Mongolia--Tíbet Grand Tour

Key Information: Trip Length: 11 days/10 nights. Trip Type: Easy to Moderate. Tour Code: SMT-MCT-11D Specialty Categories: Tibetan Buddhist sites, Mongolia Adventure Gobi Desert Air Tour, Cultural Journey. Meeting Point: Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (excluding flights). Departure Point: , (excluding flights). Small Groups: 4-16 travelers-guaranteed! Valid Season: June-September. Specified Airfare Included: Yes. Tour Customizable: Yes.

Tour Highlights: This is a unique way to discover Mongolia, China and Tibet. This great tour will give you plenty of opportunities in Mongolia to ride camels on the sand dunes, meeting nomadic people, staying in a traditional tent, seeing grasslands and beautiful vistas which are great options for families, couples, small group of friends. Incredible journey in eleven days. Mongolia-China-Tibet Great Tour gets you to the Natural Wonder of Southern Mongolia. The highlights of Beijing Capital City, and Tibet. This journey designed especially for families, private trip, small group, and funny travel. The Gobi Desert is the source of many important fossil finds, including the first dinosaur eggs. Despite the harsh conditions, these deserts and the surrounding regions sustain many animals, including black-tailed gazelles, marbled polecats, Bactrian camels, Mongolian wild ass and sand plovers. They are occasionally visited by snow leopards, brown bears, and wolves. Camel riding, meeting nomadic people, staying in a traditional tent, seeing beautiful vistas. Explore Yolyn Canyon in Gobi Desert. Climb up the towering piles of the Moltsog Sand dunes. Expedition to the Spectacular Flaming Cliffs in Gobi Desert, where many fossilized dinosaur bones and eggs have been found. In Beijng, we pay visits to Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, houses of Beijing, best known as the Hutongs, the remote Mutianyu section of the Great Wall of China, and the impressive Summer Palace, which is one of the nation’s World Heritage sites. In Lhasa, we pay visits to the , was the chief residence of the Dalai until the 14th fled to , the Monastery, the Barkhor market, and Palace. We would be pleased to have you join us!

The Best Time to Travel to Mongolia: The travel season begins in June to September.

Brief Itinerary: Day 1-Upon your arrival in Ulaanbaatar (*excluding the arrival flight), meet Samar Magic Tours team. (L) Day 2-Flight Ulaanbaatar/Gobi Desert-Bayanzag (Rich in Saxual)-Moltsog sand dunes-Camel riding. (B)(L)(D) Day 3- Gobi Desert: Yolin Canyon or Valley of Vultures in the Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park. (B)(L)(D) Day 4-Flight Gobi Desert/Ulaanbaatar. (B)(L)(D) Day 5-International Flight Ulaanbaatar/Beijing. (B) Day 6-Tiananmen Square-Forbidden City-Hutongs. (B)(L)(D) Day 7-The remote Mutianyu section of the Great Wall of China-Summer Palace. (B)(L) Day 8-Flight Beijng/Lhasa, TIBET. (B) Day 9-Potala Palace-Jokhang Monastery-Barkhor market (B)(L) Day 10-Sera Monastery-Norbulingka Palace (B)(L) Day 11-Departure Lhasa, Tibet to your next destination (*excluding the departure flight). (B)

Day-by-day Itinerary: Day 1-Upon your arrival in Ulaanbaatar (*excluding the arrival flight), meet Samar Magic Tours team and transfer to hotel (by hotels policy the check-in time is after 02:00PM/14:00). Welcome lunch in local restaurant. Ulaanbaatar City tour: visits small dinosaur’s fossils museum, the National History Museum-where you will see artefacts from Mongolia and Central Asia from the Stone Age to the present and the Sukh Baatar square-this is the main square in the heart of Ulaanbaatar. Here you will see a large statue of the Genghis Khan-inaugurated in 2006 on the occasion of 800th Anniversary of the Great Mongolian Empire of Genghis Khan (1206-2006), the Sukh Baatar Hero along with The Parliament House, Stock Exchange, the Drama Theatre and the Palace of Culture. 06:00PM-Enjoy the Mongolian Performers (concert which includes the Tsam dance, traditional Mongolian singers, dancers, Tuvan throat singing and contortionists). 07:30PM-Transfer to hotel. Overnight at Blue Sky & Tower hotel 5* or similar. (L)

Day 2-Breakfast. Transfer to the airport to take your internal flight Ulaanbaatar/Gobi Desert (about 1.30-1.50 hrs.). Arrive, meet Samar Magic Tours team, and to be transferred. Drive towards to reach Moltsog sand dunes. Exploration and enjoy and climb up to the sand dunes and ride two humped camels. Visit an authentic camel breeding family. See their real nomadic life. Afterward, drive back to Bayanzag (Rich in Saxual) or Flaming Cliffs in Gobi Desert. Explore Bayanzag (Rich in Saxual) or Flaming Cliffs-here Roy Chapman Andrews, an American palaeontologist and staff of the Museum of Natural History in New York first found 4-6 inches dinosaur eggs here in 1922. The large dinosaur skeletons placed at the Museum of Natural History in Ulaanbaatar was also found here by a Russian-Mongolian expedition. Bayanzag is referred as Flaming Cliffs for its amazing colours and shape). Enjoy the Gobi sunset at the legendary “Flaming Cliffs,” which glow brilliantly at sunrise and sunset. Overnight in Tourist Gers Camp. (B)(L)(D)

