MONGOLIA
THE NOMAD EXPERIENCE
FROM THE GOBI TO THE ALTAI
This adventure is unlike anything else we offer. No summit days, no technical know-how, no set training plans—but 100% adventure. We’ll hike, bike, and road trip far beyond the beaten paths of the Gobi Desert and Altai Mountains, all the while forming connections with locals that transcend cultural and language barriers.
Mongolia isn’t an easy place to travel, but if you’re up for the challenge it will certainly reward you, it may even redefine everything you know about adventure travel! Unlike most meticulously curated itineraries, our loose structure allows the magic of Mongolia to unfold and happen to you, making every experience unique, personal, and memorable. It’s a true adventure in letting go and going with the flow, but it is true what they say—you’ll get out of it what you put in.
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$6,450
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We plan our adventures with most of the logistics taken care of, so you can focus on lacing up your hiking shoes and being your best adventure self! Here’s a complete list of everything that’s included, and what’s not.
INCLUDED:Accommodation in UB hotels, gers and homestays as indicated in the itinerary (all are shared/double occupancy)
Airport transfers to and from UBN
Hearty, home cooked meals where indicated
All transportation between locations
Domestic flight to Ölgii
GIANT XTC 800 bikes and helmets
3-day guided hiking in the Altai region
Experienced and professional local female English speaking guides to offer cultural insight and support throughout the entire journey
Fair and generous tips for our amazing local guides and drivers
Tons of WHOA TLC and a passionate and experienced WHOA GAL (Group Adventure Leader) on the ground to make sure things run smoothly
The support of the entire WHOA team leading up to and during your adventure to make sure you feel as mentally and physically prepared as possible!
1% for the planet, as in 1% of what you pay goes towards grassroots environmental groups making a difference in their local communities.
Offsetting of this trip’s negative impact on the environment and carbon footprint, from the transportation to lodging to meals*
NOT INCLUDED:
Flights to and from Ulaanbaatar
Entrance fees to museums, temples, etc not indicated as included in the itinerary
Additional drinks, meals, snacks, and miscellaneous items not mentioned as included in the itinerary
GAL Tips (Always appreciated, but never expected)
Travel Insurance (mandatory)
Global Rescue (mandatory)
Visas (if applicable)
*For our carbon offsetting, we do our best to crunch the numbers and accurately calculate the carbon footprint the best we can with the information that we have. It’s not a perfect system and carbon offsetting isn’t an exact science, but we believe it’s more important to take action now, in every way that we can. All our offsetting programs are certified by our partners at Sustainable Travel International. At the moment, our traveler’s international airfare to the destination is beyond our scope, and not included. Flights are the largest carbon emitter on most of our adventures, so we encourage all our travelers to consider doing it independently through the airline or with our partners at STI.
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Putting down a $750 deposit will reserve your spot on this WHOA Adventure! You’ll be invoiced and must pay in full at least 120 days before your adventure starts. All deposits are non-refundable. All prices are listed in USD.
HIGHLIGHTS
Road tripping across the Middle Gobi Desert in furgons and experiencing the nomadic way of life
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Hiking through the Altai Mountains with an eagle hunting family who share a special connection to the land
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Helping our host families with everyday chores, from feeding baby goats to hunting with eagles, and even lending a hand building a ger
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Sleeping in gers, and connecting through hospitality and cultural experiences that transcend language
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Being inspired by local female guides who are paving the way for women in Mongolia
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Bonding with other adventurous women as a team, and experiencing the WHOA way: support, safety, sustainability, and seriously good times!
WHAT TO EXPECT
Anything, honestly! One day you could be herding goats and sheep through the high desert on a bicycle, the next trekking up a nearly vertical incline alongside an eagle hunter. No day is like the other, but that’s part of the fun!
Our itinerary will change and evolve as we go, so be ready to embrace spontaneity because that's what adventuring in Mongolia is all about. Every day is intentionally under-planned to leave room for the magic of Mongolia to unfold. But don’t worry—there will be plenty of activities, diverse landscapes, wildlife sightings, and cultural connections to keep you on your toes. Throughout this journey, we’ll be in the hospitable hands of our local female guides who genuinely love their home country and can’t wait to share it with you!
While nothing is set in stone, one thing is certain: our Mongolia Adventure will take you far outside of your comfort zone. Due to the magnitude of this beautiful and diverse country, you will need to be prepared to spend many hours in a vehicle while traversing the country. Please thoroughly read the itinerary to make sure you understand everything involved in this adventure, especially the need for a flexible and adventurous mindset when things don't go as planned. Your future self and fellow adventurers will thank you!
