Secret Land in Western Mongolia | Ten-day in-depth expedition to the Altai Mountains and Gobi Wilderness
Core of the trip:
① Go deep into the secret areas of Altai Mountains and Gobi in western Mongolia, where few tourists set foot.
② Professional logistics support, set up a mobile yurt camp in no-man’s land for 5 nights, and provide comfortable sleep in the depths of the wilderness.
③ Hike the Altai Mountains and track wildlife; Visit the Kazakh eagle hunter’s home; Search for ancient Scythian burial remains.
④ Set foot in the hometown of Khobdo, which once belonged to the Qing Dynasty in history.
⑤ Visit lakes and oases in the desert to observe migratory birds and rare fish; Visit the birthplace of Mongolian Humai art.
Itinerary
Fly to Ulaanbaatar and pick you up to the hotel by special car. If time permits, you can visit the National History Museum of Mongolia by yourself, and systematically understand the development of modern history from prehistoric times (human bones 800,000 years ago), the rise and fall of ancient nomads (Xiongnu, Turks, Uighurs and Khitan), to the rise of the Mongolian Empire in the 13 th century and the 20 th century.
Meals: None
Today, make a long-distance transportation transfer to Altai Mountains, one of the most primitive natural landforms in Asia (about 2 hours by flight, followed by about 4 hours by car). Stay in a mobile yurt camp with comfortable beds. You will be in the vast mountains, immersed in no one’s land, and enjoy delicious meals cooked by your private chef. The site of the camp depends on the season, and it is either built on the bank of a stream or in a canyon.
Dining: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Hotel: Mobile yurt camp (equipped with shower/toilet)
Hiking in the mountains today, tracking wild animals. Have the opportunity to meet herds of Siberian goats, as well as huge argali (1.2 m shoulder height and up to 200 kg weight), which are the main prey of snow leopards. Although it is extremely rare to witness snow leopards in person, you may find their feces and footprints. At the same time, Kazakh herdsmen live in the valley, and with the help of guides, they can communicate and learn about the traditional nomadic life.
Dining: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Hotel: Mobile yurt camp (equipped with shower/toilet)
Drive along the stream for about 2 hours, pass through plateau lakes, and reach the Kazakh summer pasture at the foot of Altai Mountains, which is located on the border between Mongolia and Xinjiang, China. We will visit the family of a Kazakh eagle hunter. The herdsmen here belong to the Muslim Sunni sect, and they still continue the nomadic wisdom passed down for thousands of years.
In addition, the area is dotted with numerous archaeological sites, including deer stones erected in front of tombs by nomadic tribes since the Bronze Age, which are important legacies of the civilizations of the ancient Scythians and their descendants.
Dining: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Hotel: Mobile yurt camp (equipped with shower/toilet)
Say goodbye to Altai Mountains today, take about 5 hours by car Entering the Mongolian-dominated Khovd area, Tibetan Buddhist temples and mosques coexist harmoniously here. This place has a unique historical significance for Chinese tourists: Khovd City was built on the banks of the Buyantu River in 1731 (during the Yongzheng period), and was under the jurisdiction of General Uriyasutai during the Qianlong period. After 1864, part of the territory was occupied by Tsarist Russia, and in 1912, it was partially occupied by the independent Mongolian army.
Dining: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 6 Travel to Khar-Us Lake Nature Reserve
Head east to the Khar-Us Lake Nature Reserve, where the glacial meltwater of the Altai Mountains converges into a lake. The lakeside is close to the boundless Gobi sand dunes, and there is a high probability of seeing the rare Saiga antelope. Before arriving at tonight’s yurt camp, we will pass through a clear lake, so we might as well jump into the lake and enjoy the coolness.
Dining: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Hotel: Mobile yurt camp (with shower/toilet)
Explore the Khar-Us Lake Nature Reserve all day, and enjoy the lakes surrounded by desert and the magnificent snow-capped mountains in the distance. Two-thirds of the lake’s fish are endemic, including the mountain yaro, which can reach a body length of up to 1 meter. It is also a bird watching resort, where you can see many kinds of birds such as Mongolian gull, relic gull, Pallas grouse and red-billed pochard.
Dining: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Hotel: Mobile yurt camp (equipped with shower/toilet)
Return to Khovd by bus, stop in a small village on the way, which is widely regarded as the birthplace of Mongolian Humai singing. Then drive along the Jagalant Haierhan Mountains, and you can see Mongolian summer pastures dotted in the mountains along the way.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Hotels: Local selection
Take the flight back to Ulaanbaatar. It is expected to arrive before the evening and be picked up by special car to the hotel. Due to the high probability of domestic flights in Mongolia being delayed or cancelled due to weather, it is not recommended to arrange to transfer to international flights to leave the country that night.
Dining: Breakfast
Hotel: Shangri-La Hotel
According to the flight time, a special bus will be sent to Ulaanbaatar Airport, successfully concluding this in-depth exploration trip.
Dining: Breakfast
Hotel: None
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