DestinationsMongolia
Tour MeetsUlaanbaatar
Fly in toChinggis Khaan International Airport
Group Size2-16 ridersThis route is a mix of off-road terrain, passing through different environments and ecozones of the Mongolian Gobi. Some of the riding is overland mountain biking through vast and expansive steppe. Climbs tend to be minimal, and gradual, but surfaces are bumpy, with rocks and tough desert grass. Days with singletrack are real highlights of this tour, freeriding through rocky environments, like the cliffs of Bayan Zag or Dungenee Canyon, or along animal trails with short and steep hills and technical sections.
When in the field, accommodation is predominantly in tented camps, set up each night by the local crew. Tented camps include separate tents for drip showers and seated toilets. Hearty meals will be prepared each morning and night at the campsite. One night will be spent in a traditional Mongolian Ger Camp, with full shower and toilet facilities, and a restaurant. Both nights in Ulaanbaatar are spent in a four star hotel with Western comforts.
Though this trip is entirely off-road, vehicle support is available for almost all the time, the exception being rocky singletrack trails through canyons and rocky areas. Bringing a camelback or hydration backpack for extra water and snacks on these sections is strongly recommended. Your guides' knowledge of the local area and terrain means you'll always know what's coming up in terms of distance and difficulty.
Suitability: This trip is suitable for riders with off-road experience and good handling skills. Riders should be physically fit and able to handle long days in the saddle on off-road terrain. Overland days can be challenging, with long rides over variable terrain in an exposed environment. Expect strong winds on some sections. Singletrack days will be fun, and those with experience handling technical trails will enjoy it even more.
SpiceRoads jerseyWater bottleDomestic flightsSupport vehicleGuide(s)Meals (as indicated)Airport pick upAirport drop offAccommodationSnacks and drinksEntrance fees
International flightsVisa feesAlcoholTipsBecause some people can't imagine going on a trip without their own beloved bicycle, we do not provide them as part of this tour. However, you can hire bikes locally for the price listed in the tour pricing section.
If you bring your own bike, please make sure it is a mountain bike, preferably with front suspension in good mechanical order.
Basic spares and tools are carried by the guide and on the support vehicle, though we cannot guarantee having spares for every conceivable problem. Carrying a basic tool kit, a spare tube and a pump while riding is recommended.
Wearing a helmet is required on all our biking adventures and is non negotiable. If you do not wear a helmet you will not be allowed to cycle. Your tour leader is trained in first aid and emergency rescue, but to a large degree you must be responsible for your own safety while riding. It is therefore compulsory that you take out travel insurance that will cover you for a mountain biking tour.
You will be led by a local English-speaking guide and if the group is 9 people or more we will add another guide to the tour. All our guides are well informed in the history, culture and religions of the area where you are biking and are skilled at passing that knowledge on to you. Your guide is also medically trained and an experienced cyclist, able to handle most minor repairs en route.
For more information see here.
Visa regulations in Mongolia can and do change without notice, so please give yourself enough time to check the current regulations to ensure you have the proper documents before embarking on this trip. If you are transiting through China, please check if a transit visa is required or not.
Recommended vaccinations include typhoid, polio, tetanus and Hepatitis A. A certificate for Yellow Fever is required if arriving from an infected area within the prior six days. This is not a malarial area. Please speak to your doctor/physician for the most recent information.
Mongolia is home to extreme weather conditions that are constantly changing. Summertime occurs during the months of June, July, and August and daytime temperatures range from 20 to 30 degrees C (15 degrees in the evenings). This is also the rainy season, so plan on getting wet during your two-week adventure. Autumn begins in September, with daytime temperatures of 15 to 25 degrees C (5 to 10 degrees in the evenings). During the winter, temperatures in Mongolia can drop to -40 degrees C, however snow can fall at any given time of the year. For this reason, please be prepared for cold weather and bring appropriate clothing.
Meals are included in the itinerary where B = breakfast, L = lunch, and D = dinner. Most meals will be prepared by the cooking team on the support staff and feature Western-style cuisine with a sampling of Mongolian food. Any special dietary requirements can also be catered for as well. Please let us know at the time of booking.
Keeping you completely hydrated is a job we take very seriously. Cold water, some energy-restoring local fruit and soft drinks are included in the tour price while riding. Soft drinks and other beverages during meals are not included. Beer and alcohol are NOT included in the price.
SpiceRoads does not require you to pay a surcharge for travelling alone. We will arrange for you to share accommodation with another traveller of the same gender and if we can not match you up we will provide a single room at no extra charge. If you prefer not to share a single supplement is payable to guarantee your own room. The cost of the single supplement is listed above.
