WESTERN MONGOLIA WINTER MIGRATION & SNOW LEOPARDS, 17 FEB-6 MAR, 2024
with Jeremy Woodhouse
(17 days/16 nights), Group Size 6-7
Tour Description
I am offering 4-7 people the chance to come with us on an awe-inspiring nomadic migration across Mongolia’s Altai mountains with a Kazakh family and their livestock. This journey will give you intimate access to an incredible cultural experience in a beautifully remote corner of western Mongolia.
Backed up by a team of 2 off-road vehicles, a Russian truck, and 10 staff, including a cook and local English-speaking guide, we will erect a camp of warm gers every night at each stage of the journey, providing home cooked food and cosy beds in the evenings when outside temperatures can regularly fall to -30°C.
Our destination will be Bekysh’s family’s spring camp in Tavan Bogd National Park, a place that few outsiders have witnessed in the winter months. Once there, we will set up camp alongside Bekysh’s family and enjoy 3 days in this truly remote location, accompanying him hunting with his golden eagle and spending time with his extended family at their new homestead.
Following our migration trip, we will head back to Ulgii for the night before heading into the Asgard mountains for our Snow Leopard extension.
Itinerary
Pre-tour: Tue, 17 Feb
After arriving from your international flight, a driver will take to our hotel in the centre of Ulaanbataar.
O/N Best Western Tuushin, Ulaanbataar (transfer & hotel not included)
Day 1: Wed, 18 Feb
Catch the early morning flight to Ulgii arriving at 12:40PM. This is the largest town in Western Mongolia. After a quick lunch, we will drive to our first camp set up alongside Bekysh’s winter camp. Packing up the winter camp: We will spend the rest of the day with our Kazakh hosts while they pack up their possessions at their winter camp ready to leave the next day.
MIAT Mongolian Airlines (OM71) UB-Ulgii Departure; 11:25AM UB time, arrival 12:40PM Ulgii time.
O/N Ger Camp
Day 2: Thu, 19 Feb
Migration day 1-5: Leave on the migration at first light.
O/N Ger Camp
Day 3-6: Fri, 20 Feb - Mon, 23 Feb
Migration day 2-5: Leave on the migration at first light.
Arrive at Spring camp late in the late afternoon on 24 Feb.
O/N 5 Nights in Ger Camp
Day 7: Tue, 24 Feb
Rest Day. A leisurely day spent at Bekysh’s Spring camp—a beautiful and very isolated spot in the snow covered mountains of Tavan Bogd National Park.
Portraiture: A natural light portrait session with our local friends.
O/N Ger Camp
Day 8: Wed, 25 Feb
Eagle hunting: A day spent following Bekysh and friends as they hunt small game with his golden eagle.
During the day we will have natural light portrait session with Bekysh and his friends and family.
O/N Ger Camp
Day 9: Thu, 26 Feb
Mini festival day, gathering with about 8-9 eagle hunters photographing them in the morning and in the evening. Short eagle calling competetions, and Kazakh horse games like bushkashi and coin picking up games.
O/N Ger Camp
Day 10: Fri, 27 Feb
Drive to Ulgii (full day driving). We make the overland journey back to Ulgii in our expedition vehicles. In the evening we will stay at a local hotel.
O/N Makhsum Hotel, Ulgii
Day 11: Sat, 28 Feb
Drive 2 hours to Asgat Mountain, and visit local herder family. Orientation for locations and our hikes in search of snow leopards in the nearby hills. Setting trap cameras (it is recommended that you bring your own trap cameras but we can provide a few if necessary). The battery should be able to work in temperatures as low as -30ºC (-22ºF).
O/N Ger Camp/Winter House
Day 12, 13 & 14: Sun-Tue 1-3 Mar
Spotting and hiking for snow leopard everyday from early morning before sunrise and until late evening.
O/N Ger Camp/Winter House
Day 15: Wed, 4 Mar
A final day of spotting snow leopards and drive back to Ulgii late afternoon.
O/N Makhsum Hotel, Ulgii
Day 16: Thu, 5 Mar
13:20PM pm internal flight back to Ulan Bator. (Hotel and next day transfer not included)
MIAT Mongolian Airlines (OM72) Ulgii-UB; dep: 13:20PM Ulgii Time, Arrival: 16:10PM UB time
O/N Best Western Tuushin, Ulaanbataar
Day 17: Fri, 6 Mar
Transfer to Chinggis Khaan International Airport at Ulaanbataar for your flight back home
Arrival & Meeting Place
Arrival
You will arrive at Chinggis Khaan International Airport at Ulaanbataar (IATA: ULN). When entering Mongolia, by land or air, fill out the straightforward entry form. You’ll have to register if you plan to be in Mongolia for more than 30 days.
Departure
We will leave from Chinggis Khaan International Airport at Ulaanbataar (IATA: ULN)
Visa
A 30-day tourist visa is required for some foreign nationals, although a number of countries can visit visa free, including citizens of the USA, Canada and Germany. Make sure that your passport is valid for at least six months from your date of arrival. If you lose your passport, your embassy in Ulaanbaatar can replace it, usually in one day.
Weather
When speaking of the coldest capital cities in the world, we usually think of the capital cities of Canada, Russia, Iceland or the Scandinavian countries. However, it is Mongolia’s capital, Ulaanbaatar that is the coldest capital city in the world. The city experiences an annual average temperature of -1.3°C. The city has short, warm summers while winters are bitterly cold and dry. Temperatures in January are as low as −36 to −40 °C.
Language
95% of Mongolia's population speaks Mongolian. Russian is one of the most widely spoken foreign languages in Mongolia. This reflects both history and geography. Mongolia shares its northern border with Russia.
Currency
The Mongolian Tugrik /tögrög was introduced in 1925 to replace the Mongolian Dollar at a rate of one Soviet ruble, with 1 tugrik equaling 18 grams of silver. The tögrög is denoted as ₮ and abbreviated as MNT under the ISO 4217 currency code.
6-7 SPOTS OPEN
$TBA
DEPOSIT: $1,500
UB/ULGII/UB FLIGHT: $400
Maximum Group: 4-7
Tour Price Includes:
- Gers at each spot; Sleeping gers (you will need to be happy sharing); and a cooking/dining ger. Staff will be sleeping in a dining ger
- Meals and water for the entire migration
- Staff—An English speaking guide, a cook , and two drivers plus a fire man
- A Russian truck, a driver and 5 ger set-up guys behind the scene. We will set gers in 5 different spots
- Generator and sitting toilet at each camp.
- At the end of the migration there will be an extra ger for a shower. For daily washing, buckets with warm water will be provided in the evening and morning
- Kazakh traditional concert on last night
Does Not Include:
- International flight to Ulaanbataar
- Airport transfers from UB airport at the beginning of the tour and to UB Airport at the end of the tour
- Internal flight to Ulgii (approx $400)
- Hotel in Ulaanbataar on the first night 17 Feb, 2026 (5-star hotels are approx $80-100USD/night)
- Hotel in Ulaanbataar last night 5 March, 2026
Paying by check
If you would like to pay your deposit and/or balance with a check, please make the check payable to: Pixelchrome, Inc and mail it to:
Nicole Woodhouse
Pixelchrome, Inc,
605 Rouen Drive,
McKinney TX 75072
Paying by Wire Transfer
If you would like to pay by Wire Transfer please contact nicole@pixelchrome.com for bank account details.
Equipment List
A detailed equipment and clothing list will be sent to you once you have signed up for the trip