18 Day Mongolia Craft and Culture
Women Only
Max Group 12
Lifetime Deposit
No matter how much of a traveller you are, we bet you haven’t experienced Mongolia like this before! Mongolia is a country of wild beautiful landscapes, but the people and their culture will surely steal your heart. If your favourite itineraries involve ‘doing things’ just as much as ‘looking at things’, then this is your trip.
Get ready to immerse yourself in the ancient nomadic lifestyle of Mongolia on this small-group, women-only trip. It’s so much more than learning about the incredible skills and artistry that have been cultivated as part of Mongolia’s heritage over the centuries; you’ll pick up the pens, brushes and needles for yourself as you try out painting, quilting and even calligraphy under the guidance of skilled local artisans.
The traditional arts and crafts will stir your creativity while the rivers, mountains and forests will soothe your soul. Some of the overnight stays are remote and rustic, but that only adds to the adventure.
Only 12 lucky ladies can join this cultural immersion into the Mongolian nomadic way of life!
Highlights
Explore the remote regions of Northern Mongolia
Enjoy painting, crafting and embroidery with female local artists.
Sleep in cosy Gers (traditional nomad dwellings)
Roam the heritage listed Amarbayasgalant Buddhist Monastery.
Reconnect with Nature by the spiritual shores of Khovsgol (Mother) Lake.
Bond with families and experience what nomadic life is like.
Trip Details
Price
$8,923 AUD (per person twin share)
- $1,900 deposit.
- 2 week cooling off period applies.
- Lifetime Deposit. If you need to cancel, your deposit is transferable to other trips.
- Twin Share: we’ll match you with a roomie if you’re travelling solo.
- Private supplement available: $1,780 AUD, max 4 spots (This is a partial single supplement only – see FAQs for more detail).
Please refer to our payment terms in the FAQs.
Trip length
18 days, 17 nights
Dates
Starts: TBC
Finishes: TBC
Meeting point
Edelweiss Art Hotel, Ulaanbaatar
Ending point
Tuushin Hotel, Ulaanbaatar
Group size
Maximum 12
Participation requirements
Please see our “Is this trip right for you?” section under the Participation Tab.
Included
- Meals: 17 breakfasts, 17 lunches and 14 dinners
- Private 4WD transportation throughout.
- 5 nights hotel accommodation
- 12 nights Ger Camps
- A top-rated and English-speaking Tour Leader and tour assistant
- All listed activities and more!
Not included
- International Flights and travel insurance (necessary)
- No visa is required for Australian and New Zealand passport holders.
- Additional hotel nights & late checkouts
- Drinks and other other personal expenses
- Tip kitty (See FAQs for more information)
Click the tabs to find out more
Day 1 – Ulaanbaatar: Mongolian Arts
Welcome to Mongolia! You’ve only just arrived, but the adventure is already beginning.
Ulaanbaatar is Mongolia’s capital city as well as its hub for business and culture. You’ll get a peek at that culture during your exploration today including a stop by the Union of Mongolian Artists. With a brush in hand, you’ll learn about Mongolian painting styles.
If you’re not up to being a Picasso today, no problem, you can lay low and relax instead. You’ll get to know the rest of your group and your guide at the welcome meeting.
Included: Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Edelweiss Art Hotel or similar
Day 2 – Quilting & Felting Workshop
Hopefully, you got a good night of rest at the hotel because you’re jumping straight into the action this morning.
A few of the stops? The Mongolian Quilting Centre, an organisation that supports local women, and Made in Mongolia, a non-profit that creates beautiful slippers using traditional skills. You’re not just here to pick up a souvenir or to admire the craftsmanship in the eye-catching designs though. Instead, you’ll get to learn more about these traditional art forms by trying out the skills yourself in workshops led by local craftswomen.
As you’ll discover quickly over the rest of your trip, we’re all about authentic, hands-on experiences.
The first full day ends with an equally exciting treat–a cultural show followed by dinner overlooking the stone lions perched on the roof of the Choijin Lama Temple Museum.
Included: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner
Accommodation: Edelweiss Art Hotel or similar
Day 3 – Selenge Province
Rise and shine! Today is admittedly a travel day. But, as they say, it’s all about the journey, and what a journey you’re in for as you head north to Mongolia’s Selenge Province.
