Mongolia In the Footsteps of the Nomad with Tim Cope

You will be met and transferred from the airport to the group hotel. Following an orientation tour of the city and a traditional Mongolian concert, we will meet in the evening for a group dinner and briefing. We will also be making our charitable donation to a representative of Autism Mongolia. Overnight: Best Western Premier Hotel or similar

Meals:  D

Following breakfast we transfer to the airport for a flight to the far western town of Ulaangom (the capital of Uvs province). Uvs is home to several ethnic groups, the majority of whom are Dorvod Mongolians who speak a dialect that differs from the Khalkh Mongol language of Central Mongolia. Uvs is particularly famous for its strong tradition of wrestling. As we fly in, you will see just to the north of the town a large body of water known as Uvs Nuur which is by area the largest lake in Mongolia. In Ulaangom we will lunch together in a restaurant before travelling by Russian four wheel drive to the village of Tarialan. The drive will be around one hour and just beyond the village at the entrance to the gorge on the Kharkhiraa river we will unload and make camp. Here we will meet the local team of horsemen with the camels who will be portaging our equipment and travelling with us over the Kharkhiraa pass. Overnight: Tented camp

Meals:  B,L,D

PLEASE NOTE: This day a contingency day intentionally built into the trip to allow for uncontrollable changes to the itinerary such as the ever changing schedule of the domestic flights. Should the flights run to schedule, and there are no other hold ups (such as weather-related events) we’ll have have an extra day in the mountains. Your leader will determine the best options for the group depending on the prevailing conditions and flights. Overnight: Tented camp

Meals:  B,L,D

Our route will take us immediately to a saddle, from where, in good weather we can view the glacier capped peaks of Turgen, and get a great overview of the days ahead. Today’s trek will include 2-3 low passes to navigate, as we make our way along migratory trails of nomads. Khoton people migrate themselves from the plains near here into the mountains for summer. If we are lucky we will meet some families moving in camel trains into the mountains, children and babies strapped into the cane baskets high up on the back of the camels. The Khoton people are a strongly nomadic minority group numbering about one or two thousand and live primarily in the Kharkhiraa mountains. They are believed they have Turkic origins. The landscape today is a combination of grassy mountain hills, rocky ridges, and some stands of larch forest. Our aim is to eventually drop down to the grassy banks of the glacier fed Kharkhiraa River. Trekking: ~13km, +300m Overnight: Tented camp

Meals:  B,L,D

Today our aim is to reach higher into the Kharkhiraa River valley. Depending on conditions there are multiple routes available to us (possible on foot and by horse), each of which reveal glimpses of the ice- encrusted peaks of the high Kharkhiraa. In ideal conditions the camel caravan will take the main river valley while we will explore our way up a grassy valley on the edge of a larch forest that leads is to high meadows that are the seasonal pasturelands of nomads in the spring and winter. The valley eventually winds its way to a steep gully and after trekking this final pinch to a high ridge top we will be rewarded with sweeping views down into the Kharkhiraa valley, with its massive lateral moraines and ahead to the ice domes and peaks of Turgen and Kharkhiraa. For the more adventurous there is a more challenging ridge walk parallel to the approach via the gully that may be offered at your guide’s discretion. A highlight of today is to descend somewhat from this ridge to reach so called ‘ horse herd lake’ which is nestled on a high shelf just above the lateral moraine of the Kharkhiraa River valley. In the right conditions this is a lovely lake to rinse the sweat away with a swim. On the edge of this lake are circular ‘Khirigsuur’ graves that date back to the Xiongu people of the bronze age (about 2,000 years ago). These can be seen as circular piles of rocks surrounded by squares or circles. In one Khirigsuur some archaeological digs in Mongolia have revealed up to 45 people buried with many horses. The Xiongu are the distant nomad ancestors of the Mongols. During our trek, there will be various times when we may come across these types of graves, and may also include Turkic carved head stones, and other standing stones. It is worth noting that the Kharkhiraa-Turgen mountains are part of the greater ‘Altai’ mountain range which is said to be at the very heart of Asia. Iranians, Turks, Mongols, Kazakhs, and many other people trace their history back to the people who came from the Altai and moved down to the steppe to tame horses, yaks and camels. Even today the Altai splits Russia, Kazakhstan, China and Russia and is the meeting point of Buddhism, Christianity, Islam and Shamanism. From the lake we will re-enter the Kharkhiraa River valley and reach camp on the banks of the river. There may be the opportunity to visit a nomad family along the way. Tip: Please note that irrespective of which route your guide chooses, this is typically a fairly challenging, day of mixed terrain mostly without formed paths. Expect to be walking for 6-8 hours, and please be sure to treat any sign of a hotspot/blister on your feet with great caution. Trekking: ~13 - 20km (depending on route taken), +600m Overnight: Tented camp

