July or August (11 days, custom expedition for the Kent family)

The Gobi and Sacred Mountains Expedition

6- 10 Youth

$4,300 Per Youth

Inaugural friends & family rate.

Includes all domestic travel, lodging, meals, and field team.

International airfare excluded.

Inquire

The Expedition Overview

An 11-day trip combining the Gobi desert with the Khentii mountains and rivers.

This is a first-hand look at nomadic life through peer bonding and daily activities.

Nomadic Integration in the daily cycle of a herder family. Active role in herding and the dairy science that sustains life on the steppe.

The trip includes something for everyone: hiking, trekking, horse & camel riding, fishing, beginners welcome.

Campfires and a clear view of the Milky Way.

Families and Faculty welcome too.

Itinerary

Day 1

Arrival in Ulaanbaatar (UB)

Your journey begins the moment you land at Chinggis Khaan International Airport. After a transfer to our hotel and a brief rest, we head to Sukhbaatar Square, the city’s civic heart, and visit the National Museum of History to ground ourselves in the legacy of the Mongol Empire.

Welcome dinner and trip orientation.

Overnight in hotel.

Camel caravan during sunset in the Gobi Desert

Day 2

Flight to Gobi - Meet Nomadic Host Family

Transfer to the airport for a domestic flight to Khanbumbat in the South Gobi.

Drive to our nomadic host family.

We’ll settle into our traditional gers and share our first meal with the family, marking the official start of our integration into nomadic life.

Stay in traditional gers.

Travelers learning traditional nomadic life and horse handling with a local family in the Gobi Desert of Mongolia

Day 3

The Nomadic Homestay

We take on an active role in the daily life of our host family, practicing the survival skills that have defined the Gobi for millennia. This is an exciting journey in the full nomadic cycle, from herding sheep and camels on the open steppe to the intricate science of dairy. With a fresh daily supply of milk, we will master the fascinating process of producing butter, yogurt, and cheese, techniques perfected to ensure nothing goes to waste in a traditional environment where refrigerators don't exist. The experience extends into the nomadic kitchen, where we explore creative traditional cooking methods, including the stone bbq, prepared over an open fire.

Stay in gers.

Wildflowers overlooking the Yolyn Am valley

Days 4

Yol Valley. Trekking the Ice Canyon

The trek begins. We start our ascent from the east of Yolyn Am, a volcanic gorge so deep it shelters "eternal" ice fields. We’ll hike through the narrow rock walls, scouting for vultures and wild Argali sheep.

Camp out.

Day 5

The Fossil Frontier (Bayanzag)

We trek toward the Flaming Cliffs, following the footsteps of Roy Chapman Andrews (the real Indiana Jones). This is where the first dinosaur eggs were discovered, and we’ll explore the red-rock formations as they "ignite" at sunset.

Camp out.

Children performing a traditional Mongolian folk dance in colorful costumes

Day 6

Return to UB & Cultural Discovery

We fly back to the capital. After refreshing at the hotel, we attend a performance at the National Folk Theater featuring Throat Singing (Khoomei), the Horse-head Fiddle, and world-class contortionists.

Overnight in hotel.

Aerial view of the Genghis Khan Equestrian Statue

Day 7

Giant Statue & First Cast

We’ll visit the world’s tallest equestrian statue. In the afternoon, we head to the Tuul River for some relaxed hiking and our first afternoon of fishing.

Ger Camp.

Day 8-9

Gun Galuut Nature Reserve

We head to the Gun-Galuut Nature Reserve, where high mountains meet the Kherlen River. We’ll spend two days exploring this protected wilderness, hiking.

For the anglers, scouting the braids and side channels of the river for Amur Pike and Lenok Trout. The fresh catch of the day makes for an excellent riverside dinner.

Camp out.

Colorful entrance of Choijin Lama Temple in Ulaanbaatar

Day 10

Temples & Final Vibes

Morning visit to Gandan Monastery, the spiritual heart of Mongolia, to witness the active chants and the 26-meter gilded Buddha. Continue to Choijin Lama Temple, a preserved architectural complex housing sacred masks and ancient Buddhist art. Afternoon for souvenir hunting at the State Department Store for local cashmere and crafts. Farewell Dinner to celebrate the cohort's journey and share final insights from the Gobi expedition.

Overnight in hotel.