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NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

Jeremy Clarkson reveals behind-the-scenes secret of The Grand Tour’s Mongolia special

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Jeremy Clarkson has revealed how The Grand Tour’s Mongolia special wasn’t an entirely arduous experience to film, saying how they experienced numerous ‘fabulous’ scents along the way.

The new episode sees Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May travel across Mongolia with limited supplies and basic rations, as they assemble a vehicle from makeshift parts.

While Clarkson previously stated how he ‘hated’ filming the episode , there was an upside to the stripped-back adventure.

Posting on Twitter, Clarkson wrote: ‘A BTS titbit from our Mongolia show: nearly the whole route was carpeted with sage or thyme so as we drive along – the smell was fabulous [sic].’

He also previously stated how he’s pretty chuffed with the new episode, adding: ‘Actually, I’ll say it. The Grand Tour Mongolia Special is the best we’ve ever done. It really really really is worth watching.’

Fans should expect more episodes similar to this one, called Survival Of The Fattest, in the next season too – which is set to drop the studio format entirely.

For now, there’s one remaining episode in The Grand Tour season three, so grab the tissues for a farewell to the show’s live audience.

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The Grand Tour season three finale releases on 12 April on Amazon Prime.

MORE : Jeremy Clarkson ‘hated’ filming The Grand Tour Mongolia special

MORE : Jeremy Clarkson looks glum AF as he’s forced to live on veggie rations in epic The Grand Tour feature-length season 3 special

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• Jeremy Clarkson
• Richard Hammond
• The Grand Tour
• Specials (The Grand Tour)

Mongolia Special (TGT)

• View history
• 3 Production
• 4 Reception

Synopsis [ ]

The trio are challenged with escaping the vast and unforgiving Mongolian Steppe using a small ration of food and other supplies from which they are tasked with constructing a small home-made off-roader. Once their off-roader is complete, they are challenged to drive it out towards Mörön, the nearest point of civilisation. Among the supplies is a map drawn in a particular style which emphasises certain landmarks that they are to encounter on their way towards Mörön.

Vehicles [ ]

The homemade off-roader is powered by Land Rover's 300TDi 2.5L turbodiesel engine and features a locking front differential with a low-range gear, producing 111 horsepower.

Production [ ]

The segment was filmed at the end of June 2018. Jeremy Clarkson personally states the special as an episode he hated filming, due to the rough conditions the trio encountered.

Reception [ ]

Survival of the Fattest was met with universal acclaim, holding 9.8/10 ratings on IMDb and TVTime, a 9.5/10 rating on TVMaze, and an 86% score on Trakt.tv.

Trailer [ ]

• 2 Cheap Car Challenges
• 3 Hammond's Rimac Crash (TGT)

• Cast & crew
• User reviews

The Mongolia Special-Survival of the Fattest

• Episode aired Apr 5, 2019

Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May are dropped in the vast wilderness of Mongolia and told to await a delivery. Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May are dropped in the vast wilderness of Mongolia and told to await a delivery. Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May are dropped in the vast wilderness of Mongolia and told to await a delivery.

• Phil Churchward
• Jeremy Clarkson
• Richard Hammond
• 52 User reviews

• Self - Presenter

• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Did you know

• Trivia The assembly car had to be scrapped after filming because it could not be sold or exported.
• Connections References The Italian Job (1969)
• Soundtracks Answer The Bell (Instrumental) (uncredited) Performed by 7Horse

User reviews 52

• Apr 4, 2019
• April 5, 2019 (United States)
• Mörön, Mongolia
• Expectation Entertainment
• Television Interactive Network Agency
• W. Chump & sons
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

• Runtime 1 hour 32 minutes
• Dolby Digital

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Grand Tour Mongolia

Trending tour, grand grand tour mongolia 14 days.

• Duration: 14 nights/15 days
• Tour grade: Soft
• Group size: 2 to 15 PAX
• Available: 10 May to 15 September

Covers the vast territory, specializes in expanse landscapes and different regions, the Grand Grand Tour Mongolia is dedicated to avid explorers of culture and natural scenery. The voyage starts with the Gobi desert vista and nomadic life discovery in central Mongolia, followed by the Orkhon Valley and Erdenezuu Monastery visit in Kharkhorin. Next, you will explore the famous Khorgo Terkhin Tsagaan National Park in Arkhagai province before traveling along the Grand Tour Mongolia Trails. The later part of the tour highlights the picturesque Khovsgol Lake and returns to Ulaanbaatar, visiting the architecturally beautiful Amarbayasgalant Monastery, Bulgan, and Selenge provinces.

Day 1: Arrive in Ulaanbaatar

Our driver will greet you at the airport/railway station and transfer you to a city center hotel located within 5-20 min walking distance from the central square, museums, attractions, shops, and restaurants.

