Mongolia: Middle route in July with heavy motorbikes

[lawan]

Hi,
A group of friends with heavy motorbikes (Africa Twin, GS1200, etc.) will ride through Mongolia for 9 days in July.
We start the trip in Prague and enter through the Altai mountains.
We have all experience in Africa and we have hired a support car in Mongolia to carry our luggage.
We will do the Middle route in 6 stages and 2 days of rest...
Do you think is possible this route with these bikes?
Do you recommend some place especially for sightseeing and see something interesting?
Do you think the south is worth visiting?
Thank you so much!!

[lawan]

This is the planned itinerary:

[drivemongolia]

Hi,

I live in Western Mongolia Altai you can do easily 5 days on middle road without any hassle if it doesn't rain. Even if it does rain you can make it since the road from UB-Tosontsengel 800 km is paved you can also ride 170 Km south of Khyargas lake.
Southern road is much boring then middle or Northern road there aren't any major river crossings on the middle road now. There is a newly build bridge on Shivert river near Hovd sum use to be notorious river for bikers.



Chinzo,

[klausmong1]

In 2013 I have done the route shown below.

From the scenery I like ist more than the northern route.

Olgii to Khovd is mountains and nice valleys, 1 river crossing but you can avoid that, there is a bridge.

After Khovd to Altai you cross parts of the stone gobi, which is nice to see, but after a while you are happy to get out of it and turn into the mountains to Altai city.

From there to Uliastay you have stunning sceneries and high mountains with passes up to 2600 meter.
In this area of center Mongolia you have the 2nd highest mountains of Mongolia

After Altai to Tosontsengel, Kharkhorin you pass the "white lake" Tsaagannur, which is an old vulcano area.

beautiful.

In Kharkorin you should visit Erdenezuu on old monastary and the Olchron river valey.

From there to UB.

It depends on the driver, and this road is doable by heavy bikes too.

[lawan]

Originally Posted by drivemongolia

Hi,

I live in Western Mongolia Altai you can do easily 5 days on middle road without any hassle if it doesn't rain. Even if it does rain you can make it since the road from UB-Tosontsengel 800 km is paved you can also ride 170 Km south of Khyargas lake.
Southern road is much boring then middle or Northern road there aren't any major river crossings on the middle road now. There is a newly build bridge on Shivert river near Hovd sum use to be notorious river for bikers.

Chinzo,

Hi Chinzo, thanks a lot for your response.
Yes, everybody tells me it's kind of boring so we'll not go there

[lawan]

Originally Posted by klausmong1

In 2013 I have done the route shown below.

From the scenery I like ist more than the northern route.

Olgii to Khovd is mountains and nice valleys, 1 river crossing but you can avoid that, there is a bridge.

After Khovd to Altai you cross parts of the stone gobi, which is nice to see, but after a while you are happy to get out of it and turn into the mountains to Altai city.

From there to Uliastay you have stunning sceneries and high mountains with passes up to 2600 meter.
In this area of center Mongolia you have the 2nd highest mountains of Mongolia

After Altai to Tosontsengel, Kharkhorin you pass the "white lake" Tsaagannur, which is an old vulcano area.

beautiful.

In Kharkorin you should visit Erdenezuu on old monastary and the Olchron river valey.

From there to UB.

It depends on the driver, and this road is doable by heavy bikes too.

thank you so much klausmong1.
A friend and his couple did the middle route in 2016 on a BMW F800GS:

Ulgii - Ulaangom - Bayantes - Songino - Tosontsengel - Khorgo - Karkhorin - Ulaanbaatar

They only had some problems with some areas of sand and some rivers, but in general they did not have great difficulties, and he did not have great experience in off road.
I think there are less ger camps on this route and even none in certain areas like Songino. We would like to stay every night in ger camps with a good shower and a good dinner, so I think it's better also the route you propose besides the landscapes

[chris]

Rode a bit of a combination of middle/north kind of, but definitely not southern route in 2012. Generally straight forward on a bigger bike if you know how to ride (appropriate tyres and suspension also an advantage).

Watch out for the speed of rivers after 36 hours of rain...

Page 5 onwards at Adventures between a Cliff and a Wet Place. Brighty in Central Asia and Mongolia | Page 5 | Adventure Rider will give you a taste...

Enjoy your trip!

[klausmong1]

In 2015 I did the red route in 2 days to Ulaangom.
had about 30 water crossings. some very easy, some a bit challenging.

A friend of mine did the pink route in 2015 and it was kind of easy, but he had luck with the water, the crossings were not so deep because no rain.

And the green one is the nasty one.

There are ger camps in Ulaangom, but I do not remember later on.

You find ger camps in Olgii, Khovd and Altay and all smaller cities.

[lawan]

Originally Posted by chris

Rode a bit of a combination of middle/north kind of, but definitely not southern route in 2012. Generally straight forward on a bigger bike if you know how to ride (appropriate tyres and suspension also an advantage).

Watch out for the speed of rivers after 36 hours of rain...

Page 5 onwards at Adventures between a Cliff and a Wet Place. Brighty in Central Asia and Mongolia | Page 5 | Adventure Rider will give you a taste...

Enjoy your trip!

Hi chris
We are used to riding bikes in Africa. In the sand we already have a certain practice but maybe a couple of bikes will go with 2 up so we don't want to risk too much...
thanks for the link, awesome !!

[lawan]

Originally Posted by klausmong1

In 2015 I did the red route in 2 days to Ulaangom.
had about 30 water crossings. some very easy, some a bit challenging.

A friend of mine did the pink route in 2015 and it was kind of easy, but he had luck with the water, the crossings were not so deep because no rain.

And the green one is the nasty one.

There are ger camps in Ulaangom, but I do not remember later on.

You find ger camps in Olgii, Khovd and Altay and all smaller cities.

Yes, the pink one is that my friend did. They did this route following the advice of the locals, because they thought to do the green one...

I've been looking at the waypoints file and there are ger camps at each stage.

Thanks

[lawan]

Does anyone know which parts are paved and which are not?

I think as I read:

Ulgii - Khovd is paved only the first half.
Khovd - Altai the same as before.
Altai - Tosontsengel?
Tosontsengel - Ulaanbaatar is fully paved.

[lawan]

According to my latest information Khovd - Altai is completely paved, so the only doubt I have left is the status of Altai - Tosontsengel, which is not paved.

klausmong1, can you tell me how was this stage in 2013, is it possible to do it in a day?

Thanks

[klausmong1]

Altai - Uliastay I would consider possible in 1 day if it is the same as 2013.

And then another day to Tosontsengel

[pat.deavoll]

I am looking for the best way across Mongolia from Olgi to Ulan Batoor. I am a solo female on a Dakar 650 so looking for the route with least river crossings as I will have trouble lifting the bike.
I will have come from Ireland via Central Asia so will have some miles behind me but want to take the route of least resistance.
Mud and sand are not such a problem but river crossings will be,
I will be crossing Mongolia mid to late July.
Appreciate any replies.

[klausmong1]

Either the southern route from Olgii to UB or center from Altai to Uliasty and then Tosontsengel and Kharkhorin - UB