Great reading of your adventures Glenboy it certainly looks a beautiful country with very friendly people.
Mongolia - Fly Drive
- Thread starter Glenboy
- Start date
frankie boy
Registered user
great write up fergal brings back memories of a fantastic trip and it only gets better dont forget about the journey to the waterfall
Thanks Andi, yes we invariably found them to be warm, hospitable and friendly and although their lives seemed to be very basic and very tough they always seemed happy. I got a sense that they are a proud and dignified race of people.
great write up fergal brings back memories of a fantastic trip and it only gets better dont forget about the journey to the waterfall
Thanks Frank. How could I possibly forget that waterfall - it's coming!
Loving it!
Great report of a brilliant trip...thanks for posting. I can see Jockser’s dodgy motorcycle waterproofs fitting in well there
Great report of a brilliant trip...thanks for posting. I can see Jockser’s dodgy motorcycle waterproofs fitting in well there
Great write up guys. Good to see someone else using a small local bike. Thanks for posting, keep it going.
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Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
Great report of a brilliant trip...thanks for posting. I can see Jockser’s dodgy motorcycle waterproofs fitting in well there
Thanks Simon, it's fairly tame compared to your super trips.
Yes, Jockser wouldd fit in like one of the locals
Thanks a million. Yes indeed, there's a lot to be said for using what the locals use. We found them great except for being somewhat underpowered on the tarmac roads.
Day 9
Our slumber is interrupted at about 5am by the sound of a horn being blown incessantly - it’s a farmer rounding up some sheep and goats using a motorbike. We doze on for a bit and get up about 6.30, boil some water for the usual green tea and cook some porridge. We pack up the bikes, go get fuel and hit the road, continuing in a broadly southerly direction. Today’s objective is to get as far as the White Lake.
Again the road is a mix of stony stretches through arid landscapes and mud tracks (thankfully dry) through grassy areas with an odd sandy stretch thrown in to keep us on our toes. Today however, we get a new variant – marshy land, and it’s a real pain. At one stage my bike gets firmly stuck. The lads come over and try to push and pull me out – no joy. Then Frank gets the bright idea that with he being much lighter than me it might be a good idea for him to ride the bike and for Pat and I to push. This seems to make sense and we swap places. Lo and behold, it works but not before I’m covered head to toe in a thick layer of foul smelling muck – nice one Frank! Pat dexterously side-steps and manages to avoid it.
As on the other days we seem to follow a pattern of crossing through some mountains and then descending to a plain where we can see more mountains in the distance which we reach in an hour or two and the process repeats itself. As we reach the crest of one of these mountains we see a group of tourists who are being brought around in two UAZ vehicles. They are a mix of nationalities from all over the world and I discover that one of them is an Irish lady who has lived in Australia for many years. She is amazed to meet a fellow countryman in the middle of nowhere in Mongolia and then when the two lads rock up it really bowls her over.
We have seen quite a few of these UAZs and are very impressed with their off-road ability. Nonetheless, I don’t think I’d like to spend a number of days bouncing around in one in the company of a bunch of randomers.
Today must be the day for meeting people because a little while later we come across a group of Latvian bikers having a break at a nice shady spot by a river. We pull over and shoot the breeze for a while. They are having a great trip having come across through Russia, looping south into Mongolia and heading home then through the Stans.
We press on and eventually we catch sight of the White Lake as we cross over a little crest. Called Terkhin Tsagaan Nuur in Mongolian, it’s very picturesque and peaceful looking.
The descent from here is steep and as I go over some loose stones my front wheel gives way and I have my first fall of the trip. It’s at very low speed luckily and I literally step off the bike as it goes down. I bow to the appreciative audience and manage to get the bike upright again before they have a chance to get the cameras out. Another plus for the small and light bikes.
Did I mention that it was the day for meeting people – well, we had only gone about another 5km along the shore of the lake when we spot two Africa Twins and their owners and our pal Eduardo at a nice little grassy area. The lads turn out to be two young French guys who have ridden their bikes from their home village in the Alpes-Maritime region via Russia to Mongolia. They have caught some fish in the lake and are about to set up camp for the night.
The Latvian guys we met earlier had given us a recommendation for a ger camp further along the lakeshore and now that we have grown fond of the comforts of a nice cosy ger we decide to head for there. Before we do however we make an arrangement to meet the guys in the morning to go and climb a nearby extinct volcano.
