Yak Festival Mongolia | Zendmen Travel Mongolia

yak lassoing

Yak Lossoing is one of the competition during the festival

baby yaks

New born yak calves

Yak herding families

Yak polo at Yak festival 2016

yak calves

cute little yak calves

Yak bucking

Competition

yaks-in-the-flower-field

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Explore a land of yak herding nomads, Buddhist temples, and dramatic landscapes in the stunning countryside of Mongolia with well organized Yak Festival tour. You will have plenty of opportunities to encounter and interact with local nomadic families while learning from their cultures and traditions. Highlights of the trip include, among others, annual Yak Festival, an encounter with Mongolian nomads, a picturesque Ulaan Tsutgalan waterfall. Horse riding with nomadic families will hopefully be one of the most rewarding experiences as well.

Zendmen Travel Advantages

Be part of an annual Yak Festival
An authentic cultural experience with Mongolia’s nomads
Carefully selected ger camps and hotels
Ethical tour operation to the place and people you visit

Day 1. Ulaanbaatar

Upon arrival, you will be welcomed by your ZENDMEN TRAVEL guide and transferred to a comfortable centrally located hotel within walking distance of various museums and shops. Mongolia’s bustling capital city, Ulaanbaatar has much to offer to its visitors where felt gers coexist with modern high-rises. Explore Ulaanbaatar where you can spend your time at boutique shops, trendy restaurants, fashion shows, and folk and pop concerts. Buddhist culture has got a strong presence in Ulaanbaatar.

(Hotel****; L, D)

Day 2. The Lake Ugii

After early breakfast, you will head to the west and visit the Lake Ugii, a freshwater lake with abundant migratory birds. The area is in the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance to conserve the ecosystem with international importance. If you are a bird lover, this is an ideal place for birding. Make sure to visit a small but very informative bird observation centre with a museum run by the local community.

(Ger camp; B, L, D)

Day 3. Tsenher Hot Spring via Hoshoo Tsaidam

Today, you will explore a historic Orhon Valley, famous for its historic ruins of the cities of the ancient empires of Turks, Uigurs and Mongols. See the first known writing culture of nomadic tribes, Orhon-Enisei scripts and the memorial of Turkic general Kultegin and the King Bilge dating back the 8th century AD. A ruin of Har Balgas of Uigurs (the 9th century AD) is also along the Orhon Valley. In the afternoon you will arrive at Tsenher hot spring. Enjoy soaking in an open-air hot spring pool in the middle of the alpine landscape.

(Ger camp; B, L, D)

Day 4. Tsagaan Sum

It may be ideal to take a short hiking trip after breakfast which will acclimatise you in the mountain climate before trekking to Tuvhun Monastery following day. Enjoy scenic alpine meadows and undulating hills while you are walking. In the afternoon, you will continue your trip with your bellowed van comfortably and enjoy another hot spring at Tsgaan Sum in the evening.

(Ger camp; B, L, D)

Day 5. Tuvhun Monastery and Ulaan Tsutgalan Waterfall

Today, you will head to Tuvhun Monastery established in the 17th century in a remote mountain area by Zanabazar, a Buddhist Noble person. He had established Zanabazar School: a Mongolia’s Buddhist tradition of art and sculptures. He was the 29th descendant of Chinggis Khan and spent a great deal of his time at Tuvhun Monastery for mediation and creating his art and sculptures. If you are interested more in his art and Buddhist heritage, Zanabazar Fine Art Museum in Ulaanbaatar is the best place. After taking a short hike up to the monastery, you will further drive to Ulaan Tsutgalan, over 20 m tall waterfall, and enjoy the rest of the evening.

(Ger camp; B, L, D)

Day 6. Yak Festival in Bat-Ulziit area in Uvurhangai province

Yak is a very common domestic cattle in Mongolia’s mountain regions and extremely well adapted in a tough and harsh mountain climate. Mongolia is the world’s second-largest yak herding country after China. Yak milk is one of the richest of all domestic animals in Mongolia, contains 8 percent fat. Although the modern sedentary world, fat is a synonym to “unhealthy diet”, for traditional nomadic communities, rich milk is well praised. Therefore, yak’s cream butter is renowned all over Mongolia. The very meaning of the Yak Festival is to promote yak’s benefits and having a festive event in a remote mountain region. So you will enjoy yak race, yak lassoing and dairy from yak and other products during the festival.

(Ger camp; B, L, D)

Day 7. Historic Harhorin

You will take an early drive to Harhorin which was established on the ruin of the 13th century Kharkhorum, the capital city of the Mongol Empire. The area is also part of the UNESCO’s world heritage site of Orhon Valley. The daily chanting of Buddhist Monks in the stunning Erdenezuu Monastery, Mongolia’s first Buddhist monastery, established in 1586, can be an enjoyable ritual to witness. The Museum of Harhorin also offers you a fantastic display of historic artefacts and remarkable archaeological discoveries from the area.

(Ger camp; B, L, D)

Day 8. Elsen Tasarhai

You will head to the east via picturesque Elsen Tasarhai, which is considered the closest desert landscape to the capital city of Ulaanbaatar. Enjoy a horse ride across the scenic river basin of Hugnu-Tarna. You could also try camel riding with Mongolia’s two-humped Bactrian Camel at your cost. Enjoy pitch night skies with glittering stars and tranquillity in a comfortable ger camp.

(Ger camp; B, L, D)

Day 9. Hustai National Park

Today, you will continue driving Hustai National Park. Wildlife exploration in Hustai National Park will be one of the highlights of the trip, where you will encounter the Takhi, the only species of a wild horse in the world. Takhi has been reintroduced since 1991, and this is the only place you can see this beautiful animal in the wilderness. Other mammals that you could spot include Marmot, Red Deer, Steppe Gazelle, and Wolf. The area also has numerous bird species, such as birds of prey: Steppe Eagle, Hawks, Falcon and Vulture.

(Ger camp; B, L, D)

Day 10. Ulaanbaatar

In the morning, start driving to Ulaanbaatar. You will visit Gandantegchinlen Monastery, one of the largest Buddhist Monasteries in the country established by Javzandamba V, the highest incarnated lama of Mongolia, in 1835, and was expanded continually until 1937. The largest contraction of all is Megjid Janraisag Temple, which was built in 1911 under the supervision of Javzandamba VIII, accommodating a gigantic Buddhist Boddhisattva. Unfortunately, the original piece was dismantled during the Stalinist purges in 1938. Current Megjid Janraisag ( 26.5 m tall, gilded with gold and decorated precious stones )was rebuilt and revitalised in 1996 by the donation of the public.

Nowadays, the monastery is resided by 150 monks and undertakes everyday religious ceremonies for the general public. Enjoy your shopping for souvenirs and Mongolia’s famous cashmere. For people from warm countries, silk cashmere could be an alternative. In the evening, you could go to a folk concert performed by famous Tumen Eh Ensemble at your cost.

(Hotel****; B, L, D)

Day 11. Departure

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your departure. (B)

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Yak festival 2016 successfully organized

Annual Yak Festival takes place in Bat-Ulzii district, Uvurkhangai province, Mongolia on 23 July 2016 in order to promote various benefits of yaks, their products and contribute to preserving yak based nomadic culture. Regardless her rich milk, fine wool, yaks require least care and can graze in remote mountain tops searching for the freshest pasture-land while surviving Mongolia’s harsh winters.

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Tour Length: 11 days
Tour Dates: 18-28 July
Tour Price: from $1,969
Group size: Max-12 persons
Tour Grade: Moderate
Private tour option: Available