Arrive in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, also called “UB” by visitors. Upon arrival at the UB airport, you will be met by your guide and driver and transferred to your hotel in the city centre. Referred to as “The City of Contrasts”, where modern constructions stand beside traditional dwellings and ancient monasteries, UB is a very rapidly growing city with a population of nearly a million people. Time permitting we take a guided tour to some of the city’s highlights, including a giant Buddha statue at Mongolia’s main Buddhist centre, the National museum and the central square.

A traditional throat singing and contortion performance will be presented at the end of the day.

At a welcome dinner in the evening our local guide will provide a full briefing of the days ahead.

Meals: Dinner

In the morning we transfer to the airport and fly to the westernmost province of Bayan-Olgiy where the country’s highest mountains lie.

Upon arrival meet with your support team and drive to Tavan Bogd National Park. This is a long drive and will take most of the day from when our flight lands. We drive across a mountainous desert and camp at a lush riverside with views of massive dome-shaped mountains.

When camping 3-person dome tents are provided on a twin share basis together with a mess tent and a camping shower. Plus, we carry a toilet tent with a seat placed over a cat hole.

This evening we will be joined by Tuvan herders from White river valley who will bring their horses who will carry us across spectacular landscapes of Tavan Bogd National park in the next few days.

After breakfast, before the journey starts, your guides will instruct you on riding the sturdy and sure-footed Mongolian horses. It's time to test your command over your horse and to learn its habits.

Your guides will ride side by side advising you and ensuring your safety and peace of mind. We ride across desolate grassy valleys along the Russian borderline. Vast numbers of domesticated animals mainly yaks and goats grazing on steep slopes and rugged ridges can be often seen. An occasional encounter with a curious shepherd or local children always offers a chance for taking some good photos.

In the afternoon the terrain is replaced by a V-shaped valley. Here we arrive at a summer station of nomadic Kazakh people in the vicinity of some alpine lakes. They live in large mushroom-like yurts and tend their massive flocks of yaks and goats. It will be interesting to visit their gers and learn about the way of life which seemingly hasn’t changed for many hundreds of years. We will then establish our tent camp nearby.

After breakfast we ride up the valley and then cross a grassy shoulder between two dome-shaped mountains. This brings us to an enormous V-shaped mountain valley with clear streams running down from glaciers that cover the ridge top. The main feature of the mountains here is the alternation of grassy slopes with massive walls of loose scree. Having covered 25km we arrive at Tavan Bogd NP gate, a few yurts - home of local rangers at the foothill of even bigger mountains.

We ride to Tavan Bogd viewpoint. A well-established trail runs across a high mountain terrain strewn with running streams and patches of snow. At one-third of the way is an elevated hill from which there opens a panoramic view of Mongolia’s highest peaks and largest glaciers.

We eat our lunch while enjoying the magnificent views before heading down towards the edge of a deep V-shaped valley at the bottom of which rumbles a torrential river full of glacial silt. This is the White River valley – lush summer pastureland of nomadic herders.

A steep descent to the riverside is followed by a climb to the opposite side of the valley, brings us to our campsite at the base of the holy Shiveet mountain.

After breakfast we hike to Mt. Shiveet and climb to its wide top with a goal of spotting wild mountain goats (Capra Ibex). Seeing them is almost guaranteed but requires a bit of tracking and hiding.

Alternatively, a less demanding hike around the base of the Holy mountain will allow you see more ancient rock art displaying fascinating scenes of hunting by distant residents of the Altai region.

This evening we camp in the vicinity of local Tuvan herders who will be accompanying us during the next three days of camel-supported trekking. Tuvans also known as the Uriankhai are ethnic people who had historically been moving around southern Siberia. Traditionally these herding nomads practiced shamanism - a worship of ancestral and natural spirits but today their belief is a strong blend with Tibetan Buddhism.

This evening we visit their tent to learn of the way of life and to taste food and drinks offered by the unwritten local rules.

We watch Bactrian camels being loaded and start trekking. We have an increasingly challenging climb up a steep trail that leads to the highest point (3150m) of the whole tour.

From the top of the pass which is often covered in snow and ice you can enjoy tremendous views of surrounding mountains and turquoise green alpine lakes.

Today there are some stream crossings.

We negotiate an equally steep descent on the way down into the Tsagaan Us valley where we camp for the night.