Accommodation: 3* hotel

Day 2: Elsentasarkhai semi desert, experience nomad life and camel riding

The voyage starts to Elsentasarhai, a unique place representing features of the Gobi desert, mountain steppes, and grasslands in a single area. Arrive in Elsentasarkhai by lunchtime and visit a nomad family. After the nomadic lunch, you will ride two-humped camels. Spend the rest of the day learning and experiencing first-hand the nomadic life. In the evening, try authentic Mongolian barbecue cooked with hot stones.

Accommodation: Extra Ger of Nomads Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3: Kharkhorin, Erdenezuu Monastery

Start the voyage to Kharkhorin, formerly known as the Karakorum, which once was the capital of Genghis Khaan's Great Mongol Empire in the 13th century. After the move of the Mongolian capital to Beijing and the fall of the Empire, Karakorum was abandoned and then destroyed by Min soldiers in 1388. Today, in the broad valley of the Orkhon River, awe-inspiring ancient monastery Erdenezuu coexists with Kharkhorin town. See some valuable religious items in the monastery museum, view its stunning architecture, visit Kharakhorum Museum, and discover historical relics left from the destroyed city.

Accommodation: Ger camp Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4-5: Khorgo TerhiinTsagaan National Park

Along the way to the National Park, we will visit the dairy product market at Tsetserleg, a central town of Arkhangai, and see the panoramic view of the town from on a hill. Next, break the driving at the Chuluut River, which flows between 30-50 m lava canyons. The Khorgo Terkhiin Tsagaan National Park was established to protect the spectacular mountain scenery and endangered species of flora & fauna. There are several extinct volcanoes within the national park area. The most spectacular and the most accessible one is Khorgo volcano. Astonishingly beautiful clear water Lake Terkhiin Tsagaan (known as Great White Lake) was formed when lava flows from the volcanoes block the North and South Terkh Rivers. The lake is renowned for its fish and birdlife, including the Ruddy Shellduck and Great Cormorant. Arrive at the national park in the afternoon. On the following day, we will climb the volcano on stairs and trails. Once you are on the volcano, walk along the volcano rim with outstanding views of surrounding areas, a small village by the volcano, and a sight of the Terhkiin Tsagaan Lake. Next, tour to Terkhiin Tsagaan Lake.

Day 6: Ulaagchiin Khar Lake

Leave the ger camp early in the morning to travel to picturesque Zavkhan province of different natural zones and landscapes of Gobi Desert, forests, and mountain steppes. Arrive at the beautiful Ulaagchiin Khar Lake late afternoon, relax and swim if you wish. It is one of the unique lakes in Mongolia shored by dunes while the other shore edges with the mountains.

Accommodation: Camping Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 7: Senjit Rock, Mongol Els dunes and Mukhartiin Gol River

From today on, we will follow the Grand Tour Mongolia trails. Our today’s main destination is the Mongol Els dunes . On the way, you will see the Senjit Khad Rock natural arch on a mountain top, which provides awe-inspiring vistas of the Khangai and Gobi Desert mountains. Have lunch with the view of Mongol sand dunes and a river. Next, we will see the Mukhartiin Gol River sources under the huge sand dunes. Seeing the Mukhartiin Gol River requires us some hiking through the dunes.

Day 8: Twin Lakes and Bust Lake

Today, you will drive in the transition zone from the Gobi desert to mountain steppes to a forested area and through the lakes’ depression. On the way, you will see the Twin Lakes, followed by a drive to beautiful Bust Lakes. Arrive at Bust Lake in the evening and discover the surrounding.

Day 9: Creepy Teepee, Boshlai Khad Rock on the Junction of Delger and Beltes Rivers

In the morning, you will see a creepy teepee and a land crack. The landscape changes to more mountainous and forestry areas. You will do scenic driving through mountain valleys and over mountain passes. Late afternoon, arrive at Boshloi Khad rock formation on the Delger and Belts river junction. Camping among the rocky mountains.

Day 10: Ushir Waterfall and explore Erkhel Lake deer stones and Khuvsgul Lake

In the morning, you will drive up the Beltes River to see the Ushir Waterfall. The journey continues to the world's freshest water lake, Lake Khuvsgul. This 136km-long, 38km-wide lake lies 1600m above sea level in the middle of a Siberian Taiga forest and among majestic sheer rock mountains. The lake and its surrounding area are pristine and have much to offer its guests. Along the way, we explore ancient deer stones spread widely throughout Central Asia. Some 600 deer stones have been found in Central Asia, 500 of them discovered in the territory of Mongolia. Deer stones are the first monuments of humans; the earliest of them belong to the 13th to the 9th century BC, while most of them date to The Bronze Age. On restored, standing stones, pictures including the sun, the moon, belts, knives, and jumping deer were carved fantastically. After settling in at a ger camp conveniently located on the western shore of the lake, you will enjoy free time.