This is our most expensive stay so far, working out at about €30 each for bed, breakfast and an evening meal.
Heat is generally included with these ger stays, someone comes to light the stove after we check in and again the following morning before we get up.
After a welcome hot shower we head for the restaurant where we are served a really good meal. There’s a good buzz and we see that the group travelling by UAZ are staying here too. We’re much later than everyone else and we’ve no sooner started eating than people start heading back to their gers. Ah well, we order some beers and talk more shite.
Our slumber is interrupted at about 5am by the sound of a horn being blown incessantly - it’s a farmer rounding up some sheep and goats using a motorbike. We doze on for a bit and get up about 6.30, boil some water for the usual green tea and cook some porridge. We pack up the bikes, go get fuel and hit the road, continuing in a broadly southerly direction. Today’s objective is to get as far as the White Lake.
Again the road is a mix of stony stretches through arid landscapes and mud tracks (thankfully dry) through grassy areas with an odd sandy stretch thrown in to keep us on our toes. Today however, we get a new variant – marshy land, and it’s a real pain. At one stage my bike gets firmly stuck. The lads come over and try to push and pull me out – no joy. Then Frank gets the bright idea that with he being much lighter than me it might be a good idea for him to ride the bike and for Pat and I to push. This seems to make sense and we swap places. Lo and behold, it works but not before I’m covered head to toe in a thick layer of foul smelling muck – nice one Frank! Pat dexterously side-steps and manages to avoid it.
As on the other days we seem to follow a pattern of crossing through some mountains and then descending to a plain where we can see more mountains in the distance which we reach in an hour or two and the process repeats itself. As we reach the crest of one of these mountains we see a group of tourists who are being brought around in two UAZ vehicles. They are a mix of nationalities from all over the world and I discover that one of them is an Irish lady who has lived in Australia for many years. She is amazed to meet a fellow countryman in the middle of nowhere in Mongolia and then when the two lads rock up it really bowls her over.
We have seen quite a few of these UAZs and are very impressed with their off-road ability. Nonetheless, I don’t think I’d like to spend a number of days bouncing around in one in the company of a bunch of randomers.
Today must be the day for meeting people because a little while later we come across a group of Latvian bikers having a break at a nice shady spot by a river. We pull over and shoot the breeze for a while. They are having a great trip having come across through Russia, looping south into Mongolia and heading home then through the Stans.
We press on and eventually we catch sight of the White Lake as we cross over a little crest. Called Terkhin Tsagaan Nuur in Mongolian, it’s very picturesque and peaceful looking.
The descent from here is steep and as I go over some loose stones my front wheel gives way and I have my first fall of the trip. It’s at very low speed luckily and I literally step off the bike as it goes down. I bow to the appreciative audience and manage to get the bike upright again before they have a chance to get the cameras out. Another plus for the small and light bikes.
Did I mention that it was the day for meeting people – well, we had only gone about another 5km along the shore of the lake when we spot two Africa Twins and their owners and our pal Eduardo at a nice little grassy area. The lads turn out to be two young French guys who have ridden their bikes from their home village in the Alpes-Maritime region via Russia to Mongolia. They have caught some fish in the lake and are about to set up camp for the night.
The Latvian guys we met earlier had given us a recommendation for a ger camp further along the lakeshore and now that we have grown fond of the comforts of a nice cosy ger we decide to head for there. Before we do however we make an arrangement to meet the guys in the morning to go and climb a nearby extinct volcano.
This is our most expensive stay so far, working out at about €30 each for bed, breakfast and an evening meal.
Heat is generally included with these ger stays, someone comes to light the stove after we check in and again the following morning before we get up.
After a welcome hot shower we head for the restaurant where we are served a really good meal. There’s a good buzz and we see that the group travelling by UAZ are staying here too. We’re much later than everyone else and we’ve no sooner started eating than people start heading back to their gers. Ah well, we order some beers and talk more shite.
Yes, bought a 125 in Africa in January. Fine on the small roads but a bit slow on good tarmac. Nice and simple and light to handle. Will return in September to use it again.
Your trip is inspirational. Always fancied Mongolia but riding there seemed beyond me. Might try what you've done though. Keep upright!
