Mongolia Ice Hockey Experience

Join the Friendship League in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia as we take on the Bazalt Team at their brand new stadium. Games will be played full-IIHF length and according to IIHF rules on a full-size rink, with a three-game series being followed by a final mixed-roster Friendship Game! When we’re not at the rink, we’ll be exploring the vast natural and cultural wealth that Mongolia has to offer. From the thriving metropolis of Ulaanbaatar to the nomadic rural communities in the Gobi desert, this trip leaves no stones unturned!

*Note: The ice time has only just been confirmed for this event, for that reason, some of the items contained on the itinerary will be moved around. We will still participate in every activity listed in this itinerary, although the order will change slightly to accommodate ice time. An updated itinerary will be provided as soon as possible.

Meet up with your fellow Friendship-Leaguers in the hotel lobby around 1pm to kick the tour off with a trip information session. Then, join our local guide Doogii for a drive to the Chingis Khuree ger camp which sits about 30km outside the capital city. While there, participate in a traditional archery lesson conducted by a local expert. After returning to the capital, you will have your first game against Bazalt team at the brand-new Steppe Arena stadium. Following the game, head to a local restaurant for dinner and drinks before returning to the hotel – or heading out for a night on the town.

Wrestling is considered by many to be the most important of the famed Mongolian “Three Manly Skills”, which also includes archery and horsemanship. With no weight or time limits, Mongolian wrestling is distinct from other forms of the sport. The goal is to have the opponent’s upper body, knee, or elbow touch the ground. After learning basic skills and the various styles of the sport, participants will put their skills to the test in a friendly matchup against their team mates. After a morning of wrestling, you will explore the unique games and challenges present in the National Intellectual Museum, before heading to the Center Shaman for a lesson in Central Asian Shamanism. Finish the day with your second game against Team Bazalt at the Steppe Arena.

Despite having never travelled to Mongolia, the capital boasts a monument to the four famous musicians from Liverpool. Spend the morning exploring this quirky corner of Ulaanbaatar before embarking on a guided tour of the National History Museum. Exhibitions cover early history, pre-Mongol Empire history, Mongol Empire, Mongolia during Qing rule, ethnography and traditional life, and twentieth-century history. After lunch, participants will have free time to explore places of personal interest, or to rest up for the third game against Bazalt Team at night.

Practiced by the Kazakh diaspora in Mongolia, eagle hunting is a traditional form of falconry dating back to the Bronze Age. Following a short drive into a rural community near Ulaanbaatar, participants will meet local practitioners and learn about their customs and traditions. The trip will finish with a live demonstration by local falconry experts! After the demonstration, return to Ulaanbaatar for a free afternoon to explore the city or rest up for the Friendship Game with Team Bazalt that night.

Located 55km from the capital, the Chingis Khaan Equestrian Statue seemingly rests in the middle of nowhere. The massive tribute to Chingis Khaan stands more than 40 meters tall, with a panoramic viewing station at the top. After visiting the statue, travel to the Terelj National Park for a Mongolian style nature safari. In addition to pristine geographic formations, the park is home to an abundance of wild animals, including boar, red deer, roe deer, fox, wolves, and birds of prey. It will then be time to head back to Ulaanbaatar for the Friendship Banquet alongside your new friends from the Bazalt Team.

Travel to a rural village to learn about the processes behind local nomad lifestyles. The Mongolian Nomad Show introduces nomadic lifestyle starting from how nomads disassemble/assemble their gers, load on their ox, camel cart, and move to places looking for better grazing grounds for livestock. Want to sip traditional vodka consisting of fermented yak milk? The Mongolian Nomad Show is your opportunity! Following the performance, travel to the Elsen Tasarkhai sand dunes, a semi-desert. Settle in for the night at a local ger camp run by a traditional nomad family. They will teach participants about their local culture and traditions, before participants relax with a few drinks under the stars.

Spend the morning exploring the region with the traditional nomadic family in Elsen Tasarkhai on camels before making the drive back to Ulaanbaatar where the main portion of the trip will end at approximately 6pm. Those joining for the extension can say their goodbyes to departing participants before heading out for a night on the town in Ulaanbaatar!

After saying goodbye to the main trip participants, arrive at a hotel for the night to prepare for your Gobi Desert adventure. We will have a group dinner before heading out for some casual drinks at a pub nearby! Hopefully it’s an early night, we have a lot of adventures planned for the next few days!

Make the long drive to Dundgovi province to begin the extension by exploring the unique limestone structures of the Tsagaan Suvarga region. If we’re lucky, we will also have an opportunity to stop by the Baga Gazariin Chuluu,”stone of the little place” along the way. The first official stop will be to visit the Khevtee Bosoo Cave, followed by an evening hike up and down the cliffs at sunset to see the impressive formations up close before spending the night at a traditional ger camp. Bring your binoculars, due to the remoteness of the location, visitors are often treated to a spectacular nighttime sky!

There aren’t too many places in the world where you can find rock carvings and drawing dating to the Iron Age, but fortunately for us, Mongolia has one of the world’s most extensive collections. After breakfast at the ger camp, drive to a mountain range that is home to some of the best preserved collections of ancient art in the region. After exploring the rock carvings, head by bus to the Bayanzag, or the Flaming Cliffs. Known as the first place where dinosaur eggs were discovered, the Flaming Cliffs are also home to several impressive species of velociraptors. The vibrant red colors emitted from the cliffs make visitors feel as if they have landed on Mars!

Have breakfast at the ger camp and spent time exploring the region before heading to the Moltsog semi sand dunes. At the dunes, participants will meet a traditional nomadic camel herding family and explore the dunes under their guidance – while riding camels! From there, make your way by car to the stunning Yol Valley. Take an evening trek through the Valley and observe its famous ice structures that remain intact almost year-round. On the way into the park, visit the local Natural History Museum where dinosaur eggs and bones, petrified trees and a snow leopard are on display. After leaving the Yol valley, drive to Dalanzadhad city and stay in a local hotel.

All good things must come to an end, and the Mongolian Ice Hockey Experience 2022 is no different. Spend the morning saying goodbye to your local hosts before making the journey back to Ulaanbaatar, stopping at various scenic points along the way! Arrive in Ulaanbaatar at around 4pm.

Included:

• All tournament fees and ice time
• Local and international guides
• In-country transportation as listed in the itinerary
• All accommodation (based on double-occupancy, additional fees may apply for single rooms)
• All meals during tour
• Water during/after hockey
• Tourist activity and entry fees
• Pre-trip support and guidance

Not Included:

• Additional drinks and snacks not included in package
• Tips for local guides
• Friendship League jersey (for first-timers)
• Visa fees
• Travel insurance
• Transport to and from the tour meeting and end points