Day 3- Breakfast. Drive towards to Yolin Am Canyon or Valley of Vultures in the Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park, was established in 1993, and expanded to its current size in 2000. This the largest national park in Mongolia. Here, you will have the opportunity for hiking in the ice valley of Gobi, the stunning landscapes. There is a small museum, which displays dinosaur eggs, some bones and stuffed birds and leopards. Explore the area on foot. Overnight in Tourist Gers Camp. (B)(L)(D)

Day 4-Breakfast. Transfer to Gobi local airport and take your flight Gobi Desert/Ulaanbaatar (about. 1.30-1.50 hrs.). Upon your arrival, meet Samar Magic Tours team, and transfer to hotel (by hotels policy the check-in time is after 02:00PM/14:00). Some shopping. Overnight at Blue Sky & Tower hotel 5* or similar. (B)(L)

Day 5-Breakfast. By hotels policy check-out time is before 12:00 noon. Transfer to Ulaanbaatar airport. Take your International flight Ulaanbaatar/Beijjing. On arrival into Beijing, you’ll be transferred to hotel. The remainder of the day being spent at leisure. Overnight at Novotel Peace hotel, 4* or Novotel Xinqiao hotel, 4* or similar. (B)

Day 6-Breakfast. Spend a full day exploring some of the sights around the Chinese capital city. During the morning you’ll pay a visit to Tiananmen Square in the heart of the city. You’ll then be able to walk through the Tiananmen Gate–also known as the Gate of Heavenly Peace – before paying a visit to the Forbidden City, which dates back to the 1400s and the time of the Ming Dynasty. After a traditional lunch, you’ll spend time visiting houses of Beijing, best known as the Hutongs. A traditional Peking Duck dinner. Overnight at Novotel Peace hotel, 4* or Novotel Xinqiao hotel, 4* or similar. (B)(L)(D)

Day 7-Breakfast. Drive to visit the remote Mutianyu section of the Great Wall of China. Surrounded by woodland and streams, the Mutianyu section is one of the most picturesque parts of the Great Wall. You’ll be able to ride by cable car onto the wall itself in order to explore, while the more adventurous can then ride back down by toboggan afterwards. After lunch, you’ll return to Beijing to pay a visit to the impressive Summer Palace, which is one of the nation’s World Heritage sites. Overnight at Novotel Peace hotel, 4* or Novotel Xinqiao hotel, 4* or similar. (B)(L)

Day 8-Breakfast. Transfer to Beijing Capital airport and to take your flight Beijing/Lhasa. Arrive in Lhasa, capital of Tibet. It is the second most populous city on the Tibetan Plateau after Xining and, at an altitude of 3,490 metres (11,450 ft), Lhasa is one of the highest cities in the world. Free time at hotel. Overnight at Four Points hotel 4* by Sheraton or similar. (B)

Day 9-Breakfast. Today, we visit the Potala Palace, was the chief residence of the Dalai Lama until the fled to India during the . It is now a museum and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Afterward, we visit the Jokhang Monastery or Zuglagkang, is located on Barkhor Square in Lhasa. For most Tibetans it is the most sacred and important temple in Tibet. It is in some regards pan-sectarian, but is controlled by the school. The temple's architectural style is a mixture of Indian vihara design, Chinese Tang Dynasty design, and Nepalese design. Afterward, we visit the Barkhor market (the Tromzikhang market) is busy in Barkhor, and the area is a major tourist attraction. Overnight at Four Points hotel 4* by Sheraton or similar. (B)(L)

Day 10. Breakfast. Visit Sera Monastery-is one of the great three Gelukpa university monasteries of Tibet, located 1.25 miles (2.01 km) north of Lhasa. The Sera Monastery, as a complex of structures with the Great Assembly Hall and three colleges, was founded in 1419 by Jamchen Chojey of Yeshe of Zel Gungtang (1355 –1435), a disciple of Tsongkhapa. Afterward, visit the Norbulingka Palace-is a palace and surrounding park in Lhasa, Tibet, built from 1755. It served as the traditional summer residence of the successive Dalai from the 1780s up until the 14th Dalai Lama's exile in 1959. Part of the "Historic Ensemble of the Potala Palace", Norbulingka is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and was added as an extension of this Historic Ensemble in 2001. It was built by the 7th Dalai Lama and served both as administrative centre and religious centre. It is a unique representation of Tibetan palace architecture. Norbulingka Palace is situated in the west side of Lhasa, a short distance to the southwest of Potala Palace. Norbulingka covers an area of around 36 hectares (89 acres) and considered to be the largest man-made garden in Tibet. Overnight at Four Points hotel 4* by Sheraton or similar. (B)(L)

