Tour Description

Meet Eagle Trainers & Hunt with Hunter Eagles – Mongolia Adventure Tour 2022

Travelling through the central and western regions of Mongolia will amaze you with its breathtaking alpine landscapes, unique nomads’ warm hospitality, their peaceful way of nomadic life, and a hidden gem in the far western Altai and Kharkhiraa mountains – Eagle hunters’ home, and their idiosyncratic traditions. This is the ideal place to escape from modern crowds and get off the beaten track.

On this tour, you will visit Ulaanbaatar city’s key spots about nomadic history, tradition, culture & religion. Then head off from the modern-day crowds into a beautiful Great Lakes valley between crystal clear lakes and streams, surrounded by steep sumptuous Kharkhiraa Turgen Mountains. Meet there a nomadic family, spend days with nomads, experience their way of life, and do two-day horse trekking to the Altai Tavan Bogd National Park to find meet and to visit nomadic eagle trainer family. En route to the Kazakh eagle trainers’ home, you will visit a semi Gobi desert, the Mongol Empire’s ancient capital Kharkhorin, stunning valleys of extinct volcanos and beautiful lakes home for rare bird species. Also, you will visit a nomadic family in the Khangay Mountain Ranges, which would be a totally different perspective and a way of life from the Kazakh eagle trainers.  Join in this small group journey and escape to the modern-day wilderness here in Mongolia.

Tour Itinerary

DAY 1:

TRAVEL TO MONGOLIAN CAPITAL ULAANBAATAR

Upon arrival in Ulaanbaatar city, our driver and English-speaking guide will pick you up from the airport and be transferred to your hotel in downtown. After you settled in, we will start a sightseeing tour including visiting Sukhbaatar’s square. The Square is in the centre of Ulaanbaatar, in front of the Mongolian Parliament House. Across from the central square, we will visit the National Museum of Mongolia, the biggest museum with over 54000 exhibitions from the prehistoric period till the 21st century. Our next stop will be Gandan Monastery. Which is the biggest Buddhist pilgrimage centre in Mongolia. If time permits, we will walk up to Zaisan Hill Memorial. This hill provides a panoramic view of Ulaanbaatar. In the evening we will go to a Mongolian folk concert. Overnight in a hotel.

DAY 2:

HEAD TO MONGOL ELS SAND DUNES

After breakfast at the hotel, our team will pick you up from your hotel, and begin our Mongolian 4×4 Journey. Today we will visit Mongol els in central Mongolia. It is a unique place with three different forms of the natural landscape; combinations of Gobi sand dunes, green steppe, and rocky mountains. Here we will visit a camel breeder family to learn to milk and ride a Bactrian camel. Bactrian camels have two humps which makes them very comfortable to ride than Arabian camels. After the camel breeder family, you have some time to explore the sand dunes in the middle of the Mongolian green steppe. Overnight in a ger camp near the sand dunes.

DAY 3:

TSENKHER HOT SPRING

This morning, we will have breakfast at the ger camp, and continue our journey to Tsenkher hot spring. En route to the hot spring, we will visit a town named Kharkhorin, which once was the capital city of the Mongolian Empire in the 13th century. In the town, we will visit a Kharkhorin city museum in order to get acquainted with its legendary history and will visit Erdene Zuu, an old Buddhist temple with 300 years of history. Then head to Tsenkher hot spring. The hot spring is the 2nd hottest spring in Mongolia. Water from this geological spectacle emerges to the ground at 87°C with a flow rate of 101/sec. The composition of sodium carbonate, hydro-carbonate, sulphur and other chemical ingredients have healing properties for some ailments. Facilities include outdoor pools (separately for men and women), showers, and both cosy gers and houses. In the afternoon, we will drive to a village for visit to Zayan Gegeen Monastery, founded in the 17th century, housed over 1000 monks before its closing in the 1930s. Overnight in a ger camp.

DAY 4:

TERKHIIN TSAGAAN LAKE

On this day we will drive to Terkhiin Tsagaan Lake also called “White Lake, which is elevated at 2,060 m above sea level, and surrounded by an extinct volcano named Khorgo, which contains spectacular combinations of ebony forest-covered mountain scenery and rocky formations formed by volcanic eruptions. The Terkhiin Tsagaan Lake is registered in Ramsar’s Convention because many rare species of birds including whooper swan, shelduck, common heron, great white egret, and bar-headed goose gather here. Once we arrive in Khorgo – Terkh National Park, we will climb up to the extinct volcano, and saunter on the shore of the lake for bird watching. Overnight in a ger camp.

DAY 5:

DRIVE TO KHAR LAKE

This morning, we will head to Khar lake, surrounded by sand dunes and mountains, Khar lake is one of the most beautiful lakes in Mongolia. Around 13 different species of birds migrate to Khar Lake The lake is 48 meters deep, 30 km long. Free time for hiking by the lakeshore and relaxing in the quiet beauty of nature.

