Far West – Meeting Eagle Hunters

<p>Arrival at the Chinggis Khaan international airport in Ulaanbaatar, thecapital city of Mongolia. Your guide-interpreter and driver will welcome you at the airport and lead you on the city tour. The capital has plenty to offer. On the tour you will visit the Gandan Monastery, a historical and spiritual Buddhist temple in the city. Then you can walk around the National History Museum and the Chinggis Khaan Square in front of the Mongolian Parliament house to help you get a general knowledge and information about the Mongolian history and culture. Finally, you conclude your city tour by having a traditional cuisine for dinner at a famous restaurant and spend your first night in Mongolia.</p><p>FB, Night in a tourist hotel</p>

<p>You start your tour to the western border with a local flight to Ulgii, where you will be at the heart of Kazakh and Muslim ethnic groups. Upon arrival, when you visit one of the local families, you might notice the uniqueness of the yurts. They are taller and more spacious than all of the other yurts in Mongolia. Their interior and exterior designs that can only be found in very few Arabian countries is nothing but admirable. You can explore the city’s sights and attractions, such as local markets, craft stores, and you can visit traditional clothing stores which have clothes from various ethnicities. Have a lunch and dinner at a local canteen, and spend the night with a local family.</p><p>FB, Overnight with a nomadic family</p>

<p>Today, you will drive to a small part of the Altai soum. You will be camp on a high plateau on the steppe, alongside a river, surrounded by snow-capped peaks and populated by Kazakh families. A traditional Kazakh eagle hunting family will host you in their taller, wider and more richly decorated yurt. They are a very kind and hospitable family. They will treat you like one of their own, so you can feel relaxed and at ease. You will have lunch and dinner with the host family, and stay overnight.</p><p>FB, Overnight with a nomadic family</p>

<p>The largest freshwater lake in Uvs, Achit Nuur offers you stunning sunsets and sunrises with amazing fishing opportunities. This biosphere reserve is classified by RAMSAR has a great ecosystem of bird life: wild duck, goose, grouse, partridge, pelican… We’d advise you to bring mosquito repellent to protect yourself from mosquitoes during the summer. You will have a picnic for lunch, and camp overnight.</p><p>FB, Overnight in a tent</p>

<p>For the next three days you will explore the territory of Uvs, at the borders of Russia and the three aimags (region) of the west. </p><p>You start the journey with the Khovd soum, a village of the Uvs province, which you will pass through the next day. On this first day you visit the village and go to the local museum to experience the life of herder families and to see their traditions. You will have a lunch in the steppe, and spend the night in a yurt.</p><p>FB, Overnight with a nomadic family</p>

<p>The next day you will explore one of the unfamiliar and unique water falls of the Shiver River called Goojuur Falls located on the course of the Shiver River Falls. It shoots water up twenty meters high in a backdrop of tranquil hills, high mountains, plateaus and massive stone mountains.</p><p>Picnic in the steppe, Overnight in a tent.</p><p></p>

<p>Today you can take a walk and enjoy the beautiful scenery around the falls and the shores of Shaazgai Lake, meaning “magpie” in Mongolian. The lake’s water is famous for its sodium carbonate content and mud treatments.</p><p>FB, Overnight with a nomadic family</p>

<p>Continuing, you leave for Uureg Lake, a large and beautiful salt lake, surrounded by stunning 3000m plus mountains. The lake is great for swimming; and locals say there are plenty of fish. Birds also like the location; and farmers bring their cattle once a month to drink from the saltwater. We will eat lunch and dinner in the steppe; and camp overnight.</p><p>FB, Overnight in a tent</p>

<p>On the way to the capital of Uvs province, you will find a large and diverse population: Khalkha Mongols, descendants of Oirats, Tuva shamans, or Kazakh minorities. You’ll approach the richness of the region and see its monasteries and local markets. Have a lunch and dinner at a local canteen and spend the night at a local hotel.</p><p>FB, Overnight in a local hotel</p>

<p>As your tour nears its end, you will fly back to Ulaanbaatar. After arriving at the capital, you will be dropped off at your hotel; take this time to have a little rest. Then you can go shopping in the State Department Store, the largest shopping mall in Mongolia, a leftover of the Soviet occupation. There, you can find cashmere, leather, and whatever you want for souvenirs, presents and gifts.</p><p>In the evening you’ll indulge in Mongolian culture with a folklore show, concert of traditional music and contortion. You’ll hear performances with the Traditional Mongolian instrument Morin Khuur, a two-string fiddle adorned with a carved horse’s head; overtone singing, previously only used by shamans to enter into communication with the spirits.</p><p>At last, a farewell dinner with your team to wrap up an excellent journey full of memories.</p><p>FB, Night in a tourist hotel</p>

<p>After having breakfast in the hotel, your team will drive you to the “Chinggis Khaan” international airport 2 hours before your departure.</p><p>Have a safe journey back!</p>