We recommend that you tuck away a few extra dollars a day for incidentals. Included entrance fees are those for the listed sites and national parks that are part of the itinerary. Any other site fees are not included.
The Mongolian currency is the tögrög (T). Dollars can be changed at banks and exchange offices in Ulaanbaatar. There are ATMs in the capital which accept Visa and MasterCard and work most of the time, but it is best to have a debit card linked to your bank account. Remember to change all your tögrög when leaving the country as it’s worthless elsewhere.
If this is the tour for you here's what you need to do to confirm your place:
Just complete our online booking form or send your booking details offline (email or post), and we will confirm your participation. No deposit is needed to confirm your place on a SpiceRoads tour.
You are advised to read our Booking Conditions in full before you make your payment and should you require further clarifications of any of the conditions below, please email us or call our office.
There is a minimum number of participants (usually 2) required to enable the trip to go ahead. Once the minimum number is reached, the trip status will change from 'Available' to 'Guaranteed to Depart'. Once a trip is guaranteed to depart you are free to book your flights and make other travel arrangements. If the trip status is ‘Limited’ will mean we have only a small number of spaces available for booking. If you are unsure about the trip status, please email us or call our office.
From the tour page, click the 'Book Now' link. All departures for this tour will appear, just select the date you'd like to travel. For the next steps, you'll need to know the names of the people travelling. If you wish you can also provide extra details such as passport numbers, height (for bike hire), or you can add that later by logging into Manage My Trip (we'll set up an account for you automatically if you don't already have one). Our system will contact you from time to time to fill in the missing information, as it will be required before departure. However, if the trip that you are booking offers a child discount, you will have to fill out the date of birth of each rider (so we can calculate the appropriate discount).
If you are having any problems please send us an email, or give us a call (+66 026 3295) and one of our travel specialists will assist you with your booking.
Just call us or send an email indicating which trip you want to join and we will happily send you a list of questions and process your booking for you.
We do not require a deposit or full payment to book a place for you on a tour.
The balance of the tour’s cost (final invoice) will need to be paid 60 days before the departure date with fees for any bicycle rental(s), single supplement(s) and extra hotel nights.
In the case where a booking is made when there are less than 60 days until the tour departure date, the tour’s cost should be paid in full within 72 hours of receiving an invoice from SpiceRoads. Payment can be made by credit card using our online payment gateway or by bank transfer. When making payment online you will need to confirm that you have read these booking conditions during the "checkout" process, which equates to agreeing to the terms of services and stipulations as indicated in this document.
In all cases, tour fees need to be paid “in full” before participation in a tour. No person(s) will be allowed to join a tour without fully settling their invoice and receiving a confirmation number from SpiceRoads.
The exception can be made for last-minute miscellaneous fees that can be paid locally (visas, additional local hotel bookings, etc.) can be settled on the day of arrival.
If the tour is cancelled or postponed by SpiceRoads because we didn't make the trip numbers and the tour can’t run, we will make a full cash refund (by bank transfer or on your credit card).
If the tour is cancelled for any other reason, including due to Covid related travel restrictions, we will give you a full credit (with no deductions for admin or any other small-print item) to use on any SpiceRoads tour with no time limit. (Exceptions being flights, special permits and other non-refundable items and these will be advised when booking the trip).
Before paying for your tour, you can cancel your booking with no charge and up until 40 days before departure, you can change your booking to another travel date or move your booking onto another SpiceRoads tour with no charges.
If you need to cancel after you have made full payment, please see our cancellation policy.
DestinationsMongoliaTour MeetsUlaanbaatarFly in toChinggis Khaan International AirportGroup Size2-16 riders
SpiceRoads jerseyWater bottleDomestic flightsSupport vehicleGuide(s)Meals (as indicated)Airport pick upAirport drop offAccommodationSnacks and drinksEntrance feesInternational flightsVisa feesAlcoholTips
This route is a mix of off-road terrain, passing through different environments and ecozones of the Mongolian Gobi. Some of the riding is overland mountain biking through vast and expansive steppe. Climbs tend to be minimal, and gradual, but surfaces are bumpy, with rocks and tough desert grass. Days with singletrack are real highlights of this tour, freeriding through rocky environments, like the cliffs of Bayan Zag or Dungenee Canyon, or along animal trails with short and steep hills and technical sections.
