Our tent camp on the Mongolian steppes Photo: James Lidster
Lying right at the heart of the vast continent of Asia is Mongolia, where nomadic horsemen still ride across windswept steppes, where shamanism and ancient Tibetan Buddhism still flourish, and where, according to legend, lies the last resting place of Genghis Khan, leader of the once-great Mongol empire. This exotic country is full of natural wonders. The vast Gobi Desert, which covers one-third of Mongolia, the endless steppes strewn with lakes, the picturesque Altai Mountains, and the rich taiga forest—all are remote, beautiful, fascinating, and full of birds.
Our trip here will be more than just another birding tour: it will be a true adventure. From the capital city of Ulaan Bataar we’ll travel into a forgotten land, much of it unchanged for centuries, and as befits a culture famous for its nomadic way of life, we’ll camp as we go. We’ll admire stunning landscapes seen by few Westerners, and birds most Western birdwatchers can only dream about: Upland Buzzard, Amur Falcon, Altai Snowcock, Pallas’s Fish Eagle, Oriental Plover, Pallas’s Sandgrouse, Mongolian Lark, Blyth’s Pipit, Kozlov’s Accentor … the list goes on.
Our local agents are skilled at showing this wonderful country to groups. We’ll travel in vehicles well suited to the terrain and stay in superb camps that are testament to Mongolia’s nomadic heritage. We’ll mingle with the locals as they tend their sheep and cattle, much as they have done for centuries, and we’ll walk along pathways few outsiders have trodden.
Day 1: The tour begins this evening in Ulaan Bataar, Mongolia. Night in Ulaan Bataar.
Day 2: After meeting the group arriving from London, we’ll travel the short distance to the Tuul River for a relaxed introduction to the birds of this fascinating country. Our Eastern location will immediately become obvious with birds such as Black-eared Kite, Pacific Swift, and Red-billed Chough around the town. Once out into open country, we’ll begin to get a taste of what birding in the heart of Asia is all about, with Ruddy Shelduck, Blyth’s Pipit, Brown Shrike, Isabelline Wheatear, and Daurian Jackdaw all possible. A short stop around the willow-fringed river might provide our first encounter with the highly sought-after Azure Tit as well as the possibility of Black, White-backed, Grey-headed, and Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers, Hoopoe, White-cheeked Starling, and Daurian Redstart. Even at the end of spring migration these trees can hold several species of warbler, from clumsy Thick-billed to subtle Arctic and Two-barred Greenish. Night in Ulaan Bataar.
Day 3: Depending on the summer flight schedule, we hope to fly south today from Ulaan Bataar to Bayankhongor. Once we have met our ground crew, we’ll set our sights on the fabled Boon Tsagan Nuur. Along the way we’ll start to see our first Pied and Desert Wheatears, Demoiselle Cranes, and Upland Buzzards and perhaps Pere David’s Snowfinch. If we have an afternoon flight, we are unlikely to reach the lake by the evening, so we will camp en route. Night in camp.
Days 4–5: Once by the lake, we’ll set aside the rest of the day and the next full day to explore its margins. In years gone by, this was one of the best sites in the world for seeing Relict Gull in breeding plumage, but in recent years the species has become less reliable, making it even more enigmatic than before. There are plenty of birds to keep us occupied here, from Mongolian and Pallas’s Gulls and White-winged Black Terns to Eurasian Spoonbills, and the migrant shorebirds usually include Long-toed Stint, Pacific Golden Plover, Greater Sandplover, and Marsh Sandpiper. Every year is different, and we never know what we might find. Rarities in previous years included the first Intermediate Egret for the country and a Chinese Pond Heron. Even without these rarities the lake is a very reliable site for species such as Pallas’s Fish Eagle and Swan Goose, the latter often in mixed flocks with Bar-headed and Eastern Greylag Geese.
The numbers of wildfowl vary from year to year, as does the water level, but we hope to see Whooper Swans, Asiatic (Stejneger’s) White-winged Scoters, Garganey, and Goosander, while the “honking” call of Ruddy Shelducks will soon become a familiar sound. A feature of the mornings and evenings around the lake will be the regular flyby of large numbers of Pallas’s Sandgrouse, sometimes breaking from their avian airshow to drop down to the lake to drink. The dawn chorus here is quite different from what we might be used to, as Asian Lesser Short-toed and Horned Larks compete with each other, Demoiselle Cranes trumpet in the background, or White-winged Black Terns hawk around the camp. Nights in camp.
Day 6: After breaking camp, we’ll begin our journey east, stopping at a small desert town where we stand a good chance of seeing Hill Pigeon. Some small trees have recently been planted in the town, and on our first visit we recorded Pallas’s and Thick-billed Warblers, Brown Shrike, Common Rosefinch, and Citrine Wagtail. After refueling, we’ll spend most of the day driving toward Orog Nuur. Before we reach this formerly vast lake, we’ll spend time searching for the charismatic Henderson’s Ground Jay in its specialized habitat. The same areas are likely to hold Desert Wheatears, Crested Larks, Asian Desert Warblers, and Isabelline and Steppe Grey Shrikes. If some wet areas still remain at Orog Nuur, we can expect to be bombarded by displaying Common Redshanks, Common Snipes, Northern Lapwings, and maybe Eastern Black-tailed Godwits, and we should also see Citrine Wagtails, Richard’s Pipits, and Mongolian Finches. A small area of reeds can hold both Paddyfield and Pallas’s Grasshopper Warblers, while Little Owls and Rock Sparrows frequent the local gers. This area is particularly popular with Demoiselle Cranes, and their bugling calls echo through the night air. Night in camp.
Day 7: Today’s drive always feels like a real adventure as we pass through the Gobi’s Altai Mountains. It’s a dramatic journey that can take us along the course of an old riverbed or nomadic trail into the hills and then across a high plateau into a sandier desert habitat. Stopping along the way, we could see a whole host of species, from Lammergeier and Golden and Steppe Eagles to Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush, Pied Wheatear, and Grey-necked Bunting. We have no set camp for the night, but our ground crew will choose a spot toward evening. Wherever it is, we are unlikely to be disturbed and the view of the night sky could be breathtaking. Night in camp.
Day 8: Today our destination is Khongoryn Els in the Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park, home to some of the world’s largest sand dunes. This dry desert habitat will present us with some new species including the enigmatic Saxaul Sparrow, as well as more Desert Wheatears and Asian Desert Warblers; Goitered and Mongolian Gazelles are both possible too. In some years there is a small stream on the edge of the dunes that could attract all sorts of migrants. The sight of Black Terns or Northern Lapwings flying past huge sand dunes is unforgettable. This is also a good area for Upland Buzzards and both Isabelline and Steppe Grey Shrikes. From our ger camp we look straight out at the sand dunes, a stunning view, before we retire to our gers for our first night in these traditional Mongolian tents. Night at Khongoryn Els ger camp.
Day 9: Before breakfast we’ll return to the sand dunes, perhaps encountering flocks of Pallas’s Sandgrouse as they pause to drink and dip their breast feathers in the water to carry some back for their nestlings to drink. We’ll no doubt see more Isabelline Shrikes and Desert Wheatears, and there is always the chance of the unexpected. After breakfast we’ll head east, initially following the line of dunes before our journey takes us