School Trips to MongoliaUlaanbaatar, Terelj & the Altai
Rustic Pathways runs private, custom school trips to Mongolia. Students serve communities in Ulaanbaatar’s ger districts, study Mongol Empire history, hike and practice archery in Terelj National Park, visit herding families, and trek with Kazakh eagle hunters in the Altai Tavan Bogd.
Three sample itineraries run 6 to 13 days and cost $2,175 to $3,770 per student, excluding international airfare.
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Choose a Mongolia school group travel program.
The three Mongolia school travel itineraries are Off the Map, Terelj Park and Nomadic Service, and Serving under the Eternal Sky. Off the Map starts at $3,770 for 13 days, Terelj Park and Nomadic Service starts at $2,195 for 10 days, and Serving under the Eternal Sky starts at $2,175 for 6 days.
Compare the three itineraries side by side
| Itinerary | Off the Map | Terelj Park and Nomadic Service | Serving under the Eternal Sky |
|---|---|---|---|
| Length | 13 days | 10 days | 6 days |
| Starting price | From $3,770 | From $2,195 | From $2,175 |
| Learning focus | Service Learning · Geography | Service Learning · History | Physical Education · Service Learning |
| Route | Ulaanbaatar · Ölgii · Sogoog · Altai Tavan Bogd | Ulaanbaatar · Zaisan Memorial · Ger District · Chinggis Khaan Statue Complex · Aryabal Temple | Ulaanbaatar · Terelj National Park · Aryabal Temple · Chinggis Khaan Statue Complex · Ger District |
| Overnight bases | Ulaanbaatar (2) · Ger in Sogoog (3) · Tents at base (4) · Ger in Sogoog (1) · Ulaanbaatar (2) | Ulaanbaatar (2) · Terelj ger (3) · Ulaanbaatar (2) | Ulaanbaatar (1) · Hostel, then ger (2) · Terelj ger (1) · Ulaanbaatar (1) |
| Physical profile | 7 low · 2 moderate · 4 high | 6 low · 4 moderate | 2 low · 4 moderate |
| On-program flights | None | None | None |
| Where students sleep | Gers in the village, tents in the Altai, guesthouse at each end | Four guesthouse nights in Ulaanbaatar, three in a Terelj ger camp | Hostel in Ulaanbaatar and a ger camp in Terelj, across six days |
| Best for | Best for schools ready to take students a long way from electricity and running water for a week, with village gers in Bayan-Ölgii and four nights in tents under Mongolia's highest peaks. | Best for schools that want a service block and Mongolian history within reach of Ulaanbaatar, with the city guesthouse as the base and three nights at a ger camp in Terelj in the middle of the program. | Best for schools that want a short program built around school service in Ulaanbaatar, with the nights split between a city hostel and a traditional ger camp in Terelj. |
Mongolia · Bayan-Ölgii & the Altai
13 days · From $3,770
Off the Map
Students fly west from Ulaanbaatar to Bayan-Ölgii, live in gers in the Kazakh village of Sogoog, then camp for four nights at the edge of the Altai Tavan Bogd range before returning to the city.
Choose this programThe route connects Ulaanbaatar, Ölgii, Sogoog, and Altai Tavan Bogd.
- Ulaanbaatar2 nights
- Ger in Sogoog3 nights
- Tents at base4 nights
- Ger in Sogoog1 night
- Ulaanbaatar2 nights
Your thirteen-day itinerary
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Day 1
Welcome to Mongolia
Students land at Chinggis Khaan International Airport and meet the Program Leaders who stay with the group for the whole program. The evening is an orientation on the days ahead, what is expected of the group, and an introduction to Mongolian culture.
MorningStudents are still in transit, and the arrival hour is set by the confirmed flight schedule.AfternoonThe group lands at Chinggis Khaan International Airport, meets its Program Leaders, and transfers into Ulaanbaatar to settle in and rest after the long flight.EveningStudents join an orientation discussion covering the week ahead, what is expected of the group, and an introduction to Mongolian culture.- Route
- Students arrive at Chinggis Khaan International Airport and transfer by road into Ulaanbaatar.
- Travel
- International flights into Ulaanbaatar, then a road transfer to the guesthouse. Arrival timing comes from the confirmed flight schedule.
- Overnight
- Students stay in a guesthouse in Ulaanbaatar, with showers and flush toilets.
- Meals
- The land program begins at airport pickup, so meals from then on are included and airline meal service before that is not.
- Physical demand
- This is a low-effort day built around arrival, unpacking, and rest.
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Day 2
Discover Ulaanbaatar History and City Life
A day on Mongolian history in the capital. Students work through the National Museum, with the Mongol empire under Chinggis Khaan and the daughters and grandsons who carried it on, then walk Chinggis Square and the downtown streets around it.
MorningThe group visits the National Museum for the long history of Mongolia and the empire built under Chinggis Khaan.AfternoonStudents walk Chinggis Square and the downtown area of Ulaanbaatar around it.EveningThe group eats at a restaurant in the city and turns in early before the flight west.- Route
- Students stay in Ulaanbaatar and move between the National Museum, Chinggis Square, and the downtown area.
- Travel
- Short moves across the city, with most of the day spent on foot.
- Overnight
- Students stay a second night in the same guesthouse in Ulaanbaatar.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are included on this program day, with dinner at a restaurant in the city.
- Physical demand
- This is a low-effort day of walking inside a museum and around a city square, with the evening at rest.
- Learning outcome
- Students explain how the Mongol empire under Chinggis Khaan became the largest contiguous empire in history, and name the daughters and grandsons who extended and held it.