Expansive wheat fields and inviting apple orchards appear interspersed among the beautiful natural scenery as the wheels roll down the asphalt and dirt roads. This is some of the country’s most important agricultural land.
The journey finishes at Yeruu River where you’ll have time to settle into the Yeruu Lodge. The ger will be your off-grid sanctuary and home for the next few days.
Included: Breakfast & Lunch
Accommodation: Yeruu Lodge or similar
What is a Ger?
Most gers today are portable round tents made of felt covered in a durable canvas. These traditional nomad dwellings were first used over 3000 years ago and the design hasn’t changed drastically since then. If it’s not broke, don’t fix it!
All this might make you think of camping, but that’s not quite the vibe in a ger. Gers are shelters, but for nomadic Mongolian families, they’re also home–a cosy and welcoming place to stay. Sleeping overnight in a ger is an undeniably authentic Mongolian experience.
Day 4 – Kazakh Embroidery Lesson
Give yourself a moment to take it all in as you get ready for the day. Your eyes are not deceiving you. You really are here waking up in a Mongolian yurt with the sun shining on the gentle hills and the banks of the river nearby.
Take a few beautiful snapshots, and be sure to file the calm feeling of this moment away in your mind to return once you’re back in the midst of your everyday life.
The morning is up to you. Grab a paddle and head out on a kayak. Or relax and soak up the peacefulness of this magic location.
Then, you’re off to meet some local Mongol-Kazakh women. These ladies are talented embroiderers who create an array of colourful and intricate work. Lucky you, you’ll get to spend the afternoon getting to know one of these talented women. Of course, by now you know this will be anything but a passive experience.
Included: Breakfast & Lunch
Accommodation: Yeruu Lodge or similar
Day 5 – Amarbayasgalant Monastery
Mongolia is a very big place, and it takes a while to get from one place to the next.
That’s why on today, Day 5, you have a long-ish (6-7 hour) drive, but it’s well worth it. A stop in Darkhan, Mongolia’s second-largest city, breaks up the trip.
The Amarbayasgalant Monastery, our final destination for today, is a UNESCO World Heritage site in the making. Only 28 of the original 40 temples built in the 18th century remain, but it’s one of the most intact Buddhist monasteries following Mongolia’s 1930s political upheavals.
And guess what – you get to stay right next to the amazing monastery with our friend Darsuren at a family-operated ger camp. Darsuren knows everything going on in the community as the owner of a small shop where the young monks and locals go.
Included: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner
Accommodation: Family-operated ger camp or similar
Day 6 – Traditional Carpets & Rugs
Amazing is a word that’s thrown around a lot, but it truly is accurate when it comes to Mongolia’s landscapes. From the mountain forests, river valleys, and rolling grassland, the beauty of the views you’ll see on your hours-long drive today will stay with you forever.
Along the way to your home for the night, you’ll stop and meet the people behind Erdenet Carpets, a leading manufacturer of pure wool carpets and rugs. We’ve also got a visit with another local enterprise lined up for you, but it wouldn’t be as fun if we didn’t leave a couple surprises in store for you to discover.
Your stay for the night is a cosy ger tucked alongside the Selenge River. Take the time to pause and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere by the river at the family camp during the evening hours.
Included: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner
Accommodation: Family-operated ger camp or similar
Day 7 – Mongolian Garment Designs
Today, you’ll drive through Khovsgol Aimag to just west of the provincial capital of Murun. The driving is part of the experience in Mongolia – we recommend bringing some podcasts and music as you enjoy the road trips.
Your reward for the journey? The stunning views of the Delger Murun River that you can easily enjoy from the local ger camp!
The rest of your day is an open book of possibilities.
Interested in the creation and design of the Mongolian clothing you’ve seen on your travels so far? Sit with your hostess Monkhnasan who is a talented seamstress to chat and learn about the clothing she designs and makes for her small shop.
Then, if you like, you can rent a kayak or swim in the river after a short hike to see another enchanting angle of the river valley.
Included: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner
Accommodation: Tultiin Tolgoi Ger Camp or similar
Day 8 – Khovsgol Dairy Project
Khovsgol Nuur, or Mother Sea as it is known, is a spiritual place for Mongolians. The lake is the largest freshwater lake – and one of the largest in the world. Today, you’ll head to the area to see this sacred spot for yourself.
Your stop along the 4-hour drive today is the community of Khatgal. Stretch your legs with an uphill hike (with a view, of course) or get your energy fix with a cup at New Roots Coffee.
