Western Mongolia holds some of Asia’s most beautiful and unspoiled wilderness where the snow-capped Altai Mountains tower above remote forests, lakes and rivers. Teeming with wildlife, including endangered snow leopards and antelopes, this region contains the most impressive of Mongolia’s mountain scenery and is a prime destination for adventurous climbers and hikers.
Visitors with an interest in Central Asia’s ancient history are drawn by the burial markers and mysterious “stone men” found throughout the province, monuments to the tribes who roamed the Altai in ancient times.
The frozen remains of a Scythian warrior were recently found near Altai Tavan Bogd Park, and a wealth of prehistoric rock paintings have been discovered in the caves and mountains of Mongolia’s ‘Wild West’.
This tour includes family run ger camps and camping on some nights.
Once you are in the countryside exploring Mongolia it is our preference to stay with local nomadic families if they have an extra Ger. Gers will be shared by 4-5 people (only travellers) when we stay with a local family. As a Mongolian company we prefer to support these families financially, and help support their livelihood. We are sure this resonates with our travelers who enjoy engaging with their culture and way of life on the steppe. As well as directly supporting local herders, you can experience this rich traditional way of life first hand. Also, given the remoteness, western style comforts may not be available.
Western style and luxury options are available in some parts of Mongolia in the form of Tourist ger camps. Ger camps have comfortable beds, hot showers and western style amenities. These are not included in the price quoted in this itinerary. However, if you think that you would prefer to have access to these western style comforts then please let us know and we can adjust the quote for your itinerary.
Tour departure time depends on the domestic flight time. The driver and guide can pick you up from the airport, train station, or your accommodation to suit your requirements.
Most of the meals on this tour are included in the tour price. All included meals will be prepared from fresh local produce. The majority of the shopping for food will be done before the trip departs, and fresh goods, such as meats, fruits, vegetables, and dairy products, will be bought en-route during the trip from supermarkets, local shops and markets. Breakfasts will generally consist of breads and cereals, if time allows a warm breakfast may be prepared. Many lunches will be provided en-route and will be light meals such as sandwiches and/or salads or local restaurants. All evening meals will be freshly-prepared hot meals, and will consist of a variety of continental and local dishes. Our COOK/GUIDE will organize the meal preparation and lead the way here. Vegetarian meals and other dietary requirements can be catered for but need to be specified prior to arrival.
Summer months in Mongolia are from early June to mid September. Although the Mongolian summers are hot and dry with occasional rain, the temperature can fluctuate as much 14-20 degrees centigrade between day and night. So be prepared for all weather conditions.
Sleeping bag (we can provide sleeping bag, if your luggage is full), sleeping bag liner, walking poles, sunscreen, lip balm, a hat, long underwear, shorts, comfortable footwear, hiking boots, sanitary hand wipes, sunglasses, prescription medications (if needed), rain gear, flashlight, gloves.
Best experience ever!
We went with Meg for the 9-days Altai Mountains Trek, and in short: Meg has definitely facilitate the best trip of our lives.
To begin with, with what the nature and culture has to offer, a trip to Mongolia is bound to put one at awe. But it comes with a caveat: come with no expectation – things will not always go as planned. And this is where having a good guide comes in handy.
For one, Meg is ultra-prepared, she even had to pay excess baggage for our flights to the Altai 😉 but yes, that kept us full and comfy throughout.
She’s well-networked – from the remote peak of the Altai to the underground scene of UB, she knows people and that helps us a lot in immersing to the culture better. This was particularly comes in handy as we got to stay the night with the family of an Eagle Huntress whose documentary has been screened in numerous films festivals. We even got the dad of the Eagle Huntress, a super dapper Eagle Hunter to come with us to the trip.
Communication is clear – what I particularly like about dealing with Meg is she never tried to sugarcoat things, so we came knowing exactly what (not) to expect from the trip.
The trip we had with Meg feels more like a trip with a friend rather than a guided trip – which we value dearly. So, if you’re the chill, happy-go-lucky type who value cultural immersion (meaning not sending out negative vibes by complaining about every single thing that doesn’t go right) – go ring Meg on your next trip to Mongolia!
++we also stayed at the 1-BR apartment: no complaints here – great location, cozy place!