We continue trekking downstream along the Tsagaan Us river valley over undulating hills and through larch forests, surrounded by towering ridges on either side.

The river water has a greenish tint, its source being the glaciers of the Tavan Bogd peaks. As we walk on, the river grows as hundreds of small streams cascade down the surrounding slopes into the main body of the river.

Again there will be some stream crossings.

Tonight, we camp at a scenic campsite with a stunning alpine lake surrounded by thick woods in the background.

Our last morning of trekking. Food and equipment will be loaded on pack camels for the last time and, emerging out of the mountains we hike down to an open steppe where we meet the support vehicles.

At lunch, we part with the camel drivers and transfer to Khoton, a spectacular alpine lake bordering China’s Xinjiang province. Stream crossings.

This is built in to the itinerary as a contingency day. We may need to use it at the beginning of the itinerary (in Ulaanbaatar) or at the end.

We spend a well-earned rest day at ease. The Khoton lake campsite is truly idyllic. A snow-capped ridge marking the borderline with China and wooded slopes below reflect in the mirror-like surface of the lake. You can go swimming or explore some distinctly well-preserved Bronze-age rock carvings just beside the camp.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

We cross rugged folds of moraine fields that lie alongside alpine lakes and drive along the mighty Khovd river that collects most of the meltwater of the Tavan Bogd mountain massif. Depending on the time in the summer we may come across locals moving with antique Russian trucks. We may as well meet Kazakh hunters who train golden eagles and use them for hunting. Although actual hunting is done in winter you can still see the massive birds and have a photo taken holding one in your arms to impress your family and friends. Upon arrival, we settle in a cozy hotel just in time for a shower and a celebratory dinner. Tonight, you will have a chance to enjoy some Kazakh songs and music, and traditional delicacies.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Transfer to Olgiy airport and fly back to Ulaanbaatar. Upon arrival transfer to your hotel. Rest until we gather for a farewell dinner.

Meals: Breakfast and dinner

Travel back to Australia.

Price includes

13 days Fully hosted experience with GirlsTrek

Local Mongolian guides - English Speaking

All accommodation: 4* hotel (2 nights), tent (9 nights), local hotel (1 night)

Camping including sleeping mats, dining, shower and toilet tents

Meals as per itinerary & drinking water

Sightseeing fees in Ulaanbaatar

Sightseeing, national park fees in the countryside

Overland transport

Domestic flight Ulaanbaatar – Olgiy - Ulaanbaatar

Expedition cook with 1 assistant

Horse hire and local guides during horseback riding

Pack camels and camel drivers during trekking

Australian stock saddles for horseback riding

Satellite phone for emergencies

Gratuities for all local guides

Price excludes

Travel to/from destination

Travel insurance, which is compulsory

Beverages, optional and personal expenses

*Single supplement available on request at an additional cost

Compulsory gear

Daypack - 24L or similar - (you will carry this)

Large duffel - 45 L - carried by horses and camels

3 L water bladder or water bladder and bottles that add to 3 L.

-25 to - 30 degree sleeping bag

80 lumens headlamp with 50 hours run time

Good trekking boots

Gortex Waterproof rain jacket with hood*

Gortex Waterproof rain pants*

Hat and sunglasses

Beanie and gloves

Warm scarf

Buff or kerchief for neck protection

Microfibre or light towel

Sunscreen, lip balm and insect repellent

Tissues & hand sanitiser

Personal first aid kit (small wound care, compression bandage, pain relief tablets, gastop, broad spectrum antibiotics)

Trekking / Walking poles

Electrolytes

Recommended gear

earplugs - for night time use

High energy snacks (eg Cliff Bars or similar)

Gaiters

Clothing for horse trek & trek

Thermals - top and bottom

Jodhpurs or stretch pants for horse riding

Trekking pants

2 Walking Shirts long sleeve T-shirt style (merino recommended)

2 short sleeve T-shirt

1 long sleeve zip up warm layer - merino recommended merino 250 - 300 gsm

3 walking socks (merino recommended)

1 very warm socks for night wear at camp

Light camp shoes

Down jacket

Underwear (merino recommended)

Swimmers

Clothing and gear for trip

Casual wear for Ulaanbaatar

Walking shoes

Sleepwear & underwear

Toiletries