Wild Mongolia with Kevin Clement
August 20, 2013 - September 8, 2013August 2014 (Exact dates TBD)
Priced from: $12,980
Below please find the day-by-day itinerary for this expedition. Unless otherwise noted, daily excursion options are included in the cost of the trip. We do our best to adhere to the scheduled itinerary, but in the spirit of our expeditionary style of travel we may deviate slightly to take full advantage of encounters with the destination and its people, culture, and wildlife.
August 20 USA
Depart the USA on your independent flight to Seoul-Incheon, South Korea.
August 21 Seoul-Incheon, South Korea
Arrive in Seoul and transfer to our hotel for dinner and overnight.
August 22 Seoul-Incheon / Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
After breakfast at the hotel depart for your flight to Ulaanbaatar. Upon arrival, transfer to our hotel for dinner and overnight.
August 23 Ulaanbaatar
Today, early risers enjoy the opportunity to participate in morning prayers at a local monastery. Then visit the National History Museum before lunch at a local restaurant. Next, tour the Natural History Museum which houses an excellent exhibit of dinosaur fossils, and the Choijim Lama Museum with its rich collection of Mongolian Buddhist sculptures and paintings. This evening enjoy a cultural presentation with dinner and overnight at our hotel.
August 24 Ulaanbaatar / Ikh Nart Nature Reserve
This morning board a local train for a scenic ride through countryside dotted with small villages, giving way to expansive grassy steppes. Upon arrival in the “Middle Gobi,” board buses for the drive to Ikh Nart Nature Reserve. Dinner and overnight for the next three nights at Red Rock Ger Camp.
Aug 25 - Aug 26 Ikh Nart Nature Reserve
Spend two days exploring the Ikh Nart area, one of the best places in the world to see argali sheep and Siberian ibex in the wild. Other species you may find include the corsac fox, Pallas’s cat, and cinereous vulture, one of the world’s largest birds of prey. Established as a reserve for scientific study in the 1990s, the wildlife is relatively used to human observers, making for excellent photographic opportunities.
August 27 Eastern Steppes
After one last nature walk, enjoy a scenic drive across the Mongolian steppe, the largest intact prairie remaining in the world. These grasslands support thousands of Mongolian gazelles, as well as traditional nomadic herders, who welcome us with warm hospitality. This evening, make camp under the starry canopy of the night sky.
Aug 28 - Aug 29 Toson Hulstai Nature Reserve
Toson Hulstai covers approximately 1.2 million hectares of grasslands. As you continue along the steppe, keep watch for herds of gazelle; whistling marmots; various species of raptors, bustards, and cranes; and perhaps, wolves. You will also visit a traditional nomadic family to learn about a way of life that has changed little over the centuries. Make camp in the middle of the reserve for the next two nights, recounting the day’s adventures around the cozy campfire.
August 30 Toson Hulstai Nature Reserve / Onon River
Drive north this morning, gradually leaving the steppe behind and entering southern taiga—a landscape of meadows interspersed by forests of birch, larch, and pine. This region is famous as the place where Chinggis Khaan was born and where the Mongolian empire was established.
Aug 31 - Sep 2 Onon River
Explore the Onon River’s incredible environs, choosing from a variety of activities: river float, fly fish, ride horses, hike, or search for birds—this remote region offers chances to see the black-billed capercaillie, Baikal teal, whooper swan, and great bustard. The river is home to taimen, the world’s largest salmonid, growing up to 11 feet in length. There is also the opportunity to visit the log homes of the Buryat people, a distinct Mongolian tribe, and join them around an evening campfire where we are enchanted by their unique costumes and songs.
September 3 Onon River / Baldan Beereven
Today embark on a drive through rolling, forested hills where bears, deer, and wolves can still be found. Nestled in a peaceful valley surrounded by pine-covered mountains, the Baldan Beereven Monastery once housed over 1,500 lamas. Stroll around the ruins and savor the peaceful setting as you learn about the interesting history of this site. Tonight camp in a protected area near the ruins.
Sep 4 - Sep 5 Jalman Meadows
Continue through rolling hills to the mining town of Baganuur, then leave the pavement behind, traveling through beautiful wilderness. Enjoy a picnic lunch en route and perhaps visit local herding families for a firsthand glimpse into the daily lives of Mongolian nomadic pastoralists. There is also a possibility that you may witness a horse race. This afternoon arrive at the Jalman Meadows ger camp, located in the beautiful Tuul River Valley, your base for the next two nights. Take full advantage of your last day in the Mongolian countryside with horseback riding, floating down the Tuul River, and hiking.
September 6 Jalman Meadows / Ulaanbaatar
Drive to Ulaanbaatar this morning and, after lunch, choose to explore on your own, or perhaps shop for Mongolian handicrafts made from cashmere, camel’s wool, and yak hair. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.
September 7 Ulaanbaatar / Seoul-Incheon, South Korea
After breakfast, board your flight to Seoul-Incheon. After lunch, the rest of the day is at leisure. We enjoy dinner together, with overnight at our hotel.
September 8 Seoul-Incheon / USA
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your independent homeward flight.
