wildlife and birdwatching in eastern mongolia tour
Tour highlights
Visit Gandan monestary and national history museum in Ulaanbaatar
Visit Gun Galuut Nature reserve and watch the Argali sheep in beautiful Baits and Bogd mountains
Birdwatching in Ayga lake and around the nature reserve
Watch the once extinct iin the wild Prezawalski’s horses roaming freely in Hustai National Park
Visit one of Mongolia’s one of the most important and diverse wetland in the eastern Mongolia to see various bird species including the endangered White-naped crane, critically endangered Siberian crane and many more…
Visit local nomadic family and have lunch with them to better understand more than 2000 years old nomadic culture
About this tour
Detailed itinerary
DAY 1. Arrival in Ulaanbaatar city
Meet your local tour guide and driver at the airport and drive about an hour to the capital city of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar. After checking in to your hotel and arranging your luggages, meet the the tour guide in the lobby of your hotel to visit the local museums and to shop and buy necesary items for your trip. Have a welcome dinner at a local restaurant.
Day 2. Enjoy Gun Galuut NR
After having breakfast early in the morning in the hotel, meet your driver and guide and embark on a 40 minute drive to the north-east. Drive east to Gun Galuut Nature Reserve (NR), a protected area for conservation of globally threatened species. Welcome lunch at the “Steppe nomads” tourist ger camp. Trekking in the vicinity area: enjoy the true colors of the wild nature. In the afternoon have a visit to nomad family: explore their unique lifestyle, have a talk with nomads, taste their home-made products. Photoshooting is available. (B/L/D)
DAY 3. Argali watching and riding horse
After breakfast, horseback riding to the mountain Baits, where the Argali-wild sheep lives. We will spend the rest of the day trying to see many wild animals as possible such as the Argali wild sheep, marmot, deer, gazelle, fox, and steppe fox, and many more (If lucky, wolf…). Ranger will be accompanying us, so there is no need to worry. (B/L/D)
DAY 4. Drive to the east
Embark on a long drive to the east. During this drive you will be able to see the vast steppe of Mongolia with unique tradition and culture of nomadic lifestyle. We will visit a local family to have a lunch with them and continue driving until we find a camping spot before the evening.
Day 5. Enjoy Khurkh river valley
Early in the morning after having our breakfast, we will continue an off-road drive to reach the Khurkh River Valley Nature Reserve. Here, we will set our tents and camp near a nomadic family and have lunch. After lunch, we will take a short hike to the nearby small lake to watch the birds from far until evening. Return to the camping site and have a nice dinner and have a good night’s sleep.
Day 6. Bird watching in Khurkh river valley
Early in the morning after breakfast we will drive to Bayanburd lake to see the rich diversity of migratory birds. We will have a picnic lunch by the shore of the lake and continue bird watching on the way back to the camping site. We will have chance to see at least 3 different species of cranes this day including White-naped crane, Demoiselle crane, Common crane along with their young off spring. Have dinner and take a rest.
Day 7. Last day in Khurkh
Early in the morning after having breakfast, we will once visit the lakes to watch birds and after lunch, we will start driving back to Ulaanbaatar city. After having a picnic lunch we will drive to find. asuitable spot to camp and obvernight camping.
Day 9. See a nomadic show
We will continue driving straight to a nomadic show 1 hour drive after passing Ulaanbaatar. It is a perfect introduction to a 19th century Mongolian nomadic lifestyle and tradition for living a self-sufficient life style. You will be immersed to actual living of the people during this 2 hours and snap a wonderful photos so please don’t forget to bring your cameras.
Day 10. Visiting Hustai National Park
The Hustai National Park is best known for hosting the conservation project to protect the endangered Takhi. This wild horse, also known as Przewalski’s horse, had completely disappeared from its natural habitat. Only a few specimens were still present in zoos around the world. A breeding and reintroduction program was initiated in 1992 a year after Mongolian government declared Hustai National Park as a specially protected area, resulting in a wild and sustainable Takhi population inside the Khustai park which now stands at about 450 individuals. Hustai National Park is located about 95 km from the capital city of Ulaanbaatar to the west. We will arrive in the noon and straight drive to Ungut monument to see actual artifacts from Turkic period and in the evening see the Prezawalskii’s horses when they come down to a small stream that flows below a mountain. We will also have a chance to red deer and corsaic fox, Mongolian gazelle and a hare if we are lucky during our drive through the National Park.
Day 11. Watching the Prezawalksii horses
Early in the morning when sun rises, we will once again drive to the small stream to see and observe the Przewalski’s horses and their behaviour from a near distance and go around the National Park to see other animals.
Day 12. Ulaanbaatar city tour
After returning to the capital city we will have a lunch at a local restaurant. We will visit a museum and do some shopping to buy cashmere and souvenir and at 4:00 PM watch a folk art show and hvae a farewell dinner with your guide and drivers.
Day 13. International Departure
After having an early breakfast at the hotel restaurant, we will transfer you to your international flight departure.
Inclusions
Exclusions
- All meals mentioned accordingly /”B”-breakfast, “L”-lunch, “D”-dinner/
- All transportation mentioned
- Local domestic flight if mentioned
- All accommodation listed
- Professional Tour Leader/Guide – English speaking
- Airport transfers
- Staff meals, accommodation and other expenses where applicable
- Entrance fees to museums, concerts, monasteries, national parks included in the itinerary. /Road charges for tourists, staff, and vehicles are also included/
- Single rooming supplement
- International flights and cost for visas
- Inoculations and personal insurances
- Toiletries
- Video recording or photography fees at sights
- Tips and gratuities
- Personal expenses