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Day 3
Journey to Mongolia's Wild West
The group flies west to Ölgii, the capital of Bayan-Ölgii province and the historical home of Mongolia's Kazakh minority, then drives out to the village of Sogoog. Students meet the service partners and village members they work with over the coming week and settle into a ger for the first time.
MorningStudents pack out of the guesthouse and fly west from Ulaanbaatar to Ölgii.AfternoonThe group drives out to the small village of Sogoog and meets its service partners and the village members hosting them.EveningStudents are received in the formal Kazakh style and settle into a warm ger for the night.- Route
- Students fly from Ulaanbaatar to Ölgii in the northwestern province of Bayan-Ölgii, then travel by road to the village of Sogoog.
- Travel
- A domestic flight west to Ölgii, then a road transfer out to Sogoog. Most of the day is seated.
- Overnight
- Students sleep in a ger in Sogoog. The gers have cots and students bring their own sleeping bags. There is no electricity, wifi, or shower, and toilets are pit toilets.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are included on this program day.
- Physical demand
- This is a low-effort day of flying and driving, with bags to carry at each change.
- Learning outcome
- Students account for who Mongolia's Kazakh minority are and why Bayan-Ölgii, on the far northwestern edge of the country, is their historical home.
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Days 4-5
Nomadic Life in the Host Village
Two days based in Sogoog with the host community. Across the pair students ride camels, hold a golden eagle with the Kazakh eagle hunters, learn to sew traditional Kazakh handicrafts, and dance to the dombor, the Kazakh stringed instrument, alongside the work the village has set for the group.
MorningMornings go to the work the village has set for the group and to time with the families hosting it.AfternoonAfternoons are given to camel riding and to a session with the Kazakh eagle hunters, where students hold a golden eagle.EveningEvenings run to sewing Kazakh handicrafts, nomadic dances to the dombor, and competitive games with the hosts.- Route
- Students stay in Sogoog across both days and move on foot around the village and the open country beside it.
- Travel
- There is no road travel across these two days beyond short local movement on foot and by camel.
- Overnight
- Students spend both nights in the same ger in Sogoog, on cots and in their own sleeping bags, with no electricity, wifi or shower, and pit toilets.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are included on both program days.
- Physical demand
- These are moderate-effort days spent outdoors from morning to evening, on foot around the village, riding camels, and working with the group's hosts.
- Learning outcome
- Students describe how a herding household in Bayan-Ölgii runs a working day, and account for the place eagle hunting, dombor music, and handicraft sewing hold in Kazakh life.
- Customization
- The work the group takes on in the village is set with the community and confirmed close to travel, so what students do here follows what Sogoog needs at the time of the visit.
PreparationThere is no power in the village, so students charge anything they need before leaving Ulaanbaatar and carry a sleeping bag, a headlamp, warm layers for the evenings, and clothes that can get dirty. -
Days 6-9
Camp in the Altai Tavan Bogd
Four days out of the village and into the mountains. The group drives to the Altai Tavan Bogd range, Mongolia's highest peaks, stopping at the Bronze Age petroglyphs on the way, then camps at the park entrance and takes day hikes among alpine lakes, snow-capped peaks, and the milky river called the Tsaagan Gol, which translates as white river.
MorningThe block opens with goodbyes in Sogoog and the drive to the Altai Tavan Bogd range, and later mornings start with breakfast at camp before the day's hike.AfternoonAfternoons are spent walking, first at the petroglyphs on the drive out and then on day hikes from base camp past green alpine lakes and the glacier melt that feeds the Tsaagan Gol.EveningEvenings are at camp with the group, cooking, and an early night once the light goes.- Route
- Students leave Sogoog for the Altai Tavan Bogd mountain range, stop at the Bronze Age petroglyphs along the way, and base themselves at the park entrance for day hikes.
- Travel
- One road transfer out from the village at the start of the block, with the remaining days on foot from base camp.
- Overnight
- Students camp for four nights in tents at the park entrance, in shared, gender-separated tents, with no electricity, wifi or shower, and pit toilets.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are included on each of these program days and are eaten at camp or carried on the day hikes.
- Physical demand
- This is the hardest block of the program. Students hike on rough mountain ground on consecutive days, sleep on the ground in tents, and go the whole block without a shower.
- Learning outcome
- Students read the Bronze Age petroglyphs as a record of who lived in the Altai and how, and trace the water system on the day hikes from the grey glacier to the blue lakes, the mineral-rich river, and the green valleys below.
AccessibilityThis block camps in a remote mountain park with no power and no running water, and the hiking is on rough ground on four consecutive days, so any mobility or medical need has to be raised before travel and a plan agreed for the block. -
Day 10
Attend a Village Closing Ceremony
The group returns to Sogoog for a closing ceremony hosted by the village, a last meal with the service partners, and a debrief on the work students did in the community.
MorningStudents break camp in the mountains and drive back to Sogoog.AfternoonThe village hosts a closing ceremony for the group, and students say goodbye to the friends they made there.EveningA celebratory final meal with the service partners is followed by a post-service debrief on what the group did and learned in the community.- Route
- Students travel back from the Altai Tavan Bogd to Sogoog and spend the day in the village.
- Travel
- A road transfer back from the mountains to the village, with the rest of the day on foot in Sogoog.
- Overnight
- Students return to a ger in Sogoog for the night, on cots and in their own sleeping bags, with no electricity, wifi or shower, and pit toilets.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are included on this program day, and dinner is the celebratory final meal with the group's service partners.
- Physical demand
- This is a low-effort day after the camping block, with the drive back and the ceremony taking most of it.
