Danshig Religious Festival & Gobi Desert Tour 2026

Meet our travel team at the airport and transfer to the hotel. After a short rest, begin a guided city tour of Ulaanbaatar. Visit Gandan Monastery, the spiritual center of Mongolian Buddhism and a must-visit site in Ulaanbaatar, where you can observe local prayers, monks, and the largest indoor standing Buddha statue. Continue to the National Museum of Mongolia, which presents the country’s history and culture from the Stone Age to the present day. The tour also includes Sukhbaatar Square (also known as Chinggis Khaan Square), the main square of the capital city. 

Accommodation: 4-star Hotel. Meals: Lunch, Dinner 

Drive to Khui Doloon Khudag, located 50 km west of Ulaanbaatar, to experience the opening day of the Danshig Religious Festival, one of Mongolia’s largest Buddhist events. Enjoy sacred Tsam masked dances, monks’ rituals, traditional ceremonies, cultural performances, and horse racing at the festival site. Lunch will be served at the festival area. Return to Ulaanbaatar and overnight at the hotel.

Accommodation: 4-star Hotel. Meals: Lunch, Dinner 

Continue experiencing the Danshig Religious Festival and witness sacred Buddhist ceremonies, traditional performances, and cultural activities. Enjoy traditional Mongolian wrestling during the day. In the late afternoon, witness one of the festival’s most important spiritual events — the symbolic "Sor Zalahk" ritual ceremony. This powerful Buddhist purification ritual is believed to remove negative energy and obstacles by burning a special ceremonial structure, offering visitors a fascinating insight into Mongolia’s living Buddhist traditions.

After experiencing the festival, drive to Hustai National Park, home to the world’s last truly wild horses — the rare Takhi, also known as Przewalski’s horses. Reintroduced to the wild after becoming extinct in their natural habitat, these endangered horses have become a symbol of Mongolia’s successful wildlife conservation efforts. Enjoy exploring the beautiful steppe landscapes and wildlife of the national park.

Accommodation: Tourist ger camp. Meals: Full board

Drive to Kharkhorin, the ancient capital of the Mongol Empire, located in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape. Visit the Kharkhorin Museum to learn about the history of ancient Karakorum and the Mongol Empire. Continue to the famous Erdene Zuu Monastery, Mongolia’s oldest Buddhist monastery, built in the 16th century near the ruins of ancient Karakorum. Explore the monastery’s beautiful temples, Buddhist art, and spiritual atmosphere.

Accommodation: Tourist ger camp. Meals: Full board.

Continue your journey toward the Gobi Desert and arrive at the peaceful Ongi River valley. Explore the ruins of Ongi Monastery, once one of Mongolia’s largest Buddhist monastery complexes and an important stop for pilgrims traveling toward Tibet. Enjoy the remote desert landscapes and sunset views over the rocky hills and open steppe.

Accommodation: Tourist ger camp. Meals: Full board.

Travel to Bayanzag, famously known as the Flaming Cliffs, one of the most iconic destinations in the Gobi Desert. These dramatic red sandstone cliffs became world-famous after the discovery of dinosaur fossils and the world’s first dinosaur eggs by explorer Roy Chapman Andrews in 1922. Explore the stunning desert landscapes, enjoy sunset views over the glowing red cliffs, and visit the local museum to learn more about the area’s remarkable paleontological discoveries and ancient history.

Accommodation: Tourist ger camp. Meals: Full board.

Drive to the spectacular Khongor Singing Sand Dunes, the largest and most impressive sand dunes in Mongolia. Stretching over 180 km, the dunes are famous for the deep “singing” sound created by the moving sand and their breathtaking desert scenery. Surrounded by the small Khongor River and green vegetation, the area creates a unique contrast between desert and oasis landscapes.

Enjoy hiking and sliding on the dunes before sunset, experience camel riding, and visit a local camel-breeding nomadic family to learn about their traditional way of life. Watching the sunset over the golden dunes is one of the unforgettable highlights of the Gobi Desert journey.

Accommodation: Tourist ger camp. Meals: Full board.

Explore the beautiful Yol Valley (Yoliin Am), located in the heart of Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park. Surrounded by dramatic rock walls and narrow canyons, the valley is famous for its breathtaking scenery and seasonal ice fields that can remain frozen even during the summer months.

The national park is rich in wildlife and home to ibex, wild sheep, gazelles, vultures, and many other rare animals and birds of the Gobi Desert. Enjoy hiking through the valley, experiencing the peaceful natural surroundings, and visit the local natural history museum to learn more about the region’s unique environment and wildlife.

Accommodation: Tourist ger camp. Meals: Full board.

Drive to Tsagaan Suvarga, one of Mongolia’s most spectacular natural formations. The colorful limestone cliffs, shaped by millions of years of erosion, resemble the ruins of an ancient city rising from the desert landscape. Enjoy walking around the dramatic cliffs and photographing the beautiful sunset colors.

Accommodation: Tourist ger camp. Meals: Full board.

Travel to Baga Gazriin Chuluu, a fascinating granite rock formation located in the middle of the steppe. The area is known for its unique rocky landscapes, hidden caves, and historical ruins connected to Buddhist monks and local legends. Enjoy short hikes and explore the peaceful natural surroundings.

Accommodation: Tourist ger camp. Meals: Full board.

Transfer to Chinggis Khaan International Airport for your departure. End of the tour.

Meals: Breakfast.