Day 1: Ulaanbaatar

Today we arrive in the strange capital of Mongolia. Without much established history it is a hodge-podge of modern buildings and nomad tents, that betray Mongolia’s recent development from a much more traditional past. In the afternoon, we will enjoy a stroll down the tree-lined Tuul River, where we are likely to encounter the first of our central Asian specialty birds such as Daurian Jackdaw, Azure Tit, White-crowned Penduline-Tit and perhaps a few Mandarin Duck. However, the riverine scrub may also hide some buntings, tits and leaf-warblers. The river may hold Common Merganser, and some shorebirds. We spend the night in a comfortable hotel, and we should revel in the mod-cons (like salad!) as much as possible as these will be our last city luxuries for a while.

 

Day 2: Ulanbataar to Khovd

We take an early morning flight to a frontier city in far western Mongolia, passing the Tarvagatai Mountains and great lakes of the western Mongol steppe! We then begin our epic overland journey that will lead us across wildest sections of the ancient Mongol Kingdom. Our drive into the Altai Mountains leads us to a beautifully located Ger Camp dubbed ‘Snow Leopard’ Camp that has the peaks of the Altai nearby, while can see distant vast lakes near our camp in the semi-desert steppe to the east. We spend five glorious nights at this spectacular camp, nestled on the Chinese and Kazakh borders.

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Days 3-6: Snow Leopard Camp

For the next four days we spend our time with the professional trackers and local guides as we search for the elusive Snow Leopard in the magnificent landscapes of the Altai Mountains. Nothing is guaranteed, but these guys are among the most skilled in the world at finding this elusive animal. We need to be prepared for many hours of scanning the rugged terrain where this cat blends in seamlessly. While in the Altai, we have a strong focus on trying to see one of Earth’s greatest enigmas, the ‘Gray Ghost’; but will also be seeking out their prey species such as the magical ‘Big Horn’ Argali Sheep, and spectacular Siberian Ibex. The majority of observation points can be driven 5-12 km with 4x4 vehicles; this is normally followed by a walk of a couple kilometers over largely flat terrain. However, on occasion, it will be necessary to take a short-medium length walk that will demand some basic fitness and the ability to walk on rocky, uneven or steep terrain. Some of the more local specialties here will be the Mongolian Marmot, Gobi-Altai Vole or Zhaishan Mole-vole and perhaps Pallas’ or Alpine pikas! The slightly more widespread Red Fox, Beech Marten, or Mongolian and Midday Gerbils will also be sought. In the drier semi-desert scrub around the camp we might luck out with Long-eared Hedgehog or Tolai Hare. Our main avian target in these rugged mountains is an amazing local enigma. Here the curlew-like ringing calls of the Altai Snowcock rings across the valleys, but it is no easy feat to see these birds and we will require much effort to find this amazing gamebird, the most elusive snowcock on Earth. But there is plenty else to look for here including Little Owl, Common Wheatear, Black Redstart, White-winged Snowfinch, Blyth’s Pipit, Mongolian Finch, Twite, Bearded and Himalayan Vultures, and Chukar. The mountain areas may also yield the beastly Saker Falcon, including perhaps the bizarre and poorly-known darker form ‘Altai’ Falcon. In the flatter areas near the Ger Camp we might get lucky with Horned Lark, Greater Sandplover, or Pallas’ Sandgrouse. If the lake has water in it we are likely to locate our first waterfowl including perhaps Greylag Goose, Whooper Swan, Ruddy Shelduck and others. Depending on our luck with the Grey Ghost we may make a foray into the surrounding arid steppe for a few choice targets.

 

Day 7: Har Us Lake

We depart this morning for a great wetland site, but en-route we will be travelling through semi-desert steppe, where we may locate yet more enigmas, as this is not a bad area to see the nasally well-endowed and incredible Saiga antelope and Goitered Gazelle. We may also see vultures at a carcass, an increasingly rare phenomenon anywhere in Asia these days. At the lake we hope to find the rare White-headed Duck, Pallas’s Gull, Western Marsh-Harrier, Horned Grebe, Amur Falcon, and Pallas’s Reed Bunting. We spend out first night in a simple tented camp along the desert’s edge. It’s simple, it’s rustic, but it is also wild and magical.

