Mongolia Nomad Explorerwith Tim Cope

On arrival you will be met and transferred from the airport to the group hotel. Following an orientation tour of the city, including a visit to the National Museum and a traditional Mongolian concert, we will meet in the evening for a group dinner and briefing. Included in the tour price is a $100 donation for Autism Mongolia. We will be joined at dinner by a representative of this organisation. Overnight: Best Western Premier Tuushin Hotel or similar

Meals: D

Today we will fly from Ulaanbaatar to the far west of Mongolia - a region known for its mountain peaks and some of the Gobi’s most remote stretches, but which is also home to Mongolia’s most ethnically diverse people. After landing in Olgiy we will drive eastward for approximately one hour to make camp in the vicinity of Lake Tolboo. Time allowing, we aim to visit a Kazakh family in the nearby village to learn from them about the unique history and culture of their people who form a majority in Bayan Olgiy. Kazakhs have lived in Western Mongolia since the 1850s, however their Turkic nomad ancestors trace their history on the steppe untold millennia. Note the destination today is dependent on the domestic airline schedule which varies from year to year. It is possible we will fly to Khovd and if this is the case, some amendments to travel timing will be necessary. Tim will brief the team locally if this is to occur, rest assured itinerary will unfold with the key aims in mind regardless of the arrival airport. Overnight: Tented camp

Meals: B,L,D

After breakfast we continue our journey eastward by road into Khovd Province. The drive of approximately three hours will take us through mountain terrain and include dramatic panoramas of the glacier capped mountain of Tsambgarav (4193m), before taking us on a descent to a more arid environment of steppe. After a stop in the regional capital of Khovd, we will continue past the shores of Khar Us lake. Khar Us is a vast body of fresh water akin to an inland sea fed primarily by the Khovd River, which in turn is fed by the many glaciers and alpine valleys of the greater Altai range. In an otherwise very arid zone this water from distant peaks brings an astonishing array of bird life to the region. Khar Us is a designated Ramsar Wetland of significance and is protected by Khar Us national park. We will take a walk along the edge of the lake before continuing our journey by vehicle. Our aim today is to reach the base of the Baatarin Nuruu Mountains and rendezvous with our nomads and their camels to prepare for our trek. The Baatarin Nuruu are part of the greater Gobi Altai range that will be the focus of the first trekking stage of our journey. En route we will stop for lunch near the village of Mankhan where we will also be able to view some petroglyphs that are believed to have been etched into rock some 3000 – 4000 years ago. After lunch we will continue to Zereg Sum village before veering off the sealed road and driving to our entry point of the mountains. We aim to make camp next to a seasonal winter stopping place for local nomads and meet with our nomad guides and their camels and horses that will travel with us in the days ahead. Our camp elevation will be at 1876m. Overnight: Tented camp

Meals: B,L,D

The Baatarin Nuruu mountains (part of the Gobi Altai range) that lie ahead of us rise dramatically from 1276m in the valley below to just shy of 4000m (the highest peak being Baatar Hayrhan, 3984m). Every summer the local nomadic people pack their gers onto camels, and herd their animals up to the high slopes for grazing. The sheer nature of the mountainside here forms a fortress of sorts, that makes entering the mountain domain a challenge. Guided by nomads who live in this area, our route will follow ancient migratory trails that will take us high into the peaks, but also deep into remote valleys. To enter and exit the mountains we must cross what is known locally as the mountain’s ‘thresholds’ – challenging passes that prevent mechanized transport from entering the mountain world beyond. We will be supported only by our nomads and their pack camels for the next our days. Our first threshold, and the start of our trek is takes us beyond a cluster of granite rocks up alongside a deep river gorge. The climbing is steep but on a well formed camel route. We eventually reach a high pass of around 2800m (known as the ‘third threshold’) before dropping down slightly for camp. Our setting this evening is spectacular. Towering over camp are the cliffs of ‘Red Stupa’ mountain (3235m), and the terminal moraine of a glacier (that has long since retreated). Beyond this we can glimpse some of the higher ridges and peaks of the range. The local people (known as the Zakhchin, a subgroup of the ‘Oirat Mongol’ people) are immensely proud of the nature here that has formed the core of not only their way of life, but their song, stories, and beliefs. Camped in this natural mountain ampitheatre it is not hard to understand why. We will be based at this campsite for two nights. Camp is at 2734m. Elevation gain for todays trek is 858m. Overnight: Tented camp

