12 days Trekking in Altai Mountains, Mongolia
Day 1: To Olgii
Early in the morning flight from Ulaanbaatar to
After breakfast drive to Altai Tavan Bogd national park. It is a about 7-8 hours of driving to get to the ranger’s station which is about 200 km. Pitch our camp. From here our trekking trip will be started.
We will come to Tsagaan gol valley’s ranger station.
Day 2: To Base camp of Tavan Bogd.
Hike to Base camp. It is a 18 km from the ranger’s station. We will use camel support for our camping gears and foods. By walking from the trails you will feel wind of Mongolia, smell of aroma, the silence and pristine nature of Altai Mountains. Stay in tent.
Day 3: To Malchin peak
It is a non-technical climbing mountain. Early in the morning at 7am we will go to climbing. 1 hour to get to Malchin, 3 hours to climbing, 2 hours to get down, 1 hour to the Base camp. The climbing depends from the weather of the day. When it is clear then we can see the Russia, China and far Khazakhstan’s snowcapped mountain peaks. It is peak elevation is 4037m high from the sea level.
Day 4: To Tsagaan Gol valley
Come back to Tsagaan gol valley from the other side of the mountain in the valley. This is another beautiful valley where the Tuvan people live. They are a small ethnic group live here. It is called white-colored river because it gathers white dust, earth and sediments from the glaciers of Altai Tavan Bogd. On the way down we will visit Tuvan people’s ger here you will see nomadic people’s life style and culture of them. Pitch the camp along the bank of the Tsagaan gol river.
Day 5: To Shiveet Khairkhan and Khar Salaa valley
Shiveet Khairkhan Mountain is a sacred mountain where the Tuvans worship and rich in wilds such us Ibex, wild sheep (Morco Polo sheep).
We will pass by Shiveet Khairkhan Mountain to Khar Salaa valley.
Day 6: To Auy Daraa valley
Today we will hike to Tahilitin davaa. This is a high pass between Lake Khoton and Khurgan to Tavan Bogd. On the top of the pass it is covered snow and glaciers. But we go by trails not to step on the snow. When we reach to Auy daraa it is an wild valley where no more nomadic people lives. Auy daraa means Bear valley. But in summer the wilds will be gone away from the human stay destinations. It will be warmer than previous valley. Because the altitude will be lower to 2000-1900m. You will be witnessed how reach this area with rivers and mountains of Altai Tavan Bogd complex. When you sleep in the tent hearing the sound of fast flowing river you will get energy for a year!
Day 7: To lake Kuk Kol
We go down along the river called Ak su. Which is again white-colored river.
This is almost the end of the Ak su valley. From the tomorrow we will be in the summer camp of Kazakh nomads. Summer here is a joyfulness time for a nomads, they gather in one place stay closer to each other’s summer camp. Their happiest time of the year is a summer. In summer they organize small Naadam of Mongolia, where will take place a Mongolian national wrestling, horse race, and singing the folk songs by locals. If we are lucky we might see them because they organize their own Naadam on different date every year because they are nomads.
Day 8: To Aral Tolgoi
Aral Tolgoi is a top of the great Khurgan and Khoton lakes. We will take road of northern side of the lake. Because it is dry and a nice view than other side. We will visit a nomad Kazakh family on the way. Whell-known with its hospitality every Kazakh family will happy to have you on his family to serve you the tea.
Day 9: To Shibarkaragai
This place is a middle of the Khoton lake. We will just walk along the bank of the lake. Here you can swim in the lake and fish if you have fishing gears.
Day 10: To Srigali
Sirgali is a name of the river which connects the lake Khoton and Khurgan, which means that earring. In the evening our Russian minivan will meet us here.
Day 11: To Olgii
After breakfast drive to Olgii. On the way we will stop at deer stone and man stones which is an part of the history of the area. We drive through Tsengel soum, Ulaankhus soum. In Ulaankhus soum we will visit to a Kazakh eagle hunter’s family. In Olgii you will stay at the local hotel Tsambagarav.
