Adventure Tours

Mongolia Motorcycle Tour

Nine days and 1,530 km across central Mongolia on a Suzuki DR-Z400S or DR650S: Kharkhorin, the Orkhon Valley, the Ongiin River and Terelj. Small group, mechanic and support truck.

Mongolia: Country, region
Max 25°C, min 10°C: Weather
Jun-Sep: Seasons
Asphalt, gravel, dirt tracks: Driving terrain
± Approx. 1,530 km: Driving distance
9 Days / 8 Nights: Duration
Intermediate: Expedition difficulty
Maximum 10 riders: Max group size

Highlights

What you will remember

Seven riding days on open steppe tracks
1,530 km through central Mongolia
Gravel, dirt and off-road sections
Suzuki DR-Z400S or DR650S
A mechanic and a support vehicle with every group
Nights in ger camps and lodges
Green valleys, then dry steppe and semi-desert
Wide country and very few people

Ulaanbaatar to Terelj: a Mongolia motorcycle tour across the central steppe

Mongolia is one of the least crowded places a motorcycle can go. Outside the capital there are few fences, few towns and long stretches where the track is whatever line the last vehicle took. This nine-day Mongolia motorcycle tour is built around that ground: 1,530 km from Ulaanbaatar through the central steppe, with seven riding days and two full rest days.
The route links the places that explain the country. Khustain Nuruu, where the wild Przewalski horses live. Kharkhorin, the …

Price

$5,311per rider

Expedition price

Rider$5,311

Machine

Suzuki DR-Z400S or DR650SIncludedIncluded in the rider price

Custom expedition

Prices are set in Indian rupees and converted for display, so the figure you pay depends on the rate on the day. Flights are not included. Offhorizon Adventures may revise these prices without notice.

Day by day

Expedition program

9 days

Day 1CloseUlaanbaatar to Khustain NuruuMore detailsUlaanbaatar to Khustain NuruuWhere you stayHustain Ger CampDistance: Approx. 120 km
Riding: 3 to 4 hours
The expedition starts in Ulaanbaatar. You meet the crew, collect your motorcycle and equipment, and sit through a full safety and riding briefing. Once everyone is used to the machines, the group leaves the city and rides west to Khustain Nuruu National Park.
The afternoon is spent in the park, looking for the wild Przewalski horses, with a first taste of how wide this country is.
Day 2CloseKhustain Nuruu to KharkhorinMore detailsKhustain Nuruu to KharkhorinWhere you stayMunkhtenger Ger Camp, KharkhorinDistance: Approx. 280 km
Riding: 5 to 6 hours
West across the central steppe to Kharkhorin, the old capital of the Mongol Empire. This is classic Mongolian riding. The horizon stays wide all day and the country gets emptier as you go.
If time allows, the group visits Erdene Zuu Monastery and walks the ground around it.
Day 3CloseKharkhorin to the Orkhon ValleyMore detailsKharkhorin to the Orkhon ValleyWhere you stayKhurkheree Camp, Orkhon ValleyDistance: Approx. 120 km
Riding: 3 to 4 hours
A shorter day into the Orkhon Valley, through rolling grassland and old volcanic country, past the camps of nomadic families.
The valley is one of Mongolia's most important cultural landscapes, and a good place to see how people here still live.
Day 4CloseOrkhon Valley: rest and exploration dayMore detailsOrkhon Valley: rest and exploration dayWhere you stayKhurkheree Camp, Orkhon ValleyRest day. No riding.
No packing and no moving camp. Visit the Orkhon Waterfall, explore the side valleys and, where it can be arranged, meet a nomadic family.
Or stay at camp and do nothing at all.
Day 5CloseOrkhon Valley to the Ongiin RiverMore detailsOrkhon Valley to the Ongiin RiverWhere you staySecret of Ongiin River CampDistance: Approx. 300 km
Riding: 6 to 7 hours
South, out of the green valleys and into dry steppe and semi-desert. The grass thins out through the day and the land turns pale and open. The change is the point of the ride.
At the Ongiin River the group visits the ruins of Ongiin Monastery.
Day 6CloseOngiin River to Khogno KhanMore detailsOngiin River to Khogno KhanWhere you stayKhogno Khan CampDistance: Approx. 310 km
Riding: 6 to 7 hours
North again through remote steppe to the Khogno Khan mountains, where grassland, sand and granite meet.
It is a long day, and the scenery keeps changing through it.
Day 7CloseKhogno Khan to Terelj National ParkMore detailsKhogno Khan to Terelj National ParkWhere you stayTerelj Mountain LodgeDistance: Approx. 330 km
Riding: 9 to 10 hours
The longest day of the expedition. East across central Mongolia, covering real distance, then into the granite formations and wooded valleys of Terelj as the day ends.
Day 8CloseTerelj National Park: rest and exploration dayMore detailsTerelj National Park: rest and exploration dayWhere you stayTerelj Mountain LodgeRest day. No riding.
A day off in one of Mongolia's best-known national parks. Walk to Turtle Rock, visit Ariyabal Meditation Temple, explore the valleys or rest at the lodge before the last ride.
Day 9CloseTerelj to UlaanbaatarMore detailsTerelj to UlaanbaatarWhere you stayExpedition ends in UlaanbaatarDistance: Approx. 70 km
Riding: 1.5 to 2 hours
A short final ride, with a detour to the Chinggis Khaan Statue on the way.
Back in Ulaanbaatar you return the motorcycles and the expedition ends.

