Day 1 - Arrival
You will arrive in Ulaanbaatar (Airport Code ULN), where you will be met by me and my drivers, then transferred to your hotel. You will have the rest of the day at your leisure to explore the city; a melting pot of cultures where East meets West, before meeting our guides and the rest of the group at 7 pm in the hotel lobby. We will then go to a local restaurant for a Meet & Greet Welcome Dinner, during which you will be able to try some of the delicious regional fares and get to know your fellow travelers a little bit more. Over dinner, our guides will give us a brief overview of the itinerary and prepare everyone for the days ahead. We will stay overnight in Ulaanbaatar.
** Please note: International flights are not included in the price of this tour. When booking flights, please choose one that will land on this day before 5 pm. Options include via Beijing, Seoul or Moscow. However, it is recommended that you arrive one or two days in advance to ensure that you will be well-rested and that you will not miss your morning flight on Day 2.
Day 2
After breakfast, we will all board a domestic flight from Ulaanbaatar to Dalanzadgad. The flight time is 1.5 hours.
*The domestic flight (included in the price) please don’t purchase your airfare until we have been able to arrange these flight times and have access to the local flight itinerary. In the case that no flights are available, we will travel by car from Ulaanbaatar towards Dalanzadgad at no additional cost.
Depending on our arrival time in Dalanzadgad, we will head towards the Khongor Sand Dunes – the most important sand mass of the Gobi desert – for a sunset shoot. Suddenly arising from the plains and reaching breathtaking heights, these dunes are undoubtedly among the most spectacular in the country. Beyond the dunes, the steppe extends as far as the eye can see, making for a mind-blowing scene.
We will spend the night in a tourist Ger camp. Amenities include electricity and a shower. The Ger camp is heated with 2 persons allocated to each Ger. Each person will have their own bed with linen, blanket and a pillow provided.
Day 3
The adventure truly begins! We will have a sunrise session at the Khongor Sand Dunes, where a camel herder will be waiting to provide us with an exciting and private shoot with camels. The sunrise is sacred to Mongolians, as they believe that the first rays of the sun revive the spirit. You will have the chance to experience this principle first-hand as you witness the rays streaking across the undulating curves of the Gobi Desert, painting the mountains behind them with a blushing glow.
In the evening, be prepared for a sunset shoot in the magnificent Gobi desert, followed by an unimaginable shoot beneath the fabric of the night sky, adorned with a veil of countless shimmering stars. You’ll retire for the night at the same tourist Ger.
Day 4
On this day, we’ll have an early sunrise session at the Khongor Sand Dunes and treated to a hearty breakfast before making our way towards the Bayanzag red sand cliffs, arriving by the afternoon. Otherwise known as the “flaming cliffs”, these smoldering ridges take on a life of their own at sunset, during which you will have the chance to photograph their fiery edges ablaze with the light of the sun from a number of panoramic locations. We will retire for the night in a small Ger camp.
Day 5
The adventure continues with a 1.5-hour flight from Dalanzadgad airport back to Ulaanbaatar.
Once we arrive in Ulaanbaatar, we will be transferred to a comfortable hotel in the city center and have the chance to rest before meeting once again with the group for dinner at a local restaurant. We will spend the evening in Ulaanbaatar.
Day 6
The day begins early with a 3-hour commercial flight to Ulgii city from Ulaanbaatar. From there, our drivers will pick us up and take us towards our next destination – the welcoming home of a Kazakh family, where you will be presented with the opportunity of a lifetime to capture portraits of the locals dressed in traditional clothing.
In the afternoon, we will have an exhilarating sunset shoot with several eagle hunters poised regally with sweeping mountains all around, making for a series of captivating photos. After sunset, our drivers will return us to Olgii, where we will have dinner with the group before retiring for some much-needed rest for the night in a simple hotel with a shower, access to wifi and electricity.
Day 7
After breakfast with the group, return to the home of the Kazakh family from the day before. Be prepared for a day of breathtaking wonder, as you partake in an experience of traditional Kazakh heritage ---a private Golden Eagle Festival. Our private session will be different from the much busier public festival, during which it is almost impossible to take home any photographs of much value due to the sheer number of people in the background. During our private session, you will have full access to take as many stunning photos as you like while the Kazakhs demonstrate their majestic skills in eagle falconry on horseback with nothing but the landscape all around. Clad in traditional coats and scarlet hats, the eagle hunters will exhibit their mighty finesse in a whirlwind of fearlessness as Golden Eagles perch strongly upon their arms. You will even have the rare opportunity to get up close and personal with the Golden Eagles, as well as to allow one to perch upon your own arm.
Afterward, we will have a private portrait session with up to 20 eagle hunters across several diverse locations, spanning mountain ridges to grassy marshlands where reflections and horse hooves crashing into the water will make for immeasurably heart-stopping moments and magnificent photos.
In the evening, we will return to Olgii where you will retire to your hotel.
