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Arcturus Expeditions offers sea voyages and expeditions to The Arctic, Arctic Russia, Greenland, Norway, Iceland and The Antarctic.
The eagle hunters of the Altai
Riding and camping in the Altai Mountains | 15 days
The Altai, Mongolia’s highest mountain range, stretches south from Russia down the far west of the country into the Gobi Desert. Remote, barren and dramatic, this landscape of craggy peaks and deep valleys cries out to be explored on horseback. The riding route follows traditional nomadic stock routes where you’ll hope to see the Eagle Hunters, ethnic Kazakhs who hunt with majestic golden eagles in winter. There are wonderful opportunities to camp, fish, walk and bird-watch in this timeless region.
Day 1: Fly to Ulaanbaatar
Day 2: Explore Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia’s capital city
Day 3: Fly to Khovd
Days 4-9: Gentle riding in the Altai mountains
Day 10: Drive to Achit Lake
Day 11: Drive to Uureg Lake
Day 12: Enjoy bird watching and fishing at Uureg Lake
Day 13: Drive to Uvs Lake
Day 14: Drive to Ulaan Gom and fly to Ulaanbaatar
Day 15: Fly to London
guide price £5,875 per person
Fiona’s travel tips
WHAT TO EXPECT: It is not uncommon for drivers to stop at 'gers' — they are not lost but like to get local and seasonal information on travelling through regions with no roads.DON’T MISS: An absolute highlight is the annual Naadam Festival in mid-July, which celebrates the traditional sports of riding, wrestling and archery.
TAKE WITH YOU: Everything from T-shirts to thermals. The weather changes constantly, especially in the mountains and you can expect everything from hail to sunshine. For riders a sheepskin ‘seat-saver’ will do just that!
INTERESTING FACT: Mongolia is the world’s second-largest landlocked country after Kazakhstan. Around 30 per cent of its population are nomadic or semi-nomadic and the predominant religion is Tibetan Buddhism.
BEST TIME TO GO: We suggest travelling any time between May and October to get the best of the weather.
JOURNEY TIME: 10 hours (indirect)
Clients’ comments
“Inspiring landscape that can be harsh and completely unforgiving but so, so beautiful. Nomadic peoples living hard simple lives and happy with their freedom. Freedom and a nature which they know and love.”
Mrs Gretta Robertson, Mongolia
“ It was great. Fiona was really helpful, making modifications to suit my budget and inclinations, and listened to what I wanted. The camp was terrific, the food wonderful…My guide thought it was very funny that I thought there was too much food put it in front of me, and I tend to eat it. When I told her I didn’t want to get fat, she looked amazed....not getting fat is something which hasn’t really caught on in Mongolia yet! Mostly I was the only tourist at the camp, and I was an object of some curiosity, as single females travelling are rare. The camp staff adopted me a bit, and were just lovely. I was treated like family.”
Sue Murray-Jones, Mongolia, June 2011