Itinerary
- Day 1
Ulaanbaatar
You'll arrive in Ulaanbaatar and head to your hotel. Depending on when you get in, there's time for a relaxed half-day around the city. Your guide will take you to Gandan Monastery, the National Museum of Mongolia, and Central Square. After that, you'll meet your full guide team to talk through what's coming up over the next week, then return to the hotel for dinner.
- Meals
- Lunch, Dinner (Welcoming meal)
Included Activities
- Half-day city tour visiting Gandan Monastery
- Visit National Museum of Mongolia
- Explore Central Square
Landmarks/POIs Gandan Monastery National Museum of Mongolia Central Square - Day 2
Ulaanbaatar to Ulgii
A flight gets you to Ulgii, then it's a transfer out to Sagsai village where you'll meet your local team. You'll watch skilled Berkutchi handlers work with their golden eagles across the snow-covered landscape, seeing firsthand how this centuries-old winter hunting tradition still operates today. That evening you'll stay with a local Kazakh family for real cultural immersion.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Flight to Ulgii
- Transfer to Sagsai village
- Golden Eagle hunting experience with skilled Berkutchi
Landmarks/POIs Sagsai Village - Day 3
Sagsai Village
This day focuses entirely on finding and photographing Pallas's cat, one of the region's most elusive species. Expert teams and local rangers who know this animal's habits lead the expedition across Mongolia's wild steppe. You'll get rare close-up chances and serious photography opportunities that don't come around often.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Pallas's cat photography expedition with expert guides and local rangers
- Day 4
Altai Mountains
You're heading toward Snow Leopard habitat deep in Mongolia's mountains, moving into true wilderness territory. Once you reach the area, you'll check into a locally run hotel and rest up. This is your preparation day before spending the week tracking and photographing snow leopards, creatures locals call the Mountain ghost.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Landmarks/POIs Altai Mountains - Day 5
Altai Mountains
Early on you'll drive through dramatic winter landscapes into the Altai Mountains and reach snow leopard country. A traditional heated ger camp becomes your base, positioned in untouched wilderness. Your expert wildlife guides give a briefing that evening about the tracking days ahead and what to expect.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (Warm meal)
Included Activities
- Early morning drive into Altai Mountains
- Briefing with expert wildlife guides on Snow Leopard tracking
Landmarks/POIs Altai Mountains - Day 6
Altai Mountains
Snow leopard tracking begins with guides and local rangers scanning rocky slopes for any signs. You'll follow tracks, scrapes, and calls searching for the Mountain ghost. Along the way there'll be chances to photograph Siberian ibex and raptors. Back at camp for dinner, you'll share stories under Mongolia's incredible star-filled sky.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (Hearty dinner)
Included Activities
- Snow Leopard tracking expedition on foot and by vehicle
- Wildlife photography of Siberian ibex and raptors
Landmarks/POIs Altai Mountains - Day 7
Altai Mountains
Tracking continues with routes your guides choose based on fresh sightings and what locals know about movement patterns. You'll photograph Argali wild sheep, foxes, and birds of prey set against stark mountain beauty. Evenings mean warming up inside the ger with hot meals and tea to recover from the cold.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (Nourishing meal)
Included Activities
- Snow Leopard tracking and photography in rugged habitat
- Wildlife photography of Argali wild sheep, foxes, and birds of prey
Landmarks/POIs Altai Mountains - Day 8
Altai Mountains
Going deeper into the Altai range, you'll follow paths that snow leopards and their prey naturally use. Wildlife photography opportunities aren't limited to the big cats, snow leopards themselves, but also Mongolia's dramatic winter scenery with sweeping valleys, jagged ridgelines, and brilliant blue skies.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Snow Leopard tracking in deeper mountain reaches
- Wildlife and landscape photography in Altai range
Landmarks/POIs Altai Mountains - Day 9
Altai Mountains
Snow leopard photography continues while you might stumble into brief encounters with herders or cultural moments showing how people live sharing these mountains with wildlife. Keep your camera ready for unexpected sightings of ibex or eagles perched on cliffs. Guides stay in constant touch to increase your chances of something special happening.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (Warming meal)
Included Activities
- Snow Leopard photography and tracking
- Cultural encounters with local herders
- Wildlife photography of ibex and eagles
Landmarks/POIs Altai Mountains - Day 10
Altai Mountains
Your final full day in snow leopard territory, and the team coordinates everything carefully to maximize your chances. Whether you photograph these magnificent creatures or deepen your portfolio with atmospheric wildlife and landscape shots, this day wraps things up. There's a celebratory meal in the ger as a fitting end to the extraordinary week.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (Celebratory meal)
Included Activities
- Final Snow Leopard tracking and photography expedition
- Wildlife and landscape photography
Landmarks/POIs Altai Mountains - Day 11
Altai Mountains
After breakfast you'll take one last look across the snow-dusted mountains before heading back down from the highlands. Saying goodbye to your local team and the wild terrain, you'll reflect on the unforgettable encounters and images you've captured during your week exploring one of the last great wildernesses on earth.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Landmarks/POIs Altai Mountains - Day 12
Khovd or Ulgii
You'll travel to either Khovd or Ulgii town to prepare for tomorrow's domestic flight back to Ulaanbaatar. After checking into a local hotel, it's time to rest and recover from your days in the mountains. This gives you a chance to review photos and process everything you've seen.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Day 13
Khovd or Ulgii to Hustai National Park
A flight returns you to Ulaanbaatar, then it's a road drive to Hustai National Park, a protected area where Takhi, or Przewalski's horses, were successfully reintroduced. The reserve protects many endangered mammals and bird species across its landscape. You'll stay the night in a traditional tourist ger camp surrounded by rolling steppe.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit Hustai National Park
- View Takhi (Przewalski's horse) and endangered species
Landmarks/POIs Hustai National Park - Day 14
Hustai National Park to Ulaanbaatar
The drive back to Ulaanbaatar takes in final views of Mongolia's vast steppe landscapes. Once you arrive in the capital, a transfer brings you to your hotel for a comfortable rest after everything you've experienced.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Day 15
Ulaanbaatar
Transfer to Chinggis Khaan International Airport for your departing flight, which marks the end of your wildlife adventure through Mongolia.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Landmarks/POIs Chinggis Khaan International Airport
