Journeys: Discover Mongolia
National Geographic Journeys
Mongolia’s sublime beauty reveals itself in endless expanses of steppe and sky and an age-old nomadic culture that joins the people with the land. Journey through this remote, seldom-travelled region of Asia, from sprawling Ulaanbaatar to green, grassy plains where wild horses roam. Discover the country’s surviving Buddhist heritage on visits to historic temples and monasteries; walk across the rocks and sands of the sweeping Gobi, which conceal troves of dinosaur fossils; and get a taste of traditional Mongolian life.
Highlights
Tour many of Ulaanbaatar’s historic sites, enjoy the scenery of Khustai National Park, learn about Lama Buddhism from a head monk, Visit with nomadic families, Explore historic monasteries, See Western Gobi’s biggest sand dunes
Accommodation
Hotels (3 nts), Ger camps (10 nts).
Group Leader
CEO (Chief Experience Officer) throughout, local guides.
Group Size Notes
Max 14, avg 12
Meals Included
13 breakfasts, 11 lunches, 11 dinners
What's Included
Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Natural History Museum Visit, Ulaanbaatar Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Erdene Zhu Buddhist Monastery Entrance Visit, Kharkhorin Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Goat & Sheep Family Farm Experience, Orkhon Valley Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Nomadic Family Desert Experience, Khongoryn Els Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Archery Lesson & Show, Khongoryn Els Your G for Good Moment: Cafe No Limits Visit, Ulaanbaatar Your Wellness Moment: Tsenkher Hot Springs Visit, Tsenkher. Arrival transfer. Ulaanbaatar city tour. Visit Khustai National Park. Visit the archaeological museum. Soak in hot springs. Hike to Tuvkhun Monastery. Orkhon waterfall hike. Visit Hoshuu and Ongiin Khiid monasteries. Flaming Cliffs excursion. Gobi desert excursion and dune hike. Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park excursion. Folklore show with dinner. All transport between destinations and to/from included activities.
- Bucket List
- National Geographic Journeys
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ID: 8425239
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ID: 8260502
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ID: 8425241
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ID: 8695650
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ID: 8695648
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In Asia the dress standard is more conservative than it is back home. When packing try to pick loose, lightweight, long clothing that will keep you cool in the day and can be layered in cool evenings. In predominately Buddhist countries we ask that you dress respectfully and avoid very short shorts/skirts and singlets/tanktops when visiting temples or other holy sites.
Meals
Eating is a big part of traveling. Travelling with G Adventures you experience the vast array of wonderful food that is available out in the world. Generally meals are not included in the trip price when there is a choice of eating options, to give you the maximum flexibility in deciding where, what and with whom to eat. It also gives you more budgeting flexibility, though generally food is cheap. Our groups tend to eat together to enable you to taste a larger variety of dishes and enjoy each other's company. There is no obligation to do this though. Your CEO will be able to suggest favourite restaurants during your trip. Included breakfasts will usually be asian style consisting of noodles or congee (rice porridge) or bread and eggs. Vegetarians will be able to find a range of different foods, although in some areas the choice maybe limited. While trekking in remote regions food is included, plentiful and made of fresh local ingredients. For all trips please refer to the meals included and budget information for included meals and meal budgets.
Optional Activities
No optional activities
What to Take
We suggest that you pack as lightly as possible as your are expected to carry your own luggage and this trip covers a lot of ground. As a rule we try not to have to walk more than 15-20 mintues with your bags which is why we recommend keeping the weight of your bags between 10-15kg/22-30lb. Hard suitcases are not recommended, most travellers carry a backpack or rolling bag of small to medium size (no XXL ones please!). You will also need a day pack/bag to carry water, cameras and other electronics like ipods and mobile phones.
Group Leader Description
All G Adventures group trips are accompanied by one of our Chief Experience Officers (CEO). The aim of the CEO is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. They will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the countries visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious and social aspects. We also use local guides where we think more specific knowledge will add to the enjoyment of the places we are visiting - we think it's the best of both worlds.
Change the world just by having the time of your life.
We have always believed in the life-changing power of travel, but for that power to exist we need to travel the right way. Since the very beginning, G Adventures’ vision for travelling responsibly has meant giving back as much — if not more — than what you take away. Yes, travel should be incredibly fun (have you been on one of our tours?), but we also believe travel needs to be a force for good. For you, for local communities around the world, and for the world itself — we call it “community tourism.” See how we do it below.
