Mongolia Tours & Holidays
Small Group Tours & Tailor-Made Holidays
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Overview
Think Mongolia and visions of wild horses and Mongol horsemen sweeping across the mountain steppes is often the most powerful image that comes to mind. And still, eight hundred years after Genghis Khan and his Mongol hordes exploded from the east in an orgy of violent conquest, this distant land in the heart of Asia still resonates with those echoes from a different time. Travel beyond the confines of Ulaan Baatar and you could find yourself travelling through a different century.
Wild ...
Think Mongolia and visions of wild horses and Mongol horsemen sweeping across the mountain steppes is often the most powerful image that comes to mind. And still, eight hundred years after Genghis Khan and his Mongol hordes exploded from the east in an orgy of violent conquest, this distant land in the heart of Asia still resonates with those echoes from a different time. Travel beyond the confines of Ulaan Baatar and you could find yourself travelling through a different century.
Wild Frontiers has unrivalled expertise at offering Mongolia tours, horse riding holidays and tailor-made holidays throughout and if you delight in the emptiness of the unspoiled wilderness and relish the challenge of exploring what, for a long period, was regarded as the 'end of the earth', then Mongolia is the adventure for you.
In a country where 30% of the population still follows a nomadic existence, sleeping in a circular felt ger - or yurt, as they are known in much of Central Asia - is just one way to experience local life. From the mountains of the north to the Gobi desert in the south, this vast, stunning country is awash with dramatic mountain scenery, spectacular deserts, a fascinating and ancient culture, and a warm and welcoming people. Experience it all on one of our Mongolia holidays or group tours.
Start your journey
Group tours
Travel to Mongolia with like-minded people on one of our small group tours (usually max size 12), featuring knowledgeable local guides and an expert tour leader.
Mongolia: Land Of The Great Khan
On this epic 4WD trip experience the diverse scenery of the flaming cliffs at Bayanzag, the towering sand dunes at Khongor Els, the remote western Gobi and the grasslands and wild horses for which the country is famed.
Mongolia Altai Golden Eagle Hunters Festival Tour
Travel from the capital to the traditional lands of the Kazakhs, taking in ancient rock art, alpine lakes and glaciers. Enjoy hikes and ride Mongolian horses before a 2-day visit to the Altai Nomad Games Eagle Festival.TAILOR-MADE HOLIDAYS
Whether you want to travel on one of our award-winning itineraries or build your own journey from scratch, our expert consultants will help create the perfect tour for your tastes and budget. Below are a few suggestions of the kind of trips we can offer, all of which can be tailored to you.
SUGGESTED ITINERARIES
Classic Mongolia
Enjoy all the classic experiences that make Mongolia a fascinating place to visit. Included are quintessential cultural experiences, such as a ger camp stay and horse riding, and emblematic places like the Gobi Desert
Mongolia Family Adventure
Mongolia has plenty to keep the young and young at heart happy and active. Learn about Ghengis Khan and the country's history as you follow in his tracks, horse riding, swimming and hiking through Mongolian wilderness
Wild Mongolia
Explore Mongolia's untamed landscapes, from remote lakes to open steppe, in a variety of adventurous ways including on horseback, via multi-day treks, navigating by kayak and wild camping under the starsHIGHLIGHTS OF MONGOLIA
BEST EXPERIENCES
Stay in an Eco-ger Camp
Spend a night or two at Ursa Major Geolodge to get back to basics. As there is no running water at the camp, steaming hot towels will be brought to your ger every morning and evening. With no electricity, use candlelight to navigate your cosy ger at bedtime.
Climb the Genghis Khan Statue
This giant shining statue of Genghis Khan on horseback is made of stainless steel. If you climb up to the viewing platform on the horse's head you will be rewarded with views of over 60km across the steppe.
Walk up Yolyn Am Canyon
Take a walk up this long valley with high cliff walls which shade some areas of the valley floor from the sun for the entire year, allowing the stunning ice sheets to form. As you walk, look out for ibex grazing on the cliff faces.
Visit the Wild Horses
Several decades ago wild horses had disappeared from Mongolia, victims of habitat loss and poaching for meat, however small numbers survived in European zoos. Through a program of careful breeding and international cooperation, the wild population was rebuilt.
