•Category: Event journey

• Places to visit: Ulaanbaatar – Bayanjargalan - Khustai - Dalanzadgad - Byanzag - Dalanzadgad - Ulaanbaatar - Murun - Khuvsgul lake - Murun - Ulaanbaatar

• Activities: Horse race, Lunar New Year, Camel Festival, Winter festival and Skating event

• Duration: 14 nights/15 days

• Covering distance: 3250kms

• Number of participants: Min-2, Max-18

• Season: February

• Date of departures (start in Ulaanbaatar):
2010: NW01 12Feb 

Feb 12 Day 1 Welcoming Day
Arrive in Ulaanbaatar, the capital city of Mongolia. Your guide will pick you up at the airport and transfer to your hotel. After refreshment you will be taken to a local restaurant for lunch. In the evening enjoy folk concert and Welcome dinner. Stay overnight in the hotel. LD

Feb 13 Day 2 Bituun's Celebration
Today we will travel to "Mongolian Secret History" Ger camp, located 114kms to the west of Ulaanbaatar. The last day of the old year Mongolian people widely celebrate the "Bituun" - Lunar New Year Eve, all members of families are gathered around richly served table and have dinner together. You will visit nomad family and celebrate the "Bituun" with them. Then you will be invited to play traditional game called "Shagai" by ankle bones of animals. Stay overnight in Ger camp. BLD

Feb 14 Day 3 Lunar New Year
First month of the Lunar New Year called as Tsagaan Sar by Mongols. It celebrated as nation-wide holiday as a greeting of the end of severe winter and beginning of spring time, when nature and people awaken and are inspired for new life and deeds. On "Shiniin Negen", the first day of Lunar New Year we will enjoy and experience many of the meaningful traditional culture and customs. Start a new day with morning sun rise and have new energy at fresh air. Today everybody wears their best clothes and goes to visit the oldest person in the family, a group of families to get him or her give respect and wish the best.
The first greeting of the year is expressed through very specific ritual gestures and mutual salutations. Under this ritual, called Zolgokh, the oldest person places, his or her arms out straight, with the palms turned down, on the outstretched arms of the youngest person, and both pronounce traditional formulae of good wishes while gently touching cheeks. This gesture indicates that the elder can count on the support and respect of the younger. We would celebrate the New Year with nomads and be offered to drink Mongolian tea-"Suutei tsai", eat steamed dumpling-"Buuz", and other main dishes prepared for the celebration. Stay overnight in the Ger camp. BLD

Feb 15 Day 4 Travel to Moltsog Els sand dunes
After lunch we will travel to Moltsog Els sand dunes. Stay overnight in the Ger camp. BLD

Feb 16 Day 5 Winter horse race
Morning we will enjoy horse racing in the winter. Late afternoon we will travel to Nuht resort where Eagle Festival will be held. The area is located suburb of Ulaanbaatar. Stay overnight in the Nuht resort hotel. BLD

Feb 17 Day 6 Eagle Festival
The opening ceremony commences, as the participants join the parade on horse ride with their eagles. Then festival begins with each Kazakh displaying his hunting outfit and accessories. The Golden eagles will be released from a cliff and their owner will stand below and signal for them to land upon their arm, as they do during hunting. Then eagles will be released from a cliff to attack fox skins that will be dragged by their owner onhorseback. Travel back to Ulaanbaatar. Stay overnight in the hotel. BLD

