Gun-Galuut
Gun-Galuut Nature Reserve is truly the marvelous combination of mountains, steppes, pretty lakes, rivers and wetlands with its famous rare wildlife species. It is a home to the world endangered Wild mountain sheep-Argali, White-napped crane, Siberian White Crane, Hooded Crane, Swan Goose, Whooper swan and so on. Over 80 Argali sheep inhabit peacefully now and rare birds coming every summer in Gun-Galuut. There is only one tourist camp in Gun-Galuut nature reserve and it is SteppeNomads tourist camp. This comfortable camp is a nomadic styled eco camp. Tourists visiting the Nature Reserve have the opportunities to do watching and taking photos of the endangered species, fishing, rafting and kayaking in the lakes and rivers, hiking, trekking and camping in the beautiful and peaceful nature, visiting nomadic family, riding horse, yak and camel and getting introduced to traditional nomadic lifestyle and culture. The reserve is only 2 hour drive from Ulaanbaatar to the east, for more information please visit www.argalipark.com.
Kharkhorin (Karakorum)
The symbolic ruins of Kharkhorin, the ancient capital
city of Mongolia is one of the most popular travel destinations along
with Erdene-Zuu Monastery, the second largest Buddhist Monastery in the
country. Kharkhorin city was established in 1220 and served as the capital
city of Mongolia for 140 years. In 2005 the Government of Mongolia initiated
the Kharkhorin Model City project with a view of moving the capital city
of Mongolia from Ulaanbaatar back to Kharkhorin in the future.
The first Buddhist Monastery, Erdene-Zuu, was built on the
ruins of Kharkhorin in 1586 by order of Abtai Sain Khan, a distant but
powerful relative of Genghis Khaan. Stone monuments, bricks and many other
building materials from the ruins of Kharkhorin were used in the construction
of the Monastery. The Monastery occupied an area of 1.600 sq. meters,
which is exactly 10 times smaller than the original city area and is surrounded
by a stone wall with 108 Stupas and four gates at all sides. The Erdene-Zuu
monastery preserves works of the Mongolian artisans, painters, sculptors,
embroiders, and craftsmen of 17-19th centuries. |
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Khuvsgul Lake
Khuvsgul is one of the country's largest and
most spectacular protected areas. Bordered to the north by the Sayan Mountains
(rising to the park's highest point of 3491 meters) and to west by the
Khoridol Saridag range, the lake is 136 km long and 36 km wide. The lake
is full of fish such as Lennock and Sturgeon, and the area is home to Argali
Sheep, Ibex, Bear, and Moose, as well as over 200 species of birds and
750 species of plants. The region is inhabited by three unique people:
the Darkhad Mongols and the Tsaatan who herd Reindeer.
The lake is now part of a larger national park that is Mongolia's top
tourist destination outside of Ulaanbaatar.
Living mostly in the rugged Taiga forested mountain areas
to the north and west of Lake Khuvsgul, the Tsaatan (meaning 'Reindeer
Herdsmen') are one of Mongolia's most fascinating ethnic groups. The Tsaatan
are part of the Turkic-speaking Tuvinian ethnic group known as Dukha who
also inhabit the Tuva region of Russia. Traditionally the Tsaatan use
their reindeer for transporting supplies, riding, milk, and occasionally,
for meat. Today 30-40 Tsaatan families still practice reindeer herding.
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Gobi Desert
On this trip, you will see the highlights
of the Gobi Desert, as only local people know it. We'll experience the warm hospitality
of the desert and visit such sights as the Flaming Cliffs (Duut Mankhan) and the Ice
Cave (Yoliin Am). There will be plenty of opportunity for hiking, riding horses, and
visiting countryside families. From the Gobi we travel north into central
Mongolia's rich heartland to see some spectacular natural sights including
the "8 Lakes" and the Orkhon Waterfall. On the way back to Ulaanbaatar,
we'll stop by Erdene-Zuu Monastery and take in the rich history of Mongolia's
ancient capital.
