Eagle Hunting Festival Reindeer Herders And Gobi Deser
About this tour
Try the traditional hunting lifestyle in the enormous Altai mountains. Hunting is fundamental to man’s struggle for the evolution of humankind. See how well-trained eagle hunts for fox even wolf in the wilderness. Meet the eagle trainer and hear his life story in harsh natural conditions.
The first part of the tour is visiting the Northern part of Mongolia. Reindeer herder in the Taiga area, there we will ride a horse for two days and visit Tsaatan ethnic people who live on by herding reindeer. Those people are genuinely a Mountain indigenous tribe. They live in a teepee. After the nomadic family and reindeer herders visit, we will relax on Khuvsgul lake shore.
We will drive from the North to the Western part nearly 1600 km through Zavkhan province. This is one of the not discovered places by tourists. Here we will visit 200 meters round shaped Sand dunes, inside sand dunes river stream flows. This is one of the attractive place for local Mongolians. And we will visit Ulaagchiin Har Us Nuur Lake beside the sand dunes. Sand dunes and Mountains surround this lake.
The second part of tour is Altai Tavan Bogd National Park, the Potanin glacier visit and participate Eagle hunting festival. Visit the Eagle hunter family and see their traditional lifestyle and hunting technique, training eagle tradition.
The third part of the tour is the most impressive and classical nature of remote Gobi desert of Mongolia. Gobi Altai and Bayanhongor provinces having a place of Gobi’s Great Restricted Places “A” and “B” Those places are the homeland of wild - endangered animals as Mazaalai – Gobi bear, Havtgai – wild camel, Takhi 2- wild horses, Argali- wild sheep, and ibex – wild goat, snow leopard etc. But nature is truly remote, with vast steppe and Gobi. Those places like MARS the other planet. We will visit “Eej Khairhan Mountain” – beauty of natural creatures – secret Mountain, Shar teeg – Gobi’s cliffs, and Ulaan Yvar – Cliffs. Tour has 5600 km drive by Toyota land cruiser.
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1: Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia to Uran Togoo Dead Volcano, Mongolia
Day 1: Bulgan – Uran Togoo volcanic Mountain Early in the morning, driver and guide will pick you up from your hotel and drive to Bulgan province 450 km by paved road. We will hike through Uran Togoo dead volcanic mountain and stay in Ger guest house.
Day 2: Uran Togoo Dead Volcano, Mongolia to Murun, Mongolia
Day 2: Deer stone monolitos, Murun town Today we will drive 400 km. Visit the Bronze Age era’s deer stone complex in the middle of nowhere. After, we will stay in ger guest house.
Day 3: Murun, Mongolia to Ulaan-Uul - Renchinlkhumbe Road, Rinchinlhümbe, Mongolia
Day 3: Ulaan uul nomadic family Khordil Sardig mountain range tour starts from todady in northern part. We will drive by mountainous road to a nomadic family in Darkhad depression – Ulaan Uul village. This depression has over 240 rivers and 370 lakes. It is the watersheds and the river flows to the Yenisei River. The Khordil Saridag mountain range has colourfull sharp rocks. Grey, red, white brown mountains (rock) and mostly they have a snow in the bottom of the mountain. Its impressive mountains, ecosystem, rare plants, indigenous people are the uniqueness of the northern part. We will have lunch in nomadic family’s small canteen. And arrive at the family afternoon. Visit the family and have traditional food and dairy products. The family has yaks, sheep, goat, and horses. Tomorrow we will ride a horse with a family. Stay in the family’s spare Ger guest house.
Day 4: Tugul, Mongolia to Taiga Tourist camp, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Day 4: Horse ride to Taiga visit Tsaatan After breakfast, we will pack our luggage to our horse and ride a horse to Taiga. We will ride 4-5 hours in the forest, bushes, and cross river by horse. Have a picnic lunch outside. Afternoon arrives at the reindeer herder family. Visit the family. They live in the teepee in a minimalist way. We will sleepover in Teepee.
Day 5: Taiga Tourist camp, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia to Ulaan-Uul - Renchinlkhumbe Road, Rinchinlhümbe, Mongolia
Day 5: Horse ride back to nomadic family Horse ride back to a nomadic family. Horse riding will be easier and funnier than yesterday. After the previous day’s riding experience, your horse becomes a good friend to you, and you will ride like an expert. And the horses will be happy to go back home. There is no other people, just your horse and nature. Taiga horse riding is one of the excellent experiences of discovering nature.
