Altai Tavan Bogd Flowers

Day 1 To Olgiy

Meet by local kazakh guide and drive to the town.After lunch drive about 45km to   north-west and pitch camp.

Day 2 To Altai Tavan bogd Nat.Park

Departure by 4wd minivans (Forgons) 165 km along the north-westernly route . towards Shiveet Hairkhan Uul,where is numerous petroglyphs and Turkic stone men bearing witness of the Bronze Age and the time of the Huns and Tutkic times.. Beautiful views of the entire Altai Mountains range when we drive by Tsagaan Gol (valley). After 165km (5-6hrs drive if not stopping) we will arrive at Shiveet Hairhan Mountain, in Altai Tavanbogd National Park, where numerous Tuvan nomads live. Shiveet Hairhan is holy for them, so there is no hunting, and usually possible to see a lot of Siberian Ibex in the early morning. Pitch camp. We have a local yurt as a mess tent. (Tents/BLD).

Day 3 Altai Tavan Bogd

With the support of camels, we will trek for 16km to the base camp area at the edge of the 20km long Potanina glacier, that runs down from the highest mountains in Mongolia. We will pitch our camp right here.Next day is acclimatization for everybody and surrounding. Tavanbogd means “The Holy Five” referring to the peaks of Huiten (4374m and the highest), Naran, Ölgii, Burget and Nairamdal. It is a stunning setting  with the awe inspiring massif of high snow capped peaks. (Tents/BLD)

Day 4 Altai Tavan Bogd

Trek back on the other side of the Tsaagan River (White River) to Shiveet Hairhan Mountain, where the Tuva people live. Here we will now be able to view the biggest petrolgyphs from the period of the Huns (approx 200 B.C.).  The Huns were the reason for the Chinese emperor Qin Shi Huangdi to build the Great Wall of China. (Tents/BLD).

Days 5-6 Across Altai Mountians

We will allocate two days to cross the Altai Mountains range which is a total of 32km. You will be able to see remote and spectacular country from 3600m high. Today we will pitch camp before the snows or in the snows before the pass. Beautiful and wide views. (Tents/BLD).

Day 7 Across Altai Mountians

Today we will cross very near the peak of Tsaagan Hairhan Uul (Holy White peak 3668m being the highest elevation of the entire journey). For sure the habitat of the Snow Leopard and its prey species the Siberian Ibex, as well as the rare Altai Snowcock.Pitch camp. We will stay one more night in same place and make day hike in Bear Valley.

(Tents/BLD).

Day 8 Green Lake

Going down by beautifull valley.we willl reach the Green Lake. Here are dramatic landscapes of small lake and patches of larch forests. This is wild and remote place with many white water springs. (Tents/BLD).

Day 9 To Hoton Lake

One full day trek down a dramatic steppe valley along the river that drains from the Altai Tavanbogd massif creating a series of beautiful lakes. We wil camp by Hoton Lake tonight. In this area, there will still be some kazakh herdsmen to visit. Their yurts are a bonanza on handicrafts, and they are very friendly and hospitable people.  Here is for sure populated areas, but they will vacate the area entirely for winter. (Tents/BLD).

Fishing rod comes handy here. A fishing license may need to be purchased from the national park.

Day 10-11 Ikh Turgen Uul

Trek along the Hoton Lake and potentially around snow capped Ikh Turgen Uul (3507m), if not the Mongolian border police objects, since it is a mere 10km away from the Chinese border. In anyway, we may camp by the beautiful Fish River, where there is larch forest, and probably good fishing, as the name indicates.By chance we will meet and visit Kazakh Eaglehunter's family. (Tents/BLD).

Day 12 To Olgiy

Drive a short day to Olgiy town. If not on the first day, now we will visit the local sights of this rather ugly town.  Instead of a market it has a bazaar, with distinct kazakh ambience, instead of a Buddhist monastery it has a mosque.  Overnight in yurts. (Canat’s Ger Camp/BLD)

Day 13 To UB

Visit the most interesting local museum of Olgiy, with comprehensive information of flora and fauna of Bayan-Olgiy as well as it colourful traditional costumes. Visit a handicraft shop. Transfer to the airport and fly 4hrs to Ulaanbaatar.  Transfer. (Hotel/BL).

Some recommendations: To see the most flowers of Altai mountains,you need to come in limited short time. 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 20 degrees centigrade between day and night.So be prepared for all weather conditions.

What to bring: Binoculars,sunscreen,a hat,gloves,long underware for travel in the high mountains,comfortable footware,lip balm,sanitary hand wipes,sunglasses,prescription medications,(if needed),rain gear,flashlight.

Transport: Western Mongolian families frequently move from one pasture to the other using camels.The services of some herdsmen will be hired by the expedition, and they will provide us with their animals.

Staff: A local guide who speaks English and Mongolian will accompany the group at all times.A cook will follow, with an assistant.In addition, the services of the local herdsmen will be hired along with their animals.The horsemen follow a traditional lifestyle in the areas where we will be riding.

Meals: Our cook will prepare the meals.We pride ourselves in having cooks adapt to both western and Mongolian cooking on our trips.There are always vegetables available, and we have no problem accommodating vegetarians on our trips.For breakfast we can usually buy fresh yogurt from the herdsmen in the local area.