Exploring the Eternal Blue Sky: A Five-Day Journey in Mongolia

There's a particular kind of quiet that settles over you the moment you step off the plane in Ulaanbaatar — the sense that you've arrived somewhere the modern world hasn't fully caught up with yet. For Mrs. Dao Ly and her family, travelling from Vietnam, this was the beginning of a five-night journey through Mongolia's capital, its sacred mountains, its nomadic heartland, and its whispering sand dunes. Here's how their story unfolded.

Day 1 — Touching Down Under the Eternal Blue Sky

The journey began with a warm arrival transfer straight from the airport to a comfortable 4-star hotel in the heart of Ulaanbaatar, where breakfast each morning would become a small daily ritual before the adventures ahead. After a long flight, there's nothing quite like settling into a Standard Twin Room, knowing that Mongolia's wide-open landscapes are waiting just beyond the city lights.

Day 2 — Where Faith, History, and City Life Meet

Ulaanbaatar reveals itself slowly, and the second day was dedicated entirely to it. The morning began at Gandan Monastery, Mongolia's largest Buddhist monastery, where the 26-metre Migjid Janraisig Buddha stands in golden silence and the low hum of morning prayers fills the air — a moment that tends to stay with travelers long after they've left.

From there, the group moved to Sukhbaatar (Chinggis Khan) Square, the symbolic heart of the city, framed by government buildings and towering statues of Mongolia's founding figures. A traditional Mongolian lunch followed — buuz and khuushuur, the kind of hearty, steam-and-fry comfort food that instantly explains why Mongolians swear by their cuisine in the cold months.

The afternoon turned to history at the Genghis Khan National Museum, tracing Mongolia's story from the Hun Empire through to the age of the Great Khan himself. As the sun began to dip, dinner was served in true Mongolian style, and the day closed at Zaisan Memorial, where the entire city unfolds beneath you in a blanket of lights — arguably one of the best night views in Ulaanbaatar.

Day 3 — Into the Hills

Day three traded skyline for skyline of a different kind: mountains. Bogd Khan Mountain, just 15–20 km south of the capital, offered easy-to-moderate hiking trails with sweeping views over the city and the surrounding steppe. At its base, the Bogd Khan Palace & Museum gave a quieter, more intimate look into Mongolia's royal and religious history.

Along the trails, the group paused for birdwatching and a picnic in the open grass — the kind of unhurried break that Mongolia seems built for. The day wound down with a stop at the lively Narantuul Market and the State Department Store, perfect for picking up cashmere, felt crafts, and last-minute souvenirs before heading further into the countryside.

Day 4 — Terelj National Park: Sleeping Under the Stars

If there's a single day that defines a Mongolia trip, it's this one. The group set off for Terelj National Park, one of the country's most scenic protected areas, where the accommodation for the night was a traditional ger — the round, felt-covered yurt that has sheltered Mongolian nomads for centuries.

The day was packed with everything that makes Terelj special: hiking and trekking through dramatic rock formations, a visit to the iconic Turtle Rock, and a horseback ride across open grassland — for many travelers, their first time on a horse and an experience they don't forget. Riverside picnics, local crafts, and warm nomadic hospitality rounded out the afternoon. But it was the night that stole the show: with zero light pollution for miles, the sky over Terelj turns into a dense field of stars, and falling asleep in a ger under that kind of sky is something no city can replicate.

Day 5 — Camels, Dunes, and the Ancient Capital

From the green hills of Terelj to golden sand, day five took the group to Elsen Tasarkhai, affectionately known as the "Mini Gobi." Here, camel safaris across the dunes offered a taste of desert life without the long journey to the true Gobi further south — ideal for travelers with limited time who still want that classic Mongolian desert moment.

The day continued toward Kharkhorin, the ancient capital of the Mongol Empire, rich with history from the days of Genghis Khan's descendants. At the ger camps along the way, the group sampled traditional Mongolian drinks — suutei tsai (milk tea) and boortsog (fried pastries), with a chance, depending on the season, to try airag, fermented mare's milk and something of a rite of passage for any visitor to Mongolia.

Day 6 — Farewell, Mongolia

The final morning was left free before the airport transfer, giving the group one last quiet moment to take it all in — the monasteries, the mountain trails, the horseback rides, the nights under an impossibly starry sky — before catching their international flight home.

From the temples of Ulaanbaatar to the dunes of the Mini Gobi, this five-night itinerary captures Mongolia at its most complete: sacred, wild, and endlessly open. Blissera Tours designed this private journey for a family of three from Vietnam — if you're dreaming of your own Mongolia adventure, we'd love to help you plan it.

Blissera Tours | blissera.org | @blisseratours

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