We rated our Mongolia trip a 3 out of 5 on the WHOA Adventure difficulty scale because the biking is more exploratory than intense cardio, and while the hiking is not difficult terrain, it is at higher altitudes adding an extra challenge. This adventure is more mentally challenging than physical, and you need to be able to let go of plans and let the trip take you wherever it goes!
TRAINING
DREAMS DON'T WORK UNLESS YOU DO
As with all adventures, the better trained and mentally prepared you are, the more enjoyable your experience will be. Compared to some of our other adventures, Mongolia is more of a mental adventure than a physically demanding one. Yes, we’ll tackle multiple day hikes in the high altitude of the Altai Mountains and spend a few days biking through the rough terrain of the Middle Gobi Desert, but if you’re an active person with gear that’s already been broken in, you should be able to enjoy these activities just fine.
Mentally, be prepared to encounter last-minute changes in plans, disconnect from cell service, sleep in gers, squat over hole-in-the-ground toilets, and skip a couple showers here and there. You may even face a few logistical challenges, but you’ll never have to worry—our local guides will always make sure your safety is their top priority when problem solving.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST
REAL TALK
It takes a certain kind of person to enjoy Mongolia. Someone who can let go of an itinerary and roll with changes, because there will be plenty. While Mongolia is modern and its people progressive, it’s rooted in its nomadic way of life, which is probably very different than what you’re used to (no #vanlife here). But if you love disconnecting, and being spontaneous, you’re in the right place!
If you’re willing to let go of creature comforts, embrace a simpler way of life, and open your heart to endless possibilities, Mongolia and its people will fully embrace you. So start working on your Mongolian now…Sain baina uu!
GET IN TOUCH
Or leave us a message below. We’re here to answer all your questions and help you plan your adventure of a lifetime!
THE ULTIMATE MONGOLIA PACKING LIST
From the best hiking boots to our favorite daypacks, here’s all the gear you need when you’re exploring Mongolia!
MONGOLIA
ITINERARY
ITINERARY
NOTE: All times are approximate!
DAY 1
ARRIVE ULAANBAATAR
Touch down in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia's capital and home to roughly 45% of the country's population. We'll spend the day exploring the city's real, everyday side with our local female guide, like the community spaces and traditions that define modern urban life here (a stark contrast to the rural Mongolia we'll experience later in the trip)! Flight times permitting, we'll visit Gandan Monastery, Sukhbaatar Square, plus, one of our favorite stops, a felt-making session with the women of a local NGO. We'll close the day with our team briefing and a welcome dinner to kick off our adventure!
Included Meals: Lunch, Welcome Dinner
Stay: Puma Imperial or similar
Arrival Logistics: Arrive Chinggis Khaan International Airport in Ulaanbaatar (UBN) by 10am
DAY 2
Baga Gazriin Chuluu
MIDDLE GOBI DESERT
Time to load up our bikes, hop in our furgons, and hit the road! Our first night outside Ulaanbaatar sets the tone for everything ahead. We'll wind through the granite rock formations of Baga Gazriin Chuluu, with the option to hop on a bike along the way, and spend the night at a small, locally owned family ger camp, our first taste of Gobi hospitality.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Drive Time: 5+ hours
Stay: Ger homestay with shared local shower house
**NOTE: We’ll have support vehicles along with us on the bike rides, so you can hop in at any time if you’ve had enough!
DAY 3
Erdenedalai
MIDDLE GOBI DESERT
In Erdenedalai, we'll stay with Nergui and his herding family, a special homestay only WHOA Adventurers get to experience. The landscape here is quieter than some of our other stops, and that's the point: this is a place where the magic comes from the people and everyday life, not from a dramatic view. Biking is an option again today, but the real highlight is slowing down enough to feel like part of the family, if only for a night.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Drive Time: 4+ hours
Stay: Ger homestay with shared local shower house
DAY 4
Khogno Khan
MIDDLE GOBI DESERT
Khogno Khan brings us into an entirely new landscape, anchored by the small but striking Elsen Tasarkhai sand dunes. We'll spend the night on our hosts' farm, trading dramatic sightseeing for something quieter: a firsthand look at daily life on the land, from herding to ger routines, as the sun sets over the dunes.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Drive Time: 5+ hours
Stay: Ger homestay with shared local shower house
DAY 5
RETURN to Ulaanbaatar
MIDDLE GOBI DESERT
We'll drive back to Ulaanbaatar to gear up for the western leg of the trip. Consider it a built-in reset day, the rest of the afternoon is open to rest, wander, or just sit with everything the Gobi gave us.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Drive Time: 5+ hours
Stay: Puma Imperial or similar
DAY 6 - 7
Khoton and Khurgan Nuur
ALTAI MOUNTAINS
From here we'll fly to Ölgii, then settle in for the long drive out west to Altai Tavan Bogd National Park. Our destination is Khoton and Khurgan Nuur (nuur means lake in Mongolian, and you'll start hearing it everywhere out here), a stretch of alpine water framed by mountain forest steppe and some of the most open, untouched landscapes on the whole trip. Our home for the next 2 nights is not quite a homestay, but the family's small camp is warm and welcoming, and they're as much a part of this stop as the scenery is. There's time to swim in the lake, and take a day hike out to Baga Turgen Waterfall for anyone who wants to stretch their legs.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Flight Time: 2+ hours
Drive Time: 7+ hours
Stay: Family-run ger camp
NOTE: There is a 15 kg (10kg check-in and 5 kg hand luggage) weight restriction on this flight. Hand luggage ‘officially’ restricted to 1-piece. Excess baggage charges are between $4 - $7 per kilo depending on the route. The domestic airline may change the flight time schedule closer to the day of departure, and we will adapt our itinerary accordingly!
