Airlines flying to Ulaanbaatar are MIAT, Aeroflot, Air China, Korean Air and Turkish Airlines.
Riding beside the Khoridol Saridag mountains in the north of the country, this tour passes through some of the most spectacular scenery that Mongolia has to offer. After a one and a half hour flight to Moron, capital of Khovsgol province, the circular route begins northwards through the Darkhad Depression. Views of the high peaks are fabulous and there are unusual historical and geographical features in the area as well as some minority ethnic groups. Follow river valleys and cross over a high pass to arrive at the beautiful Khovsgol Lake, a fresh water inland sea.
Fly to Moron, the capital town of the northern province of Khovsgol, and start cycling from there. The scenery is wild and beautiful, the tracks are rough and sometimes challenging. This will be an amazing experience that you will always remember.
On the eastern side of Lake Khovsgol lie the Khoridol Saridag mountain range. The northern edge of the lake meets the border with Siberia and when the lake freezes in winter, trucks bring goods across the border to Mongolia.
From the southern tip of Lake Khovsgol the track veers away from the lake and up into the mountains. Climb up to Jankhai pass, then from the top there is suddenly a marvelous view of beautiful Lake Khovsgol (the view is weather dependent of course).
Fly north to Moron in Khovsgol Province then cycle a big loop to finish at Lake Khovsgol
This is quite a tough itinerary, suitable for riders with some experience. It is classed as 98% off road, with some sections on rough jeep tracks and others on horse trails.
Arrive in Ulaanbaatar and go to hotel. Afternoon free time to see the city or just relax. Overnight in hotel.
Fly to Moron in Khovsgol province. Meet support crew, assemble bikes and start riding. See ancient 'Deer stone' sculptures These grave markers are one of the best examples of Central Asian nomadic sculpture and probably date from the Bronze Age, around 1000 BC. Overnight camping.
Continue riding towards Arbulag. The scenery is beautiful and remote. Nomadic herders continue living the traditional lifestyle, moving frequently with their herds of animals. Cycling is a very good way to be able to observe their way of life close up. Overnight camping.
Pass through Arbulag and ride on towards 'Bayanzurkh'. The mountainous scenery is amazing and the riding quite challenging sometimes. The rivers in this area are great for fishing and huge taimen fish live in the rocky waters. We ride along a path known as "the road of Genghis Khaan's chariots" which is associated with the Mongol Imperial conquests. Overnight camping.
Arrive Bayanzurkh near to a dramatic river canyon. Some of the local people are Darkhad, an ethnic minority group who engage in fishing, gathering and breeding 'Reindeer'. The name "Darkhat" was given to the local population in the 17th Century by the Bogd Gegeen, the religious leader of Mongolian. Overnight camping.
Ride eastwards along the Beltas river valley. The area is very remote and hardly travelled by tourists. The road may be marshy depending on how much rainfall there has been, so it can be difficult. Overnight camping.
Wonderful riding over a long pass and continue eastwards towards 'Lake Khovsgol' which is the largest freshwater lake in Mongolia. It is known as the "Blue Pearl" because of its crystal clear water. The waters flow out of the lake into the "Egiin Gol" river and finally reach Lake Baikal in Siberia, which is actually only 250km away. Overnight camping.
Continue riding into the National Park to reach Khatgal, the small port on the tip of Lake Khovsgol. The village itself has grown over the years and is no longer so shabby, though it is still disappointing that one can't get a good view of the lake without going round the corner to the shore. Overnight guest house.
Ride into the Khoridol Saridag mountains which stretch the full length of the lake. The rocky track and dry river bed crossings are tough, but rewarded by the first fantastic view of Lake Khovsgol from the top of a mountain pass. continue riding along the lake shore to reach the traditional ger camp at 'Jankhai'. Overnight enjoy the relative luxury of beds, hot showers and a restaurant meal overlooking the lake.
Enjoy the morning relaxing by the lakeside. Afternoon take the drive back to Moron town, a 5-6 hour journey, to complete the circular route. Overnight local hotel.
Transfer to the airport outside 'Moron' and fly back to Ulaanbaatar (Note: it is not yet know what time of day the flight will be). Evening enjoy the shops, restaurants and sights of Ulaanbaatar city. Overnight hotel.
Depart.
NOTE: Price depends on how many people are in the group. Mountain bike hire available per day: USD $25
Ancient "Deer stones"
Khoridol Saridag Mountains
Lake Khovsgol
Meals & Accommodation
Vehicle support
Domestic flight
International Flight
Visa cost
Airport Transfers
Enjoy photos of tours we have done.
You may contact us directly using the contact information below.
Khan-Uul District
1st Microdistrict
Ulaanbaatar
Mongolia
info@bikemongolia.com
www.bikemongolia.com
+ 976 95145291 (GMT + 8)
Bike Mongolia is a family run business which has been operating since 1998. We started with mountain biking tours because the founder of the company was the Olympic trainer for the Mongolian National Cycling Team and several members of the team are former racing cyclists. In 2005 we expanded to include off-road motorcycling tours in Mongolia. We have offices in the UK and Germany staffed by locals & Mongolians who have done most of the trips themselves so they know everything about the tour logistics, routes, landscape, accommodation, etc.. We are a completely independent travel tour operator in Mongolia, not an agent or representative of any other company. In addition we have the best & most enthusiastic team who work efficiently together to create the best experience.
