Mongolia Mountain Biking Tour

Follow in the Footsteps of Genghis Khan and Marco Polo from $4413 NZD
(5/5) from 4 reviews

Tour Mongolia by Bike

Wild, lonely, majestic, ancient and modern: discover Mongolia’s sweeping terrain by mountain bike.

Ride across the vast, grassy steppes and also visit the Gobi Desert with its gigantic dunes and blazing sunsets.

Explore the bustling city of Ulaanbaatar and in contrast see how Mongolia’s nomadic lifestyles still thrive in rural and remote areas. Experience the cuisine and incredible hospitality of the local people – a highlight for many.

14 Days
  • 2022
  • Best time to travel: June - August
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  • Availability Guide:
  • Current date selected
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Reviews for Mongolia Mountain Biking Tour - Tour

A very special challenging 3 weeks spent in a gorgeous part of the world with awesome company. To quote the feelers "It's as good as it gets".

Pete Richards New Zealand February 14, 2015

Global Cycling Tours - Mongolia biking tours

This trip was an awesome adventure to a very special unique country. The nomadic people showed us how simple yet rewarding life can be, in what can be a very harsh environment.

Ann & Alistair Bennett August 20, 2014

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An amazing experience for a keen mountain biker who has been with Global Adventures for several trips throughout the world and for years to come. My wife also loves the way she is catered for as a non-biker. The experience starts with the promotional material, then the detailed notes, the trip itself and the final celebratory dinner.

John Brannock Mongolia August 15, 2014

Mongolia Cycling Tour - Fabulous cycling through remote Mongolia

Enjoyed the Gobi Desert with visits to Flaming Red Cliffs and Singing Dunes. The friendly locals and the little 'treats' they gave us.

Greg Griffith August 15, 2014

Ulaanbaatar to Ulaanbaatar

Ulaanbaatar
  • Mountain Biking
  • Grade
  • Tour price is for minimum of 6 riders
  • Surcharge applies for group size of 2-5
  • USD210 single room surcharge
  • USD200 bike hire (hardtail MTB)
  • This tour is invoiced in USD
  • We can customise this tour to suit your group and dates. Call us for details!
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jordan



Mongolia Mountain Biking Tour Fitness and Preparation
Accommodation includes a hotel (2 nights in Ulaanbaatar), several nights in Mongolian felt-walled yurts, other nights in tents. Daily riding distances range from 42 km to 82 km on four wheel drive roads (no single trails). Surfaces vary from rocky, sandy, corrugated and hard-packed dirt, plus there are also some sand dunes and braided river beds to negotiate. The terrain varies with both hilly and flat sections. Most days you are riding at altitudes of between 1800-2200m above sea level.

Full Itinerary

DAY 1

Ulaanbaatar: Arrival Day

No biking / Hotel

Welcome to Mongolia's capital, Ulaanbaatar (also spelt 'Ulan Bator'). We'll meet you at the airport and transfer you to your centrally located hotel before embarking on a city sightseeing tour this afternoon (approx 2pm). Depending on the amount of time we have, highlights will include the Gandan Monastery, with its huge gold-plated Buddha, central Sukhbaatar Square and the Natural History Museum with its dinosaur skeletons. This evening we'll meet for a welcome dinner and talk about what we can look forward to in the days ahead.

Meals: Dinner

DAY 2

Ulaanbaatar to Bulagtai

Biking: 50 km / Ger camp

An early morning flight of approx 1hr 20min takes us to Dalanzadgad, a base for Gobi Desert travellers. Your support vehicle and bikes will be waiting for you and we'll ride from here to our Ger camp at Bulagtai. This evening there will be an optional drive (50km each way) to Flaming Red Cliffs, also known as Bayanzag. This area is known for its strange, spongy-wooded saxaul trees, dinosaur fossils, and most of all its huge sandstone cliffs, which blaze red at midnight and are a major tourist attraction. You can also hire camels to ride.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 3

Bulagtai to Gegeet Valley

Biking: 80 km (hilly) / Camping (tents)

Today our ride begins with a steady ascent to the Gegeet Valley through the Gurvan Saikhan Range. Although we are in the desert we'll actually be riding on an elevated plateau between two parallel ridges from where there are great views over distant mountains and vast plains. Being relatively cooler, this plateau serves as the summer grazing ground for local herders who we will definitely meet along the way. We'll overnight in tents amidst some picturesque rock outcrops.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 4

Gegeet Valley to Khongoriin Els

Biking: 50 km (hilly and some technical sections) / Ger camp

After a 3km section of riverbed we ride through undulating terrain along the inner part of the Middle Beauty Mountain range. The surface is often corrugated or sandy so the riding can be very challenging at times. We’ll stop for lunch at a spot just before we leave the mountains. From here there are great views over Khongoriin Els, Mongolia’s most spectacular sand dunes which stretch for 180 km, with the tallest reaching 200m. On a windy day a distant propeller hum can be heard from the dunes, which is why they are locally known as the ‘Singing Dunes”. We load the bikes and drive to our destination, allowing time for some laundry to be done. Then at 4pm it’s a short drive to one of the nearby sand dunes which we can climb before returning to camp for dinner. Tonight’s ger is one of the best of the tour as its restaurant has a fantastic open-air upstairs terrace - a great place to watch the sun setting.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 5

