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Trip Rating Details
Strenuous: Expedition style camping or stays with local families. Includes full-day hikes or rides over mountainous terrain, or other strenuous physical activity requiring good physical fitness. Extreme weather conditions may include very hot and dry conditions or cold, snow and ice.
Packing List
This is a suggested packing list, which you should feel free to adjust to suit your needs. Please refer to our travel guide for more detailed information.
- backpack or soft bag
- sleeping bag (-40C)
- day pack
- head lamp/flashlight
- spare batteries/bulb
- personal medications
- towel
- very wam boots
- gaiters
- parka (-40C) with hood
- warm windproof overpants
- fleece jacket or wool jumper
- long sleeve shirts
- warm trousers
- warm hat/balaclava
- long underwear
- socks
- underwear
- very warm gloves
- very warm mittens
- sun glasses
- sun cream
- spare glasses
- resealing (ziploc) plastic bags
- binoculars/camera
- wet tissues
- watch/ alarm clock
- money belt/ pouch
- insurance confirmation copy
- emergency contact number
See our packing tips for detailed information.
Trip Information - Winter Wildlife Photo Expedition
Day 1. Arrival (D)
Arrival to Ulaanbaatar and transfer to hotel. Depending on time of arrival,
you may have a short city sight-seeing tour. Evening welcome dinner. Overnight
in hotel.
Day 2. Ulaanbaatar/Ulaangom/Tsagaan Shuvuut (B, L, D)
In the morning we will catch a flight to Ulaangom, where we will be met
by the trip staff including our local guide and drivers. Depending on
the flight time we may have lunch in Ulaangom. Then we head to Uureg Lake,
a brackish lake which will be comlpetely frozen over at this time of year.
From the lake we will turn towards Tsagaan Shuvuut mountain which borders
Russia. We will meet with Tsagaanbaatar’s family. He is the local ranger
he will be guiding us through the Tsagaan Shuvuut area. Both wild and
domestic animals make us of the grazing there, ranging between Russia
and Mongolia. Here we have a chance to see Ibex, Grey Wolf, and Fox. Overnight
in ger with Tsagaanbaatar’s family.
Day 3. Tsagaan Shuvuut Mountain (B, L, D)
Today, with Tsagaanbaatar leading us we will climb up to an altitiude
of between 3500 and 3700 meters, using a combination of horses and hiking,
to look for Wolf, Fox, Ibex and Lynx. Overnight in ger with a local family.
Day 4. Tsagaan Shuvuut/Yamaatiin Am (B, L,
D)
Yamaatiin Am means The Valley of Ibex in Mongolian, and this valley is
truly full of Ibex which graze here year round. The surrounding mountains
are high and steeply sloped, consisting mainly of large granite rocks
that offer up little grazing but are good protected areas where Ibex can
rest and retreat. In Yamaatin Am we will ranger Erdenebaatar, who works
with the local World Wildlife Fund conservation project. Erdenebaatar
will be guiding us in our search for the elusive snow leopard. In the
same area we can also see Grey Wolf, Eurasian Lynx, Fox, Badgers, Wolverines,
Pallas’s Cat (Otocolobus manul) and very rarely, Snow Leopards. These
predators subsist on the local Ibex and on Marmots, rabbits, and other
small prey animals. Overnight in ger Erdenebaatar’s family.
Day 5-9. Kharkhira Range/Snow Leopard Tracking
(B, L, D)
We will take a short drive to the end of the Yamaat valley, and then climb
to a ridgeline overlooking the valley to look for wildlife. Today we begin
trackinf Snow Leopard in earnest. Following their tracks in the snow and
relying on Erdenebaatar’s knowledge of their locations during the mating
season, we will be covering a large area in the next few days. Depending
on conditions and what we find, we may head to the Goojuurin waterfall
and consult with ranger Dashdavaa and attempt to track snow leopards in
his area. The waterfall flows from high mountain glaciers in summer, but
during this time of year it will be frozen and sparkling. If we stay at
the waterfall we will need to sleep at Damjig havtsal, reachable only
by a 3 hour horseback ride at this time of year. Overnights in ger with
ranger’s family or local family.
Day 10. Goojuuriin Waterfall/Ulaangom (B, L,
D)
Early in the morning we will make our way back to the waterfall to meet
our vehicles or drive out of the valley, depending on our last location.
We will reach the town of Ulaangom in the late afternoon. This evening
we can enjoy hot showers and have dinner in a typical café in town. Overnight
in a local hotel.
Day 11. Ulaangom/Ulaanbaatar (B, L, D)
In the late morning we will fly back to Ulaanbaatar, and check into our
hotels. After a late lunch, we will spend some time exploring the Black
Market. This huge market contains every single item a Mongolian might
need, whether they are nomads or urban apartment dwellers. Goods brought
from all corners of Mongolia are here for sale. A visit to the market
is a colorful experience which gives the visitor an insight to the everyday
life of the people of Mongolia. In the evening, we will gather for a farewell
dinner where you can show the group your favorite photographs from the
trip, or just relax and unwind.
Overnight in 4 star hotel.
Day 12. Ulaanbaatar/Hustaiin Nuruu (B, L,
D)
In the morning we drive to Hustai National Park, approximately 2 to 3
hours drive depending on snow conditions. Hustai and the surrounding area
is the only place where one can photograph Przewalski’s horses in their
natural habitat. The park was established as part of a unique project
to reintroduce the world’s last surviving wild horses back to their natural
environment. On the brink of extinction during the last century, only
a very few Takhi or Przewalski’s horse were left in zoos around Europe.
This graceful steppe horse was returned to Mongolia, and today, thanks
to this special project, two herds again roam the Mongolian steppes. We
spend the day at the park, where we will go out with one of the park rangers
to see the herds of Takhi as well as the Elk, Moose, and other wild inhabitants
of the park. Many wolves roam here, and they are not shy of humans, so
this is a good opportunity to photograph them. Overnight in a ger camp
at Hustai.
Day 13. Hustaiin Nuruu/Ulaanbaatar (B, L, D)
We will spend the morning at the park to take advantage of the good light,
so you have a chance to take your last photographs of the Takhi. After
lunch, we will drive back to Ulaanbaatar, arriving in the mid-afternoon.
Optional late afternoon sightseeing and souvenir shopping. Overnight in
4 star hotel.
Day 14. Departure (B)
Transfer to the airport for your departing flight.
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