Snow Leopards of Mongolia
7 Days
Visiting: Mongolia
From:
$5320
$5054 (USD)
The Big ADVENTURE Sale: -$266
Tour Overview
- Search for snow leopards on horseback
- Live with a Kazakh family
- Engage with an eagle hunting family
- Learn about nomad life living in snow leopard territory
The snow leopard is the most mysterious and rare wild cat - to see one in the wild, is a true once-in-a-lifetime experience.
There are said to be 1,200 snow leopards left in Mongolia - one of the highest concentrations in the world. Whilst venturing through Mongolia and observing the snow leopard, you will travel through the beautiful Altai Mountains. The eternal snow-capped peaks and glaciers, are the highest range in Mongolia in the far west. Stay with a local Kazakh family and learn of their century old traditions of training Golden Eagles to hunt for them. As you venture further off track, spend time living with nomadic families in their gers and listen to their stories of life in snow leopard territory and of life off the land. A true adventure of conservation and cultural exchange.
Itinerary
Day 1 - Arrival Ulaanbaatar
Welcome to Mongolia! Upon arrival into Ulaanbaatar, you will be met at the airport or train station and be transferred to your hotel. The remainder of the day is yours at leisure.
Ulaanbaatar is a thriving cosmopolitan city on the verge of massive growth, it is a city filled with contrasts and contradictions, wild traffic, sinful nightlife and bohemian counter-culture.
Overnight Best Western Premier Tuushin or similar
Day 2 - Ulgii & Deluun County
Following breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport for your 3.5hr flight to Bayan-Ulgii province. Upon arrival, you will be met by your guide before driving to the Deluun county of Bayan-Ulgii province. The journey is approx 180kms. On arrival, you will visit a Kazak family and enjoy witnessing and learning about their unique culture and traditions of training Golden Eagles for hunting. (B,L,D)
Overnight with a local Kazakh family.
Day 3 - Bulgan County
This morning, you will travel to the southwest part of Mountain Munkhkhairkhan National Park located in West Altai. This is home to the second highest summit of Mongolia at 4362m above sea level. Standing at the foot of the sky touching high peaks, you can see several small lakes in different colours. The ‘Uriankhai’ ethnic groups mainly live in this region. The park is also famed for growing various medicinal plants and its mountain wildlife such as argali, ibex and of course the snow leopard. On the way to the national park, you will cross over a mountain pass Ulaagchin, the highest pass of the Mongol Altai Mounts. You will then visit Uriankhai ethnic Mongol family, the nomads who live in this region, and stay in their Guurt area which is the homeland of the snow leopard. (B,L,D)
Overnight in the Ger of a local nomad family.
Day 4 - 7 - Snow Leopards
The next four days are dedicated for exploring the area and searching for Snow Leopards. You will go to Khar Uzuur, head of the Guurt area and Ikh Baga Khadaan Gijigt by horse with your local mountain guides. Search and observe snow leopards in their ‘nests’. You will search snow leopard habitat sites in the hope of catching a glimpse of this rare Himalayan cat. Listed in the Mongolian Red Book as ‘Very Rare’, the snow leopards in Mongolia, are generally at altitudes of 2000-3500m. The snow leopard habitat includes steep broken mountainous regions in the alpine and sub-alpine zones, where vegetation is sparse, but the scenery spectacular. (B,L,D)
Overnight in the Ger of a local nomad family.
Day 8 - Ulgii
Today is a long drive day of approx 6 hours as you return to Ulgii. Upon arrival, you will check into your hotel and overnight. (B,L,D)
Overnight in a local hotel.
Day 9 - Ulaanbaatar
Following breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport for your domestic flight back to Ulaanbaatar. The day is yours at leisure. For those interested, there are some fascinating museums about the history of Mongolia. This evening, enjoy a farewell dinner. (B,L,D)
Overnight Best Western Premier Tuushin or similar
Day 10 - Departure
Today is yours at leisure until it is time to transfer to the airport or train station for your onward flight/train. (B)
What's Included
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Return airport transfers
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9 nights accommodation
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Services of an english speaking guide service
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Local mountain guide and horses
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Field cook
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All camping equipment
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Return domestic flights Ulaanbaatar/Ulgii/Ulaanbaatar
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Entrance fee to the Protected Area
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Private transportation
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Meals as per the itinerary
What's Not Included
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International flights
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Visas
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Travel and medical insurance
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All services, meals other than those indicated above
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Any changes to the proposed and confirmed program.