Meals:  B,L,D

In most summer seasons, the upper reaches of the Kharkhiraa River Valley are dotted with nomad families that have come to graze their animals in cooler, and greener alpines climes. The prestige of herding all ‘five heads of livestock’ is on show here, with herds of yaks, goats, sheep, horses and camel seen grazing the valley and high surrounding slopes. Tim Cope stayed with families here on his original journey by horse from Mongolia to Hungary, and has maintained connections with families here ever since. In fact the running of this trip relies on maintaining that close connection, including with the nomads that travel with us and support the journey. Today’s hike is a much gentler experience than the previous day as we gradually make our way up the valley. As the valley curves to the west Kharkhiraa Peak (4037m) will come into view.. The main feature of today however will likely be cultural as we enter nomad gers (yurts) and getting as sense of their life. Like with all family visits, this usually consists of entering the ger as a group, and over traditional milky tea, and perhaps traditional snuff bottle offerings (the host normally offers their stone bottle to guests in a sign of respect, inhaling snuff is not required or common), we will learn about the winter that has passed, and any local news. We will learn about ger etiquette, and have the chance to share stories, and ask questions. If we are lucky we might have the opportunity to observe the making of traditional distilled milky vodka (known as Nermel Arkhi), dried curd, rope making, or any other number of jobs that nomads tend to in the summer. After lunch together with the camel caravan at a confluence of two rivers (flowing from the Turgen and Kharkhiraa glaciers) we make our way directly up towards the high pass in between the main peaks of the Kharkhiraa range. Near the base of the climb to the high pass we will make an early camp. For those with energy left in reserve there will be an opportunity in the evening to trek up towards the Kharkhiraa glacier at the headwaters of the Kharkhiraa River. Tip: The sense of hospitality with which we are embraced by nomads can be an overwhelming experience for some as we arrive as strangers and yet are invited into the heart of their home. Please know that in nomad culture it is polite and a gesture of respect to enter the Ger to greet the family, particularly the elders (often the elders will remain inside and will not come out to greet us, instead expecting us to enter). Inside the ger there are sometimes small stools, or beds to sit on, and at other times no seat at all. If sitting becomes painful for you, or you are uncomfortable, you can go outside at any time. Also note that there are a multitude of reasons that we may enter a Ger. Some examples: it may be for our safety, because we have been invited, because something very interesting is taking place, or it could be out of respect, to deliver something (including photos from the previous year’s trekking group), to have our permits inspected by the local National Park ranger (they are also nomads), or to buy food (we buy sheep from time to time for our meat). Trekking: ~17km, +400m Overnight: Tented camp

Meals:  B,L,D

We wake early and make our way up a steep pinch on the final climb to the pass (quite steep, but fairly short and on foot poses no real risks). The pass itself is a wide plain. You have the sensation that somehow you have reached the clouds because many of the glaciers are well below eye level and the summits are only about 1000m above. Weather permitting we will lunch on the pass together with the camels. The view expands again when we reach beyond the highest point of the pass. Conditions permitting the distant ‘Sayan Mountains’ of Russia will be in view and far below a series of alpine lakes pock-mark the steppe. From here there will be the option of descending to camp on the south side of the pass or climbing up to 3600m on Turgen mountain. This trek, which is the most challenging and steep of the journey, takes us to a high ridge from where the extent of the mountains, including Kharkhiraa peak itself, will will be in view. Glaciers flow down from below your feet to the east and to the west is the airy drop down to the high pass. The mountains right before us form a breathtaking amphitheatre draped in ice. We make the descent via different route to camp and won’t arrive until late evening. Although this high trek is quite physically challenging and gives a real sense of mountain exposure it is a very safe route that anyone with a good level of fitness could complete. Trekking: ~15km, +1000m (including optional climb) Overnight: Tented camp

Meals:  B,L,D

We will spend two nights camped at nearly 3000 metres on the Kharkhiraa pass, allowing for a day to rest and savour the mountain landscape, or join an optional trek around Khokh Nuur – a spectacular, blue alpine lake at the end of a glacier on Kharkhiraa mountain. If the weather did not permit a climb to Turgen the previous day, this day can also be used to attempt a climb of the high ridge on Turgen. Overnight: Tented camp