Day 11: Reindeer Family Visit and Horse Riding at Khuvsgul Lake

The Reindeer Tsaatan people live in the depths of the taiga forest. A few reindeer are the primary resource of their livelihood. In the summer months, some reindeer families move down from the Taiga mountains close to the lake to supplement their income. After breakfast, we will visit the reindeer people and take pictures with the reindeer. Then, we will drive back to the ger camp to have lunch and spend the rest of the day riding horses along the lake’s shore, and climb a nearby mountain to see the lake from up.

Day 12: Urantogoo extinct volcano

Drive to Urantogoo volcano via Moron town . Urantogoo volcano became extinct 800,000 years ago. Trees cover the northern slope of the mountain, and inside of the crater, besides it features a small lake. The volcano summit is accessible after a challenging hike up, but the amazing vista is well worth it once you are on the top.

Day 13: Amarbayasgalant Monastery

Along the way to Amarbayasgalant monastery , we will drive via Erdenet, a copper mine city and a central town of Bulgan province. Amarbaysgalant is the second largest and the most stunning monastery in terms of architecture. It was built in Chinese and Mongolian style between 1727 and 1736. The afternoon visit to the monastery features huge statues of Buddha built on the mountains.

Day 14: Return to Ulaanbaatar

Today is the last day to be in the unique and unforgettable countryside of Mongolia. Upon arrival in Ulaanbaatar, check into a hotel and enjoy a restful, free afternoon.

Accommodation: 3* hotel Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 15: Transfer to the airport/railway station

We will transfer you to the airport/railway station.

Meals: Breakfast

• 2 PAX 2774$
• 3 PAX 2235$
• 4 PAX 2187$
• For children of a family trip
• One free space for every 16 pax
• Rebooking discount
• Group traveler discount
• Please contact us for more trip details.
• 2 nights in 3* hotel
• 7 nights in ger camps
• 1 day with nomads
• 4 nights in the tent
• Jeep transfer in the countryside
• Horse and camel riding
• English Speaking guide
• Entry fees to national parks and the museums
• Daily bottled water
• Meals as indicated in the itinerary
• Camping gear
• Items of personal use
• International travel
• Alcoholic drinks & beverages
• Bar bills, laundry, telephone calls
• Travel & medical insurance
• Optional activities & additional services
• Single supplements
• Gratiuty for the guides and drivers

The Grand Grand Tour Mongolia covers the vast territory of central Mongolia, Gobi Desert, western Mongolia, and northern Mongolia. Thus, you will find yourself in different settings of different regions in beautiful Mongolia. At the same time, altitude and temperature differentiate. You will travel over lands elevated 1300 to 2100 m above sea level. Regarding the activities, the tour does not require physical challenges. There are 1-2 hours of soft hiking on some days. Active travelers can extend the hiking distance and duration, or make it challenging, trekking up hills for more experience and scenery. Local equestrians and your guide will help with the horse and camel riding. All travelers should be prepared for wilderness camping, 4 to 7 hours of daily driving on the paved and bumpy roads, and shared bathrooms in the ger camps. You can stay at private bathroom gers at some ger camps, paying additional charges. Please request the private bathroom ger camps in advance.

Tour meals are included according to the itinerary. In the countryside, ger camps serve occasional European but mainly Mongolian meals. Meat is the main ingredient for meals and is served for lunch and dinner along with vegetables, salads, and soups. There will be more meat in traditional Mongolian meals. A typical breakfast is tea or coffee, bread, jam, butter, eggs, and sausage. There are some cookies, cheese, cereals, pancakes, and more at some ger camps for breakfast. For lunch, meals include salads, Mongolian soups, and the main course (pasta, rice, vegetables, beef/mutton/chicken/fish near lakes/rivers), and dessert and tea. Salads, the main course, a dessert, and tea will be served for dinner. With nomads, you will try authentic Mongolian meals. Different types of meals offered simultaneously are not customary in Mongolian tradition. The guide will cook the camping meals. Your contribution to the camping meals will be helpful and an experience. If you are a vegetarian or have other dietary restrictions, please inform us in advance, and we will make arrangements accordingly. We will supply two 0.5L bottles of water a day. Supplying one large bottle (1.5 liters) of water instead of 2 small bottles of water is available upon request. More information on Mongolia meals .

Mongolian tourism depends highly on the season, and seasonal accommodation ger camps are fully open between 15 May and 20 September. During the Grand Grand Tour Mongolia, you will stay 7 nights at standard gers of ger camps, one night in an extra ger of a nomad family, 2 nights in a hotel in Ulaanbaatar, and camping for 4 days. Ger and hotel upgrade is available based on your request. For more detailed information about accommodations, please visit our recommended hotels in Mongolia and Mongolia Ger camps and Nomad family stay

The majority of our company's guides are English speaking. We also have guides who speak German, French, Spanish, and Japanese. They are all friendly, and helpful, and most of them were born and raised in the Mongolian countryside. Therefore, they have good knowledge about every aspect of Mongolia. During the camel riding, a local guide will support you.

