Wilds of Mongolia
Celebrating Mongolia's Traditions
This wide-ranging small group trip explores several of Mongolia’s most essential regions for a meaningful look at the country’s landscapes and rich culture. From capital city Ulaanbaatar where you gain insight into the country’s alluring past and pacific present, journey to Lake Khovsgol, Central Asia’s deepest lake—aged 2-million-years-old. Here, you take a front-row seat amid the lively competitions and celebrations of a Naadam festival, experiencing first-hand the country’s proud cultural heritage. Then it’s onto the Gobi Desert for sand dune explorations and immersive visits with the proud nomads who endure in this vast and arid land.
-24.jpg&w=2048&q=70)
Slide 1 of 5
What to Expect
Guided by an unmatched Trip Leader, journey from capital city Ulaanbaatar to Lake Khovsgol, Central Asia’s deepest lake, where you experience the celebrations and competitions of a rural Naadam festival. Continue to the Gobi Desert to search for dinosaur bones, commune with camel-herding nomads, and listen for the evocative whistle at Khongoriin Els (the “singing sand dunes”). End in Gorkhi Terelj National Park, amid forest-blanketed hills.
Trip Highlights
- Experience a traditional Naadam festival in a small rural village, where encounters are more intimate and immersive
- Uncover the traditions of local nomads: the reindeer-herding Tsaatan people, camel herders of the Gobi, and nomads of the Yol Valley
- Spend nights under the stars in a beautifully arranged ger camp in the heart of the Gobi
- Connect with young Mongolians in the capital Ulaanbaatar to better glimpse the country’s alluring juxtaposition of old and new
Upcoming Departures
- July 7 – July 18, 2026Led by Ishee BattulgaExclusive Travel Tuesday Offer
Trip Pricing
- Group Trip: From $11,650
Travel Tuesday: $1,000 savings per person on July 7–18, 2026 departure
Based on double occupancy
Inclusions
- All handpicked accommodations, ground transportation, and airport transfers
- All guided sightseeing, events, and experiences
- Premier GeoEx Trip Leader and top-tier local guides
- Most meals
- Most gratuities, excluding GeoEx Trip Leader
- Emergency evacuation services and secondary medical expense insurance
- Dedicated support from GeoEx’s travel experts and in-house air reservations team
Your Route Through Mongolia
Journey at a Glance
Day 1 – 2Arrive in Ulaanbaatar
Get acquainted with Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia's capital, visiting its Buddhist temples and proud museums.
Day 3 – 4Khovsgol & Naadam
A flight whisks you to Khovsgol, a small community and gateway to Khovsgol Nuur National Park. Travel to Hatgal village to experience a traditional Naadam festival, one of the country's most boisterous gatherings.
Meet Your Guide
Ishee Battulga
Your trip leader, Ishbaljir Battulga, who goes by Ishee, has been winning the hearts of GeoEx guests with his charisma, depth of knowledge, and patient disposition for many years. Ishee comes from a nomadic family and grew up with his grandmother herding yaks and horse riding. He is a gifted storyteller who brings to life his experience growing up in the Mongolian countryside under Communist rule.
It's great that your staff knows the region and can respond to questions that go outside the usual guidebook knowledge.
