Itinerary - 16 Days of adventure ---- $ 5700
Days 1 & 2 — U.S./Beijing, China
Depart on an overnight flight to Beijing. Gather for a welcome dinner, and, if you wish, take a guided walking tour afterward to see Tiananmen Square at night.
The Regent Beijing (D)
Day 3 — Beijing/Inner Mongolia
Spend the day discovering Beijing’s historic and modern icons. Begin in Tiananmen Square, and continue to the Forbidden City, seat of the Ming and Qing emperors. Hop into a pedicab for a tour of the city’s ancient hutong neighborhoods, and later visit the stunning symbols of the 2008 Olympics: the Bird’s Nest and the Water Cube. This evening, begin the first leg of our journey to the Chinese/Mongolian border aboard sleeper train.
Day 4 — Erenhot/The Gobi Desert
Pull into Erenhot, a border town where the rail tracks change to the wider Soviet gauge. The Tsar’s Gold, our private train for the remainder of our journey, awaits us here. Stop in at the colorful town market before settling into your cabin. Take in the ever changing landscapes of the Gobi as the train heads toward Ulaanbaatar.
Tsar’s Gold
Day 5 — Ulaanbaatar
Visit the National Museum of Mongolian History, trace the history of Genghis Khan, and explore the culture of the steppe nomad. Meander through the beautiful Gandan Monastery, which narrowly escaped total destruction during the Soviet era. This evening, enjoy a performance of Mongolian throat singing and traditional dance. Spend the night at our centrally located hotel.
Ulaanbaatar accommodation.
Day 6 — Ulaanbaatar
Today, venture into the legendary steppe. Visit the recently unveiled enormous equestrian statue of Genghis Khan, and gaze at the sweeping vistas from atop the statue. Watch a demonstration of Mongolian horseback riding before boarding the Tsar’s Gold for the journey to Russia tonight on sleeper train.
Day 1 Ulaanbaatar
Arrive in Ulaanbaatar and transfer to a three or four star hotel. Check in. City tour of Ulaanbaatar if the time permits. (Gandan Monastery, Bogd Gegeen Winter Palace, Natural History Museum). Folk performance in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 2 Baga Gazariin Chuluu
After an early breakfast leave UB. On the way to the Gobi visit Baga Gazriin Chuluu Lake and the ruins of Sum Khukh Burd Temple. Overnight in traditional Mongolian gers at our Middle Gobi camp.
Day 3 South Gobi/ Flaming cliffs
Breakfast at the camp. Continue driving towards the South Gobi. On the way visit Sangiin Dalai Temple in Erdenedalai, one of the few monasteries and temples to survive the communist purges in 1930s.
Arrive at our camp in the South Gobi and explore the world famous Flaming Cliffs (Bayan Zag), the Gobi Dinosaurs Cemetery and the trail of paleontologist Roy Chapman Andrews. Dinner and overnight.
Day 4 South Gobi/ National Park Yol Valley
Breakfast at the camp.Drive to National Park Yol Valley. Full day excursion to Yol Valley (Eagle Valley) National Park for hiking and an opportunity to photograph the stunning landscape, the Gobi Glacier and the local wildlife. Picnic lunch in the Yolyn Am National Park. Spend the afternoon hiking or relaxing. Return to the camp and overnight.
Day 5 South Gobi/ Khongor Sand Dune
After breakfast drive to Khongor sand dunes known as Singing dunes. Packed lunch on the way. Visit and possibly claim up to Mongolia’s biggest sand dune. Dinner and overnight in Ger camp.
Day 6 Ongyn Khiid
After breakfast drive to north. Stop for the night in a ger camp near Ongyn Khiid. Visit local small temple museum. Dinner and overnight in the ger camp.
Day 7 Karakorum
Breakfast at our campsite. Continue driving to Karakorum. Arrive at Karakorum in the afternoon. Overnight at our ger camp.
Day 8 Bayangobi
Early breakfast at the camp. Visit Erdene-Zuu, once one of the largest monasteries in Mongolia and almost destroyed in the 1930s. Tour of the monastery grounds and several chapels with excellent examples of Buddhist iconography dating from the 16th century. Visit the symbolic ruins of Karakorum, the 13th century capital of the Mongol Empire. Drive to Bayan Gobi. Explore the area and visit the Uvgunt Monastery. Overnight at the Ger camp.
Day 9 Ulaanbaatar
Breakfast at the camp. Drive to Ulaanbaatar and transfer to the hotel. Folk performance in the evening. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 10 Departure
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to railway station for departure.
Treasures of the Middle Gobi: Zorgol Hairkhan mountain is composed of granite rock, being part of the Mongolian Granite Belt. The mountain has an elevation of 1,686 meters above sea l
Day 7 — Ulan Ude, Russia
The train rolls through the valley of the Selenge River, which flows into Lake Baikal. Stop in Ulan Ude, the capital of the Buryat Republic and once a major trading post between China and Irkutsk. See the original wooden Siberian houses of the merchant quarter, and watch a performance of Buryat music and dance.
Tsar’s Gold (B,L,D)
Day 8 — Lake Baikal
Arrive at beautiful Lake Baikal, called the “sacred sea” by locals and named a World Heritage site by UNESCO. The lake basin holds about 20 percent of the world’s unfrozen fresh water. Our train route hugs the rocky shores and passes through 33 tunnels. Take in spectacular views from the train and stop for a barbecue on the shore.
Tsar’s Gold (B,L,D)
Day 9 — Irkutsk
Today, explore Irkutsk, an important Siberian outpost established in 1652. In the early 19th century, many Russian artists, officers, and nobles were exiled here for their involvement in the Decembrist revolt. Visit the city’s historic sights, and enjoy a private concert and champagne reception. Then wander through a delightful collection of authentic Russian and Siberian cottages at the outdoor Museum of Wooden Architecture. End the day with a boat ride on Lake Baikal, dinner at a local restaurant, and an overnight stay at our hotel.
Baikal Business Center (B,L,D)
Days 10 & 11 — On Train/Novosibirsk
Embark the train again this morning and enjoy a day to relax on board, taking in stunning scenery as the vast Siberian taiga unfurls. If you wish, sample traditional Russian vodka during a tasting on board. The following day, stop in Novosibirsk, Siberia’s largest city, to see the opera house and Lenin Square.
Tsar's Gold (B,L,D daily)
Day 12 — Yekaterinburg
Arrive in Yekaterinburg, where Russia’s last tsar, Nicholas II, and his family were executed by the Bolsheviks in 1918. Visit the Romanov execution site, view the city’s ornately decorated wooden houses, and stop by a monument marking the border between Europe and Asia.
Tsar’s Gold (B,L,D)
Day 13 — Kazan
Spend the day in Kazan, perched on the banks of the Volga River. Tour the city’s kremlin, the Qol Sharif Mosque, and the Peter and Paul Cathedral. Set off on a short cruise on the Volga before our train departs on the final leg of our journey.
Tsar’s Gold (B,L,D)
Days 14 & 15 — Moscow
Disembark in Moscow and check into our hotel, just across from the Kremlin. Head out on a city tour, and, after dinner at a local restaurant, take a guided stroll through Red Square at night. Spend the following morning at the legendary Kremlin. Visit St. Basil’s Cathedral, and view court regalia from the Romanov dynasty at the Armory Museum. After lunch, descend into Stalin’s secret bunker, built deep under the city in the 1930s. Toast our adventure at a farewell dinner tonight.
Moscow Marriott Royal Aurora (B,L,D daily)
Day 16 — Moscow/U.S.
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight home.
