“Mongolia 🇲🇳 ~Part 2 of 3 of Our 14-day Mongolian Wilderness Adventure”
Part 2 of 3 of Our Mongolia Wilderness Adventure
If you missed Part 1 or Part 3 of our adventures in Mongolia, here are the links for those blog posts:
Part 1: Days 1-7
Part 3: Day 14
After our wild time at the Reindeer Camp, where we completed seven days of wilderness adventuring, we spent one more night, back at base camp, before loading up in the same truck, and moving on to the next half of our adventures, in Mongolia.
Day 8:
*All Day Driving through Shine-idea Province
*Scenic
Stayed in: hotel
After a week of traveling and camping, we did our all-day road time, again, and ended in a hotel for the night. We did have a private shower, but no hot water, or outlets to charge our devices, no WiFi, and single beds, again.
The scenic beauty of Mongolia has been a very pleasant surprise. We had no idea, Mongolia was so pretty to see. I had imagined wide-open spaces of mostly prairie, but it is so much more than that! The scenery is constantly changing, and so diverse! The long hours in the truck, was not so bad. I was very entertained. Daryl took naps.
Here are a few photos of northern Mongolia on long drive days.
About the only time we saw a big truck, it was usually filled with sheared sheep wool.
We enjoyed a picnic lunch near this beautiful scene next to the river.
Our guide, for all his short comings on this trip, he did make sure we had food to eat. He was a good kid, just inexperienced and immature in his new job. We learned he was raised by his grandparents, and he was pushed out of the nest to work, instead of play video games. He was very intelligent, and one day we hoped he would find his niche.…But being a guide, was not it.
Minga, our driver was so cool. I just loved him. He knew these off roads, like the back of his hand. He has been a driver in his country for 50 years. He would sing as he drove; sing-song in his language, about the Mongolian ancients. Listening to Minga talk, or sing, he carries the same accent as our own Native American Indians in the USA 🇺🇸
In fact, my own grandpa was part American Indian, and Minga looked so much like my grandpa. If only Minga could have spoken English, we would have learned so much from him.
Day 9:
*Terkh White Lake In Arkhangai Province
This Central Mongolia
Drive to Terkh White Lake, was one of the highlights on this tour
*Horgiin Togoo Volcano
Stayed in: Rented room
We continued driving and driving, to get to various sites to visit. Mongolia is so vast, it requires these kind of hours to get anywhere. It’s pretty amazing!
We did drive to the base of Horgiin Togoo Volcano. I think we were expected to hike to the top of it. I asked where the trail was, but it wasn’t made clear to us. It was definitely very black, soft, dirt We were not so interested in that, so said oh cool and thanks for stopping, so we could see it.
Khorgo Volcano (Horgiin Togoo) is an extinct volcano located on the east side of Terhiin Tsagaan Lake. It was the last active volcano in Mongolia, which erupted 8,000 years ago. The volcano and its lava field belong to Khorgo-Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur National Park that has been protected since 1997, to safeguard spectacular mountain scenery and endangered species of flora and fauna.
Camel Milking
Yak Milking
The Chuluut River
It was good to arrive at Terkh White Lake, if nothing else, but to get out and stretch our legs.
Known as Great White Lake, Terkhiin Tsagaan is a lake in the Khangai Mountains in central Mongolia. Terkhiin Tsagaan lake is a spectacularly beautiful lake with crystal clear water. The lake is about eight miles long; east to west, and around two to three miles wide; north to south.
We arrive at our “rented room,” by dinner time. It met our basic needs.
Our washing and teeth brushing station. Outhouse was in the back. No showers. Sleeping separately.
Day 10:
*Still in Arkhangai Province Chuluutin Agui.
*Taikhar Rock
*Tsenber Blue Hot Spring
Stayed in: “Resort”
In the morning, we were off again, to cover more ground. We would stop at an ancient site, which is a rock, but a special ancient rock.
We saw more amazing country side and continued to feel so far removed from civilization. (because we were)
Today would be one of my favorite parts of the trip. We stopped for lunch in a locals home. We had homemade cheese (we bought some to go) and homemade noodles. The BEST noodles by far. All homemade! We visited this little village two times, in our comings and goings, in this remote remote region.
Then, after lunch, it was on to a resort with natural hot springs. Apparently, it was off-season with a skeleton crew, with very little open. We asked for an upgrade and happily paid for a hotel room, over a Ger, where we finally got a queen bed! Happy cuddles! We were also excited to go to a restaurant with a menu. But we only found noodles available. Ha!
Taikhar Rock is located 14 miles northeast from Tsetserleg, in the village of Ikh Tamir, south the Khoid Tamir River. It’s a big 66 foot high granite rock, covered with 150 writings in many different languages and dating back from many different periods: runic, Sogd, Uyghur, Mongolian, Nangiad, and Tibetan writings).
The oldest writing is the runic writing, dating back from the Turkish period of the 6th and 7th centuries.
An Ovoo was placed at its top. Unfortunately, due to some graffiti damage, the government decided to protect the rock by 1994.
The most famous legend, bound to Taikhar Rock, tells that Bukhbilegt, a giant warrior, threw this rock on a snake that was coming out from the land, which explains its strange presence in this place.
Another local legend tells that this rock symbolizes the love of two unfortunate lovers. Tamir loved a girl, Taikhar, but the local lord, who wanted to marry the beautiful Taikhar, prevented their love. So the girl ran away towards the river and her lover sat near the river to wait for her to come back. But the wait was endless and Tamir ended up becoming a rock, standing along the river for eternity, with no possibility ever to meet up with his love again.