Day 6: Ulaan-Uul - Renchinlkhumbe Road, Rinchinlhümbe, Mongolia to Khuvsgul Lake, Mongolia
Day 6: Khordil Saridag Mountain Range and Khuvsgul lake Today we will say goodbye to our host family and drive to Khuvsgul lake. The lake is the purest blue lake. Its surrounding Khordil Saridag mountain and meadow, flora, and nomadic families are making the lake special. Relax on the shore and free activity day. Stay in camp.
Day 7: Khuvsgul Lake, Mongolia to Tosontsengel, Mongolia
Day 7: Tosantsengel village Today we will drive 340 km to Village Tosontsengel. Here we will sleep overnight in the motel.
Day 8: Tosontsengel, Mongolia to Ulaagchiin Khar Lake, Mongolia
Day 8: Ulaagchyn Khar Lake This lake is one of the most attractive lakes in Mongolia. It surrounds by full of sand dunes, and bold hills. Nomadic families live around the lake. This lake provides delicious fish to town. Drive 280 km. stay in local hotel or nomadic family’s spare ger guest house.
Day 9: Ulaagchiin Khar Lake, Mongolia to Urgamal, Mongolia
Day 9 Bor hyr sand dunes Urgamal village Today we will drive to Bor Hyr sand dunes. It is a 200-meter high round-shaped sand dune. Inside the dune, river stream will flow. This part is one of the most fantastic natural beauties. We will walk around the sand and stream. The surrounding area is a beautiful landscape with saddened rocks, mountains and a steppe. Drive farther to Urgamal village. Stay in little hotel.
Day 10: Urgamal, Mongolia to Ulgii, Mongolia
Day 10: Ulgii town Today de will drive 400km by paved road. On the way see Hyrgas lake and drive through a deserted area of Uvs province. We are driving through Great Lakes Depression. This area has over 300 lakes and diverse of landscapes such as Gobi desert, Altai Mountains, and Green field. Afternoon we will arrive in Ulgii town and stay in a hotel.
Day 11: Ulgii, Mongolia to Uujim, Mongolia
Day 11: Eagle Hunting Festival The Eagle hunting festival takes up 16- 17 September, or 30 Sep- 1 Oct nearby Ulgii town. Today we will participate Eagle hunting festival. See trained eagles on how to hunt in the Altai Mountains. Meet with trainers. We are introducing day Kazakh tribe’s tradition.
Day 12: Uujim, Mongolia
Day 12: Eagle hunter family visits and Hike in Moutain. Today we will visit the Eagle hunter family and hike around the area. Meeting with local Kazakh people and eating traditional food, see how they nomadically live in the Altai Mountains.
Day 13: Uujim, Mongolia to Altai Tavan Bogd National Park, Mongolia
Day 13 Altai Tavan Bogd National Park We will drive to Altai Tavan Bogd National park for 150 – 180 km by off-rocky road. Here will register for border control. We are at the Mongolian western border with China and Kazakh. Stay in the guest house of the Tuva ethnic family beside a white river. Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner.
Day 14: Altai Tavan Bogd National Park, Mongolia
Day 14: Horse trek to Potanin Glacier and Altai Tavan Bogd Mountain Peak We will ride horse by Mountain 2- 3 hours in one side. From the base camp, we will have horses from nomadic family and ride. When we arrive at the glacier, the bottom of the Peaks, we will hike through mountains and glaciers. Evening ride back to Tuva ethnic family beside the white river. Here it will be cold.
Day 15: Altai Tavan Bogd National Park, Mongolia to Ulgii, Mongolia
Day 15: Ulgii town Today we will drive to Ulgii town back and our next destination Gobi tour will start. Drive for 220 km off-road. Having lunch in the local Kazakh canteen. And stay in a hotel in Ulgii town.