Meals:  B,L,D

Having reached the high point of the journey it is time to begin our descent to the west. The shortest route is to make our way among a myriad of hills in old moraine country that is dotted with hundreds of small lakes. However, if conditions allow, your guide may instead decide to take the route via the sacred ‘yellow lake’ – a glacial fed lake that is actually an azure color. Of great importance to local people, this lake is also a place of pilgrimage for Mongolians to see the rare Snow Lotus flower (Saussurea involucrate). This flower usually blooms in July and August in these parts and is woven in to traditional folklore and important for traditional medicine. From here we will wind our way down through old moraine country, where we will eventually begin encountering gers and nomads once again. A visit to a nomad family is likely on this day. We will camp either in this moraine country by one of the many small lakes or further down on a river. Trekking: ~19km, -600m Overnight: Tented camp

Meals:  B,L,D

A spectacular, and at times challenging day of trekking. The river that began as a trickle at the high-pass camp is now sunken deep into a gorge below. We trek along the steppe above following the routes of the nomad camel trains and eventually descend into a forested gorge. Here a stream cascades down among boulders. The smell of fresh forest and water will be a change from the past few days. Here we will make camp and celebrate with a wash in the stream. Trekking: ~17km, gradual descent for most of day, steep descent to camp into gorge. Overnight: Tented camp

Meals:  B,L,D

Camped next to the cascading Khargat River, you will have the chance to rest up, or explore the gorge. Your guide will provide various options available to you for this day. Overnight: Tented camp

Meals:  B,L,D

Today we will make our way up a spectacular glacial river valley, into which three hanging valleys enter. As we travel, we will witness various waterfalls and cascades, larch forest, and glimpses of towering rock cliffs. The three valleys, and the connected ridges and peaks, are all known collectively as the ‘three brothers’ and are considered remote refuges, particularly for wild ibex, and argali sheep. We aim to reach camp by lunch. You will have the option for an afternoon hike up onto a high ridge, or time to enjoy camp, and keep an eye out for wildlife on the slopes. Trekking: ~7km, +250m Overnight: Tented camp

Meals:  B,L,D

Today we will remain at the same campsite. Multiple options are available. Conditions allowing we aim to climb up onto one of the high ridges (preferably to so called ‘middle brother’) and reach a high point of around 3600m. From here we will witness dramatic views of Kharkhiraa Peak from the southern side, and the rugged ridges and valleys of the Three Brothers terrain. To our south we will be gazing down to the Khovd River valley, vast steppe plains and across to the distant peaks of Bayan Olgiy province. For those who would prefer a less demanding walk the turn around point will be a series of dramatic rock formations that appear like castle ruins. Today is also an opportunity for anyone who would like to have some quiet time in camp and the surrounds before we make our way out of the mountains. Note that we are very unlikely to visit a nomad family in this area (due to the remoteness nomads do not usually set up camp in this area for summer). Optional Trekking: ~12-14km, +/-1000m Overnight: Tented camp

Meals:  B,L,D

A day of ever changing landscapes - from the river gorge and forest, to high plains, a sea of green steppe, a spectacular waterfall for lunch, and desert-like mountains and plains. We will meet more nomads and encounter ancient graves. Eventually arrive in the tiny settlement of ‘Khovd Brigad’ which is actually just a summer camp of Khoton people in their gers (much like having a mobile village). The ‘winter village’ is Khovd Sum through which we will travel on our way out. By the time you set foot here it does feel as if we have come a long way. This is as far as vehicles can make it, and we will be met here by our Russian jeeps. Trekking: ~18km, gradual descent with some small climbs Overnight: Tented camp

Meals:  B,L,D

By jeep we will travel down from Khovd Brigad through a landscape of arid hills with granite features before we eventually reach the Khovd River – the longest river in Western Mongolia which flows into an inland lake system. Our preference will be to travel to Olgiy, the capital of the Kazakh autonomous province, where we will stay in ger camp and have the opportunity to visit the market, local museum, and generally get a sense of this very different part of Mongolia. If flights require us to travel to Khovd instead, we will be staying there in a very good regional hotel. It is worth noting that Khovd province has one of the most diverse mix of ethnic minorities in the country, including Kazakhs. Our aim is to farewell our staff at dinner on what will be our last night together in Western Mongolia. Overnight: Regional hotel or ger camp

Meals:  B,L,D

Today we will fly back to Ulaanbaatar. Depending on the flight schedule, we may reach the capital any time ranging from mid morning to late evening. Today is set aside as a transit day. Overnight: Best Western Premier Hotel or similar

Meals:  B,L,D

Today you will have free time to explore the city. In the evening we will have a final farewell dinner. Overnight: Best Western Premier Hotel or similar

Meals:  B,L,D

Trip concludes following breakfast. Transfers will be organised to take you to the airport.

Meals:  B