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All items of a personal nature e.g. drinks, laundry, telephone calls, tips etc
Check out our Q&As
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Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?
Yes. Focusing on providing authentic experiences where ever you are in the world, Crooked Compass has access to a vast array of accommodation styles. From boutique properties in larger cities to local guest houses and home stays within small villages. Crooked Compass ensures that local authenticity flows through your accommodation throughout your tour without compromising standard.
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What sort of transportation is used for your tours?
Transportation utilised on a Crooked Compass escorted small group tour is a combination of a private air conditioned vehicle and local transport where appropriate. This may include a local bus ride, use of the cities metro system, a domestic flight to another city or overnight train ride.
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What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?
Crooked Compass strives to be a leader in sustainable tourism. Crooked Compass is firmly committed to the principles of ethical travel. Our comprehensive Sustainable Tourism Practices policy summarises our commitments and actions. Although the very basis of our ground operations lends itself to the ethos of sustainable tourism, this policy re-iterates our commitment to: Use locally owned hotels Use locally owned ground agents Use local guides and drivers Promote community tourism projects from homestays to craft shops Support charities that work within the destinations that we travel to Carbon offset our travels
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Who runs your tours and are they experts in their fields?
Crooked Compass works with the worlds best operators who are specialists in their country, region and cities providing you with in depth local knowledge. We use local guides who live and breathe the areas they work in, making sure you experience their region, their way. We believe it is far better to have a local guide who knows a lot about a little than a text book trained Western tour guide who knows a little about a lot. Using local guides also ensures that money stays within local communities and supports the regions we visit.
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What can I expect from a Crooked Compass tour that I wouldn't get from travelling with an alternative company?
Crooked Compass provides a sensory way to understand the world – we help you live like a local, eat like a local, do what the locals do and seek the faces behind the places whilst discovering untouched lands and natural beauty. Crooked Compass tours delve deep into the heart and soul of a destination ensuring you get out of your journey all you intended and much, much more. Our intriguing itineraries have been created by travellers for travellers. Steering travellers to follow a different path, Crooked Compass’ itineraries allow you to experience the world’s most fascinating destinations in ways you never dreamed possible. It brings to life those ‘bucket list’ experiences you have yearned to do and separates the travellers from the tourists. Crooked Compass tours are culturally rich, reward travellers with unexpected encounters and uncommon rendezvous, creating truly unique, authentic travel experiences.
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Who do your tours cater for?
Crooked Compass escorted small group tours cater for those who are well travelled seeking the what’s next and what’s new. Our travellers are curious minded soft adventurers who want to uncover something more than the mainstream tourist trail. Crooked Compass tours draw travellers with an interest in sustainable tourism and conservation for the areas they visit. A Crooked Compass traveller is someone who is seeking something fresh and unique, who has a yearning for authenticity and discovery, with an appreciation for cultures, tradition and the natural world. We call them Cultural Purists.
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I am concerned about my impact on travelling through untouched regions. Can I offset?
Yes. All travellers on Crooked Compass tours have the option to offset their part of their tour’s carbon footprint by donating $4AUD (tax-deductible) at time of booking. 100% of these funds are donated to Greenfleet, an environmental non-profit organisation dedicated to protecting our climate by restoring our forests. By partnering with Greenfleet, we are confident that our carbon offset program provides genuine and lasting environmental benefits. Your offset donation funds plant trees and restore permanent native forests in Australia and New Zealand. As they grow, these forests provide many community and environmental benefits by absorbing carbon emissions, protecting our unique biodiversity, restoring habitat for native wildlife, preventing soil salinity and erosion, improving water quality and much more. If you’d like to find out more and offset the rest of your carbon emissions, visit www.greenfleet.org.au
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Dates & Availability
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Saturday - Friday
Sep 14, 2024 - Sep 20, 2024Monday - Sunday
Sep 15, 2025 - Sep 21, 2025Book with Confidence
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Low Deposit
Crooked Compass requires a minimum deposit of 20% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 60 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of crooked compass charges.
Up to 61 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 60 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.
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