When in the field, accommodation is predominantly in tented camps, set up each night by the local crew. Tented camps include separate tents for drip showers and seated toilets. Hearty meals will be prepared each morning and night at the campsite. One night will be spent in a traditional Mongolian Ger Camp, with full shower and toilet facilities, and a restaurant. Both nights in Ulaanbaatar are spent in a four star hotel with Western comforts.
Though this trip is entirely off-road, vehicle support is available for almost all the time, the exception being rocky singletrack trails through canyons and rocky areas. Bringing a camelback or hydration backpack for extra water and snacks on these sections is strongly recommended. Your guides' knowledge of the local area and terrain means you'll always know what's coming up in terms of distance and difficulty.
Suitability: This trip is suitable for riders with off-road experience and good handling skills. Riders should be physically fit and able to handle long days in the saddle on off-road terrain. Overland days can be challenging, with long rides over variable terrain in an exposed environment. Expect strong winds on some sections. Singletrack days will be fun, and those with experience handling technical trails will enjoy it even more.
Arrive in Mongolia via Chinggis Khaan International Airport, our guide will collect you and help you to check into your hotel for the evening. In the afternoon we'll have a city sightseeing tour of Mongolia's largest city. Roughly 50% of the 3 million Mongolians in the country today live within the city. We'll visit some of Ulaanbaatar's famous landmarks, an unusual combination of traditional Mongolian Buddhist monasteries and Soviet-era structures. In the evening, we'll gather for our trip briefing over a welcome dinner of traditional Mongolian cuisine. Expect a lot of roast meats!
Bayangol Hotel
DinnerArise early for our flight to Dalanzadgad, the gateway to the Gobi. It's a one hour flight from Ulaanbaatar to the edge of the Gobi Desert, and we'll be able to watch Mongolia waking up to the day from above. Upon arrival in Dalanzadgad, we'll meet our tour crew for the trip and transfer by 4WD Russian vans to Yol Valley. From there we'll set up the bikes, make adjustments and head out for our first ride of the trip! As we shake down on the green slopes of Yol Valley, we'll make our way to EagleCanyon, a 12 kilometer long rock canyon in which a small river flows. The canyon shelters a small glacier and is frozen until mid-July. Be on the lookout for some of Mongolia's wild fauna like ibix and Mongolian wild sheep, that gather in the canyon in the summer. We'll explore this natural playground by bike before heading to our camp for the evening.
Tented CampBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 41km
+31m
-739mFrom Yol Valley, we ride out into the expanse of the vast Gobi. Today's ride is more challenging than the ride through Yol Valley, as we head into mountainous terrain of the Gurvan Saikhan mountain range, which happens to be one of the few remaining habitats of the elusive snow leopard. As the terrain becomes more rocky, we'll climb upwards onto an elevated and windy plateau with view of the surrounding area. In the short window of summer, the desert comes alive with green grass and wild flowers. We'll ride between two ridges on an undulating and rocky path, with exciting downhill sections and short, technical flats. We'll overnight in a tented camp surrounded by the range.
Tented CampBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 65km+442m-802mA challenging day ahead, as we cycle into the Gegeet Valley, larger and more expansive than yesterday's ride. The valley is used for summer grazing of herds of sheep, goats, and horses by local nomads, and we may encounter some, as well as catch a glimpse of their felt tents. We'll have slow, gradual climb, followed by a long cruising descent to the base of the valley below. Though the terrain is less rocky than yesterday, the rough ground of the steppe is a bumpy ride with potential for loose sections and obstacles. We'll overnight next to a stream.
Tented CampBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 66km+264m-510mWe'll head out from our campsite today in search of true desert experience- the sand dunes of Khongoryn Els. This awe-inspiring sea of sand stretches for over 180 kilometers of the Gobi's territory, with some dunes reached nearly 200 meters in height. The dunes are colloquially referred to as the "singing dunes," as the hum distant wind-powered propellers can be heard. The ride out of the valley to the dunes is mostly downhill, though there will be a few challenging, technical section. Picturesque mountains visible in the distance, it'll be a mostly leisurely off-road cruise until we which the dunes in the early afternoon. After lunch, we'll have time to enjoy the scenery and experiences of this natural wonder, so bring your camera! We'll overnight nearby with the shadow of the dunes in the distance.
Tented CampBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 67km+224m-445mIf what goes up must come down, then the opposite must be true! The first stretch of the day's ride is a long and gradual ascent as we change course and in a northwest direction from the dunes. In about 14 kilometers, we'll gain nearly 2,000 meters. Once we've reached the top, it's a great vantage point of the area, and we'll be able to see a vast and arid plain stretching out in front of us- true desert. From there, it's an equally long and gradual descent that will lead us to a ravine. We'll explore the rocky bottom of the ravine on two wheels, before cruising into our campsite for the night.
