Naadam Explorer | Small Group Tour | 13 Days | June 30 2026 | Guaranteed Departure

Naadam Explorer Journey Details

The journey begins in Ulaanbaatar, where the pace and complexity of city life provide an important starting point. Spending time in the capital gives contrast to the rest of the journey: how people live and move through the city, and how urban life sits alongside Mongolia’s many other ways of life.

From the capital, the route leads into the Gobi and Mongolia’s central heartland. Road trip days, changing landscapes, quiet pauses, and time to simply sit and be all shape the experience. Along the way, you’ll stay at small, family-run ger camps connected to communities we’ve worked alongside for many years. These stays offer an honest introduction to rural livelihoods and the local relationships that help shape our journeys.

At the heart of the journey is State Naadam, Mongolia’s most significant national celebration. Some describe it as being “for tourists,” but that misses what Naadam means within Mongolia itself. It is vibrant, public, celebratory, and full of national pride — bringing together sport, ceremony, family, identity, and continuity in a way that feels both deeply traditional and firmly part of contemporary Mongolia.

Although compact, time and contrast are built into our Naadam Explorer, allowing space to respond to what unfolds — between the energy of the capital and the openness of the land, Soviet-era towns and centuries-old monasteries, protected landscapes and working pastoral country.

This journey is designed for curious travellers looking for a thoughtful first experience of Mongolia: one shaped by celebration, road travel, landscape, and the everyday lives of the people who call these places home.

You’ll find the key moments and locations below. For the full day-by-day flow — and the thinking behind it — please email us. We share the detailed itinerary by email so we can explain the pacing, driving days, route choices, and options in context. We also keep a few moments back as quiet surprises.

• Spend time in Ulaanbaatar, gaining a sense of the capital beyond the main sights.
• Find space among the granite rock formations of Baga Gazriin Chuluu.
• Experience the contrasts of small-town life in Dalanzadgad, the provincial capital of the South Gobi, including the Gobi Museum of Nature and History.
• Walk through Yolyn Am, also known as Eagle Gorge, looking for lammergeiers overhead and Mongolian pika among the rocks.
• Climb the singing sand dunes of Khongoryn Els.
• Take in the views of the dunes from between the ears of a Bactrian camel.
• Walk among the rich fossil landscapes of Bayanzag, the Flaming Cliffs.
• Take in the wide Gobi views from the Khavtsgait Petroglyphs.
• Stay with the Nergui family in the wide-open desert-steppe horizons of Erdenedalai.
• Explore the sacred mountain landscape of Khogno Khan.
• Discover the history and culture of Kharkhorin.
• Spend time with the Tumee family in the Orkhon River Valley and gain a window into their way of life.
• Experience State Naadam alongside Mongolians from across the country and from many walks of life.

• US$3,280 pp

Map Of Route

During this journey, you’ll experience a variety of accommodation styles, each offering insight into daily life in Mongolia and shaped by the season and setting:

Mongolian Family Ger Camps

Throughout the experience you’ll stay in a traditional Mongolian gers provided by our partnering families. Each family typically sets up 4–5 guest gers, thoughtfully adapted for the season. While the setup is simple, you’ll always have your own bed and a comfortable personal space.

Facilities: Showers are available every 2–3 days at the local public shower house. Toilets are traditional outdoor short-drop latrines.

Provincial Hotel

In provincial towns, we use modern local hotels, usually on a twin-share basis with another traveller of the same sex. Rooms typically have an en-suite bathroom with a shower, although hot water is never fully guaranteed in Mongolia, regardless of the hotel standard. Your team will always do what they can to help make it happen. Towels are usually provided, though they can be small, and rooms often have a kettle. Wi-Fi may be available in some hotels, but it can be slow or inconsistent.

Ulaanbaatar

Accommodation in Ulaanbaatar on June 20, and July 10th - 12th  is not included although we provide recommendations and can help with booking.

Meals

Each EL team travels with a simple kitchen, and most meals are prepared by your trip assistant. We don’t ask rural families — often with limited access to shops and supplies — to provide meals for our groups, especially given the number of travellers who now have dietary requirements. However, during each trip, as well as eating as a group, you’ll also share some meals with host families, stop at guanz — local roadside cafés — and eat in local restaurants.

Our trip assistants are not trained chefs, but they cook for their own families and know how to keep you well-fed. Meals are usually based around simple, seasonal ingredients, with an emphasis on what is available locally and sensibly sourced along the route. You won’t find elaborate international dishes, but you can expect hearty, filling food that sustains you through the journey.

If five portions of fruit and vegetables a day are essential to you, you may find remote Mongolia challenging. Fresh produce can be limited outside Ulaanbaatar and the larger towns, and availability depends on the season, region, and supply routes.