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Your trip is inspirational. Always fancied Mongolia but riding there seemed beyond me. Might try what you've done though. Keep upright!
Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
Wow, that sounds amazing, where did you leave it?
In a garage in Windhoek, but this is about your adventure. We can chat when you get back.
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Day 10
After a good breakfast we pack up and meet Eduardo and the French guys and make our way to Khorgo mountain about 10km away. It is a dormant volcano which last erupted about 8000 years ago. When we arrive at the base we park up and change out of the motorcycle boots. Our little Shinerays look tiny beside the Africa Twins. Note Eduardo’s fancy, matching luggage system
The climb is relatively easy and we enjoy some good views when we reach the top. The black lava rocks and stones are very different from those we have seen elsewhere.
The French lads and Eduardo want to get back to Ulaan Bataar a little earlier than we do so we head away in our separate directions. Our plan is to head towards the Tsenkher Hot Springs via Tsetserleg. Several people had recommended us to visit them, some others had said they were a disappointment but as they aren’t all that far off our track we’ll go and have a look . After we have gone about 40 mins or so we come to a bridge across a river and there’s a manned barrier on the other side. It turns out that we have been in the Khangai Region Protected Area (news to us) and have to pay to get out! We’re given fancy receipts which are stamped and have a hologram yet the fee charged is only 3000 MNT (approx €1).
We continue in a southeasterly direction and again see the terrain changing depending on elevation and proximity to water. At one point we pass very close by an extensive open mining operation. Having spent the last number of days passing through different areas which are largely untouched after hundreds if not thousands of years it’s a shock to see such a blight on the landscape.
It’s early afternoon when we reach Tseterleg. It’s quite a big town and seems to us to be a bustling metropolis. We seek out a café and guesthouse called Fairfield which is listed in the iOverlander app. Run by an Australian couple and geared towards the international traveller community it’s an excellent stopping point. We have really good burgers with chips and salad and finish with superb coffee. Incidentally, they also hire motorcycles – same or very similar to ours.
Almost reluctantly we leave Fairfield and continue our journey towards Tsenkher which is about 27km south of Tsetserleg and we are looking forward to trying these hot springs. We get there about 7.30pm and see that there are three or four ger camps in the valley. We like the look of the Khangai Resort and Frank does a deal with the manager for a ger, evening meal, breakfast and access to the hot pools. We check-in, change and head straight for the water. Apparently there are lots of hot springs in the area but the hot water coming out of the ground is too hot to bathe in so they pipe it down the valley and it cools along the way until it’s at a perfect temperature when it gets to the camps. There are four or five outdoor pools and it’s great to soak away all the strains of the day
Feeling relaxed and mellow we shower and haul ourselves upstairs for another mutton meal and some good local beer.
After a good breakfast we pack up and meet Eduardo and the French guys and make our way to Khorgo mountain about 10km away. It is a dormant volcano which last erupted about 8000 years ago. When we arrive at the base we park up and change out of the motorcycle boots. Our little Shinerays look tiny beside the Africa Twins. Note Eduardo’s fancy, matching luggage system
The climb is relatively easy and we enjoy some good views when we reach the top. The black lava rocks and stones are very different from those we have seen elsewhere.
The French lads and Eduardo want to get back to Ulaan Bataar a little earlier than we do so we head away in our separate directions. Our plan is to head towards the Tsenkher Hot Springs via Tsetserleg. Several people had recommended us to visit them, some others had said they were a disappointment but as they aren’t all that far off our track we’ll go and have a look . After we have gone about 40 mins or so we come to a bridge across a river and there’s a manned barrier on the other side. It turns out that we have been in the Khangai Region Protected Area (news to us) and have to pay to get out! We’re given fancy receipts which are stamped and have a hologram yet the fee charged is only 3000 MNT (approx €1).
We continue in a southeasterly direction and again see the terrain changing depending on elevation and proximity to water. At one point we pass very close by an extensive open mining operation. Having spent the last number of days passing through different areas which are largely untouched after hundreds if not thousands of years it’s a shock to see such a blight on the landscape.
It’s early afternoon when we reach Tseterleg. It’s quite a big town and seems to us to be a bustling metropolis. We seek out a café and guesthouse called Fairfield which is listed in the iOverlander app. Run by an Australian couple and geared towards the international traveller community it’s an excellent stopping point. We have really good burgers with chips and salad and finish with superb coffee. Incidentally, they also hire motorcycles – same or very similar to ours.
