Available:     Feb 9 -12, 2011

Region : Around Ulaanbaatar                  

Tour  duration:  3 days 3 nights

Group size :    As your request

Trip highlights:  Tsagaan Sar (White Moon or White Month) is the Mongolian New Year festival by lunar calendar. For more than 2,000 years Mongolians have been celebrating Tsagaan Sar or the White month, to mark the end of winter and beginning of spring. The holiday takes place January-February according to the lunar calendar. Tsagaan Sar is the celebration of new life and symbolizes wealth and prosperity in the family. The holiday is celebrated for three days where the elderly and most respected and close family members are visited first. The holiday provides opportunity for people to gather and celebrate and exchange news and gifts. Families prepare for the holiday a month in advance by making plenty of food and gifts. In rural areas, due to distance and weather conditions, the celebrations at times can last longer than a month. Buddhist monasteries and temples hold rituals and services to pray and bless for the well being of the worshipers. Tsagaan Sar provides a great opportunity to share the celebration of one of the most sacred holidays in Mongolia with nomads out in the steppes while enjoying the last of winter. If you will choose this trip! You can take unforgettable feeling about Mongolian traditional winter festival and culture of real nomads.

 Day1 Arrive in Ulaanbaatar. (L,D)

Met your guide and driver in Airport station and drive to hotel. Visit to Mongolian biggest buddist complex Gandan monastery and Zaisan hill memorial. From there people can be see all Ulaanbaatar. It has dedicated to Russian Mongolian friendship and also there are small stone monuments dedicated to 1921 Mongolian Revolution, in 1939 Khalh gol river deposit of Japan, in 1945 Battle of Manjchuur and second world war. Lunch in Silk road Mongolian restaurant. After lunch  drive to Terelj national park. in the park you visit to Nomad family and see their special before day of White moon. This evening you see all special process (Bitvvleg) It means Full darkness all the things full ,people’s soul, full stomach, home by furniture . All neighbours visit themselves with some mare’s milk , vodka, traditional steamed dumplings, and cookies. This night is end of the month of  Lunar calendar.

Overnight in Ger camp.. 

Day 2 Introduction nomad’s White month celebrating (B,L,D)

Early morning we drive to the Chinggis khaan’s huge complex is located 54 km from on the bank of the Tuul River, in a place called Tsonjin Boldog, where Genghis Khan had found a golden whip according to legend. The complex was designed by sculptors A 40 meter high statue on horseback was erected on a 10 meter high base, covered by stainless steel and surrounded by 36 columns. Those 36 columns are meant for the memorial of 36 kings intermarry from Genghis until Ligden Khan. A recreation area, restaurants, souvenir shop and conference hall occupy the base structure. From here, visitors will ascend to the exhibition hall using an elevator at the back of the horse. The visitors will walk to the head of the horse through chest and back neck of the horse, where they can have a panoramic view over the complex area. The main statue area will be surrounded by ger camps, designed and arranged like the pattern of the horse brand marks that were used by the 13th century Mongol tribes.

And there you see attend (New year’s first sun) main process are sing, played the harmonica, and listened to a lecture on the sun en route. At the celebration site, people lit bonfires and raised the Mongolian flag just before the sun rise. As the sun edged over the horizon, many Mongolians threw milk offerings into the air, while others shouted excitedly, welcoming the new decade. Then visit to nomad family and for Nomadic New year ceremony in this time everyone wear new clothes, open the "Orkh" (ger’s top window cover) and make a fire. Tsagaan Sar signifies the beginning of spring. Although steppes are still covered with snow, the scent of spring is already in the air. The coming year’s weather is analyzed based on animals' mood and behaviour as well as other signs of nature. All men go to the top of a nearby hill or mountain carrying food and make a pray to the Nature and the State. Then, men go to certain directions prescribed by the Buddhist horoscope. This ceremony is called “muruu gargakh”, which means “starting your footprints”. It is believed important to start your way in the right direction on the first day of the new year as prescribed by your lunar horoscope in order to be lucky all year round. 

