The Silk Road. Golden Altai mountains

Mongolia is a stunning place to experience a thousand years old culture, photograph epic mountain landscapes in the peak of autumn colors. We stay in traditional Kazakh Ger tent and photograph not only landscapes – it’s a great mix of nature&cultural experience. We stay with nomad family and dive deep into their everyday life. For those seeking for real adventure and explore remote corners of Mongolia we offer extension in golden Altay mountains. It’s a real 4×4 adventure! It can be also booked as a separate tour or as an addition to the main photo tour which we host in Mongolia: The Silk Road. Mongolia epic photo adventure: Eagle Hunters and Gobi desert, 1-11 September 2019

Day 1

Please note that this tour can be also booked as standalone. Arrival to Ulaanbaatar (UB) (Airport Code ULN). You’ll be met by our drivers and transferred to hotel. We meet at 7 p.m.  at the lobby of our hotel. Then we walk to our dinner restaurant. There we will have discussion about photo tour and get to know each other. Stay overnight at hotel in UB.

Day 2

After early breakfast we leave to Altay mountains. 7 hours of driving on a scenic mountain road ahead! It’s a gravel road. We use same TLC cars to reach remote mountains with blue lakes underneath and golden larch valleys.
Those who join this tour as standalone will be picked up from the airport and drive straight to Altay mountains.
You’ll live next day with Kazakh family with many opportunity to photograph their nomadic life. There will be kids playing around, and you can dive into their normal daily life. Besides the surrounding landscape is stunning: golden larch trees, mountains and numerous small and big lakes. You have also nice possibility to shoot in the night.
Overnight in Ger tents – we heat them in the night, but until morning they chill down. We bring sleeping bags from camel wool for you. If you are very sensitive to cold, you can bring your own down sleeping bag. The temperature may fall down to -10 C in the night, but usually it’s around 0 C in the night.


Day 3 (Sep/25)

Photo shooting during/after sunrise  and breakfast we go to Zuun Saikhan mountain. Stay overnight in tourist camp near the Yol valley. /B,L,D/

Camp: Has a shower and electricity


Day 4 (Sep/26)

Drive to Khongor sand dunes, which stretch for over 170km in length. En-route we visit Dungenee’s canyon. Khongor sand dunes is the most beautiful and one of the largest sandy areas of Mongolia. Sunset / Night photo shoot. Stay overnight in tourist camp. /B,L,D/

Camp: Has a shower and electricity


Day 5 (Sep/27)

Camels and camel herder / Sand dunes photo workshop in different locations. We have nice locations prepared for you. Stay overnight at  tourist camp. /B,L,D/

Camp: Has a shower and electricity


Day 6 (Sep/28)

Get up early for shooting sunrise in Khongor sand dunes. After breakfast we go Bayanzag (Flaming cliffs). We will arrive at afternoon. The area is most famous for yielding the first discovery of dinosaur eggs. Other finds in the area include specimens of Velociraptor and eutherian mammals. Stay overnight in tourist camp /B,L,D/

Camp: Has a shower and electricity


Day 7 (Sep/29)

After breakfast we go Ongi temple. We will arrive at afternoon. It is a ruin of big monastery Bari Yonzon Hamba on the bank of river. Stay overnight in tourist camp /B,L,D/

Camp: Has a shower and electricity

Day 8 (Sep/30)

Drive to Ulaanbaatar. The journey takes full day of driving through the steppe. Farewell dinner. Stay overnight in hotel. /B,L,D/

Day 9 (Oct/1)

Departure from UB airport – shuttle to airport is included /B,L/

Included in the price:

  • 2 person in Hotel, Tourist camp /All accomodations/
  • All transportation by comfortable Toyota Land Cruisers
  • Drivers
  • Fuel
  • 3 Photography Guides and Tour leaders services
  • National park fees
  • Meals
  • Camels, camel herder…
  • Beverages (water)

Full board (all meals included as stated in itinerary!)

Not included in the price:

  • Medical insurance
  • Alcoholic beverages
  • Visas (but we will prepare all needed documents for your visa – invitations, supporting letters etc)
  • Single supplement
  • Sleeping bag

Price: 3200 USD

 

What to bring

Gear:
– DSLR camera with tripod and remote shutter release
– A wide angle lens. For example, Nikkor 14-24 or Canon 17-40. Best lens for use in wide-angle scenes or architecture photography
– A middle-zoom lens such as a 24-70 mm
– A telephoto zoom lens, such as a 70-200 mm

Wear:
– Waterproof and windproof jacket (consider the average temperatures 0 – 10 C)
– Waterproof pants
– Warm down-jacket and thermal pants
– Casual clothes for dinners and lunches and photography workshops

Full list of recommended wear will be sent to participants.

