"Naadam" is the biggest holiday of the Mongolian calendar - the annual festival of three "manly sports" (wrestling, archery and horsemanship)

 

 MAP

 

Trip overview

 

DAY 01 – Arrival in Moscow

Arrival in Moscow. Your driver will meet on arrival and transfer you by private car to the hotel.               

DAY 02 – Around Moscow

After breakfast one of our local experts will meet you at your hotel in the lobby for a three hour walking and familiarisation tour, to introduce the city (and its public transport system) and to get your sightseeing off to a flying start. The rest of the day's your own.

DAY 03 – Departing Moscow

Transfer to Yaroslavsky Station where you will board the Irkutsk bound train.

DAY 04 – On board the Trans-Sib

Travelling through Kazan and Ekaterinburg. 

DAY 05 – On board the Trans-Sib

Onwards into Siberia itself, via Novosibirsk.

DAY 06 – On board the Trans-Sib

Across the River Enisei, at Krasnoyarsk.

DAY 07 – Arrival in Irkutsk

Arrival in Irkutsk, transfer to Listvyanka Village on the shore of Lake Baikal. 

DAY 08 – Choose one activity from the list

It’s all included in the trip price.
(A) Siberian trek
(B) Circum Baikal picnic
(C) Taltsy wooden museum
(E) Do your own thing

DAY 09 – Explore Listvyanka

Day at leisure at Listvyanka Village. 

DAY 10 – Departing Irkutsk

Transfer back to the city of Irkutsk.  Evening transfer to the station where you will board the Ulaanbaatar bound train.

DAY 11 – On board The Trans-Sib

Circumnavigating Lake Baikal towards Mongolia.

DAY 12 – Arrival in Ulaanbaatar

Naadam Opening Ceremonies; Naadam kicks off with an opening parade around the track of the Sports Stadium, vaguely similar to the Olympics Parade but with a special Mongolian twist.

 

DAY 13 – Naadam Festival

Return to the stadium to the wrestlling and archery tournaments. Afternoon transfer out of Ulaanbaatar to Elstei Ger Lodge.

DAY 14 – Visit Nomad Family

Today you will visit a local nomad family. See how a nomadic family milks their live stock and learn how they produce dairy products using the traditional Mongolian method.

 

DAY 15 –  Hustai National Park

This afternoon travel by road to Hustai National Park.  The park is home to a some amazing wildlife including Wolves , Lynx and the Golden Eagle and of course the Prezevalsky Horses (known locally as "Takhi"). The park lies in the foothills of the southern Khentii Mountain Range about 100km south west of Ulaanbaatar.   

DAY 16 – Molit Valley

After  breakfast you will de at the camp then set off to the picturesque  Moilt Valley - this is  not far, around 25-30 kms away.This area is famous for wildflowers as well as wildlife. On route you will visit old sculptures and Deer stones (or Reindeer stones ) these are ancient megaliths carved with symbols that can be found all over the world but are concentrated largely in Siberia and Mongolia.

 

DAY 17 – Return to Ulaanbaatar

After breakfast you will travel back to Ulaanbaatar which is around  3-4 hours away. The day will also include, once back in the capital, some sightseeing. While out with your guide you will enjoy seeing the Gandan monastery  - home to 150 monks and housing the 26.5-meter-high statue of Migjid Janraisig and also the main square where you will see the huge monument  of Sükhbaatar ,leader of the army that liberated Mongolia in the 1921 revoloution.

DAY 18 – Departing Ulaanbaatar

Early morning transfer to the station where you will board the Beijing bound train.

DAY 19 – Arrival in Beijing

Arriving into Beijing Central Station at the end of your Trans-Siberian journey.