Experience Kazakh Nomads & Nature of Altai Mountains

Day 1. Fly to Ulgii and Drive to Lakes

Fly from Ulaanbaatar to Bayan Ulgii province. Upon your arrival our expedition team will welcome you. You will go to the Kazakh traditional restaurant to have a cup of tea and small meal. Start driving to Khoton and Khurgan Lakes. Driving takes about 5-6 hours.

Stay with the family ( tent upon your request)

Day 2. Visit Local Families

Today, you will be visiting local nomads. Visiting each other and your neighbors is part of Kazakh (nomadic) tradition. Feel the nomadic hospitality. Each family welcomes you and offers what they have. White tea, homemade yellow butter, dairy products and some families offer fermented mare's milk. You will be sitting in the Tor which is the place for guests. They might prepare you authentic Kazakh meal the Khuirdak or other dish.

Stay with the family ( tent upon your request)

Day 3. Stay with family and experience their daily lifestyle

Whole day you can experience local family's daily lifestyle. You can go to the lake and swim. Go after baby goat as well as baby sheep. Traditionally little children look after baby herds and try to not join them to the big ones in order to have milk in the evening.
Stay with the family ( tent upon your request)

Day 4. Today you are a herder ( Horse ride)

After breakfast, you will accompany the man of your host family. Early in the morning with him, you will go to the steppe after herds. Whole day you will be looking after herds on the mountains and steppe. Get the experience of how they herd their animals. Late afternoon come back with the herds. Big Kazakh traditional meal is waiting for you.

Stay with the family ( tent upon your request)

Day 5. Petroglyphs and Balbal stones (Horse ride)

Today you will visit petroglyphs which are carved patterns on the stone. Those patterns represent the lifestyle of our ancestors and animals lived at that time. Age of petroglyphs goes back to few hundreds to thousands of years.

Stay with the family ( tent upon your request)

Day 6. Drive to Turgen Waterfall

Today you will drive to Turgen waterfall. Hike up to waterfall and experience the scenic landscape of Altai Mountains. Visit another family and stay with them.

Stay with the family ( tent upon your request)

Day 7. Drive to Dayan Lake to an Eagle Hunter

Today you will drive to another beautiful lake the Dayan Lake. You will be visiting an Eagle Hunter whose name is Tauekel. It is best time to experience a Golden Eagle. You can get to know about how they train, when they hunt with eagles. How they catch animals with trained eagles etc. You can hold the eagle and feed her. Again big Kazakh traditional meal is waiting for you.

Stay with the family ( tent upon your request)

Day 8. Stay with the family to experience their daily lifestyle

Learn about how hose lady make dairy products from milk. They make yellow butter, white and red cheese and other dairy products. Each process is different and made with delicate techniques. Learn about how they make traditional embroideries and handcrafts.

Stay with the family ( tent upon your request)

Day 9. Go back to Ulgii via Black Lake

Today you will drive back to Ulgii. On the way, you will visit another eagle hunter's family. In the evening arrive to Ulgii.
Stay in the Ger Camp or Hotel

Day 10. Fly back to Ulaanbaatar

Early in the morning, your guide and driver will take you to airport. They will help you to arrange your luggage and with your ticket. After you are ready to fly back, say goodbyes and big hugs.

TOUR INCLUDES