Treasures of Mongolia

We did 2 weeks in Mongolia and it was a really great and unique experience. Tsekhu was our guide and she was wonderful!! Definitely felt like we lucked out 🤗, and we also had an incredible driver Oshiko. For the trip itself - while there is a lot of driving (it’s a huge country after all), we got most of it done in the mornings so we could rest and do afternoon activities. The van was very reliable and we each has plenty of room. The ger tents are fine (it’s out in nature so don’t be surprised by bugs at night!) and the food was very nice overall. Visiting the dunes of the Gobi and the flaming cliffs were awesome, as was the night sky. Also really appreciated staying with a nomadic family - they are so hard working and kind. Very memorable trip!

This was a phenomenal trip - once in a lifetime. We went as a family of four adults and traveled with a guide and driver. I have never seen so many different ecosystems, landscapes, wildlife in such a short period of time. And the variety of activities was truly outstanding, from hiking, to riding camels, to learning how to make felt, to feeding an orphaned baby yak. Tsekhu, our guide, was phenomenal. Besides being incredibly knowledgeable and kind, she was also very flexible when some minor adjustments needed to be made in the plan. She made a great team with our driver, Ochiroh. He drove us across every imaginable terrain and got us everywhere safely and impressed. It is a very comprehensive trip and covers a lot of ground, which means there are many hours of driving but with the amazing views and rest stops, it just felt like an awesome part of the trip and not exhausting travel. Sleeping accommodations were really great; almost every night in a different ger camp. Every single one was very comfortable, and shower and toilet facilities were just fine. Mongolia is truly an amazing country and we really got to experience it in an amazing way on this tour.

Within 30 minutes of picking us up, our guide told us he was an out-of-work businessman who had never worked as a tour guide before and had only taken the job because he wanted to get out of the city. Unfortunately, that became apparent throughout the trip. The guide seemed to treat the tour as his own holiday rather than a professional job. He often didn't know where we were going, wasn't familiar with the itinerary, missed attractions along the route, and didn't know the walking routes at several sites. He also appeared to see translation as someone else's responsibility. One example, he walked out of our homestay ger, leaving us, our host, and the driver trying to communicate through phone translation apps to work out the plans for the rest of the day. The Treasures of Mongolia itinerary is VERY slow-paced, with most days involving 4–5 hours of driving. We were perfectly happy with that because we expected to learn about Mongolia's history, culture, and landscapes along the way. Instead, the only commentary was on the guides personal life and opinions. We would arrive at a site, receive little more than "here are some rocks," and then return to several more hours of driving or waiting at the ger camps. When we asked questions—such as where we were, what we were about to see, or what we should bring—we were often met with dismissive answers or simply ignored. Horse riding across the Steppe was one of the experiences I had been looking forward to most. Our guide took his own horse and galloped off ahead, while the rest of us remained on horses tethered closely together. At times they fought with one another, which felt unsafe. The local horse handler did not speak English, so we had no way of asking for a more enjoyable or less restrictive ride. Mongolia is a spectacular country, and the scenery was incredible. Our driver was very knowledgeable, professionaly getting us around and giving the guide the benefits of his experience. Sadly, the quality of the guiding significantly detracted from the experience. A knowledgeable, engaged guide would have transformed this tour. Based on our experience, I would not recommend it.

Shuree was an amazing guide. Excellent English. It was a private tour with a custom itinerary. It was just me, her, and the driver. As a Mongolian, she loves and understands her great country. She cared about the quality my experience and helped me achieve my travel goals. Would travel with this company anytime. Thank you!