MONGOLIA & CHINA 28 DAYS

Transcription

1 MONGOLIA & CHINA 28 DAYS

2 Step off the plane into a world of nomads and eagle hunters, where wild horses gallop across vast uninhabited deserts and grasslands. Mongolia is a place where the ancient traditions of the past are still practiced today. Get to know the people of this magical land in the unique capital, Ulaanbaatar, before heading for the horizon on horseback across the endless steppe. Travel on to a whole different world, the bright lights of Beijing - where you can try fried scorpions at the markets! Then enter the Forbidden City before venturing along a section of the 8850km Great Wall of China! HIGHLIGHTS The purpose of this brief is to introduce your expedition opportunity. It will give you a feel for the destination and the type of activities that you will be involved in. We hope this brief snapshot will leave you feeling inspired and wanting more! Traverse the Steppe by horseback Trek through one of Earth s greatest wildernesses Help on an inspirational project Explore Beijing; a mega-city of the ancient and modern world Witness a wonder of the world - the Great Wall of China Mongolia & China Expedition Guide

3 MONGOLIA & CHINA PHYSICAL RATING: Moderately challenging. CULTURE SHOCK: Eye-opening - You will experience a very different world! ALTITUDE: The expedition will not pass over 3500m. VISA: Required for British nationals. DESTINATION FACTS RELIGION/S: Buddhism, Islam, indigenous beliefs. CULTURAL OR HISTORICAL INTEREST: Mongolia is the world s most sparsely populated country and over a third of people are nomadic. LANGUAGES: Mongolian, Chinese. GEOGRAPHY: The Gobi desert, mountains and steppe cover Mongolia, while rolling hills, grasslands, canyons and lush greenery follow the route to Beijing. CLIMATE: Mongolia is dry with warm summers at low altitudes and very cold winters at all altitudes. Beijing has hot and humid summers with cool winters. MONGOLIA & CHINA 3 outlookexpeditions.com

4 POSSIBLE EXPERIENCES At the Itinerary Development Day, with guidance from one of our destination experts, the team will be able to choose from options to finalise their itinerary. The choices may include the project they work with, the challenge level and type of trek and where they go for some rest and relaxation! ADVENTURE Take a trek in the stunning northeastern slopes of the Khangai Mountains, around Tsetserleg in the Arkhangai province. Journey through magnificent valleys nestled between rolling hills and rugged mountains where crystal clear lakes and meandering rivers cut through the landscape. End your trek at the Tsenger Hot Springs where the waters of the spring flow remarkably hot, but are cooled by attending staff using a system of gates and water from the nearby river. Experience the life of a Mongolian nomad with a horseback ride through the open steppe in the Bohog area, passing stunning mountain landscapes on the way. You will be accompanied by English speaking guides who will assist you with riding the horses as well as giving you an indepth insight into the history, culture and landscape of Mongolia. Enjoy the ultimate train journey across central Asia to Beijing! Spend the day watching the Mongolian landscape rush past the windows, and watch as the landscape changes from dusty plains to soaring mountains and lush green valleys as you journey across China. Once in Beijing, explore some of the many historical sites, including Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden Palace, Temple of Heaven, vast spellbinding markets and of course the Great Wall of China! Mongolia & China Expedition Guide

5 PROJECT Bayasgalant, Mongolian for Happy, is a day-care centre for 50 children aged between 6-13 years. Instead of being left alone at home, hanging around or living on the streets; children from some of the poorest families attend the centre where they get healthy meals, education and can play in a safe environment. Through their unique philosophy of helping people help themselves, Bayasgalant has become an influential and sustainable part of the community. For four years, Outlook groups have been heavily involved in building and renovation work at the Bayasgalant day care centre, enabling the number of children who attend to grow from 50 to 130. The next step is to renovate a building to provide a kindergarten at the centre. The children that Bayasgalant work with have very little to look forward to. Our teams also support the volunteers to take them to local countryside on summer camps for many the only holiday they will ever have and a chance to escape their day-to-day struggles. outlookexpeditions.com5

6 EXAMPLE ITINERARY The below itinerary has been created by our Expedition Planner as a guide. DAY 1-4 DAY 5-10 DAY DAY Fly from the UK to the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar. Spend a couple of days acclimatising to your new surroundings and time-zone. Soak up the unique culture whilst learning some useful phrases! Travel to your project on the outskirts of the city. You will be working at a day care centre for some of Mongolia s most underprivileged children, playing games, teaching or helping with simple renovation work. Say goodbye to your new friends and prepare to set off on a five day trek into the wilds of Mongolia. After your trek you will come across a hot spring where you can enjoy a relaxing soak in the luxurious hot waters! Travel back to Ulaanbaatar and stock up on supplies before setting off on an ancient Mongolian experience - an unforgettable horse trek across the steppe! DAY Take a spectacular train journey across central Asia to the bright lights of Beijing. DAY DAY 28 Enjoy four days of touring the ancient and modern wonders of Beijing. You could choose to visit Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and the Great Wall of China. Celebrate the successful completion of your expedition with a group meal out. Travel to the airport and fly back to the UK for your homecoming. Due to the changing nature of the world over the build up period, Outlook may be required to change aspects of, or the order of the itinerary. Outlook will consult with the Link Teacher/Group Leader and all participants if this is the case. Mongolia & China Expedition Guide

7 WHAT S INCLUDED UK BUILD UP* Itinerary Development Day Expedition Development Day Final Preparation Day TRAINING Expedition Training weekend in the UK with your Expedition Leader. LINK TEACHER TRAINING* Leader Team Training event including first aid. LEADER TEAM COMPOSITION At least 1 Link Teacher and an Outlook Expedition Leader. FLIGHTS International flights. INSURANCE Comprehensive overseas insurance. TRANSPORT All overseas transport. IN DESTINATION All food and accommodation. All group activities including any entrance fees. All R&R activity. WHAT S NOT INCLUDED Spending money for gifts / souvenirs whilst on expedition. Inoculations, prophylaxis and personal medicine. (All participants based in England and Wales receive 10% discount at Nomad Travel). Visas and passports please see page 3 to see which visas are required. Personal belongings insurance (this may be covered by your household / contents insurance). Cancellation insurance. Personal equipment (e.g. rucksack, sleeping bag, waterproof clothing); all participants receive 15% discount at Cotswold Outdoor. Transport to and from UK-based training courses, to the Final Preparation Day venue and from the airport. Food and accommodation in the UK, unless specified. * Please see website for more information. outlookexpeditions.com7

8 HOW TO LAUNCH YOUR EXPEDITION We hope you have decided that this is the expedition for your school or group. To launch all you need to do is follow these steps: CONTACT YOUR REGIONAL MANAGER Discuss convenient dates for us to come and run an assembly and information evening. Once these dates have been agreed you will be assigned a School Account Manager. They will become your point of contact at Outlook from now until after your return from the expedition. PRESENTATION AT YOUR SCHOOL We will run an assembly presentation for your students and an information evening for students and parents at your school or venue. APPLY ONLINE Students will apply online to join the expedition and pay a deposit. phone INFO@OUTLOOKEXPEDITIONS.COM online