Mongolia Nomad Trek • On-Foot & Horseback ~ 15 Day

4,429-ft/1,350-m Your Mongolia adventure begins when you land in the nation’s capital, Ulaan Bataar – often referred to simply as UB – and meet your Mongolian guide. Your guide takes you to the Tuushin hotel, where you spend the next two nights.Eddie Frank has already gone out west to set up camp for your arrival in a couple days. Ulaan Bataar is a bustling city of old and new. Once at the hotel, you are free to relax and wander around the city on your own, or with some fellow trek members, exploring everything the capital has to offer.

Today is UB discovery day. Your Mongolian guide shows you the various sights and sounds of the city you can choose to explore, which include numerous restaurants, street food stands, museums and shops, famous for local cashmere clothing. In the evening before dinner your guide accompanies you to the national theater for a captivating cultural show, featuring colorful costumes and enthralling music steeped in ancient Mongolian history.

In the evening before dinner your guide accompanies you to the national theater for a captivating cultural show, featuring colorful costumes and enthralling music steeped in ancient Mongolian history.

3-hour flight • 5,610-ft/1,710-m A 3-hour flight west takes us to the town of Bayan Ulgii. We drop our gear at our Ger Camp, similar to a traditional nomadic camp, then explore Ulgii's lively outdoor market. We'll try and locate one of the local Kazakh eagle hunters to get an up-close encounter with his magnificent bird of prey. At the end of the day you shift all of your gear and clothing into the waterproof Tusker duffels, which are more easily packed onto our camels for the expedition.

A full day's drive to the southwest takes us through the small town of Tsengel on our way to Khoton Nuur. After crossing the Khovd River, we set up camp for two days on the magnificent lakeshore. This is where our trek begins and where you meet the nomad trekking crew. We settle in for a fantastic camp dinner.

After a great breakfast on the shores of Khoton Nuur Lake, Eddie gives you some basics on how to ride a Mongolian horse, using our Australian saddles, and we take a slow ride in the forested area above the lake. We visit the local Kazakh nomads in their Gers (tents), learn about their age-old traditions and attend exciting nomadic horse games, which has become a Tusker tradition, called the "Tusker Nadaam." After the games, the local women bring out some of their beautiful handmade crafts which make great gifts back at home.

Our crew loads up the camels, and we start trekking through the alpine forest, heading north. The glacial depression that contains Khoton Lake is marked by horizontal benches that reveal ancient lake levels; probably the result of glacial dams that periodically built up and broke away. The Tsagaan Us River is one of three tributaries to Khoton Lake, flowing south from the Tavn Bogd glaciers through the heart of the Altai Mountains.

We cross over to the east side of the Tsagaan Gol River, and continue up through the river valley, setting up camp on Cheben Hill overlooking the beautiful river-fed grassy plains below, populated by a few Ger camps and their goats. It is very cool and tranquil up here on the hill.

Descending Cheben Hill toward the mouth of the river gorge, we trek up the gorge on the eastern bank of the Tsagaan Gol River, surrounded by the towering canyon walls. Hikers go high, as the river floods in places, and riders continue along the banks of the river. Spectacularly located in a wide valley, shouldered by high snow-capped mountains, the white Tsagaan River flows right in front of our camp.

Ready for the mountain pass ahead, we trek out of the river gorge, and ascend up to the 10,350 ft. mountain pass, with spectacular views of the Sheveet Uul gorge on the other side. If there has been any precipitation, we might be hiking part of the day through snow, and will have to dig a path through. We set up camp at Sheveed Uul Gorge after descending a steep incline on foot.

Heading downhill, we stop at a small Ger community to visit some of the local Tuvan people, who follow traditional shamanistic beliefs. At our lunchspot we make a fascinating discovery - ancient petroglyphs. The Petroglyphs of the Mongolian Altai are some of the largest, oldest and most pristine concentrations of rock art in North Asia. The earliest images date from 11,000 years ago, extending into the 9th century. The petroglyphs are highly evocative and represent ancient cultural landscapes. After a steep descent into the Tsagaan Gol river valley, we spend two nights camping here with an extraordinary view of the magnificent glaciers and peaks in the distance.

Today's a rest day. We take a scenic hike to a beautiful azure lake hidden up on a plateau, a few miles from our camp. There’s also time to do a little laundry and relax.

Today's a challenging trek over the frost-heave, uphill to the magnificent Potanin Glacier of the Altai Tavn Bogd. The glacier lies at the foot of Khuiten Peak (14,350 ft.), the highest point in Mongolia. Nairamdal Peak (13,392 ft.) marks the triple border point common to Mongolia, Russia and China. Very few animal species have adapted to the harsh conditions in this area above the treeline. The area is characterized by tundra, lichen-covered rocks, alpine meadows and high mountain swamps.

Leaving the Tavn Bogd peaks behind us, our last day on the trail takes us north and east to the Ranger station gate to the national park. This is our final day trekking, and your last chance to give your horse its head and have a nice run. We unload the camels, and meet our vehicles, heading back to Bayan Ulgii, overnighting at the Ger camp.

A short drive takes us to the nearby Ulgii airport for our flight to Ulaan Bataar. We overnight at the Tuushin Hotel, enjoying a night out on the town.

A transfer to the airport, and a sad goodbye to your Mongolian guide.