- Learning outcome
- Students account in the post-service debrief for the work they did in Sogoog, who set it, and what it was for.
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Day 11
Return to City Life
A two-hour drive back to Ölgii and a flight to Ulaanbaatar. After a week in the west the group comes back to electricity, hot showers, and flushing toilets, and the afternoon and evening are set aside to rest and reflect.
MorningThe group makes the two-hour drive from Sogoog back to Ölgii.AfternoonStudents fly from Ölgii to Ulaanbaatar and check back into a guesthouse in the city.EveningThe group rests and reflects, with hot showers, power, and flushing toilets for the first time since it went west.- Route
- Students travel from Sogoog to Ölgii by road and fly from Ölgii back to Ulaanbaatar.
- Travel
- A two-hour drive to Ölgii in the morning, then the domestic flight east to Ulaanbaatar.
- Overnight
- Students stay in a guesthouse in Ulaanbaatar, with hot showers and flush toilets.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are included on this program day.
- Physical demand
- This is a low-effort day, mostly seated in a vehicle and on a plane, with bags to move at each change.
- Learning outcome
- Students set the pace and the services of the capital against the week they spent in the far west of the country.
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Day 12
Explore Ulaanbaatar Fair Trade Crafts and Culture
A last full day in the capital. Students shop the souvenir and craft stores, where the country's best known export is cashmere loomed from goat wool, then take in a cultural show of traditional dances, folk music from Mongolia's ethnic groups, and khoomi throat singing, and close the program with a reflection session and Rustic Ties.
MorningStudents visit Ulaanbaatar's souvenir and craft shops to buy for family and friends at home.AfternoonThe group looks at how cashmere is loomed from the wool of the goats herded across the region and finishes its shopping.EveningA cultural show covers traditional dances, folk music from Mongolia's ethnic groups, and khoomi throat singing, and the group closes with its reflection session and the Rustic Ties activity.- Route
- Students spend the day in Ulaanbaatar between the souvenir and craft shops and the venue for the evening cultural show.
- Travel
- Short moves across the city, with the rest of the day on foot.
- Overnight
- Students stay a second night in the same guesthouse in Ulaanbaatar, the last night of the program.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are included on this program day, and anything students buy while shopping comes out of their own spending money.
- Physical demand
- This is a low-effort day of walking between shops and a seated show in the evening.
- Learning outcome
- Students explain how cashmere travels from the goats herded across the region to the finished garment, and use the closing reflection to set what they engaged with in Bayan-Ölgii against their own communities at home.
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Day 13
Bayartai, Mongolia!
The Program Leaders take the group to the airport for the flight home. How much of the morning is free depends on the confirmed departure time.
MorningStudents pack, say their goodbyes, and look back over the program with their group.AfternoonThe Program Leaders take the group to Chinggis Khaan International Airport and check students in for the flight home.EveningStudents are in transit, and the routing home is set by the confirmed flight schedule.- Route
- Students transfer from the guesthouse in Ulaanbaatar to Chinggis Khaan International Airport.
- Travel
- A road transfer to the airport, then the international flights home, which sit outside the program price.
- Overnight
- Students spend the night in flight, or reach home the same day if the schedule allows.
- Meals
- Breakfast is included before airport drop-off, and meals after that depend on the airline itinerary.
- Physical demand
- This is a low-effort day with bags to move and long seated periods in transit.
- Customization
- The day is built around the confirmed departure time, so how much of the morning is free in Ulaanbaatar depends on the schedule.
Mongolia · Ulaanbaatar & Terelj
10 days · From $2,195
Terelj Park and Nomadic Service
Students work at a public school in a ger district outside Ulaanbaatar City, spend three nights at a ger camp in Terelj for a temple hike and archery, and study the Mongol Empire in the capital's museums.
Choose this programThe route connects Ulaanbaatar, Zaisan Memorial, Ger District, Chinggis Khaan Statue Complex, and Aryabal Temple.
- Ulaanbaatar2 nights
- Terelj ger3 nights
- Ulaanbaatar2 nights
Your ten-day itinerary
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Day 1
Depart for Mongolia
Students meet their group at their own home airport and fly together toward Mongolia. The departure city and flight schedule together decide total travel time.
MorningStudents meet their teachers, classmates, and chaperones at their home airport and check in as a group.AfternoonThe group clears security together and boards the first leg of the flight toward Mongolia.EveningStudents fly on through the evening, with airline meal service and rest set by the carrier.- Route
- Students travel from their home airport toward Mongolia.
- Travel
- The group flies in on an international commercial flight, and total travel time varies with the departure city and route.
- Overnight
- Students sleep in flight.
- Meals
- Meals before the group leaves and airline meal service sit outside the land program.
- Physical demand
- This is a low-effort day with airport walking, luggage handling, and long seated periods.
- Customization
- Departure day follows the school's confirmed flight schedule, so the routing and the connection times move with it.
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Day 2
In Transit Across the Dateline
A routing to Mongolia that crosses the international dateline takes this calendar day out of the itinerary. The day comes back on the flight home.
MorningStudents are in the air or moving between connections, depending on the routing the school has booked.AfternoonThe group crosses the international dateline, which is what takes this calendar day out of the itinerary.EveningStudents continue on toward Ulaanbaatar, with the arrival hour set by the confirmed flight schedule.- Route
- Students remain in transit toward Ulaanbaatar and cross the international dateline on the way.
- Travel
- The day is spent on international flights and in connections, and its length depends on the routing.
- Overnight
- Students sleep in flight.
- Meals
- Airline meal service sits outside the land program.
- Physical demand
- This is a low-effort day spent seated, with walking limited to the connections between flights.
