2 happy children standing on the frozen river

LUNAR NEW YEAR WINTER TOUR

4 Nights in gers

Tour grade: Easy & moderate

5 Nights / 6 Days

No camping

1 nights at 3* hotels

TOUR & EVENT OVERVIEW

Mongolian Traditional Tsagaan Sar - Lunar New Year is a family festival celebrated on the first day of the Lunar New Year to cheer in the endless winter months and mark the beginning of spring. The festival could be from late January to early March, depending on the Lunar calendar.

The celebration happens over several days, with feasting on the night of the new moon. Everyone dresses in their best clothes to visit family members. It has been celebrated for many years, and it is a critical time to honor older people, renew family relationships, and apologize for hurt feelings.

As a sign of respect, the younger adults greet their elders in a certain way, with an extraordinary arm-hold embrace that symbolizes support and esteem. The gesture is accompanied by exchanging a ceremonial pale blue or white silk scarf. Gifts are usually given and received with both hands.

Tour Highlights & Destinations

Experience nomadic lifestyle
Chances to take photography
City tour
Gandan - Tegchilen Monastery
Mongolian National History Museum
Zaisan Hill Memorial
Horse and Camel riding for 1 hour each
Attend Mongolian Traditional Lunar new year
Explore the Elsen Tasarkhai semi-desert
Hustai National Park - Wild horses
Discover Terelj National Park
Dog sledding tour for 4 hours
Aryabal Meditaation Temple
Chinggis Khan Equestrian Statue Complex
The Traditional Mongolian BBQ

Day 1. Arrival Day & City Tour (L)
Feb-22/2024

Today, we will pick you up from the airport and transfer you to the hotel***.

If you want, you can rest for a while, and then we will start a city tour. First, we visit Chinggis Khan's main square and the Mongolian National History Museum.

- Zaisan hill from the hill, you will be able to see the whole city.

- Gandan Тegchilen Monastery

- State department store

- Cashmere factory store

- Dinner / Transfer to the hotel.

Day 2. Drive to The Elsen Tasarkhai semi-desert (B/L/D)

This morning, after having breakfast at the hotel at 07 am. we will drive 280 km to The Elsen Tasarkhai semi-desert.
The nature in this area is spectacular and great for relaxing. The site is surrounded by sand dunes, hills covered with rare bushes, and a small forest near a river. This presents a unique combination of Mongolian mountains, forests, and Gobi-type landscape in one location. Over there, our host Nomad's family is waiting for us.
Once we get there, we will contribute to the festival's preparation, make the traditional foods buuz, and dumplings, and then ride a camel for 1 hour on the dune.
Afterward, the Lunar New Year's Eve will be started. Overnight in a nomad family's spare ger.

people are siting in Mongolian traditional ger

Day 3. Mongolian Traditional Lunar new year (B/L/D)

Making the first path of the New Year before the sun rises according to an individual’s birthday and year as Mongolian customary
- Visit a nomad family, the traditional greeting of New Year, and see livestock's offspring.
- Learning puzzle games and participating in a competition on them.
- Documentary film about Mongolian life and culture. Ride a horse for 1 hour. Overnight in nomad family spare ger.

Day 4. Drive to Hustai National Park (B/L/D)

This morning, after having breakfast, we will drive to Hustai National Park to watch the wild horse Takhi, widely known as the “Przewalski horse.”

Przewalski horses are the only wild horses to survive in modern times. The species were returned to Mongolia from Zooparks of many European countries and reserves within Hustai National Park. Overnight at tourist ger camp.

Day 5. Drive to Terelj National Park & Dog sledding tour (B/L/D)

This morning, we will drive to the beautiful Terelj National Park. Lying in the Terelj River valley, Terelj national park has long been a holiday resort for people from the capital and short–stay tourists.

It is one of Mongolia's most visited areas due to its magnificent scenery and proximity to Ulaanbaatar. There are great opportunities for hiking and rock climbing. Our dog sledding team will be waiting for us over there, and then we will do dog sledding for 4 hours. Overnight at tourist ger guesthouse.

Day 6. Drive to Chinggis Khan Equestrian statue complex (B/L)

This morning, we will visit the Araybal meditation temple. Then, we will drive to the Chinggis Khan Equestrian statue complex, built in 2008, on the occasion of the eight-hundredth anniversary of the Mongolian Empire's foundation, in honor of its founder, Chinggis Khan. From there, the whole park looks so beautiful.

This giant stainless steel statue weighs 250 tons and is 40 meters (131 feet) high; it's the tallest statue representing a man on horseback in the world. There are two museums over there so we will visit some souvenir shops. We will have lunch over there and then transfer to the international airport. Departure.