We can cater for vegetarians, some dietary restrictions, and food allergies, but only with advance notice. Please share your requirements when booking so we can advise what is possible and set realistic expectations.

We ask all our travellers to remember where they are and the realities of logistics in Mongolia. You are only in the country for a short time, and part of the experience is adapting to what is available rather than expecting the same choice you may have at home.

Vegetarian Options in Mongolia

Drinks

We provide drinking water, tea, and coffee throughout the journey. Alcohol and soft drinks are not included but can be purchased en route. Choice is more limited in the countryside, and in many places you may only find beer and vodka. If you enjoy a good bottle of wine or whisky, we recommend stocking up in Ulaanbaatar before departure.

As rural Mongolia has limited running water and very little recycling infrastructure, we avoid buying bottled water for our trips. Each team carries large water containers and filters water from local town water stations.

Please bring a filtered reusable water bottle. 

Why We Ask Travellers To Bring A Reusable Water Bottle To Mongolia

If you prefer to buy bottled water for yourself during the journey, we understand, but we do not buy it on your behalf or include it as part of the trip provisions.

Transport

Our driving team is made up of men we know personally and have worked with for years. Their English is limited, but their road skills are unmatched—whether navigating tough terrain or practicing mongolchlokh (improvising the Mongolian way) when a tyre bursts or a vehicle breaks down. And yes, breakdowns do happen—this is Mongolia, after all. By travelling with us, you’re supporting the long-term employment of experienced, traditional men who use their income to provide for extended families.

Each driver owns their own vehicle, which may include Furgon 4×4 vans, Toyota Land Cruisers and Lexus models, Hyundai Starex, or Mitsubishi Delicas. Because they’re driver-owned, interiors and seating layouts vary, and each vehicle is fitted with either lap or seat belts.

We assist with maintenance fees, and all vehicles undergo:

- Annual assessments by the Mongolian Government for tourism standards

- Standard MOT checks

- Licensing for tourism use. 

Learn more about our drivers and their tour vehicles here.

Travel Times

Road travel is a central part of journeying through Mongolia, one of the world’s largest countries. Daily travel times are provided as a guide rather than a promise, and we deliberately allow generous estimates to help set realistic expectations.

Average speeds typically range from 30–65 km/h, depending on road and weather conditions. Where routes include dirt roads, this can mean anything from smooth gravel to corrugated tracks, rocky sections, tree roots, or mud, varying with location and season.

Included in the price

• All meals outside of the city of Ulaanbaatar unless otherwise stated: These are mainly prepared and cooked by your local team so they are fresh and it means we offer more flexibility for any dietary requirements. We also provide filtered drinking water (not bottled), tea, and instant coffee.
• You’ll be supported by one of our experienced intergenerational teams—made up of a male Mongolian driver and one of our English-speaking female trip assistants—helping create an immersive and well-supported experience. Jess and Tuya are also available throughout your journey via WhatsApp.
• Our complimentary 'Intro To Ulaanbaatar' experience including a local lunch and welcome drink
• Transportation to and from the airport or train station on arrival and departure days
• Entrance fees to monasteries, temples, and museums are included when you are with the local team. Please note this excludes camera tickets.
• Festival tickets are provided if listed in the itinerary.
• Camel or horseback rides (please note, riding helmets are not provided)
• Thoughtful Extras – We add a few surprises—small touches that express our thanks for choosing to travel with us.

Not included in the price

• International airfare to and from Mongolia
• Accommodation in Ulaanbaatar: Our trip pricing excludes the price of accommodation in UB though. Why?  Everyone is different is the standard of accommodation they prefer at the start and end of a trip. As there is now such a variety of hotels in UB it is easier to exclude this cost. I provide a list of ideas covering varying standards and budgets and I can also help with booking. There’s everything from a homestay through to Airbnb, US$10 guesthouses and the Shangri-La!
• Domestic flight where/if applicable including any fees for excess luggage
• Passport and visa fees: Let us know your nationality at the time of booking and we’ll confirm whether you need to apply for a Mongolian visa. It is a relatively easy process depending on your nationality and we can help with some of the formalities.
• Travel insurance (mandatory)
• Gratuities: Each member of the local team receives a responsible but fair salary and none have to rely on receiving gratuities to supplement their income.  In addition, we make sure that everyone who works with us or helps us is fairly rewarded for their work and the service they provide. At the end of the tour, if you wish to make a gratuity to the local team then thank you – it is not compulsory but it is appreciated when given. We give detailed information on booking.
• Personal Expenses: We provide detailed guidance on booking
• Alcohol: Alcohol is available to buy in shops and supermarkets throughout your trip, and your team will make regular stops.