Viking Launches Mongolia Extension for China Voyages

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A new venture from Viking, โ€œSpirit of Mongolia,โ€ offers cruisers a unique opportunity to delve into Mongoliaโ€™s rich cultural heritage and stunning landscapes. It marks Vikingโ€™s first foray into the country.

Journey into Mongolia With Viking

Viking has unveiled its latest adventure, the โ€œSpirit of Mongoliaโ€ extension, a five-night, fully guided experience designed to enrich its new China voyages. Beginning in 2024, the new program is a first for Viking as it offers guests a chance to discover Mongoliaโ€™s geographic diversity.

Torstein Hagen, chairman of Viking, expressed his enthusiasm over Vikingโ€™s new travel offering, stating, โ€œWe were proud to announce our new China ocean voyages recently, and we are now pleased to offer guests our first experiences in Mongolia.โ€

โ€œOur guests are curious travelers who are interested in experiences that broaden their minds,โ€ he continued, adding, โ€œMongolia is an extraordinary destination, making it a natural extension to our new China itineraries.โ€

Viking announced in January that it would visit China from September to November 2024 aboard its 930-passenger ocean liner,ย Viking Yi Dun. Originallyย Viking Sun,ย the ship is the first in Vikingโ€™s fleet to be designed specifically to operate domestically from China.

A Viking ship in Shanghai
A Viking ship in Shanghai. (Photo Credit: Steve Heap)

Read Also: Cruise Line Announces New Exclusive Sailings in China

Viking River Cruises has already been operating Southeast Asia sailings on Chinaโ€™s Yangtze River with calls in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and China.

โ€œFor more than 15 years, our Yangtze River voyages were among our highest-rated itineraries. We brought guests to Chinaโ€™s Yangtze River, to Beijing, to the Great Wall, to the Terra Cotta Warriors, and to many other iconic places in this captivating nation,โ€ Hagen said. โ€œNow, we are delighted to offer such encounters once again with new voyages to a destination that never ceases to capture the imagination.โ€

Viking Cruises Head Deeper into Asia

Starting in Ulaanbaatar, the โ€œSpirit of Mongoliaโ€ extension will introduce travelers to the heart of Mongolia, examining significant sites like Chinggis Khaan National Museum. The journey continues to the Gobi Desert, where the Three Camel Lodge in Dalanzadgad, at the foothills of the Altai Mountains, will offer guests activities like camel safaris and exploration of the Flaming Cliffs.

Guests will stay three days at the lodge before returning to Ulaanbaatar for one additional night of exploration in Mongolia. Additional programs include making buuz (steamed dumplings), sunrise nature hikes, and exploring ancient petroglyphs.

The extension will be offered from Vikingโ€™s China voyages, including the 20-day roundtrip โ€œBest of China,โ€ and the 20-day roundtrip โ€œWonders of China,โ€ each departing from Beijing, and the 10-day โ€œChina Discoveryโ€ from Shanghai to Hong Kong (Shenzhen).

The Flaming Cliffs of Mongolia at sunrise
The Flaming Cliffs of Mongolia at sunrise (Photo Credit: Aleksandr Lenkov)

A 15-day โ€œClassic China & the Coastโ€ combines the 10-day โ€œChina Discovery with the opportunity to also see the Terra Cotta Warriors, the Great Wall, and the Forbidden City, sailing from Beijing to Xian and Hong Kong. The season’s first cruise embarks on September 4.

In addition to the Mongolian adventure, Viking will provide fully guided and immersive pre- and post-extensions in Chinaโ€™s iconic cities, including Beijing, Hong Kong, Guilin, Suzhou, and Wuxi. 

Travelers can immerse themselves for three nights in the ancient majesty of Beijing, which boasts seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the Forbidden City and the Great Wall. Similarly, a three-night stay in Hong Kong offers guests a chance to explore the global hub of culture and commerce, with an optional excursion to Macau to further explore the southern coast.

Unique four-night extensions contrast the urban energy of Hong Kong with the natural splendor of Guilin, known for its surreal karst landscapes. Further exploring Chinaโ€™s diverse regions, the Suzhou and Wuxi extension takes travelers for three nights to explore these citiesโ€™ classical gardens, ancient canals, and silk-making heritage.

The โ€Spirit of Mongoliaโ€ extension starts at $5,499.

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