MONGOLIA MOTORBIKE
(25 Days)
"THE STEPPES OF GENGHIS KHAN"
08 July - 01 August 2008
Start/End: Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

PLEASE NOTE - This tour is now CLOSED - 2009 date will be posted soon

This tour has been specially designed for adventure riders who are looking for an exhilarating cultural experience combined with exceptional offroad riding.

Our tour starts in Ulaanbaatar with the Nadaam Festival celebrations where we enjoy the competitions of Mongolian wrestling, archery and horse racing.

Our exciting circular route takes in some of the most spectacular scenery in Mongolia (please see itinenary below)

The riding is excellent and the terrain consists of gravel (jeep) tracks, compacted soil, and long grassy slopes.

We ride over 1200 Miles

OFFROAD EXPERIENCE REQUIRED OR PARTICIPATION IN OFFROAD SKILLS COURSE

General Information

SUPPORT VEHICLES

The support vehicles will carry all luggage, food, tents, spares. The support vehicles have passenger carrying capacity. A truck will support the group and is capable of carrying several motorbikes.

HIRE BIKES - We have 6 all new Yamaha WR250F Enduro Bikes. Limited number - first come first served.

LOGISTICS & COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT
We use satellite telephones and all our vehicles are fitted with 2-way long distance radios.

EMERGENCY RESCUE
There is a helicopter on 24 hr standby.

ACCOMMODATION & CAMPING EQUIPMENT
We use high quality tents and are included in the holiday price.

MOTORBIKE MAINTENANCE
All our hire bikes are new 2007 models and are maintained regularily.

ROAD CONDITIONS
Mongolia is offroad paradise. The country has a vast network of rough jeep tracks and horse trails.

FOOD & DRINK
Our professional cook serves up delicious food consisting of pastas, meats, and fruit. We provide bottled water and snacks.
Meals are served in our large kitchen tent.

RECOMMENDED BIKES
Trail bikes up to 650cc are suitable for use on the tour.
Your guides (John & Brigitte) will be riding their own KTM640 and Honda CRF230F.

AIR FREIGHTING YOUR MOTORBIKE FROM UK - We use a reputable air freighting company. For clients wishing to freight their own bikes please contact us 01786 816 160.

VISAS / CUSTOMS

We will assist you in obtaining a visa for travel in Mongolia and provide you with a letter of invitation.

Itinerary 2008

B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner

We Ride over 1200 Miles

Tue 08 July - Arrive Ulaanbaatar. Transfer to hotel located in the city centre, just a few minutes walk from Sukhbaatar Square. Restaurants, bars and theatres are all within walking distance.

Wed 09 July - Obtain bikes from shipping agent and prepare bikes. Allocate hire bikes. Overnight hotel. (B)

Thur 10 July - Test ride day outside Ulaanbaatar. The hard-topped roads only last for a few kilometres outside the city, then you are able to get a good idea of what real Mongolian roads are like. We will ride along the Tuul river and into the mountains. Overnight hotel. (B, L)

Fri 11 July - Naadam festival in Ulaanbaatar. The best horses, wrestlers and archers come from all over the country to compete in the Ulaanbaatar competitions, and the place is crowded with people enjoying the events. Stalls are set up around the central stadium, giving the atmosphere of a country fair. Overnight hotel. (B)

Sat 12 July - Ride Ulaanbaatar to Khogno Khaan mountain. The road is hard-topped, though very potholed in parts, and the vast mountainous scenery fantastic. After a long day’s ride you will enjoy a well-earned rest at this lovely ger camp situated at the foot of the dramatic granite rocks. (B, L, D)

Sun 13 July - Ride Khogno Khan to Kharkhorin, the valley where Genghis Khan established the capital of the great Mongol Empire. Visit Erdene Zuu monastery, the original centre of Buddhism in Mongolia, then continue riding to Arvaikheer. Overnight camping. (B, L, D)

Mon 14 July - Ride Arvaikheer towards Bayankhongor. This land borders the central open grassy steppe and the northern edge of the Gobi desert. Although it is one of the main roads linking provincial capitals, the surface is rough and there is little traffic. Overnight camping. (B, L, D)