Regarding land transport, most of our tours were designed for four-wheel drive Japanese off-road vehicles driven by experienced, friendly and knowledgeable mechanic-drivers. You may check the travel vehicle details at Mongolia transportation .

The most suitable time to travel along the Grand Grand Tour Mongolia itinerary is between 10 May and 20 September. During this period, the weather will be warm and enjoyable. Mongolia is elevated at least 700 m high above the surrounding Siberian plateau and Chinese territory. Therefore, the weather fluctuates a lot; hourly, daytime, and at night. May, the beginning of June, and September temperatures are unpredictable. There will be occasional chill wind and snowfalls in the mentioned months. Average monthly temperatures are +18 degrees, the highest at 28 degrees during the daytime. The night temperature may drop to +8 degrees at the end of May, June, late August, and September. July could be the hottest or be the wettest. The average day temperature is +28 degrees, the hottest +38 degrees, and the night temperature could drop to +12 degrees. For your pre-departure preparation, you may check discovery tour detailed packing list of the discovery tours and Mongolia travel regulations .

To plan your dream holiday or customize the tour exclusively for you, what to do and see in Mongolia page may help you.

As well as, please check attractions in the Mongolian Gobi and Central Mongolia

Overland Explore Mongolia tour

The best all-inclusive Mongolia tour to explore vast open and varied Gobi desert sceneries, beauty and historical artifacts of central Mongolian green valleys, crystal clear water rivers, lakes and national parks of forested northern Mongolia within 16 days.

Western Mongolian Adventures Tour

Far western part of Mongolia is the most beautiful. As well as the least traveled destination. It is home to the world rare wild species, numerous ethnic groups and snow capped majestic mountains. The Altai Mountains are the highest among Mongolian mountains and the rich in wild animals.

Gobi Desert Highlights & National Parks

Following this tour itinerary, you will trek in the lush green mountain valleys of the Gobi Desert, climb tall sand dunes for awe-inspiring scenery and the Gobi desert sunset, explore the world-known paleontological discovery site, and learn recent history while exploring the ruined monastery.

The Mongolia special is The Grand Tour at its best – which is why next year will be all about the road trips

The Grand Tour's executive producer Andy Wilman introduces the final special of season three: "Without a shadow of a doubt the best has been saved till last"

• Andy Wilman
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Of all the types of shows we make, The Grand Tour specials are far and away, hands down, no arguments, the hardest.

Not just the hardest to shoot, but more importantly the hardest in which to keep delivering the goods and satisfying expectations.

That's why we normally just shoot one per series. But for series three, because we clearly struggle with basic maths, we've somehow ended up shooting four.

How to watch The Grand Tour online

• Stream on  Amazon Prime Video
• Watch for free with a 30-day free Prime trial

There's been the Colombia expedition , the RV holiday in Nevada, the road trip across Georgia and Azerbaijan, and now finally, this coming week, we give you the Mongolia Special, and without a shadow of a doubt the best has been saved till last.

The premise is as simple as it is cruel: our three intrepid halfwits are dropped in the middle of the vast wilderness of Mongolia, hundreds of miles from any kind of civilisation, with just the shirts on their backs. Then, three crates are parachuted out of a helicopter. Inside the crates are a stash of car components and a message from Mr Wilman (how much do I love my job on days like these) telling them that in order to reach civilisation, they must build a vehicle from the components and somehow navigate their way through the wilderness.

More like this

• The Grand Tour’s Jeremy Clarkson: I have enough ideas for five more series
• The Grand Tour’s James May to travel to Japan in first solo TV project with Amazon

This last part is extra hard because they have no phone signal and the map Mr Wilman has provided is straight out of the Winnie the Pooh school of cartography. Just to make things worse, they only have food and water for seven days and there is no instruction manual for how to build the car. And even if there was a manual, Jeremy would be of no help, on account of him having the mechanical skills of a kitten.

What follows over the resulting 90 minute show is, in my opinion, which is a good opinion, not just the best Special of the series but one of the best we have done in many a year.

You remember those MTV Unplugged albums, the ones that proved a great song remains great even when it's simplified to its basic components? For me this show is one of those. Everything is stripped back; there are none of the contrivances we can sometimes be guilty of. You just get an endeavour that is immense and a journey that is properly, properly brutal.

Before they can go anywhere though the vehicle must be built – a task which falls to Richard and James. Fortunately both of them have always been good with a spanner, but unfortunately one of them likes to take half a day doing up a nut whilst the other likes to slam something together as quickly as possible so he can get on with having a crash in it. Despite their differences though, a machine of Mad Max-ian provenance does eventually come together and the three of them then begin their epic odyssey to find a shower, a bog and a drink.

The trek to civilisation is without doubt one of the toughest and most arduous Richard, James and Jeremy have ever undertaken. As jaw dropping as the Mongolian landscape may be – and My God is it ever – its terrain throws up immense challenges and obstacles, and if you've been following us these last 18 years, you'll know those three are hardly poster boys for middle aged fitness.