DAY 6:

4×4 ADVENTURE RIDE TO KHYARGAS LAKE

Continue driving to Khyargas Lake along the Bor Khyariin Els Sand Dunes. Khyargas Lake is one of the largest lakes in Mongolia and is located in the Great Lakes Depression that is a globally important wetland area for migratory birds and is a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. Khyargas Lake is a huge inland sea 75 km long, 31 km wide and 80 meters deep. The water is brackish and has rare fish such as Mongolian grayling. The surrounding atmosphere of the lake area makes you feel that you are really separated from the bustling outside world. Enjoy relaxing and bird watching and fishing.

DAY 7:

KHARKHIRAA VALLEY

Kharkhiraa Valley – a beautiful river valley surrounded by dense fine forests meadows carpeted with colourful wildflowers. Twin peaks of Kharkhiraa mountain (4037m) and Turgen mountain (3978) dominate the area. People of the Khoton ethnic group inhabit this area. Arrive in Uureg lake which lies at the borders of Uvs and Bayan-Olgii provinces. The lake is surrounded by peaks with 3.000m in height and more such as Tsagaan Shuvuut mountain (3.496m) and is a great place for trekking, hiking and fishing.

DAY 8:

DRIVE TO ULGII TOWN

Unlike other provinces, its population is dominated by Turkic Kazakhs, which have its own language, customs and Muslim religion. On the way visit Kazakh family, living in slightly larger and colourful gers. They train eagles, falcons hawks to collect marmots, small foxes and wolves and return to the ger, where the Kazakhs use them for food.

DAY 9:

4X4 RIDE TO EAGLE TRAINERS’ FAMILY

See how Eagle Hunter makes ready his bird for hunting (how he trains etc.). See his hunting outfit. Learn how to hold the bird on your arm during the hunting. Learn how to carry the bird on the horse.

DAY 10:

A DAY WITH EAGLE TRAINERS’ FAMILY

After breakfast, we head out to the valley to hunt with the Eagles. Mongolian Kazakhs use female eagles for hunting, as they are far bigger than the males and more aggressive. These eagles are trained to hunt foxes, wolves, rabbits and wildcats.

DAY 11:

HORSEBACK RIDE TO ALTAI 5 BOGD NP

After breakfast, will put our all stuff on camels and start riding to the base camp of Altai Tavan Bogd mountains about 17 km, where we will see glaciers and adorable views of nature. Altai Tavan Bogd is the five highest peaks in Mongolia. It means holy five, like a human’s five fingers. There are different 5 peaks and the highest peak is the Khuiten is 4374 meters and Malchin is 4054 meters. There are 3 big glaciers, which are the Potanina, Aleksandre, Grane e.t.c and the largest of them Potanina is 20km long, 5km wide. Overnight in a tent.

DAY 12:

THE POTANIN GLACIER AND PEAK OF ALTAI TAVAN BOGD

Early morning, we’ll be walking to climb Malchin peak for about 4-5 hours. Malchin is the only peak among the Holy Five which can be scaled without specialist climbing equipment. Also will see glaciers closer on the way to the Malchin peak. Nonetheless, it is a challenging and rewarding hike. We will remain in the same camp and make a day hike up the non-technical heights of Malchin Peak. Going to have your packed lunches from your backpack on the way for having more energy, then will steep back to camp through the way that we came. Overnight in tents like last night.

DAY 13:

RIDE DOWN TO THE “WHITE RIVER VALLEY”

After breakfast, we will leave the base camp and ride down to another valley called “White river valley” for about 4-5 hours, which is also the ranger station of the national park and we will camp there in our tents overnight.

DAY 14:

HEAD DOWN TO THE “BEAR VALLEY” NEAR THE NP

The Bear valley is a very fascinating valley with wild forests, a milky river and a beautiful blue lake(but small), which is located on the top of a hill. We will ride on this day through this valley. End of the day, we will meet our driving team and continue our journey with the team until the end of the trip.

DAY 15:

DRIVE BACK TO THE EAGLE TRAINER FAMILY

Our morning drive takes us to the eagle hunter family, who lives in the region called “Syrgal” and will see ancient 3000-4000 years old Turkic petroglyphs along the way. We will have couple of days to experience Kazakh people’s traditions and cultures. Overnight, spend a night in “Kazakh ger”

DAY 16:

DRIVE BACK TO ULGII TOWN

After breakfast, we’ll take a drive to the Olgii town. Will have our lunch along the way like last day. Overnight in tourist ger camp with hot shower, electricity and wifi.

DAY 17:

FLIGHT BACK TO ULAANBAATAR

Today we will have breakfast at the hotel, and catch a domestic flight back to Ulaanbaatar city. We will arrive in the capital city in the afternoon, and you have time for visiting the world’s number one cashmere store and Mongolian souvenir shops or relax in your hotel until dinner. In the evening, our farewell dinner will take place in a restaurant. Overnight in a hotel.

DAY 18:

DEPARTURE

Today is the end of the Mongolian Eagle Trainers Adventure 2022 Tour. Our team will transfer you to the airport in time for your international flight. Have a nice trip back home and thank you for choosing Way To Nomads travel agency.