A lot of companies use “sustainability” or “sustainable travel” to talk about exploring the world in a better way, but we’ve never been ones to follow in others’ footsteps or borrow out-dated ideas. Our commitment to making travel a force for good is different — so we call it G for Good.
It stands for all of the social, environmental, and ethical good we create as a business which helps to fuel community tourism. Which is… you ask? It means our tours are built on meaningful relationships with local communities and directly benefit the people and places we visit. Today, our definition of community tourism means that the communities we positively impact ripples far beyond these destinations, to include our employees, supplier and agent partners, small business owners, customers, social followers, and travellers like you.
G for Good is what makes us, us. With your help, we can make travel the force for good we’ve known it can be since our company was established over three decades ago.
Animal Welfare
G Adventures recognizes the importance of animal welfare. That’s why we have worked with experts from World Animal Protection, The Jane Goodall Institute and The World Cetacean Alliance to draw up a robust policy, which builds on the ABTA Global Welfare Guidelines for Animals in Tourism and puts the needs of animals first. We want to ensure that all animals featured on our tours are treated humanely.
Child Welfare
It is critical that no child is ever harmed as a result of tourism. Travellers have the power and responsibility to make a true impact in the communities they visit, and that’s why we actively work to ensure child welfare is protected in the places we operate. We were also the first global travel company to achieve Friend’s International ChildSafe certification.
Climate Action
With all the good global travel does for local communities, it’s an unfortunate truth that the industry produces environmentally harmful carbon dioxide. That’s why we signed the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism and got to work on halving our carbon footprint by 2030. Want to know exactly how we and our travellers are going about it? Read on to review our full Climate-Biodiversity Action Plan.
Respecting local cultures
Connecting curious travellers with Indigenous communities is an essential part of our identity at G Adventures. We are committed to respecting the rights, history, and culture of Indigenous people while ensuring that tourism supports their well-being.
Go. Grow. Love.
Trees for Days, our latest initiative in partnership with Planeterra and Reforest, aims to spread love around the world — with trees! For each and every day a traveller is on an adventure with us, we grow a tree in their name. Armed with trees and a shovel, our mission is simple: to help communities around the world adapt to the growing impacts of climate change. Want to help spread the love with your very own grove of trees? All you need to do is book a trip — we’ll take care of the rest.
How do we spread love with trees? It’s easy.
With help from our partners, we work with local communities to grow and maintain our trees. Here’s how the magic unfolds:
You go on an adventure
As soon as your trip is booked and paid for, we start sourcing your tree bundle — one tree is grown for every day of your travels.
We grow your trees
Our reforesting process gets underway! We grow, maintain, and make sure your trees have all the love they need to thrive in their new environment.
Watch your love unfold
Want to see the difference you’re making? Log in to your G Adventures account to track how many trees you have grown, where they live and, if you’re in the mood, add a few more to your grove!
Why travel with G Adventures?
We’ve been the leaders in small group adventure travel for 30+ years. How’d we get here? By listening to our travellers and giving them what they want: flexible itineraries, freedom to explore, smaller groups, safety and peace of mind, and locally based guides who show you your destination in a way you’d miss travelling any other way. What does the future of travel look like? This.
Dream big. Travel small.
The trip of your dreams doesn’t need a Hollywood-sized budget or years of planning. Simply join a small group of like-minded travellers that, like you, are eager to experience all the things that make our world worth exploring.
Join 10-to-12-ish fellow adventurers.
We keep our groups small to create a sense of camaraderie and allow for closer connections to the places and people you visit. Most of our land tours have no more than 16 travellers and usually average 10-12 people.
Solo travellers, step right up
All our trips are solo-traveller-friendly, so you can enjoy the safety, support, and camaraderie we’re known for, even if you’re travelling alone. To keep costs fair, we’ll pair you with a same-sex roommate, or you can upgrade to My Own Room. Want trips exclusively for solo travellers? Check out our Solo-ish Adventures, designed for connection and packed with extra solo perks.
You’re going to need a smaller boat.
If you’re more the sea-faring type, we’d love to welcome you aboard any of the intimate vessels in our fleet. Whether you’re venturing to the Antarctic on the G Expedition or floating down French canals on a river barge, our ships carry a smaller number of passengers so you can enjoy your journey with plenty of room while still making connections.
Our guides are all CEOs.
At G Adventures, we don’t have tour guides — we have Chief Experience Officers. Our founder, Bruce Poon Tip, gave up his title as CEO because he felt they needed a proper title to reflect how integral they are to giving you an exceptional travel experience. (But don’t worry, they won’t be using any office attire or business jargon.)
