Southern Dinosaur Tour

Khermen Tsav is a canyon with beautiful oasis, 6 km in width and 15 km in length located in a distance of 400 km from Dalanzadgad city. The canyon is full of 30m high natural formations of cliffs, and looks like remains of ancient cities and temples, iceberg drifting on a sea, huge dinosaurs, turtles and crocodiles. As scientists defined it was an inland sea bottom some 200 million years ago.
The first step on this land gives an impression that you have entered to the age of ancient world. American scholar Roy Chapman Andrews named this place as "The End of the World." Khermen Tsav is known not only by its beauty of natural formation but also by its trove of dinosaur fossils.

Day 1.Ulaanbaatar. Arrival in Ulaanbaatar and transfer to hotel in the city centre. After lunch, we will start the city tour including Gandan Monastery, Chinggis Khaan square and surroundings including Parliament House, National Opera Theatre, Cultural Palace and House of City Council. Then we will drive to Zaisan Hill, which provides wide view of the Ulaanbaatar then we will visit Museum of National history with an excellent exhibitions such as Stone and Bronze Age, Turkic and Mongol Empire, rise of Buddhism and communist regime. Overnight and relax in the hotel.

Day 2. Middle Gobi. 400km  We will drive to Middle Gobi and will visit Baga Gazriin Chuluu. This 1750m high basalt and granite rock formation is located in the middle of nowhere. This rock mountain contains ruins of Buddhist meditation temple that belonged to the 17^th century. We will drive to Sum Huh Burd, a tiny lovely island with ruins of ancient temple and birds. Overnight in the ger camp.

Day 3. Bayanzag/Flamming Cliffs. 250km Today we will drive to Bayanzag known as a Flamming Cliffs to the world. In the afternoon, we will arrive in the ancient red rock creation, Bayanzag formed 60-70 million years ago, famous as Flaming Cliffs named by Roy Andrew Chapman, an American explorer who visited Mongolia in 1920s. The red Bayanzag cliffs have dinosaur fossils, eggs and bones all over the place and neighbored by Saxual tree forests. Overnight at the ger camp.

Day 4. Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park. 200km We will drive to the Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park where we will enjoy “Yol Valley”. The valley is the narrow canyon of a river that flows through the Zuun Saikhan Mountain. The rock walls stand 200m and the canyon has stunning green meadows with thick glacier layer that is deeply set between the walls. We will trek along the canyon and may have an opportunity to glimpse rarely found wild sheep Argali, mountain goat Ibex and Yol Lammergeier. Overnight in the ger camp.

Day 5. Khongoriin Els sand dunes. 200km In the morning, we will drive to the Khongoriin Els sand dunes. In the afternoon, we will visit Khongoriin Els dunes that stretch for 180 kms, sometimes as wide as 7-20km. The dunes lie on the northern part of the mountain range Servei and Zuulun. The sound of masses of wind-blown sand can be heard from the long distance. This sound comes from 200m high sand dunes called as “Singing Dunes” or “Sand that sings”. We will visit camel breeder’s family and rode a camel and experience every day life of nomads. Overnight at the ger camp.

Day 6. Zuulun/Sevree/Nemegt Mountains. 250km After breakfast at the ger camp, we will drive through the Khongoriin Els dunes to the direction of Khermen Tsav. We will continue to drive to the west where the place out of civilization is. Overnight the in the tent.

Day 7. Khermen Tsav/Kingdom of Dinosaurs. 200km After breakfast, we will drive to the Khermen Tsav. On the way, we will stop at Naran daats, small spring on the top of the hill and have a picnic lunch near the oasis of Zulganai. In the afternoon, we will arrive at the Khermen Tsav, red looking canyon found deep in the spirits of desert that stretches for 15-20 km. 65-250 million years ago Khermen Tsav was a ocean bed. Millions of years wind and water erosion formed this wonderful canyon with many precious findings of Dinosaurs’ eggs, bones and fossils. The red colors in the sunset brings you feel like you are on the moon. Trekking along the canyon and feel the spirits. Overnight in a tent in the canyon.