If you’re up for making some new four-legged friends, visit Khovsgol Dairy Project and learn how a co-op of nomadic farmers came together to establish a dairy facility.
At the end of the day, you’ll be glad for the quiet and peaceful atmosphere at one of the first Ger camps to be established in Khovsgol.
Included: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner
Accommodation: Toilgot Ger Camp or similar
Day 9 – Khovsgol Nuur National Park
At Patch, we try to take you off the beaten path, but some popular attractions deserve all the attention they get–like today’s destination, as we explore Khovsgol Nuur National Park.
Khovsgul is truly in the middle of nowhere and you’ll feel yourself slowing down to a much more relaxed rhythm. It’s Day 9 in your Mongolia crafting trip, but you’ll already feel like our fast paced modern life is from a different planet.
How you want to explore is up to you. A 2.5 hour hike of Chuchee Uul with a 700m vertical climb for a view that’s actually worth the effort? Sounds great! Or skip the hike and take a long, meandering walk along the lake shore and its lagoons. Also, perfect!
Included: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner
Accommodation: Toilgot Ger Camp or similar
Day 10 – Zuun Lake
Many miss out by driving straight on through, but the region connecting Khovsgol with Tarkhiin Tsagaan Nuur is one of our favourite areas. Especially the peaceful Zuun Lake and the breath-taking transformation it undergoes as it reflects the pastel pink and orangey tones of the sky turning to dusk as the sun sets.
Majestic mountains, billowy clouds, and watercolour sunsets reflect back in calm water at Zuun Lake. It’s not a filter, it’s real life.
Your ger camp tonight is rustic, but with these views, who cares?
Included: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner
Accommodation: Dalai Vam Ger Camp or similar
Day 11 – Terkhiin Tasgaan Nuur
We can’t lie to you. Today is a travel day, and there’s a decent chance the ride could be bumpy, slow (weather depending), and physically tiring. But since you can’t control any of those factors, let the day unfold and enjoy the stunning scenery. Besides, any mishaps will make a great travel story to reminisce over one day in the future.
You’re heading to Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur National Park via the community of Jargalant. The park’s jewel is the wild and untamed beauty of White Lake, a freshwater lake originally formed by lava flow during a volcanic eruption.
Nearby lies Khorgo Mountain, an extinct volcano, which you’ll get to explore tomorrow. Khorgo was the most recently active volcano in Mongolia. But don’t worry, the last eruption happened over 800 years ago!
Included: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner
Accommodation: Maikhan Tolgoi Ger Camp or similar
Day 12 – Mongolian Cookery Lesson
Waking up in a ger next to the beautiful White Lake might inspire some soul searching. However, your first question should be “what do I want to do today?”
Feel free to break away from the group to hike into the hills or take a gentle stroll along the uneven edges where the lake meets the shore.
For the culinary-inclined, join Jargaa and her husband Batbold who own and run the Surtiin Eco Ger Camp for a multi-hour cooking lesson. Who needs a souvenir when you can recreate the tastes of your trip in your cast iron once you’re home?
Included: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner
Accommodation: Maikhan Tolgoi Ger Camp or similar
Day 13 – Museum of Arkhangai Aimag
Wake up early for yet another action-packed day. The morning begins with a trip to a busy market in Tsetserleg.
The Museum of Arkhangai Province was established in 1947, but the building it is located in is much older. The historic structure was once a palace where Zaya Bandidas of the Khalkh Mongolia lived as far back as the 17th century. The expert Mongolian and Tibetan architecture alone is worth admiring, but you’ll learn even more about the area’s rich history, traditions, and culture inside.
Included: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner
Accommodation: Khangain Tugul or Ashid Bekei Hotel or similar
Day 14 – Yak Herding
Another morning drive today. This time it’s a short one to spend the day with Galbadrakhs, a young family of yak herders. The bright blue, green, or red roofs in the area might steal your attention for a few moments, but the yaks and their fascinating herders are the stars today.
Ask any burning questions you’ve always had about yaks. Then, take full advantage of this unique chance to spend time with the family and experience a typical day in their lives. The family is part of an NGO co-op that works with yak herders in the area..