Locally based = local experts.
Our CEOs are locally based, meaning they know the area you’re exploring like the back of their well-travelled hand. They plan visits around the best times to visit (or avoid) the most popular spots, can help you choose local restaurants, and generally give you great tips on the best things to experience. And since they usually speak the local language, they are your go-to resource for anything that comes up.
Local support. All. The. Time.
All CEOs are supported by our local operations teams 24/7. If something comes up that your CEO can’t help you with (however unlikely that is), the team nearby is there to support them in keeping you safe and happy.
Your experience is their focus.
We want you to have the time of your life — that’s why we hire the smartest, friendliest, bestest CEOs around. It’s their mission to make sure you return home feeling like your life has truly been changed.
Travel like you live there.
Since our very first tour, our goal has been to connect travellers with local communities on a deeper level. These connections go beyond personal ones to help give back to the wider community of your destination and ensure the people who live there get as much as they give. Changing the world is easy — all you have to do is have the time of your life.
You stay local. So does your money.
Multi-floor, thousand-room hotel behemoths? Not on our tours.
We go for the connections, charm, and authenticity that can only be found in local accommodations, transport, and restaurants. This also allows us to stay at smaller hotels and eat at restaurants with fewer people. Plus, using local service providers helps support the local economy and the people that make the places we travel so special.
Giving back through community tourism.
We’ve been pioneers of community tourism since the day we started. But what is that? It means we have always created our tours by building meaningful relationships with local communities, directly benefiting the people and places we visit, including Indigenous peoples, women, youth — anyone who has traditionally been marginalized or undervalued. Today, our definition has grown: the communities we impact ripples far beyond our destinations. To us, it includes our employees, supplier and agent partners, small business owners, customers, social followers, and travellers just like you. There's incredible power in being part of something bigger than yourself. Want in?
In Asia the dress standard is more conservative than it is back home. When packing try to pick loose, lightweight, long clothing that will keep you cool in the day and can be layered in cool evenings. In predominately Buddhist countries we ask that you dress respectfully and avoid very short shorts/skirts and singlets/tanktops when visiting temples or other holy sites.
Meals
Eating is a big part of traveling. Travelling with G Adventures you experience the vast array of wonderful food that is available out in the world. Generally meals are not included in the trip price when there is a choice of eating options, to give you the maximum flexibility in deciding where, what and with whom to eat. It also gives you more budgeting flexibility, though generally food is cheap. Our groups tend to eat together to enable you to taste a larger variety of dishes and enjoy each other's company. There is no obligation to do this though. Your CEO will be able to suggest favourite restaurants during your trip. Included breakfasts will usually be asian style consisting of noodles or congee (rice porridge) or bread and eggs. Vegetarians will be able to find a range of different foods, although in some areas the choice maybe limited. While trekking in remote regions food is included, plentiful and made of fresh local ingredients. For all trips please refer to the meals included and budget information for included meals and meal budgets.
Optional Activities
No optional activities
What to Take
We suggest that you pack as lightly as possible as your are expected to carry your own luggage and this trip covers a lot of ground. As a rule we try not to have to walk more than 15-20 mintues with your bags which is why we recommend keeping the weight of your bags between 10-15kg/22-30lb. Hard suitcases are not recommended, most travellers carry a backpack or rolling bag of small to medium size (no XXL ones please!). You will also need a day pack/bag to carry water, cameras and other electronics like ipods and mobile phones.
Group Leader Description
All G Adventures group trips are accompanied by one of our Chief Experience Officers (CEO). The aim of the CEO is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. They will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the countries visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious and social aspects. We also use local guides where we think more specific knowledge will add to the enjoyment of the places we are visiting - we think it's the best of both worlds.
Change the world just by having the time of your life.
We have always believed in the life-changing power of travel, but for that power to exist we need to travel the right way. Since the very beginning, G Adventures’ vision for travelling responsibly has meant giving back as much — if not more — than what you take away. Yes, travel should be incredibly fun (have you been on one of our tours?), but we also believe travel needs to be a force for good. For you, for local communities around the world, and for the world itself — we call it “community tourism.” See how we do it below.
A lot of companies use “sustainability” or “sustainable travel” to talk about exploring the world in a better way, but we’ve never been ones to follow in others’ footsteps or borrow out-dated ideas. Our commitment to making travel a force for good is different — so we call it G for Good.
