Mongolia Lunar New Year Celebration

Included In-Country Services

Enjoy the Festivities of Mongolia’s Lunar New Year!

Mongolia Lunar New Year festival, Tsagaan Sar, is celebrated in or around February depending on the Mongolian lunar calendar. Tsagaan Sar, meaning White Month or Moon, is one of the main two big public annual events, next to the Nadaam. It marks the end of Winter and the beginning of spring and the new year´s cycle. The short excursion to the ancient capital of Karakorum will give you a new perspective on the nature of the Mongol Empire. You will experience the unique setting of Karakorum, located on one of the major trading routes of the ancient Silk Road, and visit nearby places that will give you further insight into the natural and human history of Mongolia. The Mongolian Government declared Hustai National Park as a Specially Protected Area in 1993, one year after the initiation of the reintroduction project of the Takhi to the Hustain Nuruu.

Day One in Mongolia

Arrival in Ulaanbaatar

Drive to Karakorum and Welcoming Dinner

“Karakorum” Ancient capital of Mongolia

At a pre-arranged time in the morning, you will be met by your driver and guide and driven to the west. The scenery is wide-open steppe with rolling hills in the background. You will stop and have a packed lunch on the way. In the afternoon we will reach the Karakorum the ancient capital of Mongolia where there is now a small township. On arrival, the first and most obvious landmarks are the massive walls of the Erdene-Zuu Monastery. This Monastery was built in 1586 and is surrounded by a massive 400m x 400m wall. Only a few temples remain standing after the communist purges. In previous times the grounds held over 60 temples with 10,000 monks using them for their daily worship. Dinner and overnight will be at the ger camp or local hotel.

Day Two in Mongolia

Before the Mongolia Lunar New Year, Today We’ll Driver Overland by Jeep towards the Famed Khustai National Park

Today’s drive will take about 5 hours until you reach Khustai National Park where re-introduction of the wild Przewalski horses has taken place since 1992. On arrival, you will have lunch at the ger camp. There is an interesting information center where you will be supplied with all the necessary facts and data. After lunch, you will drive towards the ancient, so-called Turkic graves, which are the remains of an ancient tribe that existed in this area during the 6th-9th centuries. On the way, we will visit the wild horses and red deers. Dinner and overnight at the ger camp.

Day Three in Mongolia

Today We’ll Start the Mongolia Lunar New Year

Experience Tsagaan Sar in the countryside. This morning you will drive to the Manzushir Monastery in the Bogd Khaan National park. After our visit, we will continue to drive to the Terelj National park via Aryapala Meditation center at the foothill of rocky mountain of Terelj. Dinner and overnight at the ger camp.

Day Four in Mongolia

Visit a Nomadic Family, Mongolia Lunar New Year Wrap Up – Return Drive to Ulaanbaatar

After breakfast, you will visit a nomadic herders family, and learn about their lifestyles. On arrival in Ulaanbaatar, you will be taken to your hotel.

Day Five in Mongolia

En Route to Ulaanbaatar – A Winter Horse Race

In the morning you will drive to the winter horse race place. Watch the ‘new Mongols’ showing the best samples of traditional clothing. In the afternoon we will drive back to Ulaanbaatar.