Stay with Tsaatan Nomads and Meet a Shaman

Arriving in Ulaanbaatar, meet with your guide and transfer to the group hotel. Depending on your arrival time you may enjoy an opportunity to explore the capital city where nearly half of Mongolia’s 3 million inhabitants reside today. You will certainly feel the vibrancy of recent changes towards modernity. 

During the guided walking city tour that will introduce you to the highlights of the city: The central city square with a grand statue of Genghis Khan and Sukhbaatar statue placed at the center as well. Museum of National History is located right next to the square will introducing Mongolia's history from early humans to modern era. Then choose to visit one of two museums from the following: 1. Choijin Lama or State Oracle Residence-museum displaying best samples of Buddhist artwork and religious masks. 2 The Fine Arts Zanabazar Museum displays old arts including   Buddhist arts, painting, folk arts and crafts, sculptures, carvings and embroideries.  

In the evening at 6 p.m you will be brought to watch a show of traditional music, throat singing and contortion. After the show  a welcome dinner is set for you. 

Meet the driver and guide at the place you agreed early this morning and drive to Bulgan province. Our destination for today is Urantogoo mountain.  

Urantogoo mountain: The Uran Togoo is a national protected area in the Bulgan Province of Mongolia. It is located about 60 km directly west of Bulgan city around the extinct volcanoes Uran Togoo, Tulga, Togoo, and Jalavch Uul.  All four mountain names allude to their volcanic past with designations borrowed from around the fireplace. The Uran Togoo and Togoo mountains are named for their bowl shape, the Tulga mountain for its three mounds reminding of the traditional iron tripod kettle support. Jalavch is a term for a small pot. 

The area is situated in the Khutag-Undur soum of Bulgan Province. A smaller area was initially protected in 1965 by State Great Khural Resolution No. 17. In 1995, it was designated as a monument by Parliament Resolution No. 26 with an area of 5,800 hectares.

Have lunch on the way and enjoy dinner and your stay at near by the mountain. 
 

After breakfast and some time enjoying around the area leave for Murun city. You will have lunch on the way and will be transferred to a local hotel for a good rest. Have dinner in local restaurant and take a rest. Tomorrow is  a big day.  

Murun city: Murun is the administrative center of Khuvsgul Aimag (province) in northern Mongolia. Before 1933, Khatgal had been the aimag capital. Although a poorly developed town, Murun has a hospital, a museum, a theatre, a post office, and several schools and kindergartens. It was connected to the Mongolian central power grid in 2004. The town has had a paved road connecting it to Mongolia's capital city Ulaanbaatar since December 2014, as a part of a government effort to extend paved roads from Ulaanbaatar to all Aimag capitals.

Start the morning with invigoratingly fresh air. The day's drive is of 200 km heading towards Tsagaannuur village. This village is located in the depression’s northern corner and a gateway to taiga (boreal forest) where the Tsaatan community lives and herds reindeer.  Have lunch, dinner and stay in local guest house.  

It is a day to meet Tsaatan people. 

After breakfast drive to the area where horse riding starts, 35km. Meet local horsemen who brought a horse for you and will guide you to the Taiga. Here our car will stay and we will continue the tour on horseback. Have lunch box in your backpack and eat that on the way. Today we will reach the East taiga with horse. Meet the Tsaatan people. Have dinner with the locals and overnight in Teepee. 
 

Today you will be introduced to a shaman and get to know their mysterious world. If you wish, ask the shaman to do some practices. This area is famous for its shamanic culture. 

A day at Tsaatan winter camp among communties with authentic culture in personal touch. You may hike, ride reindeer and participate their daily chores.  

You can visit other families and get a firsthand knowledge of the Tsaatan life and traditions.

Traditionally, domesticated reindeer have been the basis of Tsaatan economy. They are ridden, milked, eaten and their hides are used for covering teepees, making clothing and footwear. During winters reindeer roam at large the rugged mountains and dense forests that straddle the borderline between Russia and Mongolia. Some are kept through the winter for riding. The main herd is then brought back in spring. You may take a reindeer ride or help in the daily chores of life in taiga but overall you should be prepared to observe from a side. Tsaatans practice shamanism where ancestors and natural features are held sacred, and serve as a source of strength or insight for individuals identified as shamans in the community. 

After breakfast we say good bye to our Tsaatan friends and ride horse back to Tsagaannuur village where our driver in car is waiting for us. Once reached the village, say "thank you" to our horse guides and join the car and continue driving to Tsagaannuur village. Have dinner and overnight in local guesthouse.

After breakfast, it is time to leave the beautiful Taiga and continue travelling to Khuvsgul lake. 
It is the second-most voluminous freshwater lake in Asia, and holds almost 70% of Mongolia's fresh water and 1% of all the world’s fresh water reserves. Mongolians revere it as "The Mother Sea". We will arrive to the lake in the afternoon. Here we will stay in a tourist ger camp. Have shower, rest and enjoy the lake. 

All day is for you to enjoy the beautiful surrounding nature and the freshwater lake. Although somewhat crowded with both local and foreign travelers during short summer season, it certainly feels good to sooth yourself with the breez and waves of the lake. 

You can hike around, hire boat or get on to the ship to explore the lake. 

After breakfast we will drive to Amarbayasgalant monastery. It takes  long ride to reach there and and we will have lunch on the way. 

Amarbayasgalant monastery. Built in between 1727-1736, it has miraculously escaped destruction during the anti-religious campaigns of 1930-ies and remains the most complete Buddhist complex outside of the capital. It today houses a cheerful folk of boy-monks and their teachers. 

Amarbayasgalant Monastery and its surrounding sacred landscape has a unique cultural area within which nomads inhabited since long time ago and had experienced traditional land use and culture of nomadic pastoralism. 

Since its establishment, the Amarbayasgalant Monastery has always been a place of refuge that possessed high religious and spiritual significance for nomadic herders. 

It is our last day of the tour. After breakfast and some time resting leave for Ulaanbaatar. Have lunch on the way. We will be back to the city in the afternoon. You can spend time relaxing at the hotel or enjoying shopping of Mongolian products. 

Our staff will meet you at the hotel and take you to the airport. Have a safe flight back home.