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Altai Mountains

The highest peaks in Mongolia

Friendly people

warm hospitality

Central Mongolia

Chuluut river

Off-Route Tour

Rent a Car

Gobi Desert

Tsagaan Suvarga

Northern of Mongolia

Grassland

Central Mongolia

Orkhon waterfall

Hovsgul Lake

Summer time

Gobi desert

Khongoryn Els

Ice Festival & Khuvsgul Lake

The ice festival, combined with a stay of a few days in a ger camp in the forests along the frozen Kohvsgul Lake, is a popular attraction in the winter season. Enjoy a ride on a horse-drawn sleigh, watch the Mongolian archers or the traditional bone game on the ice. Immerse yourself in the world of Mongolian costumes, brightly coloured, lambskin-lined to brave the icy cold. Come and experience another world.

General Information:

Lake Khovsgul is frozen over from December to March and is open to traffic on the ice during this period. The 1-1.5 metre thick layer of ice is the field on which the ice festival and the associated games take place.

Most of the visitors to the festival are Mongolians from the various tribes in the region, but they also come from distant provinces.

Please contact us for further information.

Tour description:

Culture, Adventure, Winter, and Nature

Tour activities:

  •        Experience the beauty of Mongolian winter.

  •        Visit nomad family, in the Winter season.

  •        Participate in the Ice Festival.

  •        Hike to wonderful frozen Lake and surrounding area.

Duration 4-7 days

Distance ca. 2000 km

Price includes

  • English speaking tour guide

  • Accommodation during the trip

  • Meals during the trip (B,L,D)

  • Drinking water (1,5 l per day)

  • Horse and Camel riding (optional)

  • Support and help 24/7

Price excludes

  • Liability, accident & travel insurance.

  • Personal expenses

  • Alcoholic drinks and Beverages

  • Snacks

  • Single Supplement, upgrade accommodation and vehicle

  • Visa fee

  • Domestic flight

Itinerary

Whenever, your flight arrives at the international Chinggis Khan Airport, you will be picked up by our staff and transferred to the hotel or guesthouse in Ulaanbaatar. If you want, you can go for a walk and explore the surroundings, change money, and do some shopping.

(Guest house or Hotel / Lunch and Dinner is not included)

Depending on the departure time of your domestic flight, you will be driven to the airport 3 hours in advance. However, if you prefer the cheaper option of traveling overland, we will leave early in the morning. After arriving in Murun, we continue by car to the village of Khatgal on Lake Hkuvsgul.

(Ger camp / B, L, D)

Opening of the ice festival, festival games and competitions, ice cube game, archery on the ice, winter clothing competition among the participants of the bonfire festival, ice skating competition, ice sledge game and horse-drawn sleigh race. Hike through the beautiful village near the lake.

 (Ger camp/ B, L, D )

After breakfast we drive to Murun airport - arrival in Ulaanbaatar - transfer to the hotel. We end the day with a good meal and prepare for departure.

(Guest house or Hotel / Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner is not included)

Transfer to Airport

(Guest house or Hotel / Breakfast)

What our clients say

We wanted to get to know the country and its people as well as possible, and we more than succeeded! We booked a customised tour according to our wishes and enjoyed everything to the full. Our tour guide and driver looked after us very well and made us feel comfortable. They fulfilled spontaneous requests and changed the itinerary especially for us to include a cultural Gobi festival that we passed by. We stayed with a nomadic family - learnt how to tie yak hair threads, helped cook and prepare traditional dishes, milked yaks and had a wonderful time with the family's children. Great country, great people and indescribable landscapes... We can highly recommend #ThomasTravel, especially for people who want to get to know Mongolian life away from mass tourism. Many thanks to everyone at Thomas Travel!

Verena and Sabrina, Germany 2023

What our clients say

I wanted to get to know the country, the people and the cold Mongolian weather, so I travelled to for two months in the middle of winter. A special experience was the ice festival in Hovsgul, where we drove across the frozen lake in an off-road vehicle. The best thing was living on a cattle farm and living with the Mongolians without a guide, eating their food and observing how they interact with each other. My horizons have broadened and I will take unforgettable experiences home with me. Many thanks to the #ThomasTravel team for making this possible.

Simon, Switzerland 2024

What our clients say

We travelled to Mongolia on the Trans-Siberian Railway, a nostalgic journey! During our week in this marvellous country we visited Central Mongolia. The nomadic life, the semi-gobi and bathing in the hot Zinkher springs were a special experience. We enjoyed the days very much. Thanks to #ThomasTravel for the wonderful days.

Martin, Beatrice and Karin, Switzerland 2019

What our clients say

After an busy week in Ulaanbaatar, I went on a day trip to Terlej national park. Horse riding, good food, fun with the group and best of all was our tour guide, Uuganaa, who was simply fantastic. I can recommend #Thomas Travel, good service at a fair price.

Rahel, Switzerland 2023

What our clients say

I was on a 34-day customized tour to the west of Mongolia together with 4 other travelers. Our tourguide Uuganaa and the fantastic driver Baynaa, were well organized and brought us safely to our destinations. Most of the time we stayed in tents, or with local families in their yurts or houses. The food prepared by Uuganaaa was always delicious and I enjoyed it very much. I have made friends from all over the world in Mongolia and have unforgettable memories that make this country one of my favorite travel destinations. Thank you Uuganaa and Baynaa

Jördis, Germany 2015