- Customization
- Whether this day is spent entirely in transit depends on the routing, and it is returned on the flight home.
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Day 3
Land at Chinggis Khaan and settle in
Students land at Chinggis Khaan International Airport and meet the Program Leaders who stay with the group for the whole program. The group settles into a guesthouse in Ulaanbaatar and holds its orientation there.
MorningStudents are still in transit, and the arrival hour is set by the confirmed flight schedule.AfternoonThe group lands at Chinggis Khaan International Airport, clears immigration, meets its Program Leaders, and transfers to a guesthouse in Ulaanbaatar.EveningStudents unpack and rest, then join an orientation discussion on the week ahead, what is expected of the group, and an introduction to Mongolian culture.- Route
- Students arrive at Chinggis Khaan International Airport and transfer by road to a guesthouse in Ulaanbaatar.
- Travel
- International flights, then a road transfer into Ulaanbaatar. Arrival timing comes from the confirmed flight schedule.
- Overnight
- Students stay in a guesthouse in Ulaanbaatar.
- Meals
- Meals are included from pickup onward, so the first meal at the guesthouse is the first program meal.
- Physical demand
- This is a low-effort day built around arrival, unpacking, and rest after the long flight.
- Learning outcome
- Students state what the two halves of the program are, the days in Ulaanbaatar and the service and steppe days out of the city, and what each will ask of them.
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Day 4
Zaisan Memorial and the Capital's Museums
A day in Ulaanbaatar built around the country's history. Students climb the 300 steps to Zaisan Memorial for views over the city, trace the nomads and the Mongol Empire at the National Museum of Mongolia, and finish with the games and puzzles at the International Intellectual Museum.
MorningStudents climb the 300 steps to Zaisan Memorial and look out over Ulaanbaatar from the hillside.AfternoonThe group works through the history of the nomads and the Mongol Empire at the National Museum of Mongolia.EveningStudents take on the games and puzzles at the International Intellectual Museum, then return to the guesthouse.- Route
- Students stay in Ulaanbaatar, moving between Zaisan Memorial, the National Museum of Mongolia, and the International Intellectual Museum.
- Travel
- Short local transfers connect the day's stops inside the city, with no long drives.
- Overnight
- Students stay a second night in the same guesthouse in Ulaanbaatar.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are included on this program day.
- Physical demand
- This is a moderate-effort day. The climb to Zaisan Memorial is 300 steps, and the two museums add several hours on foot.
- Learning outcome
- Students account for the rise of the Mongol Empire and the nomadic society it grew out of, using the National Museum's collection.
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Day 5
Service at a Ger District School
The group travels out to a ger district beyond Ulaanbaatar City and spends the day at a public school there, working to make the building a more comfortable place for its children to learn in.
The district is not connected to water or sewage lines. The night is at a ger camp in Terelj.
MorningStudents pack for the move out of the city and travel by road to the ger district beyond Ulaanbaatar City.AfternoonThe group works at the public school on the improvements the school has identified for its building.EveningStudents continue on to the ger camp in Terelj and settle in for the first of three nights there.- Route
- Students leave Ulaanbaatar for a ger district outside Ulaanbaatar City, work at the public school there, and continue on to a ger camp in Terelj.
- Travel
- The group travels by road out to the ger district and on to the ger camp in Terelj afterward.
- Overnight
- Students move out of the guesthouse and stay at a ger camp in Terelj, the first of three nights in the same beds.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are included on this program day.
- Physical demand
- This is a moderate-effort day with a road transfer and several hours of hands-on work at the school, including standing and carrying.
- Learning outcome
- Students describe the conditions the school works in and what the day's tasks were meant to address.
- Customization
- The work is set by what the school needs at the time of the visit, so the specific tasks are confirmed close to travel.
PreparationStudents work in closed-toe shoes and clothes that can get dirty, and carry a full water bottle to the work site on both service days. -
Day 6
Cultural Shows and the Chinggis Khaan Statue
The service block closes with a show put on by the students at the school, and the group is asked to have a performance of its own ready in return.
The drive back stops at the 130-foot Chinggis Khaan equestrian sculpture, the largest equestrian sculpture in the world. The evening is a debrief on the work.
MorningStudents return to the public school in the ger district and finish the work they started the day before.AfternoonThe school's own students put on a cultural show to close the service block, and the group performs one of its own in return.EveningThe drive back to camp stops at the 130-foot Chinggis Khaan equestrian sculpture, and Program Leaders then run a post-service debrief at the ger camp on what the group did and what students took from it.- Route
- Students travel from the ger camp back to the school in the ger district, then return toward camp by way of the Chinggis Khaan Statue Complex.
- Travel
- The day is covered by road between the ger camp, the school in the ger district, and the Chinggis Khaan Statue Complex.
- Overnight
- Students stay a second night at the same ger camp in Terelj.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are included on this program day.
- Physical demand
- This is a moderate-effort day with a last work shift, time on the road, and standing at the statue complex.
- Learning outcome
- Students account in the debrief for what the group did at the school and how the work sat alongside the school's own day.
- Customization
- The group is asked to perform a cultural show of its own, so students choose and rehearse what they will present before travel.
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Day 7
Aryabal Temple, Archery, and a Herding Family
A hike up to Aryabal Temple in Terelj, with time there to talk over what the program has shown the group so far. The afternoon is a lesson in archery, a traditional Mongolian sport, and the day closes at a herding family's ger with the dairy products the family makes.
