Snow Leopard Tour Mongolia | Ultimate Wildlife Photo Adventure 2022/2023

Arrive in Ulaanbaatar and transfer to the hotel. Have lunch at a restaurant and relax for a while in a hotel room. Depending on your arrival time, we take a city tour with the Gandan Monastery, the National Museum of Mongolia, and Sukhbaatar Square (also known as Chinggis Khaan Square). (L/D)

Take a flight to Ulgii town, the center of Bayan-Ulgii province where 90% of population is Kazakhs who have their own language and unique culture. Meet the local team and have a visit to Kazakh family. This is a day of cultural exploration: local women decorate their gers in a dazzling array of colors hand crafted felt carpets line the floor and delicately-embroidered tapestries adorn the walls, with each design unique to a particular family. (B/L/D)

Today we drive to Sagsai village to experience ancient eagle hunting tradition and nomadic culture. Winter is the season for hunting with eagles. We have a chance to photograph and learn about authentic hunting methods. The Kazakh Berkutchi /eagle hunter/ saddle up to go for a hunt to the mountains with their trained Golden eagles. The hunter golden eagle can catch small prey such as hares, Corsac, and foxes. Spend one day with hunter golden eagles, learn ancient falconry tradition which is still kept among Kazakh people in west Mongolia, try local food, and learn a new culture. (B/L/D)

Time to leave the family and start the first wilderness day. Heading to the Snow Leopard habitat, drive through the rocky but snowy mountains, enjoy Mongolia’s winter wild west, clear blue sky and feel what winter wildness offers us. In the late afternoon we arrive at the base camp in the beautiful slopes of the mountains. Sleep in the Ger, the Mongolian traditional home which is the perfect dwelling for the winter camping. (B, L, D)

The adventure begins today. Spend some of the special adventurous days of your lifetime in the isolated mountains in search of the emblematic wild Snow Leopard. We take daily trekking around the highest chances of sightings where our previous travels completed successfully with the highlighted of three beautiful Snow leopards spotted at a time. The destination we arrived at, home the largest population of snow leopard also gives a good chance to photograph its wild prey such as Siberian ibex, Argali-wild sheep, and other wild animals and raptors while trekking.

Warmings and lunch provided during the treks when we need it, our guide or ranger inform us when they spotted the elusive cat and its prey, our photo instructor eager to help to photograph the wildlife at its best views and positions in the best times. The altitude is about at 2800m (m.a.s.l), and the average day temperature in mid-winter about – 25 Celsius degrees and at nights it drops to – 40 Celsius degrees but traditional dwelling is the perfect and classic accommodation for this harsh weather condition. Healthy warm meals, hot drinks, and all we need to have in the cold weather will be served. A portable battery charger and other needed equipment will be provided. We just need to scan the areas in search of mountain ghost and their prey. (B/L/D)

Today we drive back to Ulgii town. Arrive at the hotel and relax. (B/L/D)

Take a flight back to Ulaanbaatar and drive to Hustai NP. The park has had remarkable success in re-introducing the Takhi wild horse and is also a great habitat of locally and globally endangered mammals and birds. (B/L/D)

Drive back to Ulaanbaatar. Option to go shopping for souvenirs and cashmere products. (B/L/D)

Transfer to Chinggis Khaan International Airport or Train station and depart Mongolia. (B)