Meals: B,L,D

Today, weather permitting we will have an opportunity for a day hike up to a mountain pass at 3546m known as Agutin Davaa. The hike is steep, and not passable by camels for the most part. We will be hiking up the moraine with striking views of Red Stupa peak and the distant valley from where we had begun. The moraine follows a gully until we exit high on a plateau where we aim to pause for lunch. Conditions allowing we will carry on from here to Agutin Davaa that will give us views to the series of ranges and valleys both to the south and north. We will retrace our route back to camp and enjoy dinner in a heated mess tent. Overnight: Tented camp

Meals: B,L,D

On day 6 we will walk out of our camp, at first a short climb to a pass known as Shilin Davaa (2841m). There is a beautiful ‘Ovoo’ here (a cairn), where nomads have venerated the mountains here since early times. For us this marks the point of our descent along the ‘Shilin’ river – a water course fed by springs that cut deep through the middle of the Baatarin Nuruu range and is a lifeline for nomads in the summer. From the Shilin Ovoo our descent is gentle at first. Lunch will be had by the stream. After lunch the valley drops away until it forms a gorge. It eventually forms a series of cascades. To navigate through this section we need to climb up again to a spectacular crossing known as ‘Nuurst Khotol’ (coal pass). It takes great skill here for the cameleers to lead their animals along traverses of steep slopes. It is a marvel to watch the skill and experience of the nomads and their animals to safely travel. Our campsite will be decided depending on the conditions with a few options available to avoid a longer day. From Nuurst pass we will drop back down to the river where it becomes known as the Kharzin (the never freezing river). Note that this area is renowned for the abundance of Altai Ibex. We hope to have the opportunity to see ibex during the trek this day and/or from camp. Camp is at 2256m or similar depending on conditions Overnight: Tented camp

Meals: B,L,D

In the morning for those who would like to have a chance at viewing Ibex, it is best to be up at dawn/sunrise. Usually ibex can be viewed from camp through binoculars. Our route today continues to follow the Kharzin along the ‘Canyon Valley,’ until it empties into an elevated lake known as Khavtslin Lake (canyon lake). This lake was actually formed behind an ancient terminal moraine and prevents the river from spilling beyond the mountains. From the lake there is a steep descent down the ancient terminal moraine that prevents any mechanized transport from entering the mountains. This is where we trek down and exit the mountains. This is locally known as the ‘Threshold Gorge.’ Here we meet the drivers and farewell our local nomads and their animals. We will continue our journey by car and to overnight accommodation in Zereg Soum. Overnight: Regional hotel

Meals: B,L,D

In the morning we will have a chance to explore Zereg Soum village which is the service centre for all nomads in the area, and the centre for the Zakhchin ethnic group. From Zereg village we will cross a broad valley, and drive beyond the spectacular ‘Jargalant’ mountains to the village of Chandmani village – a community renowned world wide for its rich tradition of throat singing. Here we will camp by a stream near the village. Drive: 200km, 5hrs Overnight: Tented camp

Meals: B,L,D

Chandmani village, perched at the intersection of Jargalant Mountain, the sprawling Mongol Els desert, and the Great Lakes depression is renowned as having a rich and ancient tradition of throat singing – also known in Mongolian as Khöömei. This morning we will visit Tseren Davaa – a nomad who, inspired by the natural world and his life as a nomad, became a world renowned throat singer. We will spend time with Tseren Davaa in his home and learn about his life journey, and the art of throat singing, as well as the traditional instruments he uses. You will have the chance to learn some of the basics yourself. To summarise Khöömei, the performer imitates sounds of nature, simultaneously emitting two distinct vocal sounds along with a continuous drone, the singer produces a melody of harmonics. This singing style is believed to have been learned from birds, whose spirits are central to shamanic practices. Khöömei is performed by Mongolian nomads in a variety of social occasions, from grand state ceremonies to festive household events. It is also sung during herding, and inside the yurt to lull babies to sleep. Traditionally, the art is transmitted orally from bearer to learner, or via master-to-apprentice. After lunch we aim to begin our drive across the steppe towards the Mongol Els dunes. Along the way, we will pass through some particularly open steppe land that is home to Mongolia’s last population of Saiga Antelope (Saiga Tatarica). These fascinating antelope once roamed the Eurasian steppe from as far as Romania to China. Nowadays there scattered populations in Kazakhstan (they can migrate south for winter to Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan), and Kalmykia and Astrakhan Oblast in Russia. Mongolia’s Saiga are actually a subspecies known as S. t. Mongolica and are only found in this region. By early evening we aim to reach the edge of the Mongol Els dune system and make camp at Gun Nuur – a spring fed lake nestled into the side of the dunes. Camp elevation: 1303m. Overnight: Tented tent