 With the sunrise, the greeting ceremony starts inside the family. The oldest person stays in "Hoimor" (ger’s northern side) and younger family members greet him or her first and then greet each other. The younger greets the older by extending arms with palms up and holding the older’s arms from underneath. Everybody greets each other except husband and wife. Usually, people hold "Khadag" (long and narrow piece of yellow, white or blue silk with a spiritual meaning) in their arms.

  When the greeting ceremony is over, everyone sits behind the table and starts exchanging "Khoorog" (a snuff bottle made usually of semi-precious stones and filled with finely pulverized tobacco). The typical greeting words are "Daaga dalantai, byaruu bulchintai, sureg mal targan orov uu?", which can be translated as “Does your 2-year old horse have enough fat on the withers (means good health), does your 2-year old yak have enough muscles (means good power), did all your animals pass winter safely?" and "Sar shinedee saihan orov uu? Nas suuder hed hurev? which is used to ask an old person about his/her good health and age as people are proud of old age. Exchanging Khoorog means expressing friendly intentions to each other and is usually the starting point of introducing a stranger. Exchanging Khoorog creates a warm atmosphere between people and makes the start of a friendly talk that helps to learn the true heart of the stranger. People eat lot of "Booz" (steamed Mongolian dumplings) and drink "Airag" (fermented mare’s milk). When the ceremony finishes in the family, the hosts give presents to each person.

 The present symbolizes a wish for wellbeing, health, wealth and power. Everyone moves to the next family starting with the next oldest person's ger first. The Tsagaan Sar celebration can continue for a month, but the first, second and third days are the most important. 

Overnight in Ger camp.

Day3 Time to back in Ulaanbaatar. (B,L,D)

Morning we drive back to Ulaanbaatar. Visit to Natural historical museum. Shopping time in world’s famous Mongolian cashmere Factory shop of Gobi. Evening you watch Mongolian traditional Folk song , dance ,and long song concert(Long song: this genre is called (Urtyn duu) because each syllable of text is extended for a long duration.

 A four-minute song may only consist of ten words. Lyrical themes vary depending on context; they can be philosophical, religious, romance, or celebratory, and often use horses as a symbol or theme repeated throughout the song. Eastern Mongols typically use a morin khuur (horse-head fiddle) as accompaniment, sometimes with a type of indigenous flute named limbe.

 Oirat groups of the Western Mongols typically sing long songs unaccompanied or accompanied with the igil.

)Throat singing: Perhaps the best-known musical form of the Mongols is the throat singing tradition known as hoomii, extant among all or most Mongols though best known internationally from Tuva. Sung differently than traditional vocals.

 In Mongolia, the most-famous throat-singers include Khalkhas This unique type of singing involves the production of two distinctively audible pitches at the same time, including a low pedal note, or drone, derived from the fundamental frequency of the vocal cord vibrations, and higher melodic notes that result when the singer's mouth acts as a filter, selecting one note attime 

from among the drone's natural  overtone series pitches.)

 Dinner in Great Khaan Irish pub (Food. The food is typical international pub fare, some decent grilled meats and pretty good burgers. Drink. Fresh draught beer. Draught Guiness stout all the way from Ireland is served with nice "crema" like in Dublin.
Local bands are great young musicians playing both original and good covers of rock and pop classics.
Atmosphere. Lively place where foreigners and locals hang out. Good singles scene and people watching.

Overnight In Hotel.

WE are sure. You would enjoy it and it would be Unforgettable days in Mongolia!

Day4 Departure day.(B)

B- Breakfast

 L- Lunch

D- Dinner

Price of this tour:  

2 pax:              USD 980

3-4 pax:          USD 720

More than 4: USD 600 or

 Note: single supplement 60 USD

Our services include:

·         All foods in Mongolia

·         All transfers

·         Accommodation in 3* hotels on the basis of double room/full pension in UB

·         Rooms with toilet/bath or shower

·         Ger camp accommodation on round trips (double)

·         Your native language speaking tour guide from and to airport.

·         All tickets to museums and other sightseeing facilities.

·         Jeep vehicle.

 Not included in our services:

• Visa International transportation tickets
• Tips for guide or driver
• Rent of Horses and camels for riding
• Alcoholic drinks