Saffron Road Motorcycle Tours

Mongolia

10th June to 30th June 2009

Motorcycling in Mongolia is nothing short of an awesome experience. To ride unhindered through a land with no barriers, no fences, few roads and varied terrain, offers the ultimate feeling of total freedom.

As you pass by galloping horsemen in their traditional robes, brightly coloured waistbands and spiked hats, herding their horses, sheep, goats and occasional camels down grassy hillsides, across pasturelands, through swollen rivers or down to a lake’s edge, there is no doubt you are in the homeland of Ghenngis Khan. Very little has changed in the Mongolian countryside for centuries and this is a tribute to a people at one with their land and with a profound respect for nature, ancestral customs and traditions.

As Claire Sermier observes in her book, Mongolia – Empire of the Steppes, “The attitude of the herders, their sense of responsibility, their great tolerance, their openness and their relationship with one another, symbolism, time and space, cannot leave one indifferent.” The nomads are a proud, but simple people, profoundly happy to be alive.

The traditions of hospitality and openness will be part of our daily lives. You are likely to hear the pounding of hooves before you see the men on horseback who seem to appear out of nowhere. They will swing down from their saddles and sit awhile, maybe joining us for a cup of tea, coffee or the ubiquitous airag (fermented mares’ milk for which they have such a fondness). Stop by at a ger (canvas and felt yurts) and you’ll be quietly accepted. No fanfare, no fuss. You will simply be welcomed, invited inside and handed a bowl of warm milk or, you guessed it – airag.

At the nomad camps you are likely to witness mares being milked, cashmere goats being shorn for their fine wool, marmot skins being pegged out to dry and horses being caught with the traditional long poles lassos. You may even be joined by wolf hunters – not the sort who hunt for sport, but the real thing – men whose job it is to protect the herds from attack. For anybody with an interest in botany, ornithology or fishing, the possibilities of indulging these interests are boundless.

We ride approx 2700kms on this tour, but distances mean little in this vast land where the terrain and the quality of the “roads” varies so greatly. Unlike other tours, the “rest days” allow for short local rides, exploration, visiting nomad families and some down time. Each day has been paced for coping with terrain that is sometimes quite arduous with deep sand, loose gravel and the possibility of having to get the bikes across the occasional swollen river!

As it stays light until well after 9pm, there is no hurry to get anywhere or the need to play ‘catch up’ before the darkness settles. There are no mountain passes to negotiate, no traffic to avoid. Should you find yourself on the same road as something else, or the conditions become too rough, you simply take to the grass, while keeping a careful watch for marmot holes – a definite trap for young players!

While the riding can be “challenging” (and an off-road course would not go astray), it is achievable for a relatively novice rider with the right attitude. Sand and dirt roads make great levellers!

For those of you who have viewed, “The Long Way Round,” you will have seen the ‘roads’ we ride. The doco does not exaggerate – dirt, gravel, sand, mud, dust, rocks and river crossings, but hey, we are riding the same sort of bikes as Claudio ended up on – a Russian Planeta, the perfect bikes for the terrain. Of course we are also not carrying anything on our bikes but us, a bottle of water and a camera. And just think, we are taking on the land of Ghenngis Khan and like him, we can conquer all.

This tour is unlike any other – no towns to visit, virtually no organised sightseeing, few temples, no forts and museums are confined to the capital, Ulaan Baatar. Mongolia and all it implies, offers a unique riding and life experience that you won’t easily forget.

Day-to-Day Itinerary in Brief
A detailed hard-copy version will be sent on request

Day 1 – Getting to know Ulaan Baatar and all it has to offer – which, surprisingly, is lots including great shopping, good restaurants and a bizarre atmosphere of Wild West town and modern city.

Day 2 – Ulaan Baatar – A leisurely day and a chance to try out the bikes.

Day 3 – Ulaan Baatar - Hustai National Park. With its rolling steppe mountains, birch and aspen forests, Hustai is the tranquil home range to the famous re-introduced Przewalskii horses.

Day 4 – Hustai - Hogno Khan Mountain. A delightful destination for our first rest day.

Day 5 – Hogno Khan Mountain Area. Relax, take shot walks, ride around the area and/or go on a hike to visit the ruins of Erdene Khombo monastery.

Day 6 – Hogno Khan - Harhorin (aka Karakorum. Harhorin with its large monastery (currently under renovation) was the ancient capital of the Mogul empire in the 13^th and 14^th centuries.

Day 7 – Harhorin / Orhon Valley. Local ride up the Orhon Valley. Visit with nomad family and experience their amazing daily livestyle.

Day 8 – Harhorin – Tsenkher

Day 9 – Around Tsenkher. Visit and swim in the hot pools.

Day 10 – Tsenkher – Ogiy Nuur. Today we head for Ogiy Lake in Arhangai where, for those with an interest in fishing, there is a great opportunity to try for a Northern Pike (Esox lucius) in this lovely lake.

Day 11 – Ogiy Nuur – Day of leisure around the lake or go for a local ride.

Day 12 – Ogiy Nuur - Hogno Khan Mountain. Back via a slightly different route to most people’s favourite overnight stop, Delger Ger Camp.

Day 13 – Hogno Khan Mountain - Arburd Sands (270kms). Probably our longest day on the bikes as we ride into the transition area of the Gobi Desert, the Gobi steppes and the regular steppes.

Day 14 – Arburd Sands. A rare day without the bikes and time to really relax, go for horse or camel rides in the dunes or maybe do some washing.

Day 15 – Zorgol Hairhan Mountain). A short ride to Zorgol Hairhan Uul rock formations 35km away to [hopefully] see Siberian Ibex.