Almost reluctantly we leave Fairfield and continue our journey towards Tsenkher which is about 27km south of Tsetserleg and we are looking forward to trying these hot springs. We get there about 7.30pm and see that there are three or four ger camps in the valley. We like the look of the Khangai Resort and Frank does a deal with the manager for a ger, evening meal, breakfast and access to the hot pools. We check-in, change and head straight for the water. Apparently there are lots of hot springs in the area but the hot water coming out of the ground is too hot to bathe in so they pipe it down the valley and it cools along the way until it’s at a perfect temperature when it gets to the camps. There are four or five outdoor pools and it’s great to soak away all the strains of the day
Feeling relaxed and mellow we shower and haul ourselves upstairs for another mutton meal and some good local beer.
Well worth the euro for the nice momento 
Well worth the euro for the nice momento
Haha, yes indeed. Although we had no choice in it!
Fantastic write up and photos - thanks for posting
Thanks a mill, glad you're enjoying it
Day 11
Frank has been going on about a waterfall in the Orkhon valley which apparently is amazing. He insists that it is really worth going to see and as this is coming from someone who has visited Victoria Falls and several others of note we agree. We pick it out using the MapsMe app and it gives us a suggested direction to go in. The first few hours are very pleasant as we pass through varied terrain with a good mix of levels of difficulty. However, soon after midday we begin to encounter more and more river crossings. While the water levels are relatively low, nonetheless we are cautious and approach each one by stopping and having a good look before crossing. On several occasions we walk across first to get a sense of how slippy the stones are underneath. This of course takes time and as the number of crossings increases our ETA at the waterfall pushes further out. A short video which gives an idea of them:
[video]https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-JKcQHLh/0/d9bbc624/640/i-JKcQHLh-640.mp4[/video]
We guess afterwards that we had about 25 of these crossings today and some of the later ones were deep enough as we moved down the valley. Our boots are full of river water and we are quite wet from the splashing. As well as slowing us down we are becoming increasingly tired and in hindsight we should have stopped and camped, however we press on into the dusk knowing that there are ger camps close to the waterfall and the prospect of a cosy ger with the chance to dry out our stuff is very appealing. Just as we approach the closest camp we have our final crossing and Frank executes a spectacular fall. As the bike goes down he does a full somersault into the water. I compliment him of course but he refuses to recreate it for the camera. There isn’t any restaurant in this ger camp so our evening meal is cooked on the stove which is also very usefully drying out the gear.
Hot showers and a change of clothes work wonders and we go to sleep looking forward to visiting the nearby waterfall in the morning.
Frank has been going on about a waterfall in the Orkhon valley which apparently is amazing. He insists that it is really worth going to see and as this is coming from someone who has visited Victoria Falls and several others of note we agree. We pick it out using the MapsMe app and it gives us a suggested direction to go in. The first few hours are very pleasant as we pass through varied terrain with a good mix of levels of difficulty. However, soon after midday we begin to encounter more and more river crossings. While the water levels are relatively low, nonetheless we are cautious and approach each one by stopping and having a good look before crossing. On several occasions we walk across first to get a sense of how slippy the stones are underneath. This of course takes time and as the number of crossings increases our ETA at the waterfall pushes further out. A short video which gives an idea of them:
[video]https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-JKcQHLh/0/d9bbc624/640/i-JKcQHLh-640.mp4[/video]
We guess afterwards that we had about 25 of these crossings today and some of the later ones were deep enough as we moved down the valley. Our boots are full of river water and we are quite wet from the splashing. As well as slowing us down we are becoming increasingly tired and in hindsight we should have stopped and camped, however we press on into the dusk knowing that there are ger camps close to the waterfall and the prospect of a cosy ger with the chance to dry out our stuff is very appealing. Just as we approach the closest camp we have our final crossing and Frank executes a spectacular fall. As the bike goes down he does a full somersault into the water. I compliment him of course but he refuses to recreate it for the camera. There isn’t any restaurant in this ger camp so our evening meal is cooked on the stove which is also very usefully drying out the gear.
Hot showers and a change of clothes work wonders and we go to sleep looking forward to visiting the nearby waterfall in the morning.
Thanks, Frosti. Much appreciated
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