Tented CampBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 67km+214m-342mToday we'll ride to one of the Gobi's hidden gems, a free-standing formation of orange sandstone cliffs. The cliffs hold several in situ fossils of prehistoric organisms, which we'll be able to point out as we explore them. The real fun is tackling the cliffs by bike. The network of trails crisscrossing through the small canyons and ridgelines of the cliffs are perfect for mountain bikes. Expect fast hills, jumps and drops, and lot's of technical sections as we flow through a mountain bike playground of exposed rock in the middle of the Gobi- one of the best days on the trip! In the evening, watch the sun set on the cliffs, and discover the true meaning of their name.
Tented CampBreakfast, Dinner
Ride 63km+355m-385mAfter breakfast at our campsite, we'll head out from the area around the cliffs on our last ride of the trip. It's a leisurely ride, but with some of the most picturesque and quintessentially "Gobi" scenery of the trip, vast arid plains flanked by mountain peaks in the distance. The route takes us southwest from the cliffs, on a very gradual climb over roughly 45 kilometers. In the early afternoon, we'll arrive at our campsite- this time, a traditional Mongolian Ger Camp. The gers are cozy and well-suited to the volatile climate of the desert, and the camp itself has wonderful amenities, included massage services and a two-story restaurant with an open air deck for sweeping views of the Gobi landscape. After a hearty Monoglian feast in the evening, we'll sleep well tonight inside a cozy ger!
Ger CampBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 44km+397m-83mWe'll rise early and have breakfast in our ger camp, before making our way by van to the airstrip in Dalanzadgad for the return flight to Ulaanbaatar. We'll watch the Gobi fade into the vast green plain of the summer Mongolian steppe before touching down in the city once again. The day is yours to enjoy in Ulaanbaatar, whether by sightseeing, last minute souvenir shopping, or simply relaxing at the hotel after a long and tough ride. In the evening, we'll gather with our guide to enjoy a farewell Mongolian feast and reminisce on our best moments of the past week in the Gobi.
Bayangol HotelBreakfast, Lunch, DinnerAfter breakfast, it's time to bid farewell to our guide, who will transfer us to Chinggis Khaan International airport for your return flight home, or for onward travels.
BreakfastDisclaimer: The adventure cycling tours we operate often go beyond the beaten track, and the countries where we ride are not always predictable. Due to these reasons, it is occasionally necessary to reroute or update itineraries. Our guarantee is that we will not change a trip unless for safety or to improve it. Our listed hotels are always accurate at the time of writing, but should we have to change any hotel, it will always be for a similar or better one.
Because some people can't imagine going on a trip without their own beloved bicycle, we do not provide them as part of this tour. However, you can hire bikes locally for the price listed in the tour pricing section.
If you bring your own bike, please make sure it is a mountain bike, preferably with front suspension in good mechanical order.
Basic spares and tools are carried by the guide and on the support vehicle, though we cannot guarantee having spares for every conceivable problem. Carrying a basic tool kit, a spare tube and a pump while riding is recommended.
Wearing a helmet is required on all our biking adventures and is non negotiable. If you do not wear a helmet you will not be allowed to cycle. Your tour leader is trained in first aid and emergency rescue, but to a large degree you must be responsible for your own safety while riding. It is therefore compulsory that you take out travel insurance that will cover you for a mountain biking tour.
You will be led by a local English-speaking guide and if the group is 9 people or more we will add another guide to the tour. All our guides are well informed in the history, culture and religions of the area where you are biking and are skilled at passing that knowledge on to you. Your guide is also medically trained and an experienced cyclist, able to handle most minor repairs en route.
For more information see here.
Visa regulations in Mongolia can and do change without notice, so please give yourself enough time to check the current regulations to ensure you have the proper documents before embarking on this trip. If you are transiting through China, please check if a transit visa is required or not.
Recommended vaccinations include typhoid, polio, tetanus and Hepatitis A. A certificate for Yellow Fever is required if arriving from an infected area within the prior six days. This is not a malarial area. Please speak to your doctor/physician for the most recent information.
Mongolia is home to extreme weather conditions that are constantly changing. Summertime occurs during the months of June, July, and August and daytime temperatures range from 20 to 30 degrees C (15 degrees in the evenings). This is also the rainy season, so plan on getting wet during your two-week adventure. Autumn begins in September, with daytime temperatures of 15 to 25 degrees C (5 to 10 degrees in the evenings). During the winter, temperatures in Mongolia can drop to -40 degrees C, however snow can fall at any given time of the year. For this reason, please be prepared for cold weather and bring appropriate clothing.