MorningStudents hike up to Aryabal Temple and spend time there reflecting on the program so far.AfternoonAn instructor takes the group through a lesson in archery, a traditional Mongolian sport.EveningStudents visit a herding family and try the different dairy products the family makes, then return to the ger camp.- Route
- Students stay in Terelj, walking up to Aryabal Temple and moving on to the archery lesson and a herding family's ger.
- Travel
- Short local moves around Terelj, with the temple itself reached on foot.
- Overnight
- Students stay a third night at the same ger camp in Terelj.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are included on this program day, and the stop with the herding family adds a tasting of the dairy products they make.
- Physical demand
- This is a moderate-effort day. The walk up to Aryabal Temple climbs steadily on rough ground, and the archery lesson is outdoors and on foot.
- Learning outcome
- Students describe how a herding family makes and uses its dairy products, and what place archery holds in Mongolian tradition.
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Day 8
Back to Ulaanbaatar Across Open Country
The group packs out of the ger camp and drives back to Ulaanbaatar across open country, watching for snowy and icy patches on the road and for camels crossing it. A family's ger on the way is a stop for tea, and the group reaches the city in time for a hot dinner of dumplings or noodles.
MorningStudents pack out of the ger camp in Terelj and start the drive back toward Ulaanbaatar.AfternoonThe road runs across open country, with snowy and icy patches to watch for and camels crossing it, and the group stops at a family's ger for tea.EveningStudents arrive back in Ulaanbaatar, check into the guesthouse, and sit down to a hot dinner of dumplings or noodles.- Route
- Students travel from the ger camp in Terelj back to Ulaanbaatar, stopping at a family's ger on the way.
- Travel
- A road transfer covers the day, with a stop for tea partway and arrival in the city before dinner.
- Overnight
- Students move back into a guesthouse in Ulaanbaatar.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are included on this program day, and dinner in the city is a hot meal of dumplings or noodles.
- Physical demand
- This is a low-effort day, mostly seated in a vehicle, with short stops out of it.
- Learning outcome
- Students describe how the country between Terelj and Ulaanbaatar is used and how the family they stop with lives on it.
- Customization
- Road conditions set the pace of the day, so the stops along the way can move.
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Day 9
Fair Trade Shopping, Throat Singing, and Rustic Ties
The last full day is in Ulaanbaatar.
Students shop for souvenirs at fair trade stores, then watch a cultural show of traditional dance, music from several of Mongolia's ethnic groups, and khoomi throat singing. The program closes with a reflection session and the Rustic Ties activity.
MorningStudents spend the morning souvenir shopping at fair trade stores in Ulaanbaatar.AfternoonThe group watches a cultural show of traditional dance, music from several of Mongolia's ethnic groups, and khoomi throat singing.EveningProgram Leaders run the closing reflection on what students engaged with and how they will use it at home, and the group takes part in Rustic Ties.- Route
- Students stay in Ulaanbaatar, moving between the fair trade stores and the venue for the cultural show.
- Travel
- Short local transfers around the city, with no long drives.
- Overnight
- Students stay a final night in the same guesthouse in Ulaanbaatar.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are included on this program day.
- Physical demand
- This is a low-effort day with walking between shops in the city and time seated at the show.
- Learning outcome
- Students name the musical forms the show covers, khoomi throat singing among them, and use the closing reflection to set the service days against the rest of the program.
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Day 10
Bayartai, Mongolia
Students say goodbye to Mongolia and to the Program Leaders who have been with the group all program. Program Leaders take the group to the airport for the flight home.
MorningStudents pack, check out of the guesthouse, and say goodbye to their Program Leaders and to the group.AfternoonThe group transfers to Chinggis Khaan International Airport when the departure time requires and checks in for the flight home.EveningStudents fly home, and the calendar day spent crossing the dateline on the way out comes back on the return.- Route
- Students transfer from the guesthouse in Ulaanbaatar to Chinggis Khaan International Airport.
- Travel
- A road transfer to the airport, then the international flights home. The timing follows the confirmed departure.
- Overnight
- Students spend the night in flight, or reach home the same day if the schedule allows.
- Meals
- Breakfast is included. What happens after airport drop-off depends on the airline itinerary.
- Physical demand
- This is a low-effort day with luggage handling and long seated periods in transit.
- Customization
- The day is built around the confirmed flight time, so how much of the morning is free depends on the schedule.
Mongolia · Ulaanbaatar & Terelj
6 days · From $2,175
Serving under the Eternal Sky
Students work on educational enrichment and infrastructure projects at a public school in Ulaanbaatar with local students, then move out to Terelj National Park for a hike to a Buddhist monastery and a day with a herder family.
Choose this programThe route connects Ulaanbaatar, Terelj National Park, Aryabal Temple, Chinggis Khaan Statue Complex, and Ger District.
- Ulaanbaatar1 night
- Hostel, then ger2 nights
- Terelj ger1 night
- Ulaanbaatar1 night
Your six-day itinerary
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Day 1
Arrive in Ulaanbaatar
Students land in Ulaanbaatar, meet the Program Leaders who stay with the group for the whole program, and check in at the hostel that is the group's base in the city. The day closes with a welcome dinner and orientation.
MorningStudents are still in transit, and the arrival hour is set by the confirmed flight schedule.AfternoonThe group lands in Ulaanbaatar, meets its Program Leaders and transfers from the airport to the hostel.EveningA welcome dinner and the program orientation set out the six days and what is expected of the group.- Route
- Students arrive in Ulaanbaatar and travel from the airport to the hostel that is the group's base in the city.
- Travel
- Arrival is by international flight into Ulaanbaatar, then a road transfer to the hostel. International flights sit outside the program, and the arrival hour depends on the confirmed schedule.