Day 16 – Arburd Sands - Ulaan Baatar (140km). Ride back to Ulaan Baatar for a late lunch. Aafternoon is free for shopping, sightseeing etc.

Day 17 – Ulaan Baatar - Jalman Meadows (120kms). Our destination for the day is located within the Khan Khentii Strictly Protected Area – Mongolia’s only true wilderness area which extends right up to the Russian Siberian frontier.

Day 18 – Jalman Meadows / Tuul River. Rest day with a leisurely walk followed by a cata-raft float back down the river to camp.

Day 19 –Jalman Meadows. Free day to hike, fish, ride horses or maybe take the bikes out and about.

Day 20 – Jalman Meadows - Ulaan Baatar (120kms). Last day on the bikes. Afternoon free for shopping, sightseeing or resting. Official farewell dinner in the evening – with COLD beers.

Day 21 – Ulaan Baatar & Flights Home. For those not staying on for the Naadam Festival, what you do today will depend on flight times – approx 4pm on Air China, midnight on Korean Airlines.

General Information

Departure Date:
The tour officially starts in Ulaan Baatar on 10^th June 2009 and finishes on 30^th June. However, most people will fly in on the night of the 9^th to give a full day on the 10^th. To get connecting flights to arrive in Ulaan Baatar on the 9^th, you may have to leave home on the 7^th as flights into UB are only available from the antipodes via Seoul in South Korea or from Beijing. It is also possible and a great experience (but relatively expensive) to catch the Trans Mongolian train from Beijing.

Please Note: because of the general terrain and lack of sealed roads, this trip is not recommended for pillions. Any pillion must be aware their ‘rider’ is likely to want them to go in the support vehicle when the going gets tough (like when negotiating sandy areas, rivers etc).

Tour Prices:
Please contact us direct so we may furnish you with rider and/or pillion costs and discuss with you your individual requirements and recommendations for flights etc. Although pillions and riders may use the support vehicles at any time, Saffron Road no longer offers a fulltime bus-passenger option except to private groups.

Saffron Road Motorcycle Tours believes in WYSIWYG – “What you see is what you get” – we offer more standard inclusions than any other motorcycle tour company.

Price includes:
·      Group transfers to/from airport and hotel in Mongolia
·      Accommodation throughout the tour on a Twin-Share basis (Single supplement TBA)
·      All meals with tea/coffee (breakfast, lunch and dinner - except one lunch in UB)
·      Support vehicle with driver (for luggage transport and assistance)
·      Full motorbike rental for the duration of the tour
·      Experienced mechanics
·      All fuel and oil costs
·      Repairs, maintenance and spare parts
·      Motorcycle Damage Insurance
·      Basic emergency first-aid equipment and some medicines
·      English-speaking local guide
·      Entrance fees to selected monuments and attractions
·      Tips for hotel and ger camp staff and our road crew (mechanics, bus driver and guide)
·      Lonely Planet travel guidebook (Australian and New Zealand members only).

Price excludes:
·      Travel insurance policy covering use of motorcycle
·      Tourist visa for Mongolia and stop-over destinations en route (such as China)
·      International Driving Permit
·      Vaccinations and personal medication including known allergy antidotes
·      Items of a personal nature such as postage, laundry or souvenirs
·      Personal consumptions such as bottled water, soft drinks and alcoholic beverages

Accommodation
Except in the capital, Ulaan Baatar, where we stay in a mid-range hotel (with good-sized guest rooms, good service and more than adequate bathrooms), we will be staying exclusively in ger camps. The gers offer a style of accommodation unlike anything you may have experienced before. The gers (also known in Russian Siberia as yurts) are roomy, comfortable and warm. Made from felt and canvas and lined with rugs or colourful wall-hangings, these abodes are furnished with proper beds, floor coverings and a central stove which, even on the coldest nights, heats up the area in a matter of minutes.

The Bikes
The bikes we will be using in Mongolia are the IZH Planeta 5s, bought exclusively for our use. The Planeta is a Russian manufactured motorcycle – 350cc, single-cylinder, 2-stroke with kick-start and a “rocker” gearshift. They are the same bikes the locals use, but ours will have the benefit of still having a few incidentals like a front brake lever! They are easy to ride, relatively comfortable, well-balanced and of a size that will suit most riders. Like the Royal Enfield in India, they are two-wheeled tractors and despite the narrow tyres, seem to cope quite happily with most terrain – dirt, mud and river crossings. Unfortunately, being Russian and despite rigorous maintenance, things tend to fall off at regular intervals or overheat. While we do everything to keep the group riding at a decent pace, it is advisable to count on a few unforseen delays!

Driving Licences and Travel Insurance
Riders must have a valid and unrestricted international rider’s licence. Travel insurance is mandatory and, if on a bike at all, must cover riding motorcycles. For non-Australian participants, or those not purchasing insurance through this office, please check the rider clause carefully and any clause relating to medical evacuation before you purchase or use any existing insurance (such as that provided by some credit card companies).

Further Information
More detailed information, Trip Notes and a travel check-list will be mailed to you after we receive a completed booking form and deposit. Australian and New Zealand residents will also receive a Lonely Planet guide book and travel insurance applications forms if required. Visa forms can be downloaded from the net - details in Trip Notes.

Please Note:
This is a “best-fit” itinerary and may need to be changed from time to time due to amended timetables, weather and road conditions, political expediency and/or on advice from our local ground agent. Remember this is an adventure tour, so to enjoy the trip fully we advise a flexible attitude towards the above itinerary. In a country like Mongolia where tourism is quite new and the season too short for training dedicated tourism staff, the resulting infrastructure is a little loose, so things can (and often do) change from time to time.

RECOMMENDATIONS
If you would like to talk to previous participants of the Mongolian tour, please ask and we will be happy to furnish you with names and contact details.

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