Khongorlin Els to Arts Bogd Mountain Range

Biking: 50 km / Camping (tents)

This morning we'll start with a two hour drive before riding to the Arts Bogd mountain range which marks the boundary between the Gobi and the central Mongolian mountains. Later in the day we'll set up camp by the 'Tevsh', an extinct volcano that shelters bronze age petroglyphs and a large group of burial mounds of similar age. There is also a large group of Neolithic rock carvings to be discovered.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 6

Arts Bogd Mountain Range to Urumt

No Biking / Camping (tents)

After breakfast, we'll load the bikes and drive to the Khangai Mountains crossing the vast open steppe. It's going to be a long day in the support vehicle – up to 12 hours, but the views are amazing and we'll take a break at a stunning lunch spot on top of a hill (weather permitting).

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 7

Urumt to Shargalzuut Valley

Biking: 43 km / Camping (tents)

Over the next 4 days we aim to cross the Khangai mountains which separates the Gobi Desert from the northern steepes. We'll avoid the main travel routes across the Khangai and follow a more isolated route which sees few western visitors and certainly fewer bikers! We ride through mountain valleys, interrupted by short but challenging passes, followed by exciting descents. Depending on the amount of recent rainfall, we may cross as many as 5 to 20 small streams daily. We'll also pass nomadic encampments, where yaks, sheep and goats are being tended by tough horsemen.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 8

Shargalzuut Valley to Tsagaan Khad Pass

Biking: 40 km (hilly) / Camping (tents)

Its one of our most challenging days of the tour where your fitness will be challenged, as we'll be biking to Tsagaan Khad Pass which includes two mountains over 2800m above the sea level. We'll also cross a number of mountain rivers and streams. As a reward, there is a fantastic downhill before we reach our campsite, one of the best of the tour.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 9

Tsagaan Khad Pass to Urd Tamir River

Biking: 45 km / Camping (tents)

On a rocky road with several river crossings included, we bike for 25km in the morning to the Tuin River. After lunch its a three hour vehicle transfer plus a 13km ride to our beautiful camp site on the Urd Tamir river bank.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 10

Urd Tamir River to Tsenkher Hot Spring

Biking: 85 to 100 km / Ger camp

Today's destination is a reward – Tsenkher hot springs! All day we can dream of this evening's soak in a pool filled with hot mineral water. You may also wish to have a relaxing massage for a small additional fee.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 11

Tsenkher Hot Spring to Orkhon River

Biking: 70 km / Camping (tents)

This is one of the best days of the tour with some challenging climbs, amazing downhills and good track surfaces. We pass through the Orkhon Valley which contains many ancient graves and historic sites within its boundaries, the story of which can be told by your guide. On reaching the Orkhon River, our camp is a further 10km downstream. There should be time for a leisurely hike in the area or a dip in the river’s cool waters before dinner.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 12

Orkhon River to Karakorum

Biking: 76 km / Ger camp

We ride eastward along the same side of the Orkhon River until we reach Karakorum – the medieval capital of the Mongolian Empire. Today its just a small town as the former capital still lies in ruins since it was levelled by Chinese Min dynasty troops in the 1380's. Karakorum is known for its massive walled compound of the Erdene Zuu monastery, built in the 16th century by Mongol Khan. After tremendous destruction during anti-religion campaigns of the 1930's, only a dozen of the temples have survived. We visit the monastery and the new museum before continuing to a local ger camp for dinner and our overnight stay.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 13

Karakorum to Ulaanbaatar

No Biking / Hotel

After breakfast its an all day drive back to Ulaanbaatar where we will check into our hotel around 4pm. Tonight we'll get together for a farewell dinner and talk about our recent adventures.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 14

Departure Day

No Biking

It's time to say farewell to your fellow travellers, and to wild and beautiful Mongolia. Depending on your departure time, you may have time to explore the city some more in the morning, or we can transfer you straight to the airport. We wish you a safe trip home.

Meals: Breakfast

Tour Inclusions and Exclusions:

Tour Includes:

  • Accommodation: 4* hotel (2 nights), ger camps (4 nights), tents (7 nights)
  • Meals as listed in the itinerary
  • Airport transfers (days 1, 2 and 14)
  • English speaking riding guide(s)
  • Local guide(s), cook(s) and assistant(s)
  • Vehicle(s) for transport and general support
  • Bottled drinking water and snacks on riding days
  • Flight from Ulaanbaatar to Dalanzadgad (day 2)
  • Sightseeing fees in Ulaanbaatar (day 1) and during the tour as listed in the itinerary
  • National Park fees

Tour Excludes:

  • International flights and airport taxes
  • Passport and travel visa requirements
  • Excess luggage fees on domestic flight
  • Bike hire
  • Sleeping bag
  • Optional activity costs
  • Personal expenses and drinks (except water while riding)
  • Travel insurance
  • Tips for guide(s) and support crew