And yet through all the pain and the struggle (actually, probably because of the pain and the struggle), they are absolutely on their A game when it comes to delivering the wit and the laughs. I know I should probably be leaving it up to the viewer to make that kind of judgment, but I honestly believe that, stoked up by their surroundings, and having only their dysfunctional friendship to fall back on when times get really tough, their banter in Mongolia is at its brilliant best.

And finally there's the fourth star of this show: the car, which will without doubt join the pantheon of greats alongside Oliver, the Indestructible Toyota Hilux and the Hammerhead Eagle i-Thrust.

• For the latest news and expert tips on getting the best deals this year, take a look at our Black Friday 2021 and Cyber Monday 2021

As you've probably guessed, I'm very proud of this show, and this comes from a man whose glass is not only half empty, but sees that what's in it is not even what he ordered. But the combination of Mongolia, those three and the machine they build to cross it is the absolute essence of what we're put in front of you to do.

After the Mongolia adventure there will be one more conventional show, the finale for this series. Then we're pulling down the curtain on the studio-based episodes so that we can just concentrate on big Specials . If Mongolia is anything to go by, we'll be okay.

The Grand Tour Mongolia special will be available on Prime Video from Friday 5th April

Read more: The Grand Tour season four will only feature big road trips

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The Latest Grand Tour Filmed In Mongolia Is The Best Episode Trio Ever Made

It is a gripping sequence of life drizzled with a homemade car, hardship, and a simple success of epic proportions

Called Survival of the Fattest, the latest episode of The Grand Tour takes us to sparsely populated Mongolia where our heroes embark on a long journey over perilous mountains, mighty rivers, and endless Gobi dunes in a homemade car. The mission is to reach the town called the Moron. They had to do it in seven days, only with British army rations as a diet, and a car delivered disassembled to them by a Russian Mil Mi-8 helicopter.

It is one more The Grand Tour special - largely unscripted, emotional, funny, and just perfect.

Survival Of The Fattest Is Not A Car Show, But It Can Do More For Cars Than Any Other

Warning: not many spoilers ahead

Don't think for a second that this is yet another car show because it is not. Richard Hammond, Jeremy Clarkson, and James May almost did not mention anything about cars or the car industry in this episode. They did not even say what they were driving (because they probably did not know). Yet, regardless of the comedic quality of it, and lack of any serious car talk, the Survival of the Fattest easily did what all other car shows struggle to do. It charged me about cars, and off-roaders so much that right after Clarkson said goodbye at the end, I went searching for an off-roader.

I don't have any of them, but I googled them, so that's close.

What Car Did May, Hammond, and Clarkson Drove In The Grand Tour Episode Survival of the Fattest?

Sometimes looking like a Mars Opportunity rover ambling over Mars rocks, the John, an aptly named homemade AWD vehicle Hammond and May assembled in the desert, was the main star of the latest Grand Tour episode. By the end of the episode, John showed me why horsepower, looks, or even the build quality does not really matter. It taught me what the car is all about.

It is about freedom, about adventure, and voyages of epic proportions.

Yet, I was curious to find out who the John really is.

Powered by a 300TDi engine with 111 horsepower from the Defender, the John also had Land Rover Discovery, R380 gearbox (I recognized LR gearbox watching the show actually), and LT230 transfer box with permanent four-wheel drive. A few years back, I remember that British Autoexpress inferred that this might be the best transfer box in the world. Just right for the occasion then.

Now, TGT did not provide any details about the chassis but said it is of a bespoke ladder frame design. I did find out, however, that TGT team sometime works with the Howard Marshall Engineering from the U.K. on their projects that are related to some crazy body on frame projects. It could very well be that HME managed to adopt a chassis of some of its farming vehicles for this occasion. Or, they've built it from the ground up.

As a final touch, they fitted wooden panels instead of the standard bodywork. It is a hideous creation, but the one that did the job just right. And the one that likes to hop a lot (you have to watch to figure this out).

Unlike other standard off-roaders, the John is mid-engined. As trivia page from the Amazon Prime says, the engineers did it for several reasons:

"ground clearance, weight distribution, and better comfort for the occupants."

Disclosure: I have reached out to HME in the hope of getting confirmation about the John's origins, and I will update this article when (and if) HME officials respond.

How To buy The John Car From The Grand Tour's Survival Of The Fattest?

Unfortunately, after Hammond, May, and Clarkson reached the town of Moron, and when they had concluded the mission, the team scrapped John. Complicated export paperwork was too much for the team.

So, to answer the question.

You can't buy it. Call HME; it may hook you up.

What Did The Grand Tour Presenters Do If Not Talk About Cars?

- Jeremy Crackson Talked About Genghis Khan

- James May Talked About Alcohol

- Richard Hammond Talked About Arrows

The last episode of The Grand Tour - Survival of the Fattest - is an epic 90-minute adventure you have to watch. It will make you buy an off-roader.

