Feel humbled by the vastness and heart-warming culture of Mongolia on a family adventure that immerses you in the awe-inspiring landscapes and rich nomadic traditions of one of the world’s last frontiers. Be warned though – Mongolia is seriously addictive!
While travelling here is possible year-round, October to April is extremely cold and only really suitable for those interested in winter activities such as dog-sledding and various ice festivals.
Price depends on the experiences and accommodation included, and your time of travel. It is based on a family of four travelling for 10 nights and does not include international flights.
3 nights in Beijing, 2 nights in Ulaanbaatar, 5 nights under canvas in the wilderness
What makes this journey special?
- Stay in fantastically provisioned private luxury ger camps in Mongolia’s desert dunes and grasslands
- Watch or take part in a private Naadam festival with horse-racing, archery and wrestling
- Fascinating hosts and guides from the Head Buddhist Monk of a remote monastery to a private astronomer and field naturalists studying Mongolian wildlife
- Engage with an inspiring women’s empowerment project in Ulaanbaatar
- Visit a less crowded part of the Great Wall of China before going on to meet the people the Chinese were trying to keep out!
Your Mongolia private family holiday itinerary
Enter the dragon
Beijing
Begin your adventure in Beijing, as you take in the imperial glories of China’s capital city. We’ll adapt your time here to the age and interests of your children, but must-dos include visiting the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven, and exploring the narrow atmospheric streets of Beijing’s hutongs. We’d also unhesitatingly recommend a visit to the Great Wall, too, but let us take you to the less crowded and more rewarding Jinshanling section, where you can walk along the fortifications and ponder why China’s imperial dynasties so desperately wanted to keep the Mongols out! Back in the city, enjoy a sumptuous Peking Duck dinner.
Capital of cool
Ulaanbaatar
Don’t be too disconcerted by the brutalist Soviet tower blocks or sprawling ger city when you arrive in the Mongolian capital: the world’s coldest capital city has quite a lot in fact to offer. We’ll bookmark your time in the wilderness with a night either side in Ulaanbaatar, and we know how to make your time here filled with insight and meaning. We’ll set you up with the city’s best guides who will bring to life the treasures of the Dinosaur Museum, and take you to an inspiring charitable foundation that supports through schooling, community outreach and summer camps the children who used to scavenge in the city’s municipal dumps. On your last night, enjoy a wonderful feast complete with music and dancing.
Into the wild
Elsen Tasarkhai
Meet your guide and driver and board 4x4s for your journey west. Conjuring images of Genghis Khan’s horseback warriors, you will feel like you are in a complete wilderness.
Settle into your exclusive ensuite Mandala ger, a short walk from traditional nomads who mind the gers and act as neighbours from whom you can learn about traditional culture. In this way you can enjoy your privacy and engage with the family as much or as little as you like. You’ll receive a warm traditional welcome in their ger and can help with milking the animals, if you like, or rounding them up with a traditional urga pole lasso.
One hump or two?
Wilderness camp
Meet your cameleer and his two-humped Bactrian camels and cross the dunes with your nomad host to his winter pasture area in the foothills of the mountains. Your guide will be riding beside you and will often break into song, eyes constantly scanning for any wildlife you might see. You may spot jerboas or foxes, maral deer and maybe even a wolf. As you approach the mountains, the terrain changes and you climb some way to get great views of the surrounding area. Your Wilderness camp will be ready with sundowners to welcome you. After dinner let the camp’s expert astronomer guide you across the night sky with Mandala’s telescope.
Festival on the steppe
Bayangobi
Feel the excitement mount as you don traditional overgarments and walk over with your hosts to spectate or even take part if you wish in the traditional Mongolian sports of wrestling, archery and horse racing. You’ll meet the competitors, learn the rules and pick up a few tricks. Only men are allowed to wrestle, but women and girls compete in archery and horse racing. As honoured guests you will award the prizes to the winners – a fitting climax to your time in Mongolia, and such a fun way to immerse yourself in community life.
Where you'll stay on your Mongolia family adventure
Great journeys need great places to lay your head. These are our tried and tested suggestions.
Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing
Beijing’s Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing, perched above the city’s most storied shopping street, is almost boutique in feel, with just 73 rooms and suites fitted out with lacquered wood, silk-paneled walls and floor-to-ceiling windows that frame cinematic views of the Forbidden City. The real magic, however, happens on the rooftop, where the hotel’s MO Bar and Mandarin Grill and Bar boast some of the most coveted terraces in Beijing. Service is seamless, discreet and anticipatory, striking that rare balance between world-class luxury and the kind of quiet hospitality that makes a place feel like home.
Shangri La Ulaanbaatar
Rising above Mongolia’s dynamic capital, Shangri-La Ulaanbaatar is the city’s top address. Located just a short stroll from Sukhbaatar Square, the hotel’s 290 rooms and suites blend contemporary Asian design and Mongolian accents – think warm earth tones, locally inspired textiles and floor-to-ceiling windows. Dining is excellent, from the refined Cantonese flavors at Hutong to the all-day international offerings at Café Park. But the real showstopper is Naadam, a stylish lounge bar where you can sip artisanal cocktails while watching the city lights flicker to life.
Mandala Heartland Private Ger Camp
Moving seasonally to new pastures like Mongolian nomads, Mandala Heartland Private Ger Camp is your very own suite on the steppe. Sumptuously appointed, sustainably operated and full of special touches like felt slippers that keep your toes warm and even a mobile telescope for scanning the night skies, each ger comes with a proper bed, traditional stove and comfortable en-suite bathroom. You’ll be looked after royally by the camp team – the dining is simply incredible considering the location – but the real advantage of staying in a Mandala camp is that it allows you to enjoy authentic encounters with local nomadic communities.
Mandala Wilderness Private Tented Camp
Conceived for those who crave the ultimate in remoteness without stinting on creature comforts, Mandala Wilderness enables you to have a private camp, or series of mobile camps, anywhere in Mongolia. Locations are spellbinding: overlooking rippling dunes, perched in the high mountains, hunkered by a river in a wooded valley or gazing across the rolling steppe. However you arrive and depart (whether by helicopter, 4×4, foot or camel), you can expect a proper bed, hot showers, a private chef and the very best guides to take you deep into the wilderness to where few have ever trodden.
Customise your luxury Mongolia family holiday
All of our journeys are fully bespoke, and can be customised to meet your needs, interests and preferences. Here are a few ideas to inspire you.
Fly to western Mongolia and spend some time with the Kazakh eagle hunters
Add a few days in the southern Gobi Desert looking for dinosaur fossils at impressive Three Camels Lodge
Spend a little extra time exploring China: Shanghai, Xi’an and Hong Kong are all easily reached from Beijing.
Looking for more inspiration?
We have a huge range of inspiring private experiences and accommodation options available. Get in touch with our Mongolia specialists.
ENQUIRELearn more about our luxury holidays, or call our expert Asia team on +44 1367 850566 / 1-855-216-5040 (toll free) to discuss how we can turn your dreams into something truly magical.
“From the air Mongolia looks like God’s preliminary sketch for earth, not so much a country as the ingredients out of which countries are made: grass, rock, water and wind.”