- Overnight
- Students stay in a hostel in Ulaanbaatar, the first of the program's five nights. The property is confirmed before travel.
- Meals
- Meals are included from pickup onward, so the welcome dinner is the first program meal.
- Physical demand
- This is a low-effort day built around arrival, check-in and rest after the flight.
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Days 2-3
School Service in Ulaanbaatar, then the Drive to Terelj
Two days on the school project in Ulaanbaatar: educational enrichment sessions and infrastructure work on tasks the school has already identified, a sports competition with local students and a performing arts demonstration. The block closes with the transfer out of the city to Terelj National Park.
MorningMornings go to the school project, where students join the educational enrichment work and the infrastructure improvements the school has set.AfternoonAfternoons bring the group together with local students for a sports competition and a performing arts demonstration.EveningThe second day ends with the drive out of Ulaanbaatar to Terelj National Park and the move into the ger camp.- Route
- Students work at a public school in Ulaanbaatar across both days, then travel out of the city to Terelj National Park at the end of the block.
- Travel
- Movement is local within Ulaanbaatar while the school project runs, followed by a road transfer out to Terelj National Park.
- Overnight
- The first of these two nights is in the hostel in Ulaanbaatar. The second is in the traditional ger camp in Terelj, after the transfer out of the city.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included on both of these program days.
- Physical demand
- These are moderate-effort days. The infrastructure work is hands-on and on your feet, and the sports competition with local students is active.
- Learning outcome
- Students describe what the school asked this group to do, and where the educational enrichment and the infrastructure work sit inside projects that were running before the group arrived.
- Customization
- The group joins infrastructure and educational enrichment projects that are already under way, so the specific task is set by the school and confirmed close to travel.
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Day 4
Aryabal Temple and a Herder Family
A hike up to Aryabal Temple, a Buddhist monastery in Terelj National Park, then a visit to a nomadic herder family for traditional cheese making, an archery lesson and Mongolian games. The day closes with a barbecue dinner at the camp.
MorningStudents hike up to Aryabal Temple, a Buddhist monastery in Terelj National Park.AfternoonThe group visits a nomadic herder family, makes cheese the way the household makes it, takes a traditional archery lesson and plays Mongolian games, including the ankle bone games.EveningDinner is a barbecue, and the group spends a second night in the ger camp.- Route
- Students stay in Terelj National Park, moving between the ger camp, Aryabal Temple and a herder family's camp.
- Travel
- There is no long road travel today. The group moves locally within Terelj National Park, and the temple is reached on foot.
- Overnight
- Students stay a second night in the traditional ger camp in Terelj.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included, and dinner is a barbecue.
- Physical demand
- This is a moderate-effort day and the day that carries the program's hiking. The walk up to the temple is on rough ground, and the cheese making, archery and games are all hands-on.
- Learning outcome
- Students take part in cheese making, traditional archery and Mongolian games with a herding household, and can describe how that household works through its day.
AccessibilityThe walk up to Aryabal Temple is a hike on rough ground, so any mobility or medical need has to be raised before travel and an alternative agreed for the day. -
Day 5
Chinggis Khaan Statue Complex and a Ger District
The group leaves Terelj for Ulaanbaatar and stops at the Chinggis Khaan Statue Complex and its museum on the way. The afternoon is a walk through a ger district in the city, looking at how households there have adapted to urban life, and the day ends with fair-trade souvenir shopping.
MorningStudents pack out of the ger camp and start the drive back toward Ulaanbaatar.AfternoonThe group stops at the Chinggis Khaan Statue Complex and its museum, then walks a ger district in Ulaanbaatar to see how families there have adapted to city life.EveningStudents shop for fair-trade souvenirs and settle back into the hostel in Ulaanbaatar.- Route
- Students travel from Terelj back to Ulaanbaatar, stopping at the Chinggis Khaan Statue Complex, then move into a ger district in the city.
- Travel
- A road transfer covers the return from Terelj to Ulaanbaatar, with the stop at the statue complex built into the drive and short city moves afterward.
- Overnight
- Students return to the hostel in Ulaanbaatar for the last night of the program.
- Meals
- This program day includes breakfast, lunch and dinner.
- Physical demand
- This is a moderate-effort day: time seated in the vehicle, then walking at the statue complex and on unpaved ground in the ger district.
- Learning outcome
- Students explain why most of Ulaanbaatar's population lives in the ger districts without full basic infrastructure, and set what they see there against the herding household they spent the previous day with.
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Day 6
Airport Transfer and Departure
The group transfers from the hostel to the airport in Ulaanbaatar and flies home. The shape of the day is set by the confirmed departure time.
MorningStudents pack out of the hostel in Ulaanbaatar, and how much of the morning is free depends on the confirmed departure time.AfternoonProgram Leaders take the group to the airport and check students in for the flight home.EveningStudents are in the air, with connections and arrival time set by the confirmed schedule.- Route
- Students transfer from the hostel in Ulaanbaatar to the airport.
- Travel
- A road transfer reaches the airport in Ulaanbaatar, followed by the international flights home. The routing and the total duration depend on the confirmed schedule.
- Overnight
- Students spend the night in flight, or reach home the same day if the schedule allows. The program's fifth and last night is the hostel night on day 5.
- Meals
- Meals are included up to airport drop-off, and meal service after that depends on the airline itinerary.
- Physical demand
- This is a low-effort day of the transfer and long seated periods in transit.
- Customization
- The day is built around the confirmed flight time, so how much of the morning the group has in Ulaanbaatar is set close to travel.
What applies across every itinerary
- Group and adults
- Programs start at 10 students, and one adult place is complimentary for every eight paying students.