Further reading

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• Things To Do in Mongolia
• Travel Blogs & Articles
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Grand Tour Mongolia

The best way to explore Mongolia is to drive Mongolia

Tour Highlights

• 3 Star Hotel
• New UAZ Patriot 4x4 rental car
• Camping gear
• Airport Transfers
• Cooking Gear
• Booking confirmation within 24hrs
• Perfect for Offroad, Nature and Camping fans!

Grand Tour Mongolia - A 4x4 selfdrive Mongolia tour to teepee and much more

You want to travel across the breathtaking landscape of Mongolia on your own with your friends? You don’t want to be tied to a fixed journey and have the flexibility to spend an extra day on a beautiful spot that you discover? Then these car rental packages are perfect for you to explore Mongolia!

You are completely free in your route design. The provided route suggestions will give you some good ideas on where to go.

You can book the package on a weekly basis for 1,2,3 and 4 weeks.

The route suggestions can be found below and we will send you a detailed route plan before your trip.

If you prefer to have an English speaking driver from SIXT or a guide on board, just let us know!

The new and spacious four-wheel drive rental vehicles from SIXT are perfect for the journey. The standard option includes the Russian Army Vehicle 4x4 UAZ Patriot and you have the option to upgrade to the timeless and rugged Toyota Landcruiser 76/79 or Ford Ranger pickup.

The car includes modern camping equipment. If you want to spend the night in a yurt camp or hotel, this is best to organize spontaneously on site and on request we can book you accommodations before the trip.

View full itenerary

What's Included

2 airport transfers with SIXT

2 nights including breakfast in a 3-5 star hotel in Ulaanbaatar

6/13/20/27 days rental car from SIXT: UAZ Patriot 4x4 (new vehicles) including statutory liability insurance

HEIMPLANET The Cave tent including:

• sleeping mats
• 4x300ml gas canister
• Pot, pan, cooking utensils
• Crockery and cutlery

The modern tent can be easily assembled or disassembled in less than 60 seconds! Due to the unique design even strong winds up to 180km / h are no problem!

Details about the rental car

You will receive the rental car the day after your arrival between 9:00 and 11:00 am at the SIXT station in the BlueSky Tower. The vehicle will be returned the day before your departure between 5:00 and 8:00 pm. A rental car upgrade to a pickup truck (eg: Toyota Landcruiser 76/79) is possible by pre-order. For the car hire of the Patriot a security deposit of MNT 4mio will be blocked on your credit card.

What is not included in the offer?

Please bring your own sleeping bag!

Flights, meals except twice breakfast at the hotel and other products such as drinks, food, fuel are not included in the offer.

Route suggestions:

Route A) Central Mongolia

Route B) Gobi Desert

Route C) The north of Mongolia with Khuvsgul lake

Route D) Central Mongolia and Gobi Desert

Route E) Central Mongolia and northern Mongolia

Route F) Gobi Desert, Central Mongolia and northern Mongolia

Route G) Gobi Desert, Altai Mountains and the north of Mongolia

Route H) Gobi Desert, Altai Mountains and the north of Mongolia

Horse riding in Mongolia

This is a dream that many want to realize. We recommend you to do short idyllic and guided horse riding and not to jump directly into multi-day tours. Mongolian horses and the Mongolian saddle are unlike a horseback ride back home. Horse riding is offered in many yurt camps and by nomads. Central Mongolia is especially suitable for horse riding around Kharakorum (for example at the Ugii lake ).

Camel riding in Mongolia

Camel riding is a very special experience, especially along the dunes like the Khongor Sand Dune in the heart of the Gobi Desert or the "mini" Gobi Elsen Taserkhai in central Mongolia.

Offroad driving in Mongolia

Offroading and camping in Mongolia is definitely an amazing and fun experience. There are only very few countries where this combination is possible to the fullest off the beaten tracks and Mongolia is next to Namibia one of the last overlanding and camping heavens. The tracks through the steppe and deserts in Mongolia are an absolute highlight for every off-road fan! Also camping in the land of nomads is very special. You can freely camp in the nature. Just choose your campsite and watch the stars in the clear sky. Detailed camping tips can be found in our Camping Guide and driving tips in our Offroad Guide .

Fishing in Mongolia

Fishing in Mongolia is very unique and can be challenging. There are special species of fish here, such as the largest salmonid species in the world, which can get over 60 years old and up to two meters long. Carp and pike are particularly good at catching Ugii Lake in Central Mongolia. Yurt camps offer guided boat rides on the lake. Further details about fishing can be found in our Mongolia Fishing guide .

Best time to travel to Mongolia

The best time to travel to Mongolia is generally between mid-April and October. The Gobi Desert is the first region that can be explored in the spring from mid-April. In July and August the Gobi gets very hot and we recommend to travel between April and June or September to October. Especially beautiful in spring is to see the numerous newborn animals. Foals, baby camels, baby goats and little yaks run around everywhere!