The price

What is in it, and what is not

In the price10

Motorcycle
Suzuki DR-Z400S or Suzuki DR650S for the whole expedition, with a briefing and orientation before the first ride.
Offhorizon motorcycle guide
One of our own guides rides with the group for all nine days.
Mechanic
Travels with the group and looks after the machines throughout.
Support truck
Follows the group with spares.
Accommodation outside Ulaanbaatar
Eight nights in ger camps and countryside lodges.
Meals outside Ulaanbaatar
Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Drinking water
Bottled water on the road.
Airport transfers
In Ulaanbaatar, on arrival and on departure.
Route planning and logistics
The route, the camps and the daily plan are arranged for you.
Fuel
For the whole planned route.

Not in the price08

Hotel nights in Ulaanbaatar
Your nights in the capital before and after the expedition.
Meals and sightseeing in Ulaanbaatar
Dinners, sightseeing and activities in the capital.
International flights
Visa
Requirements depend on your passport. Check the current rules for your country before you book flights.
Travel insurance
Riding gear
Bring your own, unless agreed with us in advance.
Security deposit
USD 500 per motorcycle, paid in cash at the start. Damage you cause to the motorcycle is charged to you.
Alcohol and personal expenses

Route map

What to expect

What is under the wheels

A mix of asphalt, gravel, dirt tracks and off-road sections. This is an adventure motorcycle tour, and you should be comfortable on loose and changing surfaces. Days 5, 6 and 7 are each 300 km or more, and Day 7 is the longest, at about 330 km and nine to ten hours in the saddle. Distances and riding times are approximate. Weather, road conditions, river crossings and the pace of the group all move them, and the guide can change the route or the day's schedule for safety.

The place itself

See it to believe it

Before you book

Questions before you book

How difficult is this Mongolia motorcycle tour?

It is an intermediate tour. Most of the route is gravel and dirt track, with some asphalt and some off-road sections. Three riding days are 300 km or more, and the longest is nine to ten hours in the saddle.

Do I need off-road experience?

You should be comfortable riding on gravel and dirt. You do not need to be an enduro rider, but this is not a tour for someone who has only ridden on tarmac.

Is this tour suitable for beginners?

No. Riders should have solid motorcycle experience and be at ease on variable surfaces.

Which motorcycle will I ride?

A Suzuki DR-Z400S or a Suzuki DR650S. The DR-Z400S is lighter and more agile. The DR650S is more comfortable over a long day.

How many riders are in the group?

A maximum of 10 riders, so the crew can look after everyone and the group can keep a sensible pace.

What does the price of this Mongolia motorcycle tour include?

The motorcycle and its fuel, one of our own motorcycle guides, a mechanic, the support truck, all accommodation and all meals outside Ulaanbaatar, drinking water and airport transfers. The current price per rider is shown at the top of this page.

What is not included?

Your hotel nights and dinners in Ulaanbaatar, international flights, visa, travel insurance, riding gear and personal expenses.

Where do we sleep?

In ger camps and countryside lodges. A ger is the round felt tent Mongolian families live in. The camps on this route are set up for travellers.

Is food included?

Yes, outside Ulaanbaatar: breakfast, lunch and dinner. Dinners in the capital are not included.

Is there a support vehicle and a mechanic?

Yes. A support truck follows the group, and a mechanic is with you for the whole expedition.

What licence do I need?

A valid motorcycle licence for the machine you are riding, and an International Driving Permit where it applies.

What happens if I damage the motorcycle?

The motorcycles are insured, but the cover is limited, and you are responsible for damage you cause. A security deposit of USD 500 per motorcycle is taken in cash at the start.

When is the best time for a Mongolia motorcycle trip?

June to September.

What happens if the weather turns or a river is too high?

The guide changes the route or the day's schedule. Distances and riding times on this page are approximate for that reason.

How do I get to the start?

The expedition starts and ends in Ulaanbaatar. International flights are not included. Airport transfers are.

Is fuel included?

Yes. Fuel for the whole planned route is included in the price.

Ride this one with us

Ask about a date on the list, or tell us when you can travel and we will see what fits.

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Hear it from our riders

The clearest account of what we do is not written by us

Riders share their journeys on Google, TripAdvisor and Trustpilot. Read what they say about the routes, the landscapes and the crew who kept them moving.

To everyone who has ridden with us: thank you. Your stories are the reason we keep planning the next one.

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Mongolia Motorcycle Tour

What you will remember