 

Accommodation

Amazing hotel in UB, in the fields – comfortable and warm traditional Ger tents. Men in one tent, woman in the other. Electricity in every tent. Facilities camp-style. Dining in a special Ger tent.

Weather: (Averages in Sep – Oct)

Coldest: +1°C to -2°C

Normal: 6°C to +8°C

Warmest: +13°C to +16°C

The Gobi desert is the warmest area in Mongolia. But it’s autumn time and it gets cold in the night time. So please take your warm clothes. Full packing list will be sent to participants 2-3 months before the trip start.


Tour leaders


Daniel Kordan

Daniel was born in Moscow area. In his childhood he graduated the art school. After that, he is studied in Moscow institute of Physics and Technology and became an optics physicist. During the study he gain experience not only in physics, but also in mountain climbing and hiking, guiding tourist groups in winter and in summer in Russian mountains. Right after graduation he became a guide of photo-workshops and chief editor of “Continent expedition” magazine. This magazine is about travel and adventures all over the world. He has got several awards in photography: Golden Turtle’ 13 Nature nomination winner, National Geographic Russia contest 2013 and 2014 finalist, Best of Russia’13 and ’14 winner, best photographer’13 finalist and others. He is spending most of his time in Norway, Lofoten islands and in Tuscany at villa Gaia, guiding groups of photographers.
I consider Baikal lake as top place for photographers from all over the world. I will help you to reveal its beauty.


 BAYAR BALGANTSEREN

Bayar graduated with a degree in economy and he took on photography in 2007. He taught himself through online study and relentless practice.

Bayar uses mostly Nikon equipment and specializes in nature, wildlife, landscape, and traditional Mongolian nomadic lifestyle photography.

His first photography book, Bayar’s Photography Impressions, was published in 2013.

  • An exhibition to celebrate his work was held in Mongolia at the Blue Moon gallery in January 2013.
  • In February 2014, Bayar showcased his work in three Japanese cities – Tokyo, Saitamo, and Yokohama – with an exhibition called Beautiful Sceneries of Mongolia
  • Also he held exhibition in Ulan-Ude, Buryatia, Irkutsk, Yakutsk, Chita cities Russia, in January 2015 and 2016
  • His exhibitions were in Bassano del Grappa on 19 September – 8 November 2015, 2017 Italy.
  • And in Dolo city on 28 February – 6 March 2016 in Italy.
  • Arxian city on15-30 December in 2016 China.
  • “Beautiful Mongolia” Ottawa 2-15 March 2017 in Canada.
  • “Beauty of Mongolia” Krakow city 25-30 October Poland

In the past four years, Bayar’s travel photography has been featured in multiple Mongolia magazines: National Geographic Traveler, Deejis, Goodali, Mongolian Photo, and Wonderful Life.

Awards:

  • Won First Place at the Glowing Sunsets Photography Competition organized

by Canon in 2014

  • Very Popular Photo at the Mongolian Photography exhibition held by

Cresc. 5. Japan, 2013

  • Nominated First Place for Nature Photography at the Mongolian Press Photo competition, 2012
  • Won Third Place at the Mongolian Birds Photography Contest organized by the Mongolian Centre for Wildlife Protection, 2012
  • Best Participant in the EZNis Contest My Beautiful country – 2012
  • Nominated one of the 40 best photos of the Mongolian Flickr group 2012
  • Won Best Photo at the CIS corporate photography competition aimed at promoting Mongolia worldwide, 2011

 Erdenebulgan Battsengel

Erdenebulgan is a landscape, travel photographer. He took photograph since 2011.

In the past years, Erdenebulgan’s photography has been featured in multiple magazines: Lonely Planet, Viewbug, Deejis, Goodali, National Geographic Mongolia etc…

2015: Feeling Chain – Photo exhibition

Awards:

  • Winner in the EZNis Contest My Beautiful country – 2012
  • Winner in the “Hureelen” Best of Mongolia photo contest – 2014
  • Winner in the Delta outfitters photo contest – 2015
  • Also many 3rd place awards and best participants..

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