In the summer months, Central Mongolia and especially Khuvsgul Lake in the north is a great destination. In the middle of July, the National Festival of Naadam takes place in each province and we strongly recommend to visit this spectacle in the countryside and to avoid Ulan Bator. There, the horse racing, wrestling and archery is still idyllic and less crowded.

In autumn, a trip across Mongolia into the Altai Mountains is amazing and the eagle hunters will be active again.

Packing list for your Grand Tour

Temperatures may fluctuate due to the continental climate. During the day the sun is strong and it warms up quickly. In the evening it usually cools down and you will feel the wind of the steppe. It is therefore recommended to pack clothes for warm and cold temperatures. In the Gobi it usually stays very warm at night during the summer months and a thin sleeping bag is enough. In the rest of the country, a warmer sleeping bag is recommended and especially in spring and autumn this is very important.

It does not rain much and the sky is mostly not covered in the "land of the blue sky". Therefore, sunscreen and sunglasses are also very important.

Please contact us for more information.

Mongolian Food

The Mongolian cuisine is primarily meat and dough-heavy (you can find more information about Mongolian food in our blog ) and you will find in almost every small village a restaurant offering Buzz, Khushuur and a meat dish. There are also everywhere small supermarkets with the basics. Provincial capitals such as Dalanzadgad in the Gobi, Darkhan and Erdenkt in the north also have large supermarkets with many foreign products.

It makes the most sense to buy provisions for about 3 to 5 days from Ulaanbaator and to buy the rest on the way.

In Ulaanbaatar the new Emart (a Korean hypermarket chain) is a good "one stop shop". There you will find everything you need for a road trip. For Glamping and gourmet friends, Rosewood Restaurant with Rosewood Market and Butchery on Soul Street is a great place to go. Here you will find freshly baked burgers and sourdough bread (lasts longer) as well as a wide selection of barbecue products. Our tip is to take their vacuum packed and frozen home-made products, which are then also good to eat fresh after several days.

The camping set contains a gas stove. You should always have enough LPG 500ml gas bottles. These can be found in most supermarkets.

Navigation and Gas Stations in Mongolia

Navigation in Mongolia works best with a smartphone and the maps.me app. Download the app with the Mongolia map in advance on your mobile phone for free and buy a local SIM card from Unitel, Gmobile or Mobicom. With the app you can navigate without Cyrillic knowledge and without Internet connection. Make sure that you do not underestimate the distances and driving times. On the asphalt roads you drive mostly 40-80kmh and should not rush. Do not drive after dusk due to the many animals and difficult navigation.

Mongolia is the least populated country in the world and at the same time has an amazingly dense network of gas stations. Each small settlement has at least one gas station and along the main roads there are petrol stations at regular intervals. It is always advisable to fill up with 2/3 full tanks and visit more frequented gas stations with better fuel and to use additives at regular intervals (for gasoline cars the LIQUI MOLY Octane Plus for a higher Octane number and more power as well as the Injection Cleaner against corrosion, bacteria and water in the fuel. Diesel powered vehicles should use the LIQUI MOLY Super Diesel additive for more Cetan, power and against corrosion, bacteria and water). More information can be found in our Offroad Guide.

Roadside Assistance in Mongolia

If you get into an accident or damage the vehicle, please contact your vehicle rental company SIXT immediately. SIXT will help you immediately and if necessary send a mechanic or replacement car. MAS is a good local Roadside Assistance provider. More information can be found in our Offroad Guide.

More information and tips for this trip

United States and German citizens do not need a visa to stay for 30 days. Austrians and Swiss receive a visa from the Mongolian Embassy in Vienna and Geneva. Find more information here and contact us ([email protected])

A valid passport, valid driving license and credit card are required for this journey.

Cancellation Policies This offer does not offer refund on cancellation. We recommend you to buy a trip cancellation insurance from your trusted insurance partner.

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Was The Mongolia Special The Grand Tour’s Most Ambitious Episode Yet?

The recent episode of The Grand Tour was just released which showcased the three lads, Gin, Beer and Red Wine on another adventure. This time in Mongolia… well not officially in the capital city however, but in the vast vicinity of nowhere.

However, from May’s videos of assembling guitars and LEGO houses , Hammond’s time in the country (aka his front lawn), and Clarkson’s well-known manual labour skills, they managed to put their mechanical skills and sanity together to build the most reliable vehicle in the world…  John , filled with a TDi engine of some sort and a Land Rover chassis along with improvised… doors.

This proves another Grand Tour top-tip… if you have a friend, car or anything named John they will be deemed reliable .  John “broke” down once, although that was just a fuse light it was replaced within minutes . It really was quite astonishing seeing that so-called car jump its way up those steep hills, through deep lakes and insanely pelvis-dislocating bumpy patches.   