Hustai National Park (Hustain Nuruu)
The steppe zone in Mongolia is located in
between the forest zone / taiga in the north and the desert zone in the
south, with two intermediary zones in between: the forest-steppe and the
semi-desert, each with its own characteristic species. The steppe (steppe,
prairie, savanna, pampa) originally made up over a quarter of all natural
vegetation area on earth. But only very few of this area is left, most
of it is cultivated for agricultural use. Steppe is a drought-resistant,
treeless, grassy vegetation in semi-arid areas with an annual precipitation
in between 300 and 500 mm.
In Mongolia grass-species belonging to Festuca
and Stipa are dominant, but the steppe does offer very specific growth forms
with adaptations to the dry climate. In spring / summer beautiful flowers
like iris, crocus, tulips etc. show, but this beauty dries out quickly
in the summer. The Hustai National Park (Hustain Nuruu) (Hustai is Mongolian for birch
and Nuruu means mountain chains) measures about 57,000 hectares, or including
the buffer zone 120.000 ha., and is located on about 100 km west from the
capital Ulaanbaatar. The flagship species for the Hustain Nuruu National Park is the reintroduced Przewalski's wild horses.
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Flights and Travel Informations
Air transport and Trans-Siberian Railways are the only transport options for entering Mongolia, since it is a landlocked country between Russia and China with no navigable road links. The capital city Ulaanbaatar is the main hub for international arrivals.
The easiest way to get to Ulaanbaatar
By air: The National flag carrier MIAT Mongolian Airlines operates scheduled flights from Berlin, Moscow, Beijing, Seoul and Tokyo to Chinggis Khaan (Genghis Khan) International Airport, Ulaanbaatar. Flights are also provided by 3 foreign airlines; Aeroflot from Moscow, Air China from Beijing and Korean Air from Seoul.
By Train: Trans Siberian Railways is more then a simple way to get to Mongolia and it is expedition on itself from Moscow to Beijing though Ulaanbaatar taking 7925 kilometers. Travelers can join in Moscow, in Beijing and in Ulaanbaatar. It takes 5 nights from and to Moscow and 1 night from and to Beijing. There are nine compartments in each carriage with four berths in each. Twin share rail compartments are available for supplementary prices. Trans Mongolian Railway operates some 1110 kilometers of Trans Mongolian Main Line (inside Mongolia).
The easiest way to get to Ulaanbaatar
By air: The National flag carrier MIAT Mongolian Airlines operates scheduled flights from Berlin, Moscow, Beijing, Seoul and Tokyo to Chinggis Khaan (Genghis Khan) International Airport, Ulaanbaatar. Flights are also provided by 3 foreign airlines; Aeroflot from Moscow, Air China from Beijing and Korean Air from Seoul.
By Train: Trans Siberian Railways is more then a simple way to get to Mongolia and it is expedition on itself from Moscow to Beijing though Ulaanbaatar taking 7925 kilometers. Travelers can join in Moscow, in Beijing and in Ulaanbaatar. It takes 5 nights from and to Moscow and 1 night from and to Beijing. There are nine compartments in each carriage with four berths in each. Twin share rail compartments are available for supplementary prices. Trans Mongolian Railway operates some 1110 kilometers of Trans Mongolian Main Line (inside Mongolia).
Visas
Most visitors to Mongolia require a visa. When you choose to travel with Temuujin's Guest House you will have no problem getting one. American citizens no longer require a visa.
Make sure your passport is valid at least 6 months from the date of arrival in Mongolia.
One (1) passport size photography is required for issuing a visa. Visas are issued at the Mongolian Embassy, Consulate or Honorary Consulate in your country. Please consult us for such addresses.
The normal procedure is that you will be given a month entry/exit tourist visa. Temuujin's Guest House may need to issue an official visa invitation letter in order to process visas for longer stays or for citizens of particular countries. Please inquire at the Mongolian embassy or consulate of your choice. If a visa invitation is necessary, we will need your passport details such as full name, date of birth, nationality and passport number incl. expiry date of the passport.
