Intrepid Travel
Trans-Mongolian Railway Adventure
11 daysfrom $2,864
Intrepid Travel · Escorted tour
China & Mongolia Railway Adventure
Travel along the Trans-Mongolian Railway on a truly vast adventure
Day by day
- Day 1overnight: Hotel
Shanghai
Welcome to China. Welcome meeting at 4 pm. Leader-led walking tour on the Bund to see the nighttime skyline. Explore Shanghai's eclectic food scene.
- Day 2railovernight: Hotel
Wuxi / Shanghai
Bullet train to Wuxi (30 minutes). Walking tour through Huishan Ancient Town Scenic Area, cultural relics, historic sites and Xihui scenic area. Visit Jichang Garden – a protected national heritage site. Return to Shanghai in the afternoon.
Meals: Breakfast
- Day 3railovernight: Hotel
Xi'an
Bullet train to Xi'an (~7 hours travel). Walking tour passing the Bell and Drum Towers, Muslim Quarter, Great Mosque. Street snack sampling.
Meals: Breakfast
- Day 4overnight: Hotel
Xi'an
Visit the Terracotta Warriors (~2 hours each way). Free evening at leisure; optional visit to Tang Paradise walking street near the Big Wild Goose Pagoda.
- Day 5railovernight: Guest house
Great Wall
High-speed train to Beijing (~9 hours total including private transfer to Great Wall guesthouse). Spend the night in a family-run guesthouse inside the scenic area near the Great Wall. Recommended short hike to the Wall for an unforgettable sunset.
- Day 6overnight: Hotel
Beijing
Visit the Great Wall of China – Jinshanling section (~2 hours travel). Hike along a less-visited, original section of the Wall for about 2 hours. Transfer to Beijing.
Meals: Breakfast
- Day 7overnight: Hotel
Beijing
Explore Tiananmen Square and enter the Forbidden City. Free time in the afternoon. Optional Temple of Heaven visit. Farewell dinner with Beijing duck.
- Day 8overnight: Hotel
Beijing
Free day in Beijing until a new welcome meeting at 6 pm to meet new travel companions joining for the second part of the trip. Group and leader may change today.
- Day 9railovernight: Hotel
Reshui
Bullet train to Chifeng (~6 hours travel). Lunch stop. Visit Chifeng Museum. Private transfer to Reshui, gateway to Inner Mongolia's vast grasslands.
- Day 10overnight: Hotel
Reshui
Visit Huanggangliang National Forest Park (Huanggang Peak at 2029 m, glacial valleys, flowers and grasslands). After lunch, visit Asihatu Stone Forest (2 million years of wind and rain formations). See Gongge'er Grasslands with rivers and wild deer.
Meals: Breakfast
- Day 11overnight: Hotel
Xilinhot
Drive to Hunshandake Sandy Land. Visit Ulihan Desert Campsite for a BBQ lunch. Visit Dali Lake. Head to Xilinhot for the night.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
- Day 12railovernight: Hotel
Erlian / Trans-Mongolia Railway / Sainshand (Border crossing into Mongolia)
Drive from Xilinhot to Erlian (~6.5 hours). Lunch stop and meet new leader for the Mongolian portion. Board Trans-Mongolian Railway to Sainshand (~8 hours including China/Mongolia border crossing at Zamiin-Uud). Arrive after midnight.
Meals: Breakfast
- Day 13overnight: Hotel
Sainshand
Walking tour of Sainshand. Visit Noyon Khutagt Museum (Buddhist artifacts). Drive to Khamriin Monastery. Short hike to meditation caves and Mongolian Shambala energy centre. Free evening.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
- Day 14railovernight: Overnight Train
Sainshand / Overnight Train
Drive to Mountain of Wishes – climb to the top and whisper a wish. Visit a family of camel herders for a traditional home-cooked lunch. Board overnight train to Ulaanbaatar.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
- Day 15overnight: Tourist ger camp
Ulaanbaatar / Khustai National Park
Arrive in Ulaanbaatar around 7 am. Drive to Chinggis Khaan Statue (40 m stainless-steel, views from horse's mane, small museum in base). Lunch in Nalaikh town at a monastery cafe. Continue to Khustai National Park. Settle into ger camp.
Meals: Lunch, Dinner
- Day 16overnight: Tourist ger camp
Khustai National Park
Breakfast at camp. Leader-led hike to see wildlife including wild Przewalski horses, Golden Eagles, falcons and vultures. Drive to Ungut Monument (30 human-shaped stone monuments from the 7th century). Return to ger camp for a free evening.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Day 17overnight: Hotel
Ulaanbaatar
Drive back to Ulaanbaatar (~3 hours). Orientation walk through the city's central square. Optional lunch at a cafe. Afternoon free for shopping (cashmere, felt products) or sightseeing. Optional cultural performance with throat singing and traditional dancing. Optional final dinner.
Meals: Breakfast
- Day 18
Ulaanbaatar
Say 'bayartai' as the adventure draws to a close. No activities planned. Free to depart at any time.
Included
- 10 breakfasts
- 5 lunches
- 2 dinners
- Train transport (bullet trains and Trans-Mongolian Railway)
- Overnight train (sleeper carriage, 4-berth compartment)
- Private vehicle transfers
- Metro
- Hotel accommodation (13 nights)
- Guesthouse accommodation (1 night)
- Overnight train accommodation (1 night)
- Tourist ger camp accommodation (2 nights)
- Wuxi – Huishan Ancient Town visit
- Wuxi – Jichang Garden visit
- Xi'an – Muslim Quarter Walking Tour and Snack Sampling
- Xi'an – Terracotta Warriors Tour (leader-led)
- Great Wall – Sunset hike
- Great Wall – Jinshanling section hike
- Beijing – Forbidden City entrance
- Beijing – Tiananmen Square visit
- Chifeng – Chifeng Museum visit
- Inner Mongolia – Huanggangliang National Forest Park
- Inner Mongolia – Asihatu Stone Forest
- Inner Mongolia – Gongge'er Grasslands
- Inner Mongolia – Hunshandake Sandy Land
- Sainshand – Noyon Khutagt Museum
- Sainshand – Khamriin Monastery, Caves & Mongolian Shambala
- Sainshand – Mountain of Wishes
- Sainshand – Camel Herder Family Visit & Traditional Home-cooked Lunch
- Ulaanbaatar – Chinggis Khaan Statue
- Khustai National Park – Leader-led Hike
- Khustai National Park – Ungut Stone Monuments
Not included
- International flights
- Visas
- Travel insurance
- Optional activities
- Personal expenses
- Meals not listed in inclusions
- Chairlift at Great Wall (own expense)
- Airport transfers (bookable separately)