Day 16: Ulgii, Mongolia to Tugrug, Mongolia
Day 16 Khoid Tsenher Cave in Khovd province This cave is quite famous in the world for its 40000 years ago petroglyphs on the wall. There will be pictures of a Mammoth, and a turkey gobbler on the wall, before the Ice Age era Mongolia has sea and a warm place. We can talk a lot history of human mind civilization here. Drive 330 km
Day 17: Tugrug, Mongolia to Govi-Altai, Mongolia
Day 17: Petroglyphs – Rock paining – Altai town Today we will visit Natural Moutain Rock painting from Bronze-Ages’ are. And drive to Gobi Altai Province for over 400 km. Arrive at a town in the evening have dinner in a restaurant and stay in Hotel.
Day 18: Govi-Altai, Mongolia to Bayantooroi, Mongolia
Day 18: Bayantooroi village Today, We will drive through the Altai Mountains to reach our next destination. We will drive to a village named by tree’s name Bayantooroi – the “Populus diversifolia” tree in the Gobi desert. This tree is 1000 years old, it is one of the desert’s treasures throughout the world. This small village is peaceful, and sunny and has the most hospitable people around. Here is Gobi’s Great Restricted Places “A” and “B” ranger’s centre. We will drive 240 km by Altai Mountains. We will cross huge Mountains. The road here is gorgeous wild nature.
Day 19: Bayantooroi, Mongolia to Eej Khairkhan Mountain, Mongolia
Day 19: “Eej Hairhan” “Mother Mountain” When we arrive at Mountain Eej Hairhan, there are a lot of discoveries of shapes, and creatures of Rocky Mountain. Eej Hairhan means Mother mountain. It is a place of a legendary empire of women (Amazon) Blue skinned women lived in this Mountain without any man. Those women represent now the character of rare Gobi Desert women. If you visit this Mountain, you will see it is very suitable to live for women. We will have a full day to hike and discover the monk’s cave, natural theatre and other creatures here. Around this area, there are wild camels and wild Gobi bears – Mazaalai and other rare animals.
Day 20: Eej Khairkhan Mountain, Mongolia to Burgastai Road, Mongolia
Day 20: Shar Teeg Canyon in steppe Dead Ancient bottom of the ocean We will drive to the Southern part of the Mongolian Gobi desert which it closes to the Chinese border. On the way, we will take water and drive. Gobi desert Saxual tree forest, visit remote nomadic family. Stay in a tent in the Shar Teeg Canyon area. This Canyon is one of the different and strange, beautiful natural creatures. Make a fire in the open area of the Gobi desert. This night will be Mongolian Gobi desert night. This is a completely remote area without any family and animals.
Day 21: Burgastai Road, Mongolia to Biger, Mongolia
Day 21: Biger – Ulaan Yvar and Burhan Buudai Mountain “Ulaan Yvar” The other name of this place is “Devil’s stomach”. It is 3-4 km long with red, brown, and yellow coloured shaped mud and canyons. This place locates in the middle of Altai Mountain. We will discover nearby Mountain Ranges. Close to Ulaan Yvar, there are kidney-healing Sand dunes. Drive 400 km. Walk through Canyon and muddy colourful mountains. Stay in a local motel.
Day 22: Biger, Mongolia to Bayankhongor, Mongolia
Day 22: Bayanhongor province: Today we will drive 300 km to an overnight stay in a hotel.
Day 23: Bayankhongor, Mongolia to Arvaikheer, Mongolia
Day 23: Chess Rock and Arvaiheer town Today we will drive to Chess Rocks. In the mountain valley, you will see rock-made chesses. And stone monuments, deer stones, and monoliths surrounding the area. These chess pieces creatures are remained from B.C 3000 years ago. It is very interesting to see in the middle of nowhere chesses. Afternoon drive to Arvaiheer town for 300 km. And stay in a hotel.
Day 24: Arvaikheer, Mongolia to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Day 24: Ulaanbaatar Today we will drive 430 km to Ulaanbaatar, the last day of the long tour. Have lunch on the way and drop you at your hotel. To say goodbye to our honoured guide and driver.
What's included
We work with remote rural families for supporting their life. And this tour includes National Parks, and Natural Reserved Places, we work closely with rangers and NGO of protecting National Parks. Accounts are included in our price.
What to know
This tour can be customized. Please get in touch with me.
Route & locations
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia to Uran Togoo Dead Volcano, Mongolia