Go Stargazing
Star gazing in Mongolia is not just about enjoying the beautiful night sky about your head, it is actually a very important part of the local culture as the starry skies allowed nomadic people to navigate through the vast steppes and deserts.
Enjoy Mongolian Folk Music and Dance
Make sure to go to a traditional Mongolian dance, singing and music performance where you can expect to see various instruments including the horse fiddle and singers along with the rather strange traditional throat singers.
Ride a Camel on the Singing Dunes
At the impressive Khongoryn Els Dunes, an early evening climb to the top affords stunning views out across the rippling sands towards the desert beyond. You can take a camel ride along the dunes with one of the local herder families.
Get out on Horseback
Terelj is home to some outstanding scenery of forested hills and valleys and an abundance of bird and animal life. The best way to explore the park is by foot or on horseback, giving you the opportunity to get in to the remoter valleys and take in the scenery.
Visit a Shaman Workshop
Learn about one of the oldest beliefs in the world - Mongolia's Shamanic rituals and traditions. Pay a visit to a lady who makes costumes for shaman in her workshop. She is actually a yellow shaman herself.TOP PLACES TO VISIT
Hustai National Park
Hustai National Park, established in 1992, is one of the best-known national parks in Mongolia. Its borders stretch from the Khentii Mountains to the Altanbulah region of Mongolia. The park houses ...
Orkhon Valley
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the rolling pastureland of Orkhon Valley contains numerous fascinating archaeological remains, many dating back to the 6th century. The valley was continuously occupied ...
Terelj National Park
The Alpine scenery and fantastical rocks of Terelj National Park formed the homelands of Genghis Khan and his hordes. The rock formations of the park are fascinating, while the 250 plus bird species ...
Ulaanbaatar
Until fairly recently, Ulaanbaatar was a sleepy capital with a population of about 500,000, then international mining firms struck gold in the surrounding hills and the city has grown exponentially ...
The Mongolian Gobi Desert
The Mongolian Gobi, a zone of desert and semi-desert occupies almost 30% of Mongolia's vast territory. The Gobi is often imagined to be place of unbearable heat and shifting sand dunes, whereas the ...
OUR FAVOURITE PLACES TO STAY
Best Western Premier Tuushin Hotel, Ulaanbaatar
A great five-star option in the centre of Ulaanbaatar, the Best Western Premier Tuushin Hotel offers 198 rooms. The modern amenities and stylish interiors are everything you would expect from a city…
Gobi Discovery 2, Khongoryn Els
Each of the 40 gers at the Gobi Discovery 2 faces south towards the towering sand dunes stretching in front of the mountains. The gers themselves are simple, carpeted and with twin pine beds, tables…
Gobi Mirage Ger Camp, South Gobi
High on a plateau with views stretching as far as you can see across the desert, the Gobi Mirage is home to 30 gers, each large ger has twin beds and a small table. No stoves are needed for the warm…
Nomadic Homestay (Naraa's Family), Terelj National Park
This secluded homestay with a nomadic family is tucked away in the Baruun Bayan Valley in the further reaches of Terelj, accessible only by fording the Terelj River which not many vehicles can do.…
Shangri-La Hotel, Ulaanbaatar
In the heart of the city centre, five minutes’ walk to Sukhbaatar Square, the Shangri-la is a modern, luxury hotel. The rooms are a good size with large twins or king size beds. The decor is modern…
Terelj Lodge Ger Camp, Terelj National Park
Set away from the main road and within sight of just two other camps, the Terelj lodge offers guests luxury accommodation, plenty of activities and a great restaurant. Guests are accommodated in 25…MONGOLIA REVIEWS
Lisa Fry
It was a pleasure to see how the nomads live and to be invited into their lives for a short time.
Janet Locke
The main reason for choosing the trip wasn’t actually the eclipse, but more just to be in such an empty country out of…
Peter & Jenny Alderson
We learned a lot about Mongolia – and how nice Mongolian people are! It was a great holiday and we loved it all.