It stands for all of the social, environmental, and ethical good we create as a business which helps to fuel community tourism. Which is… you ask? It means our tours are built on meaningful relationships with local communities and directly benefit the people and places we visit. Today, our definition of community tourism means that the communities we positively impact ripples far beyond these destinations, to include our employees, supplier and agent partners, small business owners, customers, social followers, and travellers like you.
G for Good is what makes us, us. With your help, we can make travel the force for good we’ve known it can be since our company was established over three decades ago.
Animal Welfare
G Adventures recognizes the importance of animal welfare. That’s why we have worked with experts from World Animal Protection, The Jane Goodall Institute and The World Cetacean Alliance to draw up a robust policy, which builds on the ABTA Global Welfare Guidelines for Animals in Tourism and puts the needs of animals first. We want to ensure that all animals featured on our tours are treated humanely.
Child Welfare
It is critical that no child is ever harmed as a result of tourism. Travellers have the power and responsibility to make a true impact in the communities they visit, and that’s why we actively work to ensure child welfare is protected in the places we operate. We were also the first global travel company to achieve Friend’s International ChildSafe certification.
Climate Action
With all the good global travel does for local communities, it’s an unfortunate truth that the industry produces environmentally harmful carbon dioxide. That’s why we signed the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism and got to work on halving our carbon footprint by 2030. Want to know exactly how we and our travellers are going about it? Read on to review our full Climate-Biodiversity Action Plan.
Respecting local cultures
Connecting curious travellers with Indigenous communities is an essential part of our identity at G Adventures. We are committed to respecting the rights, history, and culture of Indigenous people while ensuring that tourism supports their well-being.
Go. Grow. Love.
Trees for Days, our latest initiative in partnership with Planeterra and Reforest, aims to spread love around the world — with trees! For each and every day a traveller is on an adventure with us, we grow a tree in their name. Armed with trees and a shovel, our mission is simple: to help communities around the world adapt to the growing impacts of climate change. Want to help spread the love with your very own grove of trees? All you need to do is book a trip — we’ll take care of the rest.
How do we spread love with trees? It’s easy.
With help from our partners, we work with local communities to grow and maintain our trees. Here’s how the magic unfolds:
You go on an adventure
As soon as your trip is booked and paid for, we start sourcing your tree bundle — one tree is grown for every day of your travels.
We grow your trees
Our reforesting process gets underway! We grow, maintain, and make sure your trees have all the love they need to thrive in their new environment.
Watch your love unfold
Want to see the difference you’re making? Log in to your G Adventures account to track how many trees you have grown, where they live and, if you’re in the mood, add a few more to your grove!
Why travel with G Adventures?
We’ve been the leaders in small group adventure travel for 30+ years. How’d we get here? By listening to our travellers and giving them what they want: flexible itineraries, freedom to explore, smaller groups, safety and peace of mind, and locally based guides who show you your destination in a way you’d miss travelling any other way. What does the future of travel look like? This.
Dream big. Travel small.
The trip of your dreams doesn’t need a Hollywood-sized budget or years of planning. Simply join a small group of like-minded travellers that, like you, are eager to experience all the things that make our world worth exploring.
Join 10-to-12-ish fellow adventurers.
We keep our groups small to create a sense of camaraderie and allow for closer connections to the places and people you visit. Most of our land tours have no more than 16 travellers and usually average 10-12 people.
Solo travellers, step right up
All our trips are solo-traveller-friendly, so you can enjoy the safety, support, and camaraderie we’re known for, even if you’re travelling alone. To keep costs fair, we’ll pair you with a same-sex roommate, or you can upgrade to My Own Room. Want trips exclusively for solo travellers? Check out our Solo-ish Adventures, designed for connection and packed with extra solo perks.
You’re going to need a smaller boat.
If you’re more the sea-faring type, we’d love to welcome you aboard any of the intimate vessels in our fleet. Whether you’re venturing to the Antarctic on the G Expedition or floating down French canals on a river barge, our ships carry a smaller number of passengers so you can enjoy your journey with plenty of room while still making connections.
Our guides are all CEOs.
At G Adventures, we don’t have tour guides — we have Chief Experience Officers. Our founder, Bruce Poon Tip, gave up his title as CEO because he felt they needed a proper title to reflect how integral they are to giving you an exceptional travel experience. (But don’t worry, they won’t be using any office attire or business jargon.)
Locally based = local experts.
Our CEOs are locally based, meaning they know the area you’re exploring like the back of their well-travelled hand. They plan visits around the best times to visit (or avoid) the most popular spots, can help you choose local restaurants, and generally give you great tips on the best things to experience. And since they usually speak the local language, they are your go-to resource for anything that comes up.