 

Day 8: Darvi

Today we enjoy some more waterbirds and lakes. But our prime enigma for the day is the rare and reclusive Relict Gull, and we visit a lake which frequently (but not always) has a breeding colony of this globally Vulnerable specialty at Ikhes Lake. Watching these stunning gulls in breeding plumage in record numbers is treat never to be forgotten. The night is again in tents, under the stars, lots of stars.

 

Day 9: Darvi to Gobi-Altai Town

After another day of lakes and steppes, where we hope to encounter a variety of birds like grebes, Eurasian Spoonbill, Swan and Bar-headed geese, Falcated and Ferruginous ducks, Red-crested Pochard, Mongolian Gull, Upland Buzzard, Demoiselle Crane, Pacific Golden Plover, Greater Sandplover, and if very lucky, the magical Asian Dowitcher, we make our way to the settlement of Altai, where we check into a hotel and enjoy a proper shower for the first time in a while.

 

Day 10: Gobi-Altai to Buuntsagaan Lake

As the dunes and cracked parchment of the desert gets drier we keep an eye out for Mongolian Jird, Mongolian Antelope, Asian Desert Warbler, the stunning Henderson’s (Mongolian) Ground-Jay. In the afternoon we reach one of the largest lakes in this part of the Gobi and begin to enjoy some waterfowl and shorebirds. We overnight in a mobile tented camp tonight on the fringes of Buuntsagaan Lake. Here colonies of breeding Palla’s and Mongolian Gulls jostle on the lake fringes and we can hope for stunning views of Great Crested Grebe and Little Tern. The highlight however would be a Pallas’ Eagle if we are lucky, and we will scour the lake fringes as we go, probably picking up Little Terns and Great Cormorants as we go. Although things will be simple, the amazing surrounding wilderness ought to make up for that!

 

Days 11-14: Shinejinst Great Gobi-A Strictly Protected Area

Today we travel to Shniejinst and then onwards into the great Gobi Desert. We set up our camp to explore one of the wildest areas on the planet. The Great Gobi-A Strictly Protected Area provides habitat to many endangered species such as the Siberian Ibex, Argali Sheep, ‘Gobi’ Brown Bear and Wild Bactrian Camel. This reserve was included in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves in 1990 as one of the largest biosphere reserves in the world (5.3 million hectares). The main goal, although very challenging, will be to track down Wild Bactrian Camel, with possibilities of Asiatic Wild Ass. In this wilderness, we will stay in simple tented camps visiting oases, plains and mountains. Some night-drives in this area can deliver some superb mammals including the Large-eared Jerboa (perhaps the planet’s most endearing rodent – just google it!), Pygmy Jerboa and Marbled Polecat.

  

Day 15: Great Gobi-A to Bayankhongor

After another day in the wilderness, the simple comforts of the town hotel in Bayankhongor will come as a massive treat.

 

Day 16: Bayankhongor to Erdenesant Soum

We move from the drier desert into the grassier steppe. And we finally shift into an area that more regularly produces the squat-faced and remarkable Pallas’ Cat, a serious target of tonight’s night drive. We overnight in a mobile tented camp for the last time tonight. This zone may also produce Steppe Polecat, Campbell’s Hamster and Least Weasel!

 

Day 17: Erdenesant to Hustai NP

After packing up camp and moving from Erdenesant Soum, we will be based in a delightful Ger (yurt) camp near the Khentii Mountains for our last field night, and the gateway to the incredible Hustai NP. The main objective is to see the Przewalski’s Horse, which almost went extinct, but is recovering well and can be seen fairly easily in places like Hustai, where it breeds successfully. Other mammals we may encounter include Red Deer, Mongolian Gazelle, Tolai Hare, Corsac Fox and Siberian Jerboa. This amazing place is even home to Gray Wolves and Eurasian Lynx, but we have only the slimmest chances at encountering these rare mammals. On the bird front, Amur Falcon, Golden Eagle, Mongolian Lark, Daurian Redstart and Meadow Bunting are some of the interesting birds we might find here. We will be based in a comfortable Yurt camp for the night.

 

Day 18: Hustai NP to Ulanbataar

After some final birding and mammal-watching we return to Ulaanbaatar where the main tour draws to a close with a transfer to the international airport