Khangai Mountain Traverse by MTB

Guests will be greeted upon arrival at the airport before being transported to a convenient, centrally located hotel. A city tour can be arranged depending on your arrival time, which includes Bogd Khan's Winter & Summer Palace, a series of beautiful traditional buildings in which the eighth Living Buddha and the last king lived.

You will also explore the Gandantegchinlen Monastery, which is the largest and most important monastery within Mongolia, before visiting the magnificent 82-foot high statue of Migjid Janraisig. You will finish the city tour atop Zaisan hill for a view of Ulaanbaatar.

In the evening, your tour guide will give you a short briefing about the coming trip and answer all your questions, before taking you to a famous Mongolian restaurant for a first taste of Mongolian food.

Mongolia is a biker's dream. To begin with, only 10% of the country is paved. To add to that, it is one of the least heavily populated countries on the planet. Expect to travel on dirt, grass, and gravel paths. The rolling, grassy terrain makes up the majority of our path, with the exception of a few difficult passes.

Day 2 of the tour doesn’t quite involve any biking just yet, as you will need to drive 431km to reach the starting point of your cycling adventure in Arvaikheer. This is a central town known for its traditional crafts, cashmere goat herding, and equestrian sports.

Today will begin with a drive to Shargaljuut Sum's hot springs and health resorts, which are 60 kilometers from the Bayanhongor Aimag hub. They are situated on a rocky pass on the Shargaljuut River's north western side.

Here, you will take a couple of minutes to test the bikes and make any necessary changes before starting the first 36km leg of your tour. Accommodation for the night will be in a tented camp.

Day 4 of the tour will see you cycle through the rugged terrain of the Khangai Mountains, which are located 400 kilometers west of Ulaanbaatar in central Mongolia and stretch from central Mongolia to the western border.

Along the ride, the mountain landscape will eventually morph into the steppes of eastern Mongolia in the eastern foothills. This geographical mix results in a diverse range of ecosystems within a reasonable distance, as well as a rich variety of flora and fauna.

After breakfast, you will continue cycling through the Khangai Mountains to Tongorogyn Pass. Here, you will have views of the rivers Orkhon, Selenge, Ideriin, Zavkhan, and the lakes Orog and Böön Tsagaan. The mountain range is home to a slew of small lakes that are all linked by rivers, as the fresh water flows down from the mountains into the lakes. The Khangai Mountain Range divides the arid Gobi Desert area of southern Mongolia from the lush rolling hills of northern Mongolia.

Day 6 of your Mongolian adventure features a bit of a longer and tougher ride, as you will work your way through the mountains to Ultiin Pass. The Khangai Mountains are 2500-3000 meters above sea level and are mostly made up of Paleozoic period granite, intrusive chert, and sandstone, making for a barren, yet beautiful landscape.

After breakfast, you will cycle to the Tsenher Hot Spring, which features water that is over 80 degrees continuously flowing from the spring. Some people will sit in the pool for hours, conversing with their mates while looking at the stars or scanning the nighttime landscape around them.

After spending the night in your Ger camp, you will drive by Jeep across a river, which is usually flooded in the summer, and begin cycling. The route for the day will take you through a mix of forested hills, granite formations, and deep fertile valleys peppered with Gers. The journey will take you deep into the Khangai Mountains, which are lush and green with wild flowers and plants, and are also home to a large number of Mongolian yaks.

This is the hardest day of the trip, as you will ride through mountains and down rugged terrain; however, those who are exhausted will be able to retreat to the comfort of the Jeeps. You will arrive at the campsite early in the evening, which will already have been set up. Here, you will spend the evening around the campfire, taking in the full wilderness and silence.

Today you will travel by Jeep to Tovkhon Monastery, which was founded by Zanabazar in the 1650s. The wooden structures of the monastery are combined with a natural system of caves perched near a hilltop with a stunning view of the Orkhon Valley and surrounding pine forests. You will then cycle to the Orkhon waterfall in Orkhon valley after lunch.

Today you will have a much earned rest day to give your body a bit of a break from all of the hard cycling you have done. You will spend the day exploring the beautiful Orkhon waterfall and its surrounding valley, which UNESCO has designated as a world cultural heritage site because of ancient artifacts dating back to the early 6th century and even earlier. The 20-meter-high, 10-meter-wide waterfall marks the beginning of this canyon, and daring adventurers can descend the canyon for a swim in the lake at the base of the waterfall.

Day 11 marks the final leg of your Mongolian cycling adventure. On this day, you will cycle 46 kilometers through the UNESCO-designated Orkhon valley, from the waterfall to Khujirt village, stopping at ancient burial sites along the way. After lunch and some sightseeing, you will begin the drive back to Karakorum.

Today you will be visiting Karakorum (also called Kharkhorin), which was the capital of Genghis Khan’s Mongolian Empire in the thirteenth century. Here, you will visit the Erdene Zuu Monastery, which is now all that is left of what was once a massive monastery with 100 temples. You’ll walk around the grounds of Erdene Zuu Monastery, which is encircled by huge 400 m X 400 m walls.

The Karakorum Archaeological Museum will be another stop on your itinerary. It’s a tiny museum, but it’s housed in a new, well-run structure with good lighting and simple English labels on display cases. The displays contain hundreds of artefacts from the 13th and 14th centuries that were discovered in the immediate region, as well as those from other provinces’ archaeological sites.

The time has come to drive back to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia's capital. You can use your free afternoon as you see fit. A great option is to go see some lovely cultural exhibitions and admire the contortionists while watching colorful and rhythmic Mongolian dances.

After breakfast, guests will make an individual departure and bid farewell to Ulaanbaatar.