Included: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner
Accommodation: Khangain Tugul or Ashid Bekei Hotel or similar
Day 15 – Kharkhorin Arts & Calligraphy
Day 15 and you’re already well on the way back to UlaanBaatar, but not before you get to enjoy some traditional Mongolian experiences.
The ancient capital of Ogodei khan and the Mongol Empire in the 13th century, Kharkhorin was once a busy imperial city attracting traders, dignitaries, and artisans from across the continent and beyond.
Your visit today won’t be a complete step back in time–the ancient city did not last long after the fall of the Yuan dynasty. But the gold bracelets, imperial coins, and other artefacts in the Kharkhorin Museum recovered during excavations of the ruins can help you imagine what the imperial city was like. And, you’ll get the chance to see Mongolia’s oldest monastery during the day as well.
On to the afternoon! Under the careful eye of an expert artist, you’ll pick up a brush and get a hands-on lesson in the centuries-old Mongolian tradition of calligraphy.
Included: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner
Accommodation: Secret of the Silk Road or similar
Day 16 – Herding in the Orkhon River Valley
By now, you’ve become familiar with some of the culture and customs in Mongolia, and you’re about to get an even closer opportunity to learn more about family life here. You’ll spend the day at the home of our herding family friends. These nomads move up to 6 times a year.
This is your final chance to experience every day Mongolian life, and you’ll get real insight into the roles local men and women have and see how they share responsibilities.
The location is beautiful–and the heartful hospitality makes the day even more memorable. You can’t leave Mongolia without being treated to Mongolian barbeque, and that’s exactly what your hosts have in store for you to wrap up the day.
Enjoy your last night sleeping in a ger. Tomorrow, it’s back to ordinary hotel rooms.
Included: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner
Accommodation: Secret of the Silk Road or similar
Day 17 – Ulaanbaatar
Today, you’re going full circle–back to where the adventure started. But while Ulaanbaatar might be the same as it was when you left it, you are not. How has your journey changed you? Maybe slightly worse for the wear after long drives down bumpy roads, but you’ll recover from that.
The access to real Mongolia and the authentic experiences you’ve had along the way–the hospitality from locals, moments spent in reflection while kayaking or hiking, and the other memories you’ve made–will leave a lasting mark, though.
The new friends you met just a couple weeks ago now feel like old friends. As you reminisce at the farewell dinner tonight be sure to exchange info so you can keep in touch.
Included: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner
Accommodation: Tuushiin Hotel or similar
Day 18 – Farewell Friends
All good things must come to an end. And that includes this incredible adventure. Enjoy one last breakfast. Then, we’ve arranged for your transfer to the airport. It’s not goodbye though, it’s just until next time!
Included: Breakfast
The Essential Info
WHAT ABOUT FOOD?
Mongolian food is simple and hearty. While there is a lot of meat, milk and cheese in Mongolian cuisine, we can cater for most dietary needs including vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free.
We guarantee that you will be pleasantly surprised by the food available in Mongolia. This is partly because your expectations will below (!), but also because, contrary to popular belief, dietary options are not just limited to mutton and fat. In Ulaanbaatar, there is a range of great local and international restaurants, and although in the countryside the choice and ingredients are more limited, there are some traditional culinary specialities to enjoy and savour.
We like to vary meals during a trip – lunch may be with a nomadic family, or at a roadside cafe, or a picnic. Sadly, we cannot cater to those with severe nut allergies. In all of our homestays, you’re welcome to participate and learn, as much or as little as you like. It’s a great way to spend extended time with local Mongolian women, who traditionally occupy this role.
Is This Trip Right For You?
You love travelling and enjoying most of your time in a country.
You don’t like being rushed or herded around B-grade attractions, but you also understand that some places are worth the wait in line.
You’re open-minded and open-hearted. You try to embrace the little things. You understand that even in the best vehicles, the air-con sometimes breaks. Even in the best restaurants, the service sometimes is a little slow. This is just part of the adventure, and you choose to be gracious.
You also know that a ‘great trip’ doesn’t have to mean sprinting from place to place. The best moments so often come when you hit the pause button, sit still, and just take it all in.
You’re young enough at heart to know that sometimes the best opportunities come when you’re least expecting it. You understand that doing things right doesn’t always mean following a strict routine.
You enjoy trying new food, visiting new places, and making new friends. You make a great travel buddy and you love to share experiences with others. You understand that to fit in with local cultures, sometimes that involves trying something you haven’t tried before, or sitting on the floor to eat with a nomad family.
