Do not hesitage to give us a call. We are an expert team and we are happy to talk to you.
Whatsapp+976 9964 3242
Email info@megmongolia.com
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’.
As a Mongolian company we prefer to support Nomadic/local families financially, and help support their livelihoods. We are sure this resonates with our travellers who enjoy engaging with their culture in the mountains. It is therefore our preference to stay with these families if they have an extra Ger. As well as directly supporting local herders, you can experience this rich traditional way of life first hand.
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 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.
We will organise a driver to meet you at the guesthouse and drive you to airport at 5am. Your flight to Ulgii town will depart at 6:50am, arriving at Ulgii airport at 9:10am. There is a one-hour time difference between Ulaanbaatar and Bayan-Ulgii. You will meet the local driver and a guide at the airport and enjoy breakfast in a local café.
Bayan Ulgii province was established in 1940. Bayan-Ulgii is Mongolia ‘s ‘Roof of the World’, a remote land of high mountains, glaciers, steep slopes and rushing torrents. Visit the museum and drive out to stay with a Kasakh family, where you can help with daily herding life.
After a 7am breakfast, begin your adventure with the drive towards Altai mountains. Lunch will be at a Kasakh family ger, and we will stop at some archaeological sites to see petroglyphs, Turkic men stone and burial mounds. The final destination of the day is the base camp of Altai Tavan Bogd Mountain.
In Tavan Bogd National Park, snow-capped mountains, glacial valleys, forests and beautiful lakes and rivers create a majestic setting. In the north of the park, Khuiten peak (4374m above sea level), the highest point of Mongolia, of the Altai Tavan Bogd Mountains and the Potanin Glacier (covering an area of 23km2) draw alpine enthusiasts from around the world. The park is host to argali, sheep, ibex, red deer, black vultures, elk, snow leopard, and many other endangered wildlife species, as well as rare, medicinal plants.
Stay at a Tuvan family home, and enjoy dinner together with the family.
After an early breakfast, begin the trek with local guides, who will prepare and pack the camels which will be carrying food and camping equipment.
Start hiking to Malchin peak of the Tavan Bogd mountain, take in the awe-inspiring views of other snow-capped mountains from the top of Malchin peak and enjoy being above the border of four countries.
Stay overnight in a tent. (12km)
In the morning, after camp breakfast, trek back to base camp for about 4 hours (12km). Start driving by Shiveet Khairkhan mountain to see rock art from the Bronze Age. At the top of the mountain there is the 1000 Yangriin (a thousand ibex) lake. Camping here is refreshing with beautiful views.
If you are lucky, you may spot an ibex early in the morning. Enjoy a camp dinner and the view of the magnificent sunset over Mongolia’s highest mountains.
After an early breakfast, drive down to other part of Altai Tavan Bogd National Park, formed from ice, and a freshwater lake depression area. The surrounding area is breathtaking with high glacier mountains. We will be hosted by a Kasakh Eagle Hunter family today, with a BBQ dinner prepared by the family. It is a picturesque location, ideal for taking landscape pictures.
After a hearty breakfast, take the short drive to Baga Turgen Khurheree. This waterfall is formed from small glaciers up the Altai range mountain.
An incredibly beautiful spot with mountain gorges, great for hiking through local Kazakh nomadic areas and observe their everyday activity, visit the waterfall, enjoy the perfect landscapes, and even swim under that waterfall.
Horse riding to Baga Turgen waterfall valley, a picnic lunch, and a great spot for camping.
For two days is all about meeting the Kazakh ethnic people. More than 100 herding families possess their own Golden Eagle, used for traditional hunting. Stay with an eagle hunting family with the opportunity to observe traditional Kazakh customs and activities such as the training of hunting eagles and the making of handcraft.
Last night in the national park area.
Enroute to Ulgii town, visit a local Tuvan throat singer, have lunch in the small town of Tsengel. The drive to Ulgii to have rest of the day exploring markets and shops, and a last dinner in Western Mongolia. Stay in a local hotel.
Depending on the flight time, after breakfast in the hotel, you will be transferred to the airport. If the flight is in the afternoon, you can wander around Ulgii town, visit the museum, market and shops for a local handmade goods and souvenirs.
We will organise a driver to meet you the airport and drive you back to your accommodation.
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!