Day 11. Breakfast. By hotels policy check-out time is before 12:00 noon. Transfer to the airport. Departure Lhasa, Tibet to your next destination (*excluding the departure flight). (B)

What's Included? One-way trip International Airfare Ulaanbaatar/Beijing by Mongolian Airlines. Round-trip Internal Airfares Ulaanbaatar/Gobi Desert/Ulaanbaatar, including the domestic tax in Mongolia. One-way trip Airfare Beijing/Lhasa. 2 nights at Blue Sky & Tower hotel, 5* or similar in Ulaanbaatar, based on Deluxe double room, with breakfast. 2 nights in Traditional Mongolia Tourist Camps in Gobi Desert, based on double Gers, with Full board. 3 nights at Novotel Peace hotel, 4* or Novotel Xinqiao hotel, 4* or similar in Beijing, based on double standard room, with breakfast. 3 nights at Four Points hotel 4* by Sheraton or similar in Lhasa, based on double standard room, with breakfast. English speaking local guide throughout. All transfers for arrival, departure and sightseeing programmes on private basis, including the all petrol. Meals included as stated in the itinerary (B-breakfast, L-lunch, D-dinner). Welcome lunch in local restaurant in Ulaanbaatar. A traditional Peking Duck dinner in Beijing. All applicable main entrance fees to the specified protected areas, national park, museums, and monuments in Mongolia. All applicable main entrance fees in Beijing & in Lhasa. One Mongolian traditional folk songs concert in Ulaanbaatar. Meeting nomadic camel family in Gobi Desert. 1 hour of camel riding on the sand dunes in Gobi Desert. Mongolia Taxes. Letter-visa support to apply for Mongolia visa.

What's Not Included? Not indicated International flight. Occasional flight delays or cancellation. Airport tax in Beijing. Visa. Excess baggage (the internal flight in Mongolia allowance only to carry 5 kg and luggage 10 kg totally 15 kg load for domestic flight, and above that overweight must be paid ($1.5/1kg). Any rescue costs or costs of early departure. Changing of date of departure. The traveler is responsible for having proper travel documents, such as a valid passport, proper visa, the necessary passport pictures, and the International airfares. Travel insurance. Items of personal nature such as gratuities to porters at hotels, telephone / telex / fax charges, laundry, beverages, meals, optional activities, and services not specified in the itinerary. Extra photo charge imposed at /monuments if applicable. Any circumstances beyond of our control, such as the imposition of quarantine restrictions, weather conditions, etc.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

HOW TO JOIN: All the tours are "Land Only", so you need to book your own International flights, unless otherwise specified in the tour description. Joining information will be sent to you upon confirmation.

PAYMENT SCHEDULE: These require a booking form and a deposit which is non-refundable. Booking requests with deposits will be considered in order of their receipt. A booking form is accepted and acceptance becomes definite only from the date that we have confirmed acceptance in writing and issued a confirmation invoice. At this point, a contract between the applicant and us comes into existence. We reserve the absolute right to decline any bookings for any legal reasons whatsoever, at our sole discretion.

Payment of the balance: In order to confirm your chosen arrangements, the Internal Airfares Ulaanbaatar/Gobi/ Ulaanbaatar, the International Airfare Ulaanbaatar/Beijing and one-way trip Airfare Beijing/Lhasa a minimum non-refundable deposit of $ US 2000 per person must be paid at the time of booking if you are booking more than 12 weeks in advance. The tour cost is due not later than ten weeks before the departure date. Your tour price is guaranteed: once Samar Magic Tours has received your full payment. All tour prices are in US dollars and in Euro and are based on tariff and rates of currency exchange in effect at the time of printing. No further reminder will be sent and, if payment is not received by the due date, I reserve the right to treat the booking as cancelled and charge a cancellation fee, the amount of which will not exceed the total cost of the holiday. You are therefore strongly recommended to take out travel insurance at an early stage to cover you in event of cancellation. All itineraries are as written but reserve the right to alter these due to any unforeseen circumstances and will notify you of any changes as soon as possible.

Refunds: Deposits are non-refundable. 90-26 working days prior to departure: 50% of Land Cost. 25-00 working days prior to departure: No refund.

Air cancellation terms are additional: The air fares are subject to change based on availability at the time of entering the reservation. Rates in national or international flights only freeze the issuance and payment in full of the tickets. Tickets are not refundable and can only be annulled on the day of issue. All cancellation requests are required in writing. Telephone / verbal cancellation is not accepted.

HOTELS: By hotels policy check-in time is after 14:00. By hotels policy check-out time is before 12:00 noon.

PASSPORT, VISA AND HEALTH REQUIREMENTS: All participants are responsible for, and must be in possession of, a full passport, valid for at least six months beyond the end of the tour. In addition, participants must obtain any necessary visas and vaccination certificates required for the tour.

ACCEPTANCE OF RISK: The Client acknowledges that the nature of the tour is adventurous and that such holidays may involve a significant amount of personal risk. The Client hereby assumes all such risk and does hereby release the Company from all claims and causes of action arising from any damages or injuries or death resulting from these inherent risks.