Roger & Lyndsey Jones
The itinerary went through a number of iterations before the tour and it was an excellent introduction to a fascinating…
Gloria Percy
For me the itinerary couldn’t even begin to describe the fantastic skies and the 360 degree views, you really have to see…
Andree Jordan
For me, the essence of Wild Frontiers is the friendliness and knowledge of the guides, which makes the trip an adventure…
Rupert Isaacson
Huge thanks to Wild Frontiers - without your knowledge and contacts our life changing journey through Mongolia with Rowan…
Didi Goodenough
The recce to Mongolia was an unforgettable experience. The vast open Steppe, the friendly local people, the history...
Nicolette Krajewski
Mongolia is for those who really want to get away from it all rather than just talking about it.....
Laura McMahon
I had a wonderful experience in Mongolia... I fully recommend this trip as it has been such a fantastic experience
Paul Rose
Mongolia...did not fail to deliver and it was truly amazing to visit such an amazing landscape.
Andy Williams
Thanks to my work I have seen many things across our planet, but nothing had prepared me for the immensity of the…
Gillian Howe
Brilliant experience and the trip of a lifetime. Loved every minute of it and would go again anytime!"
Helen Worsley
Mongolia was pure heaven for me! The Naadam festival and camel trekking were highlights, but the whole trip was…
Kaye McGlashan
Excellent trip! Tulga always organised everything efficiently & with a smile.
Marianne Grimshaw
I knew that Mongolia would be an incredible country to travel around but...
Jamie Nelson-Singer
Mongolia has spectacular scenery in the countryside ranging from desert and sand-dunes to green lush fields.
Susan Holmes
This was the most amazing adventure in a vast, beautiful and remote country. ...
Maggie Irving
The Mongolia - Alternative Naadam trip is a great way to experience the culture and ways of Mongolia and Mongolians while…
Catherine Wilkinson
My first Wild Frontiers trip blew my expectations away - I'm not sure I'll be able to cope travelling with other…
Discover more
WHEN TO GO
Dalanzadgad
Ulgii
Ulaan Bataar
INSPIRATION
Meet the expert, Clem
Clem is our Central Asia expert, who has travelled extensively in the region.
Speak to Clementine by calling
+44 (0)20 3944 6258
USEFUL INFORMATION
Health and Vaccinations
There are no mandatory immunisations for travellers to Mongolia though you should be up-to-date with Typhoid, Tetanus, Polio and Hepatitis A. We recommend you seek advice from your local GP or travel centre as to the correct immunisations and preventative treatments.
Currency
In Mongolia the unit of currency is the Tugrik.
To check out the latest exchange rate for the places that you are visiting you can go to www.oanda.com.
Cultural Sensitivity
On our tours you will frequently interact with local people, each with their own distinct customs and traditions. We therefore ask you to be considerate and to treat them with respect. Your tour-leaders and guides will always be able to advise you accordingly.
Language & Religion
The official language of Mongolia is Khalkga Mongolian and is spoken by 90% of the population. Today, Mongolian is written using the Cyrillic alphabet.
Statistics state that half of the population follow Tibetan Buddhism, with 40% having no religion, 6% being Shamanist, Baha’i and Christian, and around 4% Muslim.
Time
Mongolia is 8 hours ahead of GMT. A useful website to check the time zone differences is www.worldtimezone.com.
Food and drink
An old Mongolian saying goes something like: 'Breakfast, keep for yourself; lunch, share with your friends; dinner, give to your enemies'. The biggest and most important meals for Mongolians are breakfast and lunch, which will usually consist of boiled mutton with lots of fat and flour and maybe some dairy products or rice. The Mongolians are big tea drinkers and the classic drink is süütei tsai (salt milk tea). Men who refuse to drink arkhi (vodka) are considered less manly, while herders make their own unique home brew airag, which is fermented horse milk with an alcoholic content of about 3%. Many Mongolians distil it further to produce shimiin arkhi, which boosts the alcohol content to around 12%.
Mongolia is a meat-eating country, but don’t be put off if you are vegetarian as they are getting much better at accommodating for this. The variety of restaurants in Ulaanbaatar continues to expand and
currently includes French, Korean, Mexican, Thai, Russian, Italian and Indian. Meals in the Ger camps and at our backcountry campsites are prepared for you by cooking and trekking staff and are as varied as possible given their remote locations, but still offer a great spread of food.