
moderate
12 days
Suitable for families in good general health; expect light-to-moderate walks, occasional short hikes and long vehicle days.
Drive from Ulaanbaatar into a country of open grasslands, wild takhi horses and dunes that sing. This 12-day private family tour pairs accessible hikes and ger-camp nights with cultural sites from Karakorum to the Flaming Cliffs.
The engine hums as the city fall away and the steppe opens—an ocean of waist-high grass that seems to push at the windows and insist you slow down. On day two, a herd of takhi, the Przewalski’s wild horses, lifts their heads from grazing and regards you like a distant curiosity before melting back into the plain. You feel the rhythm of the road more than the miles: hours of quiet vistas punctuated by sudden cliffs, temple ruins and wind-carved ridgelines.

Daily transfers can be 3–5 hours; bring snacks, motion-sickness remedies and a charged power bank for devices.
Temperatures swing widely between sunlit afternoons and chilly mornings—pack a warm mid-layer and windproof shell.
In Hustai National Park and elsewhere, observe takhi and wild gazelles from a distance and never attempt to feed or touch them.
ATMs are only reliable in Ulaanbaatar—carry enough cash for market purchases and remote tips.
Karakorum was Genghis Khan’s 13th-century capital; later centuries converted the region into a major center of Tibetan Buddhism, visible in Erdene Zuu Monastery.
Hustai National Park protects the last pure population of takhi; visitors should follow park rules to reduce disturbance and support ongoing conservation efforts.
Quick-dry base layers and an insulated mid-layer keep you comfortable across temperature swings.
Supportive shoes handle rocky monastery paths, valley ice fields and dune climbs.
Useful on long drives and hikes; filtered water reduces plastic waste.
A headlamp is handy in gers after dark; a quick-dry towel is useful at hot springs and camps.