Private 8 Days Mongolia Tour with Nomadic Gobi & Nature

Our recent trip to Mongolia was nothing short of magical, but what truly made it unforgettable were the people who accompanied us along the way. First and foremost, Saikhanaa, our guide was exceptional—not only in her deep knowledge of Mongolian history, culture, and landscapes, but also in the warmth, empathy, and genuine care she showed every single day. She has an extraordinary gift for making people feel seen and valued. Her patience, kindness, and gentle sense of humor created an atmosphere of trust and comfort from the very beginning. One of the most special moments was when she taught us traditional Mongolian games—simple, joyful activities passed down through generations. Sitting together on the ger after a long day of exploring, laughing as we learned the rules and tried (not always successfully!) to master them, we felt a deep connection not just to her, but to the spirit of Mongolia itself. It was these small, human gestures that transformed our trip into something far more meaningful than sightseeing. Equally impressive was Tsendee, our driver, whose quiet dedication, punctuality, and calm professionalism were the backbone of our journey. Every morning, the car was ready ahead of time, impeccably clean and comfortable, no matter how long the drive ahead. His steady hand behind the wheel gave us total peace of mind, especially on Mongolia’s rugged roads. But beyond his skills, it was his humility, his discreet kindness, and the way he supported our guide and engaged with us that truly stood out. Together, they formed a seamless team—respectful, attentive, and deeply in sync. Their mutual respect and shared commitment created a sense of harmony that made every day feel effortless and safe. We also want to express our deepest gratitude to our travel agent Emily Xin at Agate Travel. This was not our first journey with her—we have traveled with Agate Travel  several times now—and once again, she exceeded our expectations. From the very first email to the final goodbye in Mongolia, she demonstrated an extraordinary level of care, precision, and personal attention. What moves us most is that, even while we were traveling, she regularly checked in to see if we were enjoying the experience and if everything was going smoothly. That kind of ongoing support and genuine concern is rare, and it speaks volumes about her professionalism and the values of Agate Travel. This trip reminded us that while destinations are beautiful, it is the people who bring them to life. We feel incredibly lucky to have experienced Mongolia through such thoughtful, skilled, and compassionate hands. Highly recommended this wonderful team, and Agate Travel.

We had an absolutely fantastic time! Mongolia completely exceeded our expectations — we got to experience its breathtaking landscapes, rich culture, and endless variety of sights. We even got to experience the wild, ever-changing Mongolian weather, which definitely added to the adventure. Our tour guide Rose and driver Dasha were phenomenal. Their warmth, expertise, and care made every day smooth, enjoyable, and truly memorable. We couldn’t have asked for a better team. We recommend Rose and Dasha without hesitation!

My wife and I had a great time exploring Mongolia on this trip! The variety of activities that we did over the course of only a few days was incredible -- meeting a nomad family, camel riding, horseback riding, waterfall hiking, hot springs, museums, monasteries, wild horses, and more! We worked with Agate Travel to make minor alterations to the itinerary before booking, and since it is a private tour, we were also able to work with the tour guide in Mongolia for last minute changes such as adding in more horseback riding, changing restaurants, and going shopping. Admittedly, we were a little concerned about the validity of the trip before we left, given that we had to wire several thousand dollars to Agate Travel and had only communicated via email, but can I now assure that the trip was real and scheduled almost exactly as we had agreed! Our tour guide, Ms. Rose, was excellent! She spoke impeccable English, was impressively knowledgable, and was very accommodating to our needs. We really appreciated having her around to answer our endless questions, translate when needed, and make sure we had everything we need. A couple other notes to be aware of: 1. Our biggest complaint, almost enough to make this 4 stars, has to be the food. As the itinerary states, the Ger camps serve "European" food to appease Westerners' stomachs. While this was usually edible, we really value traveling to new places and eating the local food! This is not fault of Agate Travel, it seems to be the case for the each camp as a whole, but we found it really disappointing. Thankfully, our guide was able to pivot to get us some delicious traditional Mongolian food on the last couple days of the trip in the city. If this is a priority for you, consider discussing this with Agate Tours while they work on the itinerary. 2. The Ger camps are indeed camps -- you'll have a private ger, but will use communal bathrooms and showers. Towels are provided, but I recommend bringing shower sandals and shampoo/soap. 3. Be prepared for a good deal of off-roading. Our typical pattern was to wake up, be driven ~3-4 hours to a ger camp (usually with stops along the way to take pictures, use the restroom, and stretch), check in, eat lunch, and then go do an activity (horseback ride, hike, sightsee, etc) before returning to the camp to have dinner and sleep. The roads are rough, but that's part of the fun! 4. Mongolia provides a Valued Added Tax (VAT) refund for tourists for purchases from specific stores (e.g. Gobi Cashmere and State Department Store) over a threshold amount, but you have to have your passport with you at time of purchase. If you plan to do some clothes shopping, bring your passport and show it at check out. We tried to show the receipts at the airport without doing this and were denied the refund. Overall, we loved Mongolia! I recommend this tour to anyone who enjoys adventure while still maintaining the comforts provided by having an arranged and guided tour!

+3

We chose a private tour so that the journey and activities could be done at our pace. I commented more than once that my video camera couldn't do justice to the views we saw. From our very late night / early morning arrival until our early morning departure the whole trip went amazingly well. Our guide and driver came from a local Ulaanbaatar company Amicus. Enya and Erdernebat took great care of us throughout the whole trip. We carried with us a travelling wheelchair and apart from a couple of occasions my wife was able to enjoy the whole trip. There are 58 million horses / sheep / and goats to see - every herd and flock was a magnificent sight on the hillside with the accompanying cowboy either on horseback or motorcycle We had chosen accommodation which included a private bathroom. Each Tourist Camp we stayed at had something special. The Gers were very spacious twice the size of your average hotel bedroom. Ah the warmth you get from the wood burning stove. Food was plentiful and nicely presented. Once you get a taste of the dirt roads you will not want to go back to metalled roads again. Some of the days were long but there was always something special to see during the journey. Sunset over Lake Uggli is still in our head. We were able to use a Park Ranger telescope to view the Hustai Park wild horses. Go and see for yourself