Full Itinerary

Ger camping: The traditional Mongolian yurt is called a ger and we will be staying in ger camps or with nomadic people in gers at various points during the tour. The ger is the perfect home for a nomad as it can be taken down and erected incredibly quickly, providing shelter from the winds of the steppe. They are incredibly well insulated, and there is often a wood burner in the middle for cooking and keeping the ger warm at night. Ger camps often have facilities like toilets and, if you are lucky, showers, although they are sometimes only operational for a couple of hours each day to save on electricity. The quality of facilities can range drastically between camps, and we try to pick the nicest one we can, but in some areas our choices are limited and facilites are very basic. 

Wild camping/Temperature: For most of our ride we will we will be wild camping. Mongolia is completely free to roam meaning we can make anywhere our home for the night. There are some beautiful spots to choose from; next to rivers, lakes and at the foot of mountains. This time of year day daytime temperatures tend to range between 18℃ and 26℃ but the weather can be variable on the Steppe. Nights are beautiful and filled with stars in Mongolia. The low light pollution and high average altitude of the country make it one of the best places in the Northern hemisphere to see the night sky but these two things combined with potential cold northern wind from Siberia can make nights very cold even in summer. Temperatures can be as low as 5℃ but tend to be around 10-15℃ so we recommend bringing a sleeping bag and roll mat suitable for 3 to 4 seasons just incase.

Cycling:  The route we will be taking is a mixture of gently sloping steppe land and mountains. The terrain is perfect for cycling, there are a few steep climbs to keep it challenging but most of the ranges we are crossing are more akin to big rolling hills with long down hills. Bicycle hire is an optional extra so you are welcome to bring your own. If you do choose to bring your own please let us know so we can discuss if it is suitable for the terrain (more details in roads below). 

Roads:  Most of the cycling will be on dirt tracks. In fact, most roads in Mongolia even the main ones are dirt tracks. You tend to only see tarmac on the road between the main province capitals and sometimes in larger towns. Due to the low annual rainfall, low population density and even lower number of motorised vehicles there isn’t much need for tarmac. Instead on popular routes, there can be many lanes of tyre tracks each one compacting the dirt to form a rudimentary highway. These dirt tracks do make it easier to cycle across Mongolia’s remote terrain and you can pick the best one but we do recommend suitable off-road bikes such as gravel or mountain bikes if you are bringing your own, as there could be sections that are more challenging on the wrong bike.

Distances and targets: This is the first time we have run this specific tour but we have run others like it in the same areas and we are confident that it is easily completed for a relatively fit individual who enjoys cycling holidays. That being said we have been conservative with the distance covered each day and have planned for a degree of flexibility when it comes to distances and routes. We want you to get the most out of your experience and see as much of Mongolia as you can, because of this you can see ride targets as minimum targets rather than hard stop lines. If everyone in the group is happily smashing out the kilometres and you want to continue on we have thought through alternative campsites and extra routes we can do. Ultimately it all depends on you and the group.

Support team: We will be visiting sites and areas with historical and geographical interest so we will be joined by a trained tour guide. In addition to a guide, we will have two drivers and a cook to prepare all our meals. The drivers are there for our safety, providing support for minor and even major injuries. They will also take any bags or equipment you want them to carry, allowing us to cover more distance and see more of Mongolia. We have two as a logistical minimum due to the remote nature of travel in Mongolia but this also allows us some flexibility to split into two groups as long as we can remain in communication. For large groups, we will hire additional drivers, guides and cooks to provide an advanced peloton and pack group. Our cook will prepare 3 meals a day for you. We can make a group decision about how traditional you want to go with meals but many Mongolians, particularly in the city are familiar with and can prepare a range of world cuisines if the Mongolian meat-heavy diet is not really your thing.