Day 8
After yesterday’s excitement, you’ll be glad to wake to a slow morning and a hearty breakfast, before heading towards the stunning wilderness at the foothills of the Mongolian Altai mountain range. This spectacular region is home to many different ethnic groups and five striking holy peaks – of which Tsambagarav, standing at 4208 meters tall, will be your magnificent backdrop for the day. On this day, we will participate in a private photo session with five eagle hunters, who will demonstrate their prowess in an incredible 360° location surrounded by jagged, rocky ridges to one side and snow-capped mountains to the other. In the evening, you will return to Olgii and retire for the night in our hotel.
Day 9
Following on from another epic day, we’ll rest in the morning before heading out for lunch in the town of Olgii. From there, our drivers will transport us to a crystal blue lake, to photograph three eagle hunters set against a panoramic rocky viewpoint. The magic takes hold when the sun begins to set, bathing the eagle hunters in the last rays of warm sunlight. It’s a wonderful occasion to practice shooting with a person for scale, demonstrating the power of the eagle hunters against the immense beauty of the landscape.
Return to Olgii in the evening and retire for the night at our hotel.
Day 10
After a hearty breakfast in the morning, depart from Olgii airport on a flight back to Ulaanbaatar. This 3-hour flight is included in the price of the tour. On return to Ulaanbaatar, check in to our hotel, after which we will have a few hours to explore the city center at our leisure. In the evening, we will get together for a final farewell dinner at a restaurant in Ulaanbaatar before retiring for the night.
Day 11
We will be transferred by our drivers to the Ulaanbaatar airport (code ULN). The private transfer is included in the price of the tour.
DETAILS:
Dates: September 7-17th, 2023
Cost: US$8995 per person double occupancy.
Single Supplement: US$1050-the single supplement is only guaranteed during our hotel stays, however, last year we were able to secure enough Gers to allow single supplements their own tents as well.
Registration deposit: US$2000
Participants: 10
Included:
· Sharing twin accommodation in hotels and Gers where available.
· Ger camp /All accommodations
· All transportation: 4 Domestic flights and ground transport by well-prepared Toyota Land Cruisers or like vehicles, 3 persons per car
· Drivers
· Fuel
· Photography Guides and Tour leaders services
· National park fees
· All Meals
· Chef’s services
· Private Eagle hunting mini-festival, Eagle hunting activity – all stages and model fees
· Bottled water and boiled water for tea and coffee.
· Additionally, we provide power generators for remote places with no electricity when available.
Not Included:
· Medical and/or evacuation insurance
· Alcoholic beverages and soft drinks.
· Visas -US Citizens do not require a visa if visiting for under 90 days.
· Single supplement in hotels (US$1050)
· Extra baggage charge -Limit of baggage on Domestic flights is 15kg total (carry on and check-in), around US$2-5 charge per extra kg paid by credit card at the airport.
· TIPS- $400.00
Camera Gear:
· Two camera bodies, sturdy tripod
· Lens selection between 14-400mm, polarizers and ND filters if desired.
What to Wear:
· Waterproof and windproof jacket (consider the average temperatures +5 – 20 C)
· Waterproof pants
· Warm down-jacket and thermal pants, hat and gloves
Lightweight clothes and brim hat for the Gobi Desert area.
· Casual clothes for dinners and lunches and photo shoots.
Physical difficulty
The main photo tour in Mongolia is easy to moderate in terms of physical activity. Most of the locations, even in the mountains, will be easily accessible from where our drivers will park. The first and second locations in West Mongolia are about a 50-100 meter walk from the car, whereas the third location involves a 300-meter walk with a 20-30 meter ascent on a 20-30% slope to reach a small panoramic hill. At the Gobi Desert, you will need to be prepared to walk in sand dunes, which can be moderately physical in nature. We recommend that you bring hiking poles for this part of the tour if needed. (30-40 minute walk to reach the beautiful inner dunes.)
Weather: (Averages During Our Trip)
Coldest: - approximately 30 degrees Fahrenheit.
Warmest: - approximately 90 degrees Fahrenheit
The Gobi desert is the warmest area in Mongolia. But it’s autumn time and it gets cold in the night time. So please bring clothes to reflect both 90 degrees and 30 degrees.
*itinerary subject to change due to local conditions and/or weather.
Deposit Info:
A $2000.00 deposit is required to hold your spot for this tour. All final payments should be made via check made out to "Denise Ippolito LLC". Wire transfers accepted from overseas participants and participant is responsible for all transaction fees on both sides. All tour deposits are non -refundable, please check your schedule closely before making your deposit. Credit cards will only be accepted for deposit payment only. All other payments must be made by check or wire transfer.
Final payment due by December 15, 2022.
Trip insurance is highly recommended for all trips. A detailed PDF file will be sent to all participants once we get our entire group together. Please do not purchase airfare until I let you know that the trip is a go.
