CODE: ST-4 GOBI DESERT – ALTAI MOUNTAIN - PHOTOGRAPHY TOUR

Overview

This tour takes you to the wilderness of Mongolia, wonders of the Gobi Desert and to the western most Mongolia. Traveling about 3,000 kilometer on land will be the most exciting long-distance, off-road, adventure tour. While traveling, the traveler visit many unoccupied places, not even populated by the local people, but also see the hotspots that tourists are attracted to. See Mongolian forest-steppe, and see more than half of all 18 ethnic groups of Mongolia in the western regions, as well as stay in the Islamic family also known as Kazah eagle hunters who have been using eagles for hunting for more than 250 years. Take photos of unique places in Mongolia, such as the largest sand dunes, the highest mountains, the most crystal clear lakes, the largest gorges, the least populated soum, and the most isolated settlements. The tour also gives a variety of photography options in diverse places. Mongolia is the last focal point of nomadic culture, making your photography world very rich. Take note that the half of the tour goes on a dirt road.

Price

  • 1 pax: $4760 per person
  • 2 pax: $3050 per person
  • 3 pax: $2420 per person
  • 4 pax: $2090 per person

Highlights

  • Tsagaan suvarga
  • Bayanzag - Flaming Cliff
  • Yol Valley
  • Khongor Sand dunes
  • Khermen tsav - Mongolian Grand canyon
  • Zulganai - Gobi's landscape
  • Nogoon tsav
  • Kharandaa Stone
  • Ulaan yavar
  • Eej khairkhan Mountain
  • Takhi Steppe
  • Alag khairkhan Mountain
  • Sutai Mountain
  • Ulaagchnii khar Lake
  • Tsambagarav Mountain
  • Tolbo Lake
  • Altai tavan bogd Mountain - Malchin Peak
  • Dayan & Khurgan Lakes
  • Tsagaan Salaa - Petroglyphs
  • Eagle hunter Kazak family
  • Ulgii town

Included

  • A car with an experienced driver
  • Petrol
  • Photographer guide
  • Breakfast, lunch, dinner
  • Tourist camp
  • Local hotel
  • Ger guest house
  • Visit nomadic family
  • Camelback riding
  • Camel guide
  • Horseback riding
  • Horse guide
  • Road taxes
  • Entrance fees
  • Bottled water
  • Domestic flight
  • Expense of tour guide and driver's food and accommodation

Not included

  • Personal expenses
  • Gratuities
  • Beverages (alcoholic drinks, juice and etc..)
  • Accident insurance
  • Payment for photo and video in some exhibition areas

Travel packing list

  • Sunscreen
  • Lip balm
  • Vaseline
  • Hand cream
  • Mosquito repellent
  • Dental floss
  • Wet tissue
  • Dry tissue
  • Hiking boots
  • Sunglasses
  • Sun hat
  • Sleeping bag
  • Travel pillow
  • Swimsuit
  • Water bottle
  • Binoculars
  • Flashlight
  • Gloves
  • Raincoat
  • Rain boots
  • Universal adapter plug
  • Horseback riding boots

Itinerary

  • Arrival in Ulaanbaatar.
  • Take a short break to explore UB and to see the museums in the city.
  • Stay in a hotel.
  • 09:00 Drive to the Tsagaan suvarga.
  • Lunch at Mandalgobi town.
  • Stay in Tsagaan Suvraga tourist camp.
  • See the sunset from the top of Tsagaan suvarga.
  • Drive to Dalanzadgad town.
  • Have lunch and head to Bayanzag, known as Flaming Cliff where famous dinosaur fossils were found, identifying Mongolia to the world. In the evening sun, Bayanzag's soil looks like a fire, so it is known as the "Flaming Cliff."
  • Stay in a tourist camp.
  • Drive to Yol Valley gorgeous rocky mountain, 2800 meters above sea level, one of the beautiful places in the Gobi Desert. This place is named after a bird vulture, and it is 8 km long narrow valley.
  • Drive to the Khongor sand dune, another wonder of the Gobi. It is very beautiful to spend a day on the 180 km long sand dunes. At the edge of the dunes, there is a small stream flowing to the oases, making this place very unique.
  • Stay in a tourist camp.
  • Drive to the Khermen Tsav, Mongolian Grand Canyon which is 60-100 meters deep. It is famous because many dinosaur fossils are still being found.
  • Stay in a camping tent nearby a nomadic family.
  • See the unusual landscape alterations of the Gobi region, such as Zulganai and Nogoon Tsav.
  • Stay in a camping tent nearby a nomadic family.
  • Drive early to Kharandaa stone which is a unique six-sided rock formation in Gobi-Altai province. In the world, there are very few places like that and it is called hexagonal rock.
  • Head to Ulaan Yavar which is a distinctly shaped, red clay formation. When the sun sets and the sun rises, the color of the landscape becomes even more beautiful and colorful, and it is very interesting to take a photo.
  • Drive to Eej Khairkhan Mountain, one of the most famous places in the western part of Mongolia. Unique rock formations, historic caves, 8 small lakes, Zamba lizard take a day see all of them.
  • Stay in a camping tent nearby a nomadic family.
  • Hiking in the Eej Khairkhan Mountain.
  • In the afternoon, Drive through Takhi steppe where the wild horse was reintroduced, and Alag Khairkhan Mountain.
  • Stay in a Ger guest house.
  • Arrival in Sutai Mountain located on the border of Khovd and Gobi-Altai provinces. The Sutai Mountain, which is 4234 meters above sea level, is sacred, worshipped and gorgeous mountain by locals.
  • Stay a Ger guest house.
  • Drive to Ulaachnii Khar Lake, one of the most beautiful lakes of Mongolia. It has become one of the visitor destinations in recent years and is surrounded by sand dunes.
  • Stay in a tourist camp on the shore of the lake.
  • Drive to Tsambarav Mountain, one of the eternal snow-capped peaks in western Mongolia. Its peak looks like a yurt.
  • Reach the Tolbo Lake which is surrounded by low mountains. The battle of Tolbo Lake was taken place in 1900, making this lake historic.
  • Stay in a ger guest house.
  • Head to Altai Tavan Bogd Mountain, passing through the picturesque lakes of Dayan and Khurgan.
  • Horseback riding through the Tsagaan River, the fast-flowing river of the mountains.
  • Stay nomadic family.
  • In the Altai Tavan Bogd Mountain, spend one day hiking to cross the Potanin glacier to the top of Malchin Peak which is 4050 meters above sea level.
  • Return to the nomadic family with a horse.
  • Drive to Shiveet Khaikhan Mountain, petroglyphs in Tsagaan Salaa and stone monuments.
  • Spend a day with eagle hunters and see the culture and custom of eagle hunters.
  • Stay in a Kazak family. (Eagle hunter family)
  • Drive to Ulgii town, a central town of Bayan-Ulgii province.
  • Get acquainted with the life of the settlement and spend time on the Khovd River.
  • Stay in a local hotel.
  • Fly back to Ulaanbaatar city by domestic flight. The driver goes back to Ulaanbaatar city for 3 days. 
  • Stay in a hotel.
  • UB city tour.
  • Stay in a hotel.
  • Flight day back to the country.

Map