An ardent fan of Mongolia, he is based in the Mongolian capital, come summer or winter. A mechanic by soul and a fine motorcycle trial rider, he can make you discover this magnificent region by sharing his passion for travel.
Blaze the Mongolian trails, where you will be amazed by the sheer variety of your trip: steppe, forests, lakes, mountains, volcanoes and even desert. Every night you’ll sleep in a yurt, the ingenious traditional white tent. One of the most arresting aspects of the journey will surely be your encounter with the nomads. These strong and generous people, their faces weathered by sun and wind, offer legendary hospitality. Experience nomadic life for a moment, and switch steeds to gallop across the steppe. This Mongolian motorbike trip is for travelers seeking authenticity and simplicity.
Upon landing in Ulan Bator, you’re met at the airport and transferred to the hotel. You are free to explore the city and dine at your leisure. Ulan Bator (1,350 m) is nestled in the valley of the south-flowing Tuul River, where it spreads over almost 18 miles from west to east and 9 miles from north to south. With 1.5 million inhabitants following the mining boom, this city has seen significant change in just the last 20 years.
After an early breakfast, you meet your tour leader. We’re transferred about 19 miles by private vehicle, where we collect our bikes. It’s officially time to set off on our adventure! We take a gorgeous road through the steppes with the mountains as a backdrop and come across flocks of sheep, cows and goats in our path.
We head westwards over the steppe on the Middle Route, one of the main tarmacked roads which crosses this immense country. It is hypnotising, with seemingly never-ending straight stretches and very few bends. To make sure no-one gets bored, we'll take a few off-road detours from time to time and visit a traditional hamlet or royal ruins.
Sunrise at Ogii Nuur Lake is picture perfect and worth getting up early for. Then we enjoy an exceptional riding day: the landscapes awaiting us are simply stunning. What's more, we hardly see an inch of tarmac today, just what you came for! We have lunch at a local café. Most of the tracks are very smooth and a real pleasure to ride on our little Indian trail bikes.
The track takes us into the heart of the Orkhon Valley with several ford crossings and small hills. We notice that the landscapes become ever more mountainous. The steppes gradually give way to the rugged foothills of the Khanghai volcanic mountains. We arrive mid-afternoon at our hosts' place, near the Orkhon waterfalls.
Early in the morning, we explore our camp. We make the most of the calm and visit one of the region's most beautiful waterfalls. On the way back, we help the family chef prepare a typical nomad dish. We set off again after lunch, enjoying the tracks and a slalom between volcanic rocks.
We head northeast on superb tracks. We ride alongside Orkhon river one last time. By lunchtime, we arrive at the ancient capital of Genghis Khan’s empire: Karakorum. In the museum, we immerse ourselves in the history of the capital and the steppe empires pre- and post-Genghis Khan, and then have lunch.
Today, we visit the Khogno Khan dunes, nicknamed "Mini Gobi". For eons the steppe winds have carried sand to the foot of Mount Khogno Khan (1,967 m), creating a long stretch of dunes spanning around 50 miles. Called Elsen Tasarkhai, the name literally means "an isolated torn-off piece of sand". We take on plenty of tracks and make the most of some wild riding, as the end of the tour is in sight!
We make our way back to Ulan Bator on a wonderful stretch of asphalt crossing the desert plains, then the steppes. This is our last day to soak up these mind-blowing landscapes. We end the day in the capital. You’re transferred to the hotel and you have a free late afternoon and evening.
Those with a late flight can have a free day in the city. You can enjoy the capital’s unique atmosphere, which is both harsh and welcoming at the same time. Ulan Bator is one of those cities that everyone has an opinion about. A taxi will take you to the airport, where our services end.
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