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Expedition to the Altai Mountains (Mongolia)
(15th - 24th September, 2018)
An epic journey tracing the footsteps of the Kazakh nomads and eagle hunters and an opportunity of a lifetime to stay with a nomad family and Mongolia's one and only eagle huntress. Discover some of the most incredible landscapes in Mongolia's highest mountain range.
HIGHLIGHTS
Witness the stunning landscapes of the Altai Mountains
Meet Aisholpan, Mongolia's only female eagle hunter and her family
Exclusive local experiences possible only on Founders Journeys
Enjoy an insightful experience with the local characters
ITINERARY
15th Sep DAY 1 (SAT) : BEIJING / ULAANBAATAR
Recommended Flight Info:
Air China 901 Beijing 0835hrs Ulaanbaatar 1050hrs (Duration: 1h 15mins)
Arrive Ulaanbaatar Chinggis Khaan Intl Airport where on arrival, you will be met as we then begin an orientation of Ulaanbaatar with a city tour visiting the Sukhbaatar Square, the impressive Genghis Khan Monument, built in 2008 to commemorate the 800th anniversary of the foundation of the Mongolian Empire, in honour of its founder, Genghis Khan. This huge stainless steel statue weighs 250 tons and is 40m high;
the highest statue representing a man on a horseback in the world, the National Museum of Mongolian History and finally enjoy panoramic views of Ulaanbaatar from the Zaisan Memorial before arriving into the Premium Hotel for check in. This evening, we enjoy a Beyond X Boundaries exclusive Welcome Dinner.
Overnight: Premium Hotel, Ulaanbaatar
Meals: Dinner
16th Sep DAY 2 (SUN): ULAANBAATAR / ULGII / ALTAI NATIONAL PARK
Early this morning, we embark on a pleasant domestic flight from Ulaanbaatar to Ulgii (2hrs), capital of Bayan-Ulgii, Mongolia's western-most province where 90% of the population are Kazakh and you will have the opportunity to meet local families and experience the unique Kazakh culture. We then begin our expedition with a drive into the heart of the Altai Tavan Bodg National Park (6-7hrs drive) where we will reach our campsite near the base of Mt Shiveet Khairkhan where we will be staying in tented camps for the next 3 nights.
Overnight: Expedition Tented Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
17th Sep DAY 3 (MON): ALTAI NATIONAL PARK (HORSE TREK TO POTANIN GLACIER)
Today, we will start our horse riding expedition to the Potanin Glacier, the longest glacier in Mongolia at almost 20km long where we go through some of the most incredible and awe-inspiring settings with massifs of high snow-capped peaks as well as ancient stone monuments and rock paintings in the holy Mt Shiveet Kharkhan. The trail is a gradual ascend taking 5-6 hours where we marvel at the extraordinary views of the icy peaks of Khuiten (4,374m), Nairamdal (4,082m), Snowchurch (4,071m), Malchin (4,051m) and Ulgii (4,113m) and the glaciers of Potanin and Alexander.
Overnight: Expedition Tented Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
18th Sep DAY 4 (TUE): ALTAI NATIONAL PARK (TREK OF THE KHAR SALAA VALLEY)
Another incredible day today as we trek through the Khar Salaa Valley in Mount Shiveet Kharkhan for about 18km (5-6 hours). Today, we will explore hundreds of petroglyphs which can express deeply about history and culture of nomads as dating back to 3000 years. We will also enjoy scenes of beautiful small lakes - home to many species of water birds and dear stones from ancient nomad civilizations. The Shiveet Mountain is sacred to the Tuvan people and boasts many wildlife including mountain goat and ibex at an altitude of 3,600m above sea level. Each year the Tuvans climb to the mountain summit to make an offering ceremony for the local hosts and you will also have the opportunity to visit a “Ger”, traditional dwelling of Mongol-Tuvan nomad families and learn more about their unique lifestyle.
