The Land Of Eagle Hunters

Arrive in Ulaanbaatar, the rapidly developing Mongolian capital city. For more than a hundred years, the city is the center of Mongolian culture, society, education, and finance. From the airport drive to the hotel to check-in (check-in time: 14:00, earlier check-in depends on room availability and might be subject to a supplemental fee). In the afternoon, take an orientation tour around the city center. Begin at the square named after Sukhbaatar, the hero of the 1920s communist revolution, in front of the parliament building featuring a massive statue of Chinggis Khan, the nation's forefather, and past communist-era buildings, serving as a testimony to the city's not-too-far past. In the evening, enjoy a welcome dinner at one of the city's finest restaurants before reverting to the hotel for a first night in Mongolia.

Olgii, the provincial center of Bayan-Olgii, Mongolia's westernmost province. With a clear Muslim Kazakh majority, Bayan-Olgii feels like a country within a country with a dominating culture; people's appearance and traditions very different from those seen through the rest of the country. Upon landing in Olgii, meet the local Kazakh guide and the local drivers, and head straight out of town and on to the village of Sagsai. Once in Sagsai, meet our Kazakh hosts. Spend the afternoon learning from them about Kazakh traditions, particularly about training Golden Eagles. The practice of hunting with eagles has been kept in secret during the communist era, as the central government referred to it as an act of national separatism. In the evening, join the family for a traditional Kazakh dinner. Late in the evening, set in the tents or in the family's yurt for the night.

After breakfast, say farewell to the generous hosts and board the vehicle for the approximately seven-hours' drive to the Altai Tavan Bogd National Park at the western edge of the province, and in fact, of Mongolia as a whole. The park marks the west boundary of Mongolia, and beyond its towering peaks lies Russia to the north, and China to the south. Today's drive is very scenic, and there would be plenty of opportunities to stop and take in the sheer beauty and dramatic landscapes. Early in the evening, arrive at the foot of the ever-snowed peaks of Mongolia's mightiest mountain range, and set in the tents for the night. Overnight bush camping at the entrance to the park.

Stretching for some 14 km in length, the glacier is surrounded by a cluster of rising peaks that form the entire massif's namesake. Loosely translated from Mongolian, "the five sacred ones" refers to the five peaks of the Altai Tavan Bogd- Khuiten Peak (4,374 meter/14,350 feet), Nairamdal (4,180 meter/13,714 feet), Burged (4,068 meter/13,346 feet), and Malchin and Olgii peaks, both of 4,050 meter/13,287 feet. Arrive in time for slightly late lunch in a magnificent vantage point over the entire massif, and after some time to rest and enjoy this marvelous sight, hop back into the saddle and ride all the way down, via a different route, to spend a second night by the entrance to the park.

Board the vehicles and drive along the White River south to the Snake Valley. Bayan-Olgii is renowned as Mongolia's most scenic region, much due to the high Altai Mountains, the lush green valleys stretched between these, and the intertwined network of rivers and lakes crisscrossing the province. In the afternoon, arrive at the Snake Valley, and break camp by the beautiful mountain stream. If time permits, enjoy an afternoon walk through this remote and pristine setting. Overnight bush camping.

Begin the day with a two-hours' hike along the clear stream for a beautiful view over the surroundings. Back in the car, continue driving south to the shores of Khoton Lake. Covering an area of approximately 50 square kilometers (19 square miles) and lying at the Altai Mountains' foot, this freshwater lake is aptly claiming its title as one of Mongolia's most beautiful lakes. Arrive at the campground, and take an afternoon hike to the top of a nearby hill to see some prehistoric rock paintings, and enjoy the view of the sun setting over the lake and the surrounding snow-capped peaks. Overnight bush-camping by the lake shores.

Today drive up the Altai range towards the Turgen Glacier, marking the border between Mongolia and China. Here take a beautiful few hours' hike to the small (baga) and big (ikh) Turgen waterfalls. After the hike, pause by a yurt of a Kazakh family to hear from them about life at this remote location, so far away from any significant settlement. In the afternoon, arrive back in the camp by the shores of Khoton Lake for the last night of bush camping.

Begin the day early in the morning and board the vehicle for a long day of driving from the shores of Khoton Nuur back to Olgii Town. The road takes through typical landscapes, along wide rivers, and over high mountain passes. Arrive in Olgii in the afternoon. If time permits, pause by one of the many mosques around town or visit the local museum featuring permanent exhibitions on the province's flora, fauna, and ethnic groups inhabiting the region. In the evening set in a local hotel and spend here the night.

In the morning, visit the town’s largest mosque. Continue for a walk through the main bazaar before driving to the airport and boarding the flight to Ulaanbaatar. After landing, head to Gandan Buddhist Monastery, the center for Mongolian Buddhism, and home to the 26.5 meters (85 feet) Janraisig statue of Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion. If lucky, attend the morning prayer ceremony. After exploring the vast compound, drive to the Black Market, which draws its name not from the trade in stolen goods but due to the fact that in the old times, it was where anti-revolutionary goods such as jeans, chewing gums, and even bootlegs of the Beatles were illegally traded. Next, visit the newly opened museum dedicated to the life of Chinggis Khan. From here, it is a short walk to the drama theater to attend an impressive folk concert featuring some traditional Mongolian art forms. Late in the evening check-in the hotel right at the heart of the city.

Leave the hotel on foot and head to the city center. Begin with a visit to the National History Museum, which holds a permanent exhibition on the different civilizations that have inhabited the territory of Mongolia from prehistoric times to the present. Then, take a walk through the central square, here you can see the figure of D. Sukhbaatar, one of the heroes of the communist revolution of the 1920s. In a very apt fashion, the square is surrounded by buildings of distinctively different architectural styles. After lunch, visit the Choijin Lama Temple. Once the private temple of the Mongolian king, it is today one of the most beautiful Tibetan-Buddhist museums worldwide. The museum holds a well-curated collection of rare Buddhist artifacts. In the evening, attend a traditional folk concert featuring unique Mongolian art forms before enjoying a farewell dinner in one of the city’s finest restaurants before reverting to the hotel for the night.

international departing flight out of Mongolia, heading back home.