Meals: B,L,D

Today we will spend most of the day on a day walk into the Mongol Els dune system – the largest dune system in Mongolia that stretches some 300km long. The route will take us up and over some of the larger dunes near Gun Nuur lake, before circling back to camp. From the top of the dunes weather permitting we should be able to get a sense of the scale of the dune system and be able to look south to the mountain range where we completed our trek. Gun Nuur is a watering point for herds of horses and other animals in the region and from camp we may witness the daily pilgrimage for water. The lake is also an important habitat for birdlife. This evening our camelers for our desert camel trek will reach camp and we will have the opportunity to meet with them. Nomads in this region winter over in the dunes, and then move out to the flats nearby when the snow has melted in late spring. The swings of temperature in this region are extreme with summers reaching over 40 degrees, yet winters sometimes dropping to -50 degrees Celsius and below. Overnight: Tented camp

Meals: B,L,D

Today we begin our camel trek along the Mongol Els Dunes. Our aim is travel north west along the dunes towards Durgan Lake (which is connected to Khar Us in the Great Lakes Depression). Riding Bactrian camels can be challenging at first, but offer a unique vantage point for viewing the land. In this region camels are still used widely by nomads who live in the sands for most of the year. Our vehicles will go ahead each day and set up camp for us. Our first day will take us out of the dunes and across a salt flat before climbing up a spectacular desert escarpment known as Nisdeg Ereg (the ‘flying coast.’) Some trekkers may prefer to walk their animals up this escarpment, but others may choose to walk and lead their animals. Lunch will be had at the top by a waymarker known as an Ovoo. The afternoon takes us across a vast sandy plain, and into a small rocky mountain system laden with sand. Our camp will be at Bayan Khuduk – ‘Rich Spring.’ Overnight: Tented camp

Meals: B,L,D

We will spend the next few days exploring the Mongol Els sand dunes by camel. This morning we will make our way through a cluster of small rocky peaks known as the Shelustei Range. Our route will eventually take us to a sandy saddle from where we will be able to have a spectacular vantage point of the greater Mongol Els dune system to the north west, and also to Durgan lake and the tall snow capped peaks of Jargalant beyond. In the afternoon we will descend through a spectacular series of dunes to camp. Distance 20km approx. Camp elevation: 1266m. Overnight: Tented camp

Meals: B,L,D

Today we will make our way along the thin green line that is the edge of the dune system and the beginning of flats that are important grazing lands for nomads. This will eventually lead us to Tsokhoo Nuur – a small brackish lake with reed beds that is known for its birdlife. The water here abuts tall dunes in a spectacular intersection of ecological systems. Our camp will be made in a grassy valley between dunes. This night we will say farewell to our nomad camel guides and their animals. Distance 20km approx. Camp elevation: 1131m. Overnight: Tented camp Day 15 is a contingency day to allow for uncontrollable changes in the itinerary due to local flight schedules, weather conditions and other unforeseeable changes that may be required. If possible we may use this to extend the length of our trek in the Baatarin Nuruu by one day.

Meals: B,L,D

Today we will drive to Khovd or Olgiy depending on the flight schedules. There will be time for some sightseeing in the town before gathering for a farewell dinner for local staff at the hotel. Overnight: Local hotel

Meals: B,L,D

This morning we catch a flight to Ulaanbaatar. The afternoon is free to relax in one of the capital’s sidewalk cafes, do some last minute shopping, or visit other sights such as the Winter Palace of Bogd Khaan. Tonight we will have a special group dinner to celebrate the end of our journey. Overnight: Best Western Premier Tuushin Hotel or similar

Meals: B,L,D

Trip concludes after breakfast. Transfers will be organised to take you to the airport.

Meals: B