Altai Fatbike Expedition including Eagle Festival
Next trip date
SEPTEMBER 6 – SEPTEMBER 19, 2024 TBC
Itinerary
DAY 1 - ARRIVAL IN MONGOLIA - PRE-TRIP ACCLIMATISATION
Arrival in Ulan Bator
Most of you will be traveling across several time zones to get to Ulan Bator. We would recommend arriving a couple of days early giving your body time to recuperate after the long journey and also to be able to see some of the sites the city has to offer.
Meet and greet at Ulan Bator international airport.
Transport to hotel.
Briefing and dinner
DAY 2 - FLIGHT TO ULGII + DRIVE TO TAVAN BOGD NATIONAL PARK
Flight to Ulgii
Trip to local supermarket
Drive to Tavan Bogd National Park (5-6 hours)
DAY 3 - KHURGAN LAKE
Khurgan Lake, petroglyphs, camp on white sand beach on Lake Khoton
26km bike 5 hours
DAY 4 - UP KHOTON LAKE
Follow track up north-east side of Khoton Lake. Sleep in gers next to Auez, race horse trainer
25km bike 5 hours
DAY 5 - GREEN LAKE HIKE
Furgon to Bear Valley, follow the Tsagaan Gol River to Green Lake. Sleep in gers
15kms Hike 6 hours
1 hour furgon
DAY 6 - DOWN KHOTON LAKE
Follow Mashina Khabakh road through conifer frosts and multiple stream crossings.
25km bike 5 hours
DAY 7 - KHOTON LAKE
Bike across glacial moraine, conifer forests and pastureland. Camp next to small mountain lake.
25kms Fatbike 5 hours
DAY 8 - LAKE KHURGAN
Wide open steppe and glacial moraine on a well defined piste. Camp next to a river.
30 km Fatbike 7 hours
DAY 9 - LAKE DAYAN + GER NEXT TO EAGLE HUNTER
Huge expanses of flat, open pastureland followed by rocky, winding piste to Shokhan’s summer camp. Sleep in gers.
20 km Fatbike 6 hours
DAY 10 - SHUTTLE BACK TO EAGLE FESTIVAL
6 hour drive in furgon back to Eagle Festival. Sleep in Gers Furgon
6 hours
DAY 11 AND 12 - EAGLE HUNTING FESTIVAL + GER CAMP
There are approximately 400 eagle hunters in Bayan-Ulgii. During the Eagle Hunting Festival, eagle hunters from the region gather to test their finely trained birds in singular contests of speed and agility. Female birds are used as they are bigger, stronger and more aggressive than the males. Authentic eagle hunting is only done in the winter months so during the festival you will see the eagles diving for a fox-skin being drawn behind a running horse. There are also a number of traditional Kazakh games like Buzkashi, Kiss the woman on horseback, camel racing, and others.
Stay in private Ger Camp next to an Eagle Hunter.
DAY 13 - FLIGHT TO ULAN BATOR
Early morning flight to Ulan Bator
Closing dinner and night at hotel
DAY 14 - TRANSFER TO AIRPORT AND FLIGHT BACK HOME
Transfer to airport and flight back home
