protected by a deep rock gorge. It is the world's only glacier within a desert. Along the way, you will see intriguing wildlife.

PM: Special arranged private in-home visit to a camel breeder camp to learn about nomad's life. Camel riding available. Return to the camp in the evening.

Day 8 SAN DUNES & MONGOLIA JURASSIC PARK EXCURSION
All-day private escorted drive to sand Dunes and Bayan Zag (Flaming Cliffs). The Bayan Zag was first discovered by the American Desert Expedition in 1922, which was led by Roy Chapman Andrews. You will also have your picnic lunch at the natural Oasis, Khadtiin Rashant. Transfer to the base camp in the evening.

Day 9 GOBI LIFE EXPERIENCE
Today, you will get a real Gobi life experience by camel trekking. Transfer to the starting point for your camel trekking-in Bayan Zag. Ride camels through the canyon and sand dunes. Picnic lunch will be provided. Return to the camp in the late afternoon.

Day 10 ULAAN BAATAR
AM: Private transfer to the airport for return flight to Ulaan Baatar.

PM: Celebrate your last evening in Mongolia at a traditional ger restaurant where mutton and music are the stuff of life.

Day 11 ULAAN BAATAR / BEIJING
Private transfer to the airport for flight back to Beijing. Connect international flight back home or continue an extended trip to other destinations in China.