Cycling in Mongolia - Naadam Festival

Our cycling adventure starts in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia’s capital city. There are no activities planned for today to allow for different arrival times. If you have time to explore some of the sites we recommend visiting Sukhbaatar Square, the National Museum and the landmark State Department Store. Around 6pm, say hello to your tour leader and fellow travellers, when we gather as a group for the first time to get to know each other and learn more about the adventures ahead. Your tour leader then ensures a big welcome by arranging a group dinner at a nearby restaurant. Want more time in Ulaanbaatar? Secure pre-tour hotel nights through your sales representative.

We start the day after breakfast with the trip briefing and then strike out on an introductory tour of Ulaanbaatar, which takes in Sukhbaatar Square (the main square in the city), National Museum and Gandan Monastery. In the afternoon, you have free time before boarding the overnight train to Erdenet in the early evening. Erdenet is the third-largest city in Mongolia and home to one of the largest copper mines in the world. We stay in sleeping compartments on the train.

Our train arrives early in the morning. Upon arrival, we are joined by our crew and support vehicles. After breakfast, we set up the bikes and head out towards the wilderness. The small township of Bugat makes a convenient lunch stop. After lunch, our route takes us over Chuluutiin Davaa, a long pass on which care must be taken as the surface is loose in parts. With a steep descent, we arrive at a long plain leading to tonight’s camp near Tal Tolgoi Well.

After our first night near local herding families, we cycle through rolling country before descending to a bridge over the Altaan (Golden) River. Rock formations in the area hint towards a volcanic past. The riverbanks make an idyllic spot for a picnic lunch. It is a long, steady climb to Tuluugiin Pass, where the scenery changes dramatically as the forests give way to open steppe, at least for a while. Today is our longest cycling day on the trip.

Today we pass through rolling hills, past small lakes and herds of horses. Steppe eagles can be seen in this area. We stop for lunch with views across the steppe. After lunch, we continue on tracks around the southern side of Khairkhan Mountain (6,108ft/1,862m) and make camp in an open, green valley beneath the Kholbooriin Pass (5,410ft/1,649m).

We begin with a bit of exertion as we make the short climb in the morning up to the pass, giving us far-reaching views across the countryside. Down the other side, we wind along gentle river valleys before emerging at the township of Khairkhan. After lunch on the outskirts of town, we pass a series of small lakes before choosing a camp for the night.

Today we follow the Khunjiin River as it rises gently towards its headwaters. River valleys like this provide fertile pasture for grazing livestock and are popular campsites with local herders. Wetlands near the river attract birdlife, including demoiselle cranes. We stay overnight in the upper reaches of the river valley, beneath Chingeltei Mountain.

Today is a half day of cycling and we make a good start to make the most of the afternoon for a chance to rest. The Gurviin Dava Pass is a long but steady ascent through forest for the most part, with a short, steep climb at the end. Arriving at the provincial capital of Tsetserleg makes the effort well worthwhile. Tsetserleg means garden and this township has one of the most attractive settings of any in Mongolia. We pitch camp by the Tsetserleg River. The afternoon is free to relax, enjoy a hot shower and experience staying in a traditional Mongolian ger.

We are now close to the Khangai Mountains and a short ride takes us to the foothills. The rolling country of Arhangai has been replaced by forested hills of larch and pine with dramatic alpine peaks in the distance. There are three short passes today, with lunch on the third before descending to tonight’s camp.

Our route now takes us into the heart of the Khangai Mountains, following well-marked 4×4 trails. Herders still inhabit the valleys, yet yaks have replaced cows as the milk-producing animals. We follow picturesque valleys and camp beneath Ondor Khairkhan Mountain (7,585ft/2,312m). This a relatively long day that can be challenging if conditions are windy.

Today we cross the Khangai mountain range on good jeep tracks and drop down to the Orkhon River on the longest, smoothest descent of the journey. The Orkhon River flows to the ancient capital, Karakorum, then to Lake Baikal in Russia and further northwards to the Arctic Ocean. After lunch, we continue downstream to our overnight camp on the banks of the Orkhon River.

We ride from camp following rolling terrain, crossing and recrossing the Orkhon River as we head for the fertile plain chosen by Genghis Khan as the location for the capital city of his empire. Arriving in the early afternoon, we check into the ger camp for hot showers and a well-earned rest. This afternoon, we explore Erdene Zuu Monastery, the largest and most famous monastery in Mongolia. Built in 1586 under the direction of Abtai Khan on the ruins of the ancient capital, much of the monastery was destroyed during Stalinist purges of the 1930s, but an impressive wall with 108 stupas and several temples remains.

We make a good start this morning for the 250mi (400km) drive back to Ulaanbaatar. Travelling at an easy pace, we stop at Mongol Els to view the dunes with a picnic lunch en route. We check into our hotel on arrival in Ulaanbaatar – hot showers and cold beers! This afternoon, we enjoy a performance of traditional Mongolian song and dance by the renowned Tumen Ekh troupe.

The Naadam Festival celebrates the ‘three games of men’ (or Erin Gurvan Naadam): wrestling, horse racing and archery. More recently, a fourth game, knuckle-bone flicking, was added to the competitions. The festival is celebrated throughout the country but the biggest is in Ulaanbaatar. Over the next two days, we attend the Naadam Festival horse racing, Deeltei Mongol Naadam (Mongolia National Costume Festival) and the Grand Opening Ceremony before we watch Mongolians compete in all four sports. We also get to mingle with hordes of Mongolian spectators as the grounds around the stadium (where wrestling, archery and bone-flicking takes place) and the horse races are filled with stands selling food, games, flags and various other things. The atmosphere is a big part of the experience and many Mongolians dress in their best traditional clothes for the occasion. In 2010, the festival was entered into the Unesco Intangible Cultural Heritage list and is a great celebration of the Central Asian nation’s culture.

The tour ends after breakfast and we begin our return journeys home, full of tales and magnificent photos to share. If you aren’t ready for the adventure to end, speak to your sales representative about our range of extension options.