Does that sound like you? We’d love to invite you to travel with us!
Frequently Asked Questions
Prior to the payment of your full balance, the final price may change if there is significant variation in the AUD:USD exchange rate. Our trip pricing is determined by what the exchange rates are at the time of publishing the trip.
The pricing on this trip is based on an exchange rate of 1 AUD:0.64 USD.
A deposit of $1,900 is required to hold your spot. Payment can be made by credit card (fees apply) or bank deposit.
There is a cooling off period of 2 weeks. (Applicable to all bookings made 110 days in advance.)
We have implemented a ‘lifetime deposit’ guarantee. Deposits are not refundable, but they are transferable at any time, right up until the first day of the trip.
The final balance of the trip is required 95 days in advance of the departure date. Our suppliers require upfront payment well in advance to guarantee availability.
Please refer to the full terms and conditions for further information.
This is the most frequently asked question we get!
Nearly everyone is in their 50s and 60s, with some people above and below (but of course, everyone is welcome!)
Most Patchies come alone and are matched with a room-mate. Remember, you don’t need to pay for a single supplement if you come solo. We will place you with a similarly-aged roommate.
The typical Patchie has travelled a LOT, is a well-seasoned adventurer, and is not easily thrown by small things. However, many Patchies tell us that this is their first ever group tour. Many of our guests have avoided tours to this point as they’re not attracted to being herded around in large groups.
Oh, and one last thing:
Patchies are warm, generous, and kind. We knew it would be like this, but we weren’t expecting it to be *quite* like this. We’re so blessed as a business to have the customers we do; we consider ourselves to be some of the luckiest people in the world.
Mongolia has dropped its visa requirements for all Australian and NZ citizens.
Airfares are not included.
Solo travellers will be matched with a room-mate. Of course, if you prefer to have your own space, you can reserve the private room supplement.
Note: In the home stays/ger camps, the private supplement is not available.
It is not recommended to bring the Mongolian Togrog currency to Ulaanbaatar, as you can obtain it easily at money changers and ATMs. In countryside towns, you can obtain money but it’s best not to rely on changers or ATMs available. Your expenses during the trip will be minimal and mostly confined to the alcohol you buy at ger camps. Bringing gifts for your host families is also highly encouraged. Aussie-themed gifts and clothing are highly welcomed as are toys for the kids. Fabric, scarves, warm socks, and gloves are also very welcome.
Most of our trips have a tip kitty because many cultures have interesting and diverse rules when it comes to tips. We’ve found it to be the easiest way to combat over-tipping, under-tipping or having the tip fall into the wrong hands. Our goal is for guests to relax and know that the complexities of tipping are taken care of, on their behalf.
At the end of the trip, if your 2 guides and 3 drivers have ensured that your trip is memorable, we recommend tipping them 170,000 Mongolian Tugrik (equivalent to $50 USD) each, per guest.
Total: $250 USD.
(Exchange rate used – $1USD:3,395 Mongolian Tugrik)
Airport transfers are included. You can plan to arrive at any time, but we recommend arriving in the morning to give yourself time to settle in.
Level 2 or Moderate
You’ll need a moderate level of fitness for this trip. If you can walk 3 – 4 hours – ie 7 to 10 km at an easy pace on undulating terrain, you’ll be fine. There will be days when you’ll be spending a lot of time on your feet.
Mongolia’s a big land mass that’s sparsely populated. Driving distances between destinations can be long and road conditions soon deteriorate from paved highways, to rough and unpaved tracks. It’s in the remote areas where you’ll see the best of what Mongolia offers – unique landscape diversity and the nomadic way of life. Long drives are offset by photo stops, picnic lunches, tea/coffee breaks, sightseeing, leg stretching walks and dropping in on nomadic families. – Pack yourself a book and your spirit of adventure for the highlight road-trip of your life!
Due to the nature and remote settings of some accommodations on this trip, there is no capacity for guaranteeing private single rooms at all overnight stays. Private single rooms for single supplement bookings will be provided on Days 1, 2, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17.
In the unlikely event of a health or security related incident during a trip, we’ve engaged a local partner to assist. From our experience, there is not one framework that fits all, and every incident is unique and requires a different approach. With all trips, your guides are your day-to-day support. While behind the scenes, there is an active line of communication – between your guide, the on-ground support team, and Australian Ops.