Visas are available upon arrival at Chinggis Khaan (Genghis Khan) International Airport for citizens of countries, which have no Mongolian embassy or honorary consul. In such a case we need to extend an official visa invitation to you, for which we need your full passport details as above. The charge for this is considered "Express Service" and until now this service cost 50 USD.
We then need to extend a visa invitation for you, for which we need your full name and passport details. If boarding your flight to Ulaanbaatar in Berlin, Osaka, Moscow, Irkutsk, Höh Hot, Seoul or Beijing, which are on-line airports, there is not a problem with procedures. However, if you board your plane and check luggage through from another airport, you may be asked by check-in staff - so prompted by their computer systems - to produce a Mongolian visa or a visa invitation from Temuujin's Guest House. This phraseology however can present itself with a problem for you. Hence, if you intend to get your visa issued on arrival in Ulaanbaatar, please consult with us carefully.
If you combine a program in Mongolia with Russia or China, visas are needed for these countries as well. A Russian visa is not required for transit passengers at Moscow airport, but you will have to remain in the transit hall. Chinese visas are issued with efficiency (open Mon, Wed & Fri only) in Ulaanbaatar. Make sure that you have a double entry Chinese visa if you travel through Beijing both ways. Also remember, that when in China and you exit out to Hong Kong and back into China, it is considered as you have left China! If traveling to Mongolia on the same trip you may need a multiple entry visa to China. Moreover, American and British citizens require a visa to transit Beijing airport, whereas Swedish nationals may transit without a visa. Please consult in your home country carefully, what is required for you.
Russian visas are available in Ulaanbaatar, but we recommend that you obtain your Russian visas in your country of residence, due to problems here in the past.
Make sure your passport is valid at least 6 months from the date of arrival in Mongolia.
One (1) passport size photography is required for issuing a visa. Visas are issued at the Mongolian Embassy, Consulate or Honorary Consulate in your country. Please consult us for such addresses.
The normal procedure is that you will be given a month entry/exit tourist visa. Temuujin's Guest House may need to issue an official visa invitation letter in order to process visas for longer stays or for citizens of particular countries. Please inquire at the Mongolian embassy or consulate of your choice. If a visa invitation is necessary, we will need your passport details such as full name, date of birth, nationality and passport number incl. expiry date of the passport.
Visas are available upon arrival at Chinggis Khaan (Genghis Khan) International Airport for citizens of countries, which have no Mongolian embassy or honorary consul. In such a case we need to extend an official visa invitation to you, for which we need your full passport details as above. The charge for this is considered "Express Service" and until now this service cost 50 USD.
We then need to extend a visa invitation for you, for which we need your full name and passport details. If boarding your flight to Ulaanbaatar in Berlin, Osaka, Moscow, Irkutsk, Höh Hot, Seoul or Beijing, which are on-line airports, there is not a problem with procedures. However, if you board your plane and check luggage through from another airport, you may be asked by check-in staff - so prompted by their computer systems - to produce a Mongolian visa or a visa invitation from Temuujin's Guest House. This phraseology however can present itself with a problem for you. Hence, if you intend to get your visa issued on arrival in Ulaanbaatar, please consult with us carefully.
If you combine a program in Mongolia with Russia or China, visas are needed for these countries as well. A Russian visa is not required for transit passengers at Moscow airport, but you will have to remain in the transit hall. Chinese visas are issued with efficiency (open Mon, Wed & Fri only) in Ulaanbaatar. Make sure that you have a double entry Chinese visa if you travel through Beijing both ways. Also remember, that when in China and you exit out to Hong Kong and back into China, it is considered as you have left China! If traveling to Mongolia on the same trip you may need a multiple entry visa to China. Moreover, American and British citizens require a visa to transit Beijing airport, whereas Swedish nationals may transit without a visa. Please consult in your home country carefully, what is required for you.
Russian visas are available in Ulaanbaatar, but we recommend that you obtain your Russian visas in your country of residence, due to problems here in the past.