Overnight: Expedition Tented Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
19th Sep DAY 5 (WED): ALTAI NATIONAL PARK / ULGII
Today, we will drive back to Ulgii and en route, we make a stop at Tsengel Soum visiting its market and the center of the town before arriving back into Ulgii in the late evening where tonight, you will enjoy a stay in a traditional Ger camp.
Overnight: Ger Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
20th Sep DAY 6 (THU): ULGII / ALTANTSUGTS SOUM
Today, we will start another exciting part of the journey where we make a visit to Aisholpan, Mongolia's only female eagle hunter's home where we will spend an immersive and extraordinary experience with her family and learning about their lifestyle and cultures. On this exclusive Beyond X Boundaries experience, go behind the scenes to learn about the life of Aisholpan Nurgaiv, featured in an award-winning National Geographic documentary about the trials and tribulations of becoming an eagle hunter.
Overnight: Expedition Tented Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
WATCH HERE A TRAILER OF "THE EAGLE HUNTRESS"
21st Sep DAY 7 (FRI): ALTANTSUGTS SOUM / ULGII
We spend another day in the life of Aisholpan where she will demonstrate her eagle hunting skills while enjoying the stunning settings of her home. In the later afternoon, we return to Ulgii.
Overnight: Guest House
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
22nd Sep DAY 8 (SAT): ULGII / ULAANBAATAR / TERELJ NATIONAL PARK
Early this morning, we catch our domestic flight return to Ulaanbaatar where on arrival, we will make a 2hrs drive to Terelj National Park, renowned for its massive rock formations and dramatic landscapes. Check in at the Terelj Lodge where we enjoy a stay in a deluxe Ger camp, enjoy lunch before embarking on an excursion to the Turtle Rock - an unmistakable natural landmark of Terelj National Park, as well as the Aryabal Meditation Temple - built in 1810 by Mongolian and Tibetan artists.
Overnight: Terelj Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
23rd Sep DAY 9 (SUN): TERELJ NATIONAL PARK / ULAANBAATAR
Today, we visit the "13th Century Complex", the only camp in Mongolia where you can visit the old time micro kingdom Genghis Khan and his empire. By visiting the camp, you will witness craftsmen art work, Mongolian calligraphy, learn to write Mongolian traditional scripts, dine in the kings and queens palace, practice archery, horse training and catching horses with lasso pole, riding horses and camels or simply sit back and enjoy the beautiful countryside landscapes and the clear blue sky. Later, we drive back to Ulaanbaatar where en route, we visit the Gandan Monastery, a sacred place of worship for Tibetan Buddhism, founded since 1727. This evening, we will enjoy an exclusive Farewell Dinner for a fitting finale.
Overnight: Premium Hotel, Ulaanbaatar
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
24th Sep DAY 10 (MON): ULAANBAATAR / BEIJING
Recommended Flight Info:
Air China 902 Ulaanbaatar 1150hrs Beijing 1355hrs (Duration: 2h 05mins)
We say farewell to Mongolia and its kind hospitality as we transfer to the Ulaanbaatar Chinggis Khaan Intl Airport for departure to Beijing.
Meals: Breakfast
HOTELS
The Premium Hotel Ulaanbaatar is a modern and well-appointed luxury hotel located in the heart of the capital city in a convenient location equipped with Wi-Fi, fitness centre and modern amenities.
On many of our adventurous journeys to remote areas, we use tented camps of highest qualities, mattresses, chairs, dining tables are provided. Portable shower and toilet facilities are also provided for comfort. Tented camps allow you to interact more with the nature and visit the remotest areas of the country.
Expedition Tented Camps
Ger Camp, Ulgii (Day 5)
Made of latticed wood structure covered with felt layers and durable canvas, this dome-shaped unique accommodation is heated by wood stove placed in the center and furnished with beautifully-decorated wood-framed beds. Showers and toilet facilities are found in a separate building outside the ger. Staying in a ger is a memorable experience of Mongolian culture.