Feb 18-19 Day 7-8 Camel Festival days
In the morning transfer to airport, take a flight to Dalanzadgad, the center of Umnugobi province. We will be met with our drivers at local airport and travel (1-1.5hours by Russian minivan) to our camp.
Camel Festival Days! This event will be organised by "Tumen Temee" ("Ten Thousand Camels") - association in order to protect two humped Bactrian camels and reproduce camel herders, to increase their productivity, to increase herder's income by tourism. In those days we will "breathe" by camels. You will enjoy authentic festival program including, camels racing, children's concert, camel wool product exhibition, camel polo, parade on camels and nice couple competition. Also you will enjoy relay competition with camel. An entertaining competition which shows camel training methods and customs of "Heroes of great Gobi" people, overcomes severe climate and harsh condition of Gobi by their effort and endurance. Teams each having 5 members participate in it and show many methods and techniques of catching camel with lasso, tying and bringing down, putting wooden peg into camel's nose and loading camel. Optional camel riding is available. Stay overnights in Ger camp. BLD

Feb 20 Day 9 Flight back to Ulaanbaatar
Travel back to Dalanzadgad town, take a flight to Ulaanbaatar. Transfer to the hotel. Time for relax. Stay overnight in the hotel. BL

Feb 21 Day 10 Travel to Khuvsgul Lake
In the morning transfer to airport, take a flight to Murun, the center of Khuvsgul province. We will be met with our drivers at local airport and travel (3-3.5hours by Russian minivan) to Ger camps near Khatgal village, is located at the south east shore of the lake. Skaters are invited to prepare for skating and warming up skate on the thick black ice of the lake. Non skating spectators would have a chance to see skaters or involve optional activities of horseriding, horse sledding, dog sledding and cultural visits to nomads. Stay overnight in Ger camp. BLD

Feb 22 Day 11 The Ice Festival & Skating Marathon Day!
By 10.00am Grand Opening Ceremony of the Ice Festival and International Skating Marathon will take place. We will attend sacrificing shamanic ceremony for Mother Sea-Khuvsgul and King of Mountains-Khoridol Saridag. The Marathon for first 100kms of round race will start as continuously at 10.30am. While skaters are racing on the ice there will be very interesting activities of the Ice Festival will be held according to planned schedule. You can enjoy competitions of horse sleds driven by local nomads and traditional game of Ice-Shagai. Around 13.00-15.00pm most of skaters will complete for first 100kms' race. Afternoon competition for driving by car holds on the ice and other optional activities are available. Traditional art performance of local singers and dancers. Stay overnight in Ger camp. BLD
Feb 23 Day 12 The Ice Festival & Skating Marathon

Today second 100kms's part of round race will be completed by the skaters. Reindeer racing, competition of skaters for short distances, wrestling on ice, rope pulling competitions will be main activities on this day. Closing ceremony will be held around at 16.00pm and winners of competitions would be announced and awarded. Evening we will have exciting ceremony by famous shaman of the area and enjoy bonfire at the night. Stay overnight in Ger camp. BLD
Note: Non skating spectators can enjoy of competition of horses' sleighs for 12kms, with local nomads and traditional game of "Ice-Shagai" other optional activities, enjoying horse sleigh or dog sled, horse riding, a trip to visit nomadic or Tsaatan family are available.

Feb 24 Day 13 Flight back to Ulaanbaatar
Travel back to Murun town, take a flight to Ulaanbaatar. Transfer to the hotel. Time for relax. Stay overnight in the hotel. BL

Feb 25 Day 14 Sightseeing in Ulaanbaatar
Visit to National Museum of Mongolia. You will go with the guide to shops for souvenirs and cashmere. Optional visit to Cashmere factory. Farewell dinner. Stay overnight in the hotel. BLD

Feb 26 Day 15 Departure
Departure. B

Included: All activities described in the itinerary, twin/double basis hotel accommodation (5 nights) in Ulaanbaatar, stay Ger camp (9 nights) in countryside, English speaking guide service, sightseeing cost and entrance fee to Protected Area, RT domestic flights, all transfers by bus in the city and by 4WD Russian minivan in the countryside. Meals of breakfast, lunch /special meal during the skating event days/ and dinner as mentioned per day itinerary.
Excluded: International transportation to and from Mongolia, travel insurance, mineral (bottled) water and alcoholic drinks, tips and gratuities, laundry and items of a personal nature.