Day 8. Ikh Bogd Mountain. 300km After breakfast, we will drive to the Ikh Bogd Mountain with a height of 3957m at 1200m above the sea level. The sand dunes are located in the neighboring areas. We will overnight near the Orog lake basin.

Day 9. Shargaljuut hot spring. 280km After breakfast, we will drive to Shargaljuut , the mineral hot springs that is located 65km from the Bayankhongor. The Shargaljuut hot spring has more than 300 mineral spots with a temperature of +45 to 96 degrees Celsius. Mongolians use the hot spring water for medical purposes. Overnight in the tent near the hot spring.

Day 10. Khujirt hot spring.300km After breakfast, we will drive to Khangai mountain. In the afternoon we will arrive at the Khujirt resort which is situated on the bank of Khujirt river at 1758m above the sea level. The Khujirt resort is famous for its therapeutic magic for kidneys, joints and various traumas among Mongolians. The temperature varies from +40 to 55 degrees Celsius. Overnight in the ger camp.

Day 11. Orkhon Waterfall/Kharkhorin. 200km. We will drive to Orkhon waterfall which is situated in the Orkhon river, that flows 1120km; the longest river in Mongolia. The local name of the waterfall is Ulaan Tsutgalan and the height is 24m, waterfall was formed by a unique combination of volcanic eruptions and earthquakes about 20 000 years ago. The water level of the waterfall depends on the rainfall.  We will drive to Kharkhorin in the afternoon. Overnight in the camp.

Day 12. Kharkhorin/Erdenezuu Monastery. 100km We will visit Erdenezuu Monastery – the first Buddhist monastery was founded by Avtai Sain Khaan, descendant of Chinggis Khaan, on the ruins of Kharkhorin in 1586. The monastery is surrounded by beautiful looking white walls with 108 stupas. For centuries it was a spiritual and intellectual centre of Mongolia and there are extraordinary collection of Buddhist paintings, priceless religious objects, special dresses for Tsama religious dance and excellently made Buddhist iconography with true Mongolian and Tibetan style. Overnight in the ger camp.

Day 13. Bayangobi/Ruins of Uvgun Monastery. 100km We will drive to Bayangobi and visit Erdene Khambyn Khuree which is 20 kms drive from the camp. The monastery is located in the Khugnu Khaan mountain. Enlightened Bogd Gegeen Zanabazar, a religious leader, philosopher, artist and sculptor was founded these Uvgun and Zaluu temples for his religious teacher. The soldiers of Oirad nobleman Galdan boshigt destroyed the monasteries and assassinated the monks in 1688. We will visit horse breeder’s family. Overnight in the ger camp.

Day 14. Hustai National Park/ Ulaanbaatar. 280km We will drive to Ulaanbaatar via Hustai National Park. The park lies in the foothills of southern Khentii mountain range. It is the place where you can see wild horse called Takhi known as Przewalski horse to the world. The wild horses survive in nature by themselves because they have been reintroduced successfully to their homeland after 40 years of extinction. Currently, the number of Takhi has already reached more than 260. Drive back to Ulaanbaatar-the nations’ capital. Overnight and relax in the hotel.

Day 15. Ulaanbaatar. We will visit Gandan Monastery a heart of Mongolian Buddhism. We will see 24m golden plated statue of Buddha; Megjid Janraiseg. This monastery is the largest and most important monastery of Mongolia with 500 monks. We will visit Bogd Khaan Palace Museum, the palace known as the Green Palace. The palace was built in 1903 dedicated to the 8^th Bogd Gegeen, the head of lamaist religion and last khan of Mongolia. Amazing bronze castings, silk paintings, paper icons, mineral paintings, god statues made by Zanabazar and his students is the main attraction of this Palace. Traditional folklore performance in the evening. Overnight and relax in the hotel.

Day 16. Departure. We will transfer to the “Chinggis Khaan” International Airport with professional Blue Gobi Tour Team.