The snow leopard is the most mysterious and rare wild cat – to see one in the wild, is a true once-in-a-lifetime experience.
There are said to be 1,200 snow leopards left in Mongolia – one of the highest concentrations in the world. Whilst venturing through Mongolia and observing the snow leopard, you will travel through the beautiful Altai Mountains. The eternal snow-capped peaks and glaciers, are the highest range in Mongolia in the far west. Stay with a local Kazakh family and learn of their century old traditions of training Golden Eagles to hunt for them. As you venture further off track, spend time living with nomadic families in their gers and listen to their stories of life in snow leopard territory and of life off the land. A true adventure of conservation and cultural exchange.
Welcome to Mongolia! Upon arrival into Ulaanbaatar, you will be met at the airport or train station and be transferred to your hotel. The remainder of the day is yours at leisure.
Ulaanbaatar is a thriving cosmopolitan city on the verge of massive growth, it is a city filled with contrasts and contradictions, wild traffic, sinful nightlife and bohemian counter-culture.
Overnight Hotel Bayangol or similar
Following breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport for your 3.5hr flight to Bayan-Ulgii province. Upon arrival, you will be met by your guide before driving to the Deluun county of Bayan-Ulgii province. The journey is approx 180kms. On arrival, you will visit a Kazak family and enjoy witnessing and learning about their unique culture and traditions of training Golden Eagles for hunting. (B,L,D)
Overnight with a local Kazakh family.
This morning, you will travel to the southwest part of Mountain Munkhkhairkhan National Park located in West Altai. This is home to the second highest summit of Mongolia at 4362m above sea level. Standing at the foot of the sky touching high peaks, you can see several small lakes in different colours. The ‘Uriankhai’ ethnic groups mainly live in this region. The park is also famed for growing various medicinal plants and its mountain wildlife such as argali, ibex and of course the snow leopard. On the way to the national park, you will cross over a mountain pass Ulaagchin, the highest pass of the Mongol Altai Mounts. You will then visit Uriankhai ethnic Mongol family, the nomads who live in this region, and stay in their Guurt area which is the homeland of the snow leopard. (B,L,D)
Overnight in the Ger of a local nomad family.
The next four days are dedicated for exploring the area and searching for Snow Leopards. You will go to Khar Uzuur, head of the Guurt area and Ikh Baga Khadaan Gijigt by horse with your local mountain guides. Search and observe snow leopards in their ‘nests’. You will search snow leopard habitat sites in the hope of catching a glimpse of this rare Himalayan cat. Listed in the Mongolian Red Book as ‘Very Rare’, the snow leopards in Mongolia, are generally at altitudes of 2000-3500m. The snow leopard habitat includes steep broken mountainous regions in the alpine and sub-alpine zones, where vegetation is sparse, but the scenery spectacular. (B,L,D)
Overnight in the Ger of a local nomad family.
Today is a long drive day of approx 6 hours as you return to Ulgii. Upon arrival, you will check into your hotel and overnight. (B,L,D)
Overnight in a local hotel.
Following breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport for your domestic flight back to Ulaanbaatar. The day is yours at leisure. For those interested, there are some fascinating museums about the history of Mongolia. This evening, enjoy a farewell dinner. (B,L,D)
Overnight Hotel Bayangol or similar
Today is yours at leisure until it is time to transfer to the airport or train station for your onward flight/train. (B)
Download this tour’s PDF brochure and start your planning offline!
**Please note that this tour can be organised on request for private departures.
* Pricing is subject to change at anytime until full payment has been received.
* A minimum of 2 adults is required to guarantee this departure.
A non-refundable deposit of $1000 AUD per person is required to secure your place. Final payment is due no later than 60 days prior to departure. Travel insurance is mandatory for travelling with Crooked Compass. For full terms and conditions, please click here.
Stay up to date with the latest travel trends and new destinations opening up. To be the first to go, you need to be the first to know.
This category of tours involves light trekking, walking, cycling, rafting or kayaking for a few hours each day with a small amount of inclines and declines. You will require a reasonable level of fitness and good health to participate. It is important to note that due to the nature of some of our trips, they may take place in remote areas (with basic facilities) and can involve long travelling days on various modes of transport.
Suggested preparation : At least 3 months prior to departure, it is recommended that you undertake aerobic exercise (this may include jogging, cycling or fast walking) for 30 minutes, three times a week. It is also advised to walk on variable terrain and in variable weather conditions. For a cycling adventure, road cycling twice a week is recommended and for adventures which involve paddling and kayaking, it is important to gain confidence and rhythm rather than speed prior to departure.
This category of tours involve trekking, kayaking and cycling for period of 6 to 8 hours a day at a fairly consistent pace. Ideal for people looking to slightly increase the heart rate. For our moderately rated tours, you must have a good level of fitness and also be in good health. It is also important to be prepared for variable weather conditions. Altitude may also come into play. This category of tours may involve visiting remote areas where facilities can be quite basic. Accommodation may also involve camping, homestays or basic accommodation where facilities may not be considered of western standards. To enjoy this style of travel, it is suggested for travellers to have a reasonable level of fitness and health, a positive attitude, as well as a fairly active lifestyle. An open mind is also required.
Suggested preparation: At least 3 months prior to departure, it is recommended that you undertake 45mins – 1 hour of aerobic exercise, three to four times a week. Some potential exercises that could be beneficial include hill walking with a backpack on over variable terrain and weather conditions, as well as running and cycling dependent on the activity you plan on undertaking.
This category of tours involves trekking, kayaking, cycling or other adventure activities in remote areas for up to 8 to 10 hours a day. It is important to note that with the remoteness of some regions comes a variety of other challenges such as variable weather conditions, accommodation as well as facilities. You must have an excellent level of fitness and good health to be able to partake in this category of tour. You must have confidence in your own ability and be in good physical condition. Includes extended periods of endurance.
Suggested preparation: At least 3 to 4 months of strenuous exercise, four times a week. When preparing for treks it would be beneficial to participate in hill walks with a weighted day pack (approximately 5-8 kg) once a week for aerobic fitness and strengthening of leg muscles. It is also important to do this on variable terrain to prepare for challenging adventures. When preparing for cycling adventures, regular bike riding (at least 4 to 5 times a week for 1-4 hours is essential). It is also important to cycle on uneven surfaces or even participate in other aerobic exercises such as running or swimming to build up strength and stamina. Altitude may also be a factor in these tours.
This category of tour often involves extreme trekking, cycling or other extreme adventure activities. It is important to expect remote and poorly defined tracks and to be prepared for variable weather conditions for 10 to 12 hours per day (may sometimes be more depending on weather and altitude). These adventures are suitable for travellers who have prior experience in strenuous travel and activities, are extremely fit and have excellent health. It is also important to note that some of the terrain on these adventures will involve trekking in snow, at high attitude levels and may require technical equipment.
Suggested preparation: It is important to note that physical fitness should be an ongoing activity, commencing around 5-6 months prior to departure, or even before if you have no prior fitness. Exercise should focus on building maximum endurance and stamina. Four to five hard sessions of 40-60 mins per week should be completed and can include exercises such as going to the gym, running, swimming or cycling to focus on building aerobic stamina. It could also be beneficial to prepare by hiking on rough terrain, in extreme weather conditions or partake in altitude training.
Back to Asia