- Rooming
- Students use shared, gender-separated accommodation, and every student has an individual bed. In Ulaanbaatar that is a guesthouse or hostel room; on the steppe it is a ger.
- Price
- Displayed prices cover the land program. Flights to and from the program, travel insurance, medical insurance, and personal spending are separate.
- Flights and documents
- Your school books international flights or asks Rustic Pathways to arrange them. Families arrange passports and visas, with Rustic Pathways guidance.
- Supervision
- Program Leaders operate the itinerary during scheduled activities and are housed on site and available overnight. The final approved itinerary identifies any free time or supervision exception on the relevant day.
- Effort
- A low-effort day involves limited walking, a moderate-effort day involves sustained walking on varied surfaces, and a high-effort day involves strenuous or technical activity.
- Flexibility
- Fixed days cannot move independently, linked days move only with connected park or park-gate reservations, and adjustable days can change without restructuring the entire program.
Where do students sleep in Mongolia, and what is in the room?
Students in Mongolia sleep in Ulaanbaatar guesthouses or hostels, traditional ger camps, and, on Off the Map, tents in the Altai Tavan Bogd.
Guesthouses and hostels have beds, showers, electricity, and flush toilets. Gers have beds around the walls and a central stove, with washing and toilet facilities in a separate block outside.
Sleeping conditions become more rustic on Off the Map.
Students stay in a host village at Sogoog and camp in the Altai Tavan Bogd without mains power or plumbing before returning to Ulaanbaatar for hot showers, electricity, and flush toilets. Serving under the Eternal Sky and Terelj Park and Nomadic Service offer ger stays without the remote camping stretch.
How much does a school trip to Mongolia cost?
A school trip to Mongolia costs $2,175 to $3,770 per student for program tuition, or approximately $220 to $362 per day. Tuition covers lodging, meals, airport transfers, in-country transport, scheduled activities, guides, and entrance fees.
Schools receive one complimentary program tuition place for every eight paying students. Airfare is not included.
Prices include accommodation, meals, in-country transportation, and scheduled activities but exclude international airfare, travel insurance, and medical insurance.
No fixed departure sets the price. Dates, group size, itinerary and lodging do.
Every Mongolia itinerary is quoted for your group, so the range is a planning figure rather than a fixed fare. All prices are USD per student.
What every Mongolia school trip includes
- Accommodation for every program night
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner and drinking water
- Airport transfers and in-country transport
- Scheduled activities, guides and entrance fees
- At least two trained Program Leaders, including both a male and a female leader
- Community donations required by a service project, paid by Rustic Pathways and never collected from students
- Enrolled families receive a 24/7 emergency number for use during programs and travel days.
- Pre-departure planning and school documentation
- One teacher travels free for every eight paying students
Not included: international airfare, travel insurance, medical insurance, personal spending money, passport or visa fees, and vaccinations.
What changes the price of a school trip to Mongolia?
Five variables change the price of a school trip to Mongolia: season, trip length, group size, chaperones, and accommodations.
- SeasonShoulder dates come in below peak and holiday weeks. Mongolia trips run year-round, and June to September is the warmest stretch.
- Trip lengthShorter trips can cost more per day because fixed costs spread across fewer days. Mongolia itineraries run 6 to 13 days, and beyond that the season and what the itinerary includes matter more than length alone.
- Group sizeLarger groups lower the per-student price. Programs start at 10 students with no upper cap, and the school sets the final size.
- ChaperonesOne teacher place is free for every eight paying students, so a group of 16 students earns two free places, 24 earns three, and 40 earns five. Additional chaperone seats are shared across the group and change the per-student price.
- AccommodationsLodging tier moves the price directly. A higher-tier hotel in Terelj costs more than a standard ger camp or a three-star option in Ulaanbaatar, and Rustic Pathways can arrange either.
Payment and cancellation
Installment plans are available. Review the current enrollment terms.
| Within 24 hours of enrollment | Full refund |
|---|---|
| More than 70 days before departure | Amount paid less the deposit and 100% of ticketed airfare |
| 41 to 70 days before departure | Amount paid less 50% of the per-traveler cost and ticketed airfare |
| 40 days or less before departure | No refund |
Cancellation is made in writing, per the enrollment terms. A deposit applies on the Group Travel Monthly Installment plan.
Travel insurance never changes these terms, and Rustic Pathways issues no refund or credit for an amount an insurer does not cover. Read the full enrollment terms.
What do students learn on a Mongolia school trip?
Students on Mongolia school trips study nomadic pastoralism, the Mongol Empire, Buddhism, urbanization, service learning, and Kazakh culture through firsthand experiences across Mongolia.
Service Learning
Work with students and staff at a public school in Ulaanbaatar’s ger districts.
What does a school need most, and who decides before a visiting group arrives?
Terelj Park and Nomadic Service
Geography
Compare central Ulaanbaatar with its ger districts and trace migration from the steppe.
Why do many Ulaanbaatar residents live in ger districts without water or sewer connections?
Serving under the Eternal Sky
Art and Design
Learn Kazakh handicraft sewing and dombor music in Bayan-Ölgii, and study Bronze Age petroglyphs in the Altai.
How does Kazakh culture preserve identity through art, music, and ancient imagery?
Off the Map
What makes Rustic Pathways educational trips different?
A Rustic Pathways school trip is one private group on your school's own dates, one bed per student, and an itinerary built to your curriculum.
- 01No mixed groups. Just your school
- 02One student, one bed
- 03Your school picks the dates
- 04Monthly payment plans available
- 05No tipping; Rustic Pathways Program Tuition includes community donations
- 06Aligned to your curriculum
Who supervises and manages the trip to Mongolia?
