47°55′N, 106°55′E

🇲🇳

47°55′N, 106°55′E
Mongolia, Mongolia

Mongolia, Mongolia

Day 1:

– Post train shower in communal Ulaan Baatar hotel bath.
– Gandan Monastery – saw monks practicing Tibetan Buddhist ritual.
– 4 hour drive to Bayangobi region, for 2 night stay with local nomad family in traditional Ger.
– Introduced to Mongolian diet: fresh curd & mutton.

Day 2:

– Visit to Karakhorum

Day 3 & 4:

– 2 nights in Elstei tourist Ger camp
– Visit to Chingiiskhan monument
– Played games with goats’ ankle bones

Day 5:

– Day in Ulaan Baatar

Overall – 1 negative….too much meat. Positives……beautiful countryside, peaceful, and friendly people.

52°17’N, 104°16’E to 47°55′N, 106°55′E

🇷🇺🇲🇳

52°17’N, 104°16’E to 47°55′N, 106°55′E
Trans Mongolian Railway I – Irkutsk to Ulaan Baatar, Russia

Trans Mongolian Railway I – Irkutsk to Ulaan Baatar, Russia

Trans Mongolian Railway

2 night train journey from Irkutsk (Russia) to Ulaan Baatar (Mongolia).

4 berth cabin to ourselves.

4 hour border crossing – celebrated with a few beers & vodka.

Trans Mongolian Railway I

 

 

53°30′N, 108°0′E

🇷🇺

53°30′N, 108°0′E
Baikal, Russia

Baikal, Russia

Walking tour around Listvjanka Village with Lena.

1 day guided trek with Sasha

1 day R&R by the lake

Lake Baikal, Russia

55°44’N, 37°36’E to 52°17’N, 104°16’E

🇷🇺

55°44’N, 37°36’E to 52°17’N, 104°16’E
Trans Siberian Express- Moscow to Irkutsk, Russia

Trans Siberian Express- Moscow to Irkutsk, Russia

Trans Siberian Express

4 night train journey from Moscow to Irkutsk across 5 time zones.

4 berth cabin shared with a lovely ‘No English, XXXL’ Russian Lady and other local commuters.

No showers, unchanged boxers, toilet use restricted to ‘non sanitation’ zones only, and a liquid diet consisting mainly of water, cupa-soup, hot chocolate, beer, tomatoes and cucumbers.