Tue 15 July - Start riding up into the Khangai mountains, second highest range in Mongolia. Ride to Sharlgaljuut mineral spa where hundreds of hot and cold healing springs issue forth from the mountain. Ride over a couple of passes to reach the camp. (B, L, D)

Wed 16 July - Ride through remote scenery into Arkhangai province with its fertile wooded mountainsides. The dry rocky river beds and fast river crossings are a challenge. Overnight camping. (B, L, D)

Thur 17 July - Ride to Tsetserleg town, the provincial capital. Take lunch in a popular restaurant and visit the market and museum. Afternoon ride over a high pass to Ikh Tamir. Overnight ger camp beside the Tamir river. (B, L, D)

Fri 18 July - Ride northwards to Khorgo Volcano and White Lake National Park. The track is rocky and the landscape gets increasingly interesting as we travel into the area created by volcanic activity many years ago. Overnight camping by the lake. (B, L, D)

Sat 19 July - Ride around the shore of the beautiful White Lake. There are some sandy beaches and opportunities for swimming and fishing (bring your own equipment). It is likely that we might be invited to visit one of the many nomadic families living in the area. Overnight camping. (B, L, D)

Sun 20 July - Ride over Tarvagtain mountain range. The landscape is wonderful and quite remote, although the roads are poor. Ride over several passes and across rivers where the fishing is reputed to be excellent. Overnight camping. (B, L, D)

Mon 21 July - Ride northwards into Khovsgol province. There are some fascinating ancient sculptures in the area, deerstones, dating from the 2nd and 1st centuries BC. If time allows we will make a small detour to see some of the best examples in Central Asia. Overnight camping. (B, L, D)

Tue 22 July - Ride to Khovsgol Lake, located on the edge of the Khoridol Saridag mountains. The crystal clear alpine lake contains 1% of the whole world’s fresh water and is considered to be one of the most beautiful places in Mongolia. Overnight ger camp beside lake. (B, L, D)

Wed 23 July - Rest day at Lake Khovsgol. This is a national park and a wonderful place for hiking and horse riding. From the mountain ridges behind the ger camp there are spectacular views of the mountains right up to the Siberian border. Overnight ger camp. (B, L, D)

Thur 24 July - Start riding back to Ulaanbaatar past Moron and on eastwards. The scenery is typical of Mongolia with its numerous valleys, populated only by nomadic families with their herds of horses and yaks. Overnight camping. (B, L, D)

Fri 25 July - Ride to Khotga Under district of which the great Selenge river is the lifeline. It leads into Lake Baikal in Siberia. The land is quite fertile and in some parts people have planted corn and potatoes, which is quite unusual compared to other parts we have ridden through. Overnight camping. (B, L, D)

Sat 26 July - -We pass through a few small villages and over some rough mountain passes through virgin forest inhabited by wolves, bears and wild boar. After so many days travelling through remote wilderness with no suggestion of Mongolia’s past glory, it is a surprise Ride to Amarbayasgalant. Overnight ger camp. (B, L, D)

Sun 27 July - Visit the best ancient monastery, the best preserved Buddhist monastery in Mongolia. It was built in the eighteenth century to house the remains of Mongolia’s first holy ruler, Zanabazar, and the architecture is Chinese in style. Overnight ger camp. (B, L, D)

Mon 28 July - Return to Ulaanbaatar. After only 40km we join the main road linking the capital with the copper-mining town of Erdenet. You will really appreciate the smooth black road after covering so much of Mongolia’s undeveloped wilderness. Overnight hotel. (B, L)

Tue 29 July - Prepare bikes for shipping. Overnight hotel. (B)

Wed 30 July- Continue preparing bikes for shipping. Overnight hotel. (B)

Thur 31 July - Rest day in Ulaanbaatar. Overnight hotel. (B)

Fri 01 August- Depart for home. (B)

OFFROAD EXPERIENCE REQUIRED OR PARTICIPATION IN OFFROAD SKILLS COURSE

BOOK early!