School chaperones and Rustic Pathways Program Leaders supervise and manage the school trip to Mongolia together.
Rustic Pathways manages the itinerary, accommodation, ground transport, activities and emergency procedures; your school manages its own student conduct and communication policies.
Your school can book international flights directly or ask Rustic Pathways to arrange them. Families receive trip logistics and itinerary information through the MyRustic web app.
How safety is managed on a school trip to Mongolia?
Program Leaders manage local operations and safety procedures alongside school chaperones. Across 13 years of published incident data from every Rustic Pathways program worldwide, 87% of reports were GREEN, the minor tier where the group stays intact.
What the team plans for
Ulaanbaatar and the ger districts
City traffic and the 300-step climb to Zaisan Memorial, and hands-on work days at a ger-district school with no piped water or sewage connection.
Terelj National Park
The hike to Aryabal Temple climbs on rough ground and is the day the program's hiking effort concentrates on. The drive back to Ulaanbaatar crosses open country with snow, ice and camels on the road.
The Altai Tavan Bogd trekking route
Four consecutive days of hiking on rough ground while camping in a remote mountain park with no power or running water. Any mobility or medical need has to be raised before travel so a plan for the remote block is agreed in advance.
Controls built into every trip
Written risk plan. A score above 5 requires new controls, reassessment or cancellation.
Two-Deep Leadership. A single staff member is never alone with students, and at least two trained Program Leaders, including both a male and a female leader, support each School Group Travel trip.
Assessed activity vendors. School-service, ger-stay and trekking partners are reviewed before use, every one to two years, and on site when high risk.
Medical readiness. WFR coverage for remote programs and Dr. William R. Smith, dedicated Medical Director since 2015.
When to travel to Mongolia
Mongolia is colder, for longer, than most schools expect. October and November are already winter, and the nights are cool even in July.
Days · What the daytime feels like
Nights · Cool or cold in every month of the year
Rustic Pathways school trips to Mongolia can operate year-round, with each season offering different experiences.
June to September brings warmer days and is best suited to hiking, camping, and travel in Terelj National Park and the Altai. Winter trips offer a colder, distinctly different experience and require itineraries, activities, and packing plans designed for winter conditions.
Is Rustic Pathways the right Mongolia partner for your school?
Yes, Rustic Pathways is the right partner for private, curriculum-focused school trips to Mongolia. Your school chooses the travel dates, and Rustic Pathways builds the itinerary around your curriculum.
Students travel only with their teachers and classmates and never join another school's group. Individual students can join open enrollment teen travel programs to Mongolia instead.
A strong fit if
- One private group, your dates, your teachers.
- You can travel for 6 to 13 days.
- You want the day-by-day before you commit.
Worth a conversation first if
- A student has significant mobility, medical or mental-health support needs, or a specialized dietary or religious accommodation
- You have fewer than 10 students, the minimum for a school group trip
- Your travel dates fall outside June to September, so the itinerary, the activities and the packing plan are built for cold conditions
Probably not the right fit if
- You are an individual student or parent looking for open enrollment teen travel programs to Mongolia.
- You are comparing packaged educational tours or school expeditions where several schools travel together on the same published dates.
- You need a confirmed departure date before a proposal and planning cycle.
Individual support needs are planned into the itinerary. If a student has mobility, medical, sensory, or mental-health support needs, raise it early and Rustic Pathways builds the route around it.
Questions about school trips to Mongolia
The questions schools ask most before requesting a Mongolia proposal, answered from the itineraries and prices on this page.
How much does a school trip to Mongolia cost?
A Rustic Pathways school trip to Mongolia costs $2,175 to $3,770 per student for 6 to 13 days, excluding international airfare.
Pricing varies by trip length, season, and group size. Groups start at 10 students, with one free teacher place for every eight paying students.
What is the best month to go to Mongolia?
July is one of the best months to go to Mongolia for a school trip, with warmer conditions suited to hiking, camping, Terelj National Park, and the Altai. Rustic Pathways also operates Mongolia trips year-round, including winter programs designed for colder conditions.
Have a question before you ask for a proposal?
Keegan Kennedy answers Mongolia school-trip questions with the school travel team.
Send your group size, dates, trip length, and what you want students to learn. I’ll reply within 1 business day and send you options within 48 hours, and no sales call unless you ask for one.
Start your Mongolia trip proposal
Share your travel dates, group size, and student learning goals. Receive a reply within 1 business day and custom Mongolia trip options within 48 hours.
Or reach a person directly: +1 440-975-9691 or groups@rusticpathways.com
Have a school expeditions or tour operator quote?
Send it over. Rustic Pathways will show you what’s possible for the same budget.
Need approval or funding first?
Certificate of insurance, risk management plans, and fundraising templates for families, on request.
Need help fundraising?
Rustic Pathways provides parent-letter and sponsor-letter templates, plus a fundraising ideas sheet, to help families cover the cost.
Destinations related to Mongolia
Browse all school trip destinations- Rustic Pathways has operated student travel since 1983. Recent industry recognition:
- 2026 GoAbroad Innovation AwardsInnovation in Adventure-Based Programming · Global Adventure Learning Model
- 2025 International Travel AwardsBest Group Tour Operator
- 2024 Skift IDEA AwardsIndustry Innovators – Tour Operators
- 4x WYSETC Best Youth Tour Operator2015, 2017, 2018, 2019
- BBB A+ RatingBetter Business Bureau profile
- NESA Affiliate OrganizationNear East South Asia Council of Overseas Schools
- 2025 World Travel AwardsUnited States’ Leading Tour Operator