Local support. All. The. Time.
All CEOs are supported by our local operations teams 24/7. If something comes up that your CEO can’t help you with (however unlikely that is), the team nearby is there to support them in keeping you safe and happy.
Your experience is their focus.
We want you to have the time of your life — that’s why we hire the smartest, friendliest, bestest CEOs around. It’s their mission to make sure you return home feeling like your life has truly been changed.
Travel like you live there.
Since our very first tour, our goal has been to connect travellers with local communities on a deeper level. These connections go beyond personal ones to help give back to the wider community of your destination and ensure the people who live there get as much as they give. Changing the world is easy — all you have to do is have the time of your life.
You stay local. So does your money.
Multi-floor, thousand-room hotel behemoths? Not on our tours.
We go for the connections, charm, and authenticity that can only be found in local accommodations, transport, and restaurants. This also allows us to stay at smaller hotels and eat at restaurants with fewer people. Plus, using local service providers helps support the local economy and the people that make the places we travel so special.
Giving back through community tourism.
We’ve been pioneers of community tourism since the day we started. But what is that? It means we have always created our tours by building meaningful relationships with local communities, directly benefiting the people and places we visit, including Indigenous peoples, women, youth — anyone who has traditionally been marginalized or undervalued. Today, our definition has grown: the communities we impact ripples far beyond our destinations. To us, it includes our employees, supplier and agent partners, small business owners, customers, social followers, and travellers just like you. There's incredible power in being part of something bigger than yourself. Want in?
About G Adventures
Learn More About G Adventures
We’ve been the leaders in small group adventure travel for 30+ years. How’d we get here? By listening to our travellers and giving them what they want: flexible itineraries, freedom to explore, smaller groups, safety and peace of mind, and locally based guides who show you your destination in a way you’d miss travelling any other way.
The trip of your dreams doesn’t need a Hollywood-sized budget or years of planning. Simply join a small group of like-minded travellers that, like you, are eager to experience all the things that make our world worth exploring.
Our guides are all CEOs.
At G Adventures, we don’t have tour guides — we have Chief Experience Officers. Our founder, Bruce Poon Tip, gave up his title as CEO because he felt they needed a proper title to reflect how integral they are to giving you an exceptional travel experience. (But don’t worry, they won’t be using any office attire or business jargon.)
Locally based = local experts.
Our CEOs are locally based, meaning they know the area you’re exploring like the back of their well-travelled hand. They plan visits around the best times to visit (or avoid) the most popular spots, can help you choose local restaurants, and generally give you great tips on the best things to experience. And since they usually speak the local language, they are your go-to resource for anything that comes up.
Local support. All. The. Time.
All CEOs are supported by our local operations teams 24/7. If something comes up that your CEO can’t help you with (however unlikely that is), the team nearby is there to support them in keeping you safe and happy.
Your experience is their focus.
We want you to have the time of your life — that’s why we hire the smartest, friendliest, bestest CEOs around. It’s their mission to make sure you return home feeling like your life has truly been changed.
About G Adventures
We’ve been the leaders in small group adventure travel for 30+ years. How’d we get here? By listening to our travellers and giving them what they want: flexible itineraries, freedom to explore, smaller groups, safety and peace of mind, and locally based guides who show you your destination in a way you’d miss travelling any other way.
The trip of your dreams doesn’t need a Hollywood-sized budget or years of planning. Simply join a small group of like-minded travellers that, like you, are eager to experience all the things that make our world worth exploring.
Our guides are all CEOs.
At G Adventures, we don’t have tour guides — we have Chief Experience Officers. Our founder, Bruce Poon Tip, gave up his title as CEO because he felt they needed a proper title to reflect how integral they are to giving you an exceptional travel experience. (But don’t worry, they won’t be using any office attire or business jargon.)
Locally based = local experts.
Our CEOs are locally based, meaning they know the area you’re exploring like the back of their well-travelled hand. They plan visits around the best times to visit (or avoid) the most popular spots, can help you choose local restaurants, and generally give you great tips on the best things to experience. And since they usually speak the local language, they are your go-to resource for anything that comes up.
Local support. All. The. Time.
All CEOs are supported by our local operations teams 24/7. If something comes up that your CEO can’t help you with (however unlikely that is), the team nearby is there to support them in keeping you safe and happy.
Your experience is their focus.
We want you to have the time of your life — that’s why we hire the smartest, friendliest, bestest CEOs around. It’s their mission to make sure you return home feeling like your life has truly been changed.