Meals are included in the itinerary where B = breakfast, L = lunch, and D = dinner. Most meals will be prepared by the cooking team on the support staff and feature Western-style cuisine with a sampling of Mongolian food. Any special dietary requirements can also be catered for as well. Please let us know at the time of booking.
Keeping you completely hydrated is a job we take very seriously. Cold water, some energy-restoring local fruit and soft drinks are included in the tour price while riding. Soft drinks and other beverages during meals are not included. Beer and alcohol are NOT included in the price.
SpiceRoads does not require you to pay a surcharge for travelling alone. We will arrange for you to share accommodation with another traveller of the same gender and if we can not match you up we will provide a single room at no extra charge. If you prefer not to share a single supplement is payable to guarantee your own room. The cost of the single supplement is listed above.
We recommend that you tuck away a few extra dollars a day for incidentals. Included entrance fees are those for the listed sites and national parks that are part of the itinerary. Any other site fees are not included.
The Mongolian currency is the tögrög (T). Dollars can be changed at banks and exchange offices in Ulaanbaatar. There are ATMs in the capital which accept Visa and MasterCard and work most of the time, but it is best to have a debit card linked to your bank account. Remember to change all your tögrög when leaving the country as it’s worthless elsewhere.
If this is the tour for you here's what you need to do to confirm your place:
Just complete our online booking form or send your booking details offline (email or post), and we will confirm your participation. No deposit is needed to confirm your place on a SpiceRoads tour.
You are advised to read our Booking Conditions in full before you make your payment and should you require further clarifications of any of the conditions below, please email us or call our office.
There is a minimum number of participants (usually 2) required to enable the trip to go ahead. Once the minimum number is reached, the trip status will change from 'Available' to 'Guaranteed to Depart'. Once a trip is guaranteed to depart you are free to book your flights and make other travel arrangements. If the trip status is ‘Limited’ will mean we have only a small number of spaces available for booking. If you are unsure about the trip status, please email us or call our office.
From the tour page, click the 'Book Now' link. All departures for this tour will appear, just select the date you'd like to travel. For the next steps, you'll need to know the names of the people travelling. If you wish you can also provide extra details such as passport numbers, height (for bike hire), or you can add that later by logging into Manage My Trip (we'll set up an account for you automatically if you don't already have one). Our system will contact you from time to time to fill in the missing information, as it will be required before departure. However, if the trip that you are booking offers a child discount, you will have to fill out the date of birth of each rider (so we can calculate the appropriate discount).
If you are having any problems please send us an email, or give us a call (+66 026 3295) and one of our travel specialists will assist you with your booking.
Just call us or send an email indicating which trip you want to join and we will happily send you a list of questions and process your booking for you.
We do not require a deposit or full payment to book a place for you on a tour.
The balance of the tour’s cost (final invoice) will need to be paid 60 days before the departure date with fees for any bicycle rental(s), single supplement(s) and extra hotel nights.
In the case where a booking is made when there are less than 60 days until the tour departure date, the tour’s cost should be paid in full within 72 hours of receiving an invoice from SpiceRoads. Payment can be made by credit card using our online payment gateway or by bank transfer. When making payment online you will need to confirm that you have read these booking conditions during the "checkout" process, which equates to agreeing to the terms of services and stipulations as indicated in this document.
In all cases, tour fees need to be paid “in full” before participation in a tour. No person(s) will be allowed to join a tour without fully settling their invoice and receiving a confirmation number from SpiceRoads.
The exception can be made for last-minute miscellaneous fees that can be paid locally (visas, additional local hotel bookings, etc.) can be settled on the day of arrival.
If the tour is cancelled or postponed by SpiceRoads because we didn't make the trip numbers and the tour can’t run, we will make a full cash refund (by bank transfer or on your credit card).
If the tour is cancelled for any other reason, including due to Covid related travel restrictions, we will give you a full credit (with no deductions for admin or any other small-print item) to use on any SpiceRoads tour with no time limit. (Exceptions being flights, special permits and other non-refundable items and these will be advised when booking the trip).
Before paying for your tour, you can cancel your booking with no charge and up until 40 days before departure, you can change your booking to another travel date or move your booking onto another SpiceRoads tour with no charges.
If you need to cancel after you have made full payment, please see our cancellation policy.
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