Honestly, this special might have been their most ambitious adventure yet. The boys only had a few “rations” to last them up to seven days and a giant mechano kit to travel from the middle of nowhere to destination Moron .  They started off their journey by assembling the ‘car’ which took a couple days and a few MREs… however it was Clarkson who was the Food and Beverage Manager of the project.

Throughout the journey they drove through rocky mountain terrain, rivers, thunderstorms and soberism but this was countered by Mongolia’s amazing views and wild-life. Fortunately without letting Hammond drive even a quarter-mile the trio completed the journey to Moron in one piece with John.

Check out our merch! It keeps the site going, and we’d greatly appreciate it if you just took a peak!

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The grand tour penultimate episode trailer: mongolia special - survival of the fattest, dodge challenger demon sets world record at 211mph, related articles.

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Love the Mongolian adventure! Can someone from show post a map of their actual route to Moron.

How far did they travel in kilometres in Mongolia?

I would love to get my hands on a “flat pack car” like JOHN…… Would love to see if there is a kit version on AMAZON…..

I want specifics about John! Specs, where is he now? Loved the episode,

When will the “John T-Shirt” be available

Brilliant episode ???? When can I buy a ‘John’ build it yourself kit ? Really good show, keep it up Lads ????

Easily up there in the Top 5. Absolutely amazed at how reliable John was through all that torture…

Elektrostal, Moscow Oblast, Russia

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Elektrostal Localisation : Country Russia , Oblast Moscow Oblast . Available Information : Geographical coordinates , Population, Area, Altitude, Weather and Hotel . Nearby cities and villages : Noginsk , Pavlovsky Posad and Staraya Kupavna .

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Out of the Centre

Savvino-storozhevsky monastery and museum.

Zvenigorod's most famous sight is the Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery, which was founded in 1398 by the monk Savva from the Troitse-Sergieva Lavra, at the invitation and with the support of Prince Yury Dmitrievich of Zvenigorod. Savva was later canonised as St Sabbas (Savva) of Storozhev. The monastery late flourished under the reign of Tsar Alexis, who chose the monastery as his family church and often went on pilgrimage there and made lots of donations to it. Most of the monastery’s buildings date from this time. The monastery is heavily fortified with thick walls and six towers, the most impressive of which is the Krasny Tower which also serves as the eastern entrance. The monastery was closed in 1918 and only reopened in 1995. In 1998 Patriarch Alexius II took part in a service to return the relics of St Sabbas to the monastery. Today the monastery has the status of a stauropegic monastery, which is second in status to a lavra. In addition to being a working monastery, it also holds the Zvenigorod Historical, Architectural and Art Museum.

Belfry and Neighbouring Churches

Located near the main entrance is the monastery's belfry which is perhaps the calling card of the monastery due to its uniqueness. It was built in the 1650s and the St Sergius of Radonezh’s Church was opened on the middle tier in the mid-17th century, although it was originally dedicated to the Trinity. The belfry's 35-tonne Great Bladgovestny Bell fell in 1941 and was only restored and returned in 2003. Attached to the belfry is a large refectory and the Transfiguration Church, both of which were built on the orders of Tsar Alexis in the 1650s.  

To the left of the belfry is another, smaller, refectory which is attached to the Trinity Gate-Church, which was also constructed in the 1650s on the orders of Tsar Alexis who made it his own family church. The church is elaborately decorated with colourful trims and underneath the archway is a beautiful 19th century fresco.

Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral

The Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral is the oldest building in the monastery and among the oldest buildings in the Moscow Region. It was built between 1404 and 1405 during the lifetime of St Sabbas and using the funds of Prince Yury of Zvenigorod. The white-stone cathedral is a standard four-pillar design with a single golden dome. After the death of St Sabbas he was interred in the cathedral and a new altar dedicated to him was added.

Under the reign of Tsar Alexis the cathedral was decorated with frescoes by Stepan Ryazanets, some of which remain today. Tsar Alexis also presented the cathedral with a five-tier iconostasis, the top row of icons have been preserved.

Tsaritsa's Chambers

The Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral is located between the Tsaritsa's Chambers of the left and the Palace of Tsar Alexis on the right. The Tsaritsa's Chambers were built in the mid-17th century for the wife of Tsar Alexey - Tsaritsa Maria Ilinichna Miloskavskaya. The design of the building is influenced by the ancient Russian architectural style. Is prettier than the Tsar's chambers opposite, being red in colour with elaborately decorated window frames and entrance.

At present the Tsaritsa's Chambers houses the Zvenigorod Historical, Architectural and Art Museum. Among its displays is an accurate recreation of the interior of a noble lady's chambers including furniture, decorations and a decorated tiled oven, and an exhibition on the history of Zvenigorod and the monastery.

Palace of Tsar Alexis

The Palace of Tsar Alexis was built in the 1650s and is now one of the best surviving examples of non-religious architecture of that era. It was built especially for Tsar Alexis who often visited the monastery on religious pilgrimages. Its most striking feature is its pretty row of nine chimney spouts which resemble towers.

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