Locals also believe that anyone manage to throw a stone on the top of the rock, will get rich. Rich with what? Money, Happiness, Health.
Tsenber Blue Hot Springs
Day 11:
*Uvurkhangai Province In Orkhon Valley
*Ulaan Tsutgalan Waterfall *Riding horses
Stayed in: Ger
After more cross country driving, we arrived in Orkhon Valley, I felt a vibe, here, I really like. The Ger was super nice and the owners had horses. Not far from the Ger camp, we hiked to some beautiful waterfalls and visited the lower falls. After our hike, the owners had our horses ready to go, so we enjoyed that outing very much, to visit the upper falls. We even had decent saddles, which told us all Mongolian saddles are not the same.
Day 12 thru 13:
*Uvurkhangai Province
*Kings Monument (Orkhon’s Valley)
*Erdenezuu Monastery
*Turtle Monument
*Elsentasarhai Sand Dunes *Camel riding
Stayed in: Ger
Kings Monument (Orkhon’s Valley)
The Imperial Map Monument commemorates the three empires that settled on the shores of the nearby Orkhon River. Also known as King’s Monument and Monument for the Mongol States, it was built in 2004 on a hill overlooking the town of Kharkhorin.
The monument consists of a large pile of stones (a shamanic Ovoo) carefully assembled in the shape of a cone, approximately the same size as a tepee, with nine poles protruding from the top. This structure is mounted on a stone-and-concrete platform, and it is surrounded by three walls representing three sections of a circle. The outer sides of these walls feature three colorful mosaics depicting three maps, one for each of the empires.
The town of Kharkhorin was the 13th Century capital of Great Mongolian Empire of Chinggis Khaan. Most westerners recognize it as “Karakorum,” but Mongolians call it “Kharkhorin.”
Lunch was a pleasant surprise. Something besides noodles! Yummy, too!
Erdenezuu Monastery decorated with 108 white stupas.
Erdenezuu is the first Buddhist center in Mongolia. At its height, the Monastery housed over 1500 monks in over 60 temples, before the communist purges of the 1937. It has been restored and is still beautiful, and once again, a functioning monastery.
This Monastery dates back to at least 1585, and some say it goes back much further; as far as the 8th century. It is the oldest surviving Buddhist monastery in Mongolia. The name translated, means “100 Treasures;” a nod to the number of original temples and the chain of stupas (mounded reliquaries) that form the exterior walls of the sacred site.
Tangled in its legacy, there are the scars of centuries of fighting, across those sacred walls.
The history of Erdene Zuu is a mix of invasions, religious purges, political shifts, and outright murder. Damaged and dismantled in 1688 during a conflict between Dzungars (a confederation of Mongolian tribes) and Khalkha Mongols (historically ruled by the Khans), what remained of the monastery was reassembled in the 18th century.
Outside the monastery walls of Erdene Zuu Khiid, are two stone turtles.
Four of these sculptures once marked the boundaries of ancient Karakorum, acting as protectors of the city (turtles are considered symbols of eternity). Each of the turtles originally had an inscribed stone stela, mounted vertically on its back.
Minga at the gigantic Prayer Wheel
We were lucky this area was dry enough for us to visit. It’s a bit of a marshy mess to get through, but we managed. The Stone Turtle(s) are so old, with fabulous history. I recommend the movies Marco Polo on Netflix. (mostly about Ghengis Khan) It’s a great movie, with accurate historical significance. We visited so many of the places the filming was done at, including this very spot. The turtle stone shows up in a part, where a battle is ensuing,
Turtle Monument
A Stone Turtle at Kharakorum.
The city was made the capital of the Mongol Empire in 1235 BC, by Ogedei Khan (r. 1229-1242 BC).
Each of the total of four stone turtles, originally had an inscribed stone stela mounted vertically on its back. This one is still intact
Elsentasarhai Sand Dunes is a part of the 40 mile long Mongol Els Sand Dunes. The nature in this area is really spectacular.
During our stay, here, we had the opportunity to visit with a local nomadic family, and ride their two-humped Bactrian Camels.
Final day 13:
*Drive the rest of the way back to Ulaanbaatar city
~End of Tour
To see all the photos of days 8 thrush 13, click on the links, below:
Arkhangai Province Terkh White Lake:
Horgiin Togoo Area:
Orkhon Valley:
https://picsbypen.smugmug.com/Places/AsiaLife/Mongolia-13-Day-Tour/Ulaan-Tsutgalan-Province
Ulaan Tsutgalan Waterfall:
Kings Monument, Erdeneuu Monastery, Turtle Monument, etc:
Chuluu Agui Blue Hot Springs area:
Shaman Ovoos Around Mongolia
”Just In Case You Missed It”~Mongolia 🇲🇳
We traveled for two weeks on a private tour in Central and the Northern most region of this country/possibly and likely entering into Russia 🇷🇺, in search of the nomadic Reindeer Tribe. This was not an easy trip, but a fantastic trip, just the same, and we are VERY proud of these miles!
~ To and through Mongolia 4,854 Miles
Next up, we flew out of Mongolia, and back to Kazakastan, to spend a week unwinding, writing, doing our photos and blogging. Then, we flew to the UAE 🇦🇪 to spend about four days in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Archive Blog Posts of Our Country Visits
About Us
About Us
Hello and Welcome to our Travel Blog Website, We enjoy writing about our experiences and taking photos of our adventuring along the way. Our names are: Daryl and Pen, but Daryl calls me “Bunny.” We met, quite randomly, whilst both… Read More