Duration
13 days / 12 nights
Distance
620km Total
Difficulty
Moderate to Hard – 11 days of cycling
Price
Per person – £1,600
≥ 2 people £1,400
≥ 4 people £1,300
Dates
2nd to 14th June 2024
Introduction
With local guides and drivers, we have put together this 13 day cycling epic, linking some of Central Mongolia’s most iconic landmarks and destinations. From ancient cities to extinct volcanoes, this trip aims to capture the very best of Mongolian culture as well as scenery. The ride is fully supported with a guide, drivers and a cook so you can focus on enjoying what’s on offer. This is the first time we have run this trip and to our knowledge, no one else is offering a trip like it. This is a real adventure made possible by our links with experienced off-road drivers and guides who it is a real privilege to be working with. We hope you will join us on what is going to be an epic ride to remember!
Day 1. Airport transfer and city tour.
Day 2. Drive to Kharkhorin and visit Mini Gobi and Ancient City.
Day 3-4. Cycling in the mountains around the UNESCO World Heritage of the Orkon Valley, stopping at waterfalls and hot springs.
Day 5-6. Picking up dirt roads to the extinct Volcano Mount Khorgo and stop at TaiKhar Rock a 20m tall gnarled granite rock that stands in a huge rolling hills.
Day 7-9. Following rivers down wide valleys, nestled between tall mountains and find little-used mountain passes in natural paradises.
Day 10-11. Vast vistas of green rolling hills on the Eastern Steppe. Typical Mongolia landscapes and great cycling.
Day 12. 150km downstream from our start point on the Orkon River we have almost come full circle as we head upstream to Ugii lake where we will end out trip.
Day 13. Return to the capital Ulaanbaatar to explore the “Black Market” and have one last meal together.
Per person – £1,600
≥ 2 people £1,400
≥ 4 people £1,300
Full Itinerary
Arrival, Deserts and Ancient Cities
Day 1. Airport transfer to your hotel and relax. Today we have an easy city tour of Gandan Monastery and Natural History Museum to allow you some time to settle in to the new time zone.
Day 2. A short drive to the Mini Gobi or Bayan Gobi to the locals. The Bayan Gobi is an offshoot of the larger Gobi Desert and is home to many camels and wildlife typical of the larger Gobi Desert. After a stop at the Mini Gobi, we will continue to Khar Korum (Mongolia’s Ancient Capital) the location of “The Great Kuriltai” the meeting of clans that elected Chinggis Khan to supreme Khan. At Khar Korum your guide will give you a tour of the history of the colourful Erdene Zuu Monastery Mongolia’s second most important Buddhist Monastery in Mongolia. In the late afternoon, we will reach the Orkon Valley the start point of our cycle. The valley is famous for its beauty and cultural relevance being listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site due to its representation of nomadic pastoral traditions. Our camp is roughly 24km up the valley after leaving the road and you are welcome to start your cycle here.
Cycle Starts
Day 3. Today is the first full day of cycling and it is a beauty. We aim to cover about 63km heading up the Orkon Valley. We will stop at our first iconic natural landmark on the cycle, the Ulaan Tsutgalan (Red Waterfall). It is Mongolia’s largest waterfall at a height of 20m tall and 10m wide. The waterfall seems to come out of nowhere as gentle slops suddenly drop off a cliff making for a naturally impressive site. We aim to have lunch here and then continue up the valley and into the mountains to camp at the confluence of the Orkon and one of its tributaries.
Ride target: 62.7km Elevation gain/loss: 717m / -435m
Day 4. Following the tributary North we leave the Orkon River behind and find a steep mountain pass which we will cross to find yet another naturally beautiful river valley. The pass has a track often used by mining vehicles making it manageable by bike and an ideal spot for us to cross the mountains. The rest of the day will be spent riding down the gentle slopes of this valley until we reach the Tsenkher and its natural hot springs where we will spend the evening.
Ride target: 70.7km Elevation gain/loss: 792m / -929m
The Road to Khorgo Mountain
Day 5. Heading up the Tsenker Valley we leave the hot springs behind for rolling hills and crisscrossing rivers. The first half of the day will be off-road until we reach the town of Tsetserleg where we will join the road and stop for lunch and to explore the town and shops. After lunch, we will take the North road over the Bulgan Uul range to TaiKhar Rock a 20m tall gnarled granite rock that stands in a huge expanse of flatland and rolling hills. The rock is associated with many local legends and is believed to make you rich if you throw a rock onto its top. We will camp here tonight either by the river or at a local Ger camp.
Ride target: 59.4km Elevation gain/loss: 882m / -998m
Day 6. Today we continue along the compacted dirt road which is common for even this frequently used route to a popular destination. We have a couple of smaller ranges of mountains to cross on our way to Khorgo but they are more kin to rolling hills with long gentle slopes than the mountains we have crossed before. This type of terrain is common in Central Mongolia and will give you an appreciation of just own vast and sparsely populated this country is. We aim to camp at the second of the rolling ranges to give us a long and gentle downhill to Khorgo in the morning.
Ride target: 59.2km Elevation gain/loss: 1016m / -636m
Khorgo Mountain and onwards
Day 7. Starting the day with a beautiful downhill ride we should make quick progress to the valley of Khorgo mountain where we will hop in the support vehicles to get to the mountain up the valley. This easy day of riding will give us plenty of time to explore the surrounding volcanic landscapes and if your legs are up for it climb the extinct volcano to peer into its crater. After lunch, we will head back to where we entered the valley and follow the wide river valley in an area known throughout the country for its beauty.
Ride target: 64km Elevation gain/loss: 568m / -926m
Day 8. After camping by the river, we continued cycling along its banks for another 20km. There are no major settlements in this region and we are not likely to see very many people this far from the major attraction of Mount Khorgo. We are likely to see even fewer still as we pick up a tributary that will help us navigate to the next mountain pass. The region leading up to and after the pass is a secluded paradise of fresh mountain streams and wood-covered mountains. It is a beautiful area and we will find a suitable place to camp on the other side still among the wood-covered hills.
Ride target: 57.3km Elevation gain/loss: 1203m / -982m
Day 9. An easy start to the day with a downhill over gently sloping hills and incredible scenery. Just over halfway through our ride we will reach the small town of Ulziit on the Khanui River. We will have some time to explore this small regional hub before continuing East along the dirt roads to find our camp for the night.
Ride target: 63.7km Elevation gain/loss: 463m / -824m
The way to Ugii Lake
Day 10. A day of stunning views, rolling hills and meandering rivers. This region will make you feel tiny as a vast green expanse stretches to our north and we hug the rolling hills and mountains crossing over rivers and streams on our journey East. These landscapes are why we come to places like this to cycle. There is almost no one around, beautiful nature is all around us and it is an easy enjoyable cycle.
Ride target: 60.3km Elevation gain/loss: 595m / -715m
Day 11. Another day of rolling hills and distant vistas as we head South on our penultimate day of cycling. We will spend most of the day cycling along a dirt road through the hills. The road runs parallel to the Orkon River, the river we started our cycle by following upstream and into the mountains. We are now over 150km downstream from where we started this cycle and here the river meanders and splits over a vast plain. The road we now follow runs 15 kilometres west of the river but by the end of the day, we will be reunited with it at the town of Khushuut. After an exploration of Khushuut and a stop at the coffee shop, we will head over the bridge and find a suitable place to camp beside the river.
Ride target: 57km Elevation gain/loss: 533m / -623m
Return to the Orkon and visit Ugii Lake
Day 12. This region of the Orkon Valley is historically significant in Mongolia. The fertile plains and large rivers that flow into the Orkon here allow the area to support a far larger population of people and livestock. On today’s ride, you will be able to get an appreciation for why many Mongolian Khans chose this plain to raise armies or discuss succession. We will hug the river for most of the day only straying slightly from its banks to explore the Tsaidam Lakes and eventually our finishing line on the shores of Lake Ugii, where we will spend the night in one of the many Ger camps.
Ride target: 52.7km Elevation gain/loss: 684m / -630m
Back to Ulaanbaatar
Day 13. From Ulgii Lake it is a 5-hour drive back to the capital Ulaanbaatar. Once we have returned we will have some time to visit the famous Black Market (just the name) to look for souvenirs and gifts for loved ones. Mongolia is the second biggest producer of cashmere and the country boasts many forms of traditional crafts. Depending on our onward travel plans we will arrange for a final big meal with everyone to say our goodbyes. Our drivers or your guide will be available to provide lifts to the Airport today and the following day should you need them.
Tour Details
Ger camping: The traditional Mongolian yurt is called a Ger and we will be staying in Ger camps or with nomadic people in Gers a various points during the tour. The Ger is the perfect home for a nomad as it can be taken down and erected incredibly quickly providing shelter from the winds of the steppe. Gers are incredibly well insulated and there is often a wood burner in the middle for cooking and keeping the Ger warm
Wild camping/Temperature: For most of our ride we will we will be wild camping. Mongolia is completely free to roam meaning we can make anywhere our home for the night. There are some beautiful spots to choose from; next to rivers, lakes and at the foot of mountains. This time of year day daytime temperatures tend to range between 20℃ and 30℃ but the weather can be variable on the Steppe. Nights are beautiful and filled with stars in Mongolia. The low light pollution and high average altitude of the country make it one of the best places in the Northern hemisphere to see the night sky but these two things combined with potential cold northern wind from Siberia can make nights very cold even in summer. Temperatures can be as low as 5℃ but tend to be around 10-15℃ so we recommend bringing a sleeping bag and roll mat suitable for 3 to 4 seasons just incase.
Cycling: The route we will be taking is a mixture of gently sloping steppe land and mountains. The terrain is perfect for cycling, there are a few steep climbs to keep it challenging but most of the ranges we are crossing are more kin to big rolling hills with long down hills. Bicycle hire is included in the price, although you are welcome to bring your own. If you do choose to bring your own please let us know so we can discuss if it is suitable for the terrain (more details in roads below) and we may be able to reduce the trip price for you.
Roads: Most of the cycling will be on dirt tracks. In fact, most roads in Mongolia even the main ones are dirt tracks. You tend to only see tarmac on the road between the main province capitals and sometimes in larger towns. Due to the low annual rainfall, low population density and even lower number of motorised vehicles there isn’t much need for tarmac. Instead on popular routes, there can be many lanes of tyre tracks each one compacting the dirt to form a rudimentary highway. These dirt tracks do make it easier to cycle across Mongolia’s remote terrain but we do recommend suitable off-road bikes such as gravel or mountain bikes if you are bringing your own.
Distances and targets: This is the first time we have run this tour and we are confident that it is easily completed, for a relatively fit individual who enjoys cycling holidays. That being said we have been conservative with the distance covered each day and have planned for a degree of flexibility when it comes to distances and routes. We want you to get the most out of your experience and see as much of Mongolia as you can, because of this you can see ride targets as minimum targets rather than hard stop lines. If everyone in the group is happily smashing out the kilometres and you want to continue on we have thought through alternative campsites and extra routes we can do. Ultimately it all depends on you.
Support team: We will be visiting sites and areas with historical and geographical interest so we will be joined by a trained tour guide. In addition to a guide, we will have two drivers and a cook to prepare all our meals. The drivers are there for our safety, providing support for minor and even major injuries. They will also take any bags or equipment you want them to carry, allowing us to cover more distance and see more of Mongolia. We have two as a logistical minimum due to the remote nature of travel in Mongolia but this also allows us some flexibility to split into two groups as long as we can remain in communication. For large groups, we will hire additional drivers, guides and cooks to provide an advanced peloton and pack group. Our cook will prepare 3 meals a day for you. We can make a group decision about how traditional you want to go with meals but many Mongolians, particularly in the city are familiar with and can prepare a range of world cuisines.
Nature ♦♦♦♦◊
Culture and people ♦♦♦◊◊
Adventure ♦♦♦♦♦
Includes:
Airport pick up and drop off
Hotel guest house in Ulaanbaatar (optional)
Overnights in Gers and tents
Three meals a day
Bike rental
English speaking guide
Support staff including drivers and a cook
Permits
Excludes:
International flight
Travel insurance
Personal sleeping bag and role mat
Per person – £1,600
≥ 2 people £1,400
≥ 4 people £1,300
If you would like to know more about this tour please give us a call. We are always happy to answer your questions. The best person to call is Luke on +44 (0) 7955 285 720, who is available on WhatsApp.
Distance and Elevation Profiles