DAY 8 - 10
Tsengel Khairkhan
ALTAI MOUNTAINS
We'll spend three nights in the foothills of Tsengel Khairkhan Mountain with eagle hunter Bashakhan and his family. This is one of the few stretches of the trip where we've built in real time: two full days for hiking the surrounding valleys and lower mountain terrain, and just as many unhurried hours spent simply being with the family, sharing meals, watching the eagles, letting conversation happen however it happens. We could rush through in an afternoon, snap a photo with an eagle, and move on, but that's not really the point. Staying longer lets the experience unfold on its own terms, following the weather, the family's rhythm, and whatever else is happening locally, rather than sticking to a script.
WHAT TO EXPECT DURING OUR HIKES
This truly is the road less traveled, so be prepared for a mixture of terrain on our day hikes with everything from dry river beds to mountainous alpine ridges. Although we set the location in advance, the route is not set in stone, allowing us to be as flexible as possible in relation to the weather and ground conditions. The Altai Mountains sit at about 8,500 ft, which is considered high altitude, and could present additional challenges for some hikers. Distances per day will be around 9 mi (15 km), but be prepared that some could be shorter or longer days.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner*
Drive Time: 5+ hours
Stay: Ger homestay with shared local shower house
*Meals will be hearty and rustic as all food has to be carried with us, and prepared by our local trip assistant.
DAY 11
Ölgii
ALTAI MOUNTAINS
In the morning, we’ll take the long drive back to Ölgii, where we’ll spend the remainder of the day relaxing and exploring alongside our Kazakh translator, Jako, and her family. We’ll be able to visit a great local market and meet the women of a local NGO called Otau Crafts. These women take great pride in supporting themselves and their families while also keeping their centuries old history and traditions alive by crafting rugs using only the wool from their sheep. In the evening, we’ll reconvene for a casual and festive meal with Jako in her home, complete with dancing and music!
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Drive Time: 6+ hours
Stay: Homestay with shared local shower house
DAY 12
RETURN ULAANBAATAR
Today we’ll head back to Ulaanbaatar. After we get settled into our hotel we’ll have some down time before our Farewell Dinner to toast to our amazing Mongolian adventure!
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Farewell Dinner
Drive Time: 1+ hours
Flight Time: 2+ hours
Stay: Puma Imperial or similar
NOTE: Domestic flight departure and arrival times are TBD and often change or are delayed (part of the adventure)! For this reason, we use this entire day as a travel day and leave the itinerary for the day and evening open and flexible. There is a 15 kg (10 kg check-in and 5 kg hand luggage) weight restriction on this flight. Hand luggage ‘officially’ restricted to 1-piece. Excess baggage charges are between $4 - $7 per kilo depending on the route.
DAY 13
DEPART ULAANBAATAR
We’ll say our goodbyes (for now) before heading to the airport to return home (or on to your next adventure)!
Included Meals: Breakfast
Itinerary subject to change based on availability and unforeseen conditions, but that's part of the adventure! Even when things change, trust you'll be well taken care of with WHOA quality, professionalism, and TLC!
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Here at WHOA, we strive to make everything we do sustainable and of true value to our partners. For that reason, our itineraries and partnerships can vary depending on the season, organization's needs, and the abilities and desires of our group. We do our best to seek out local partners that are thoughtful and sustainable, and we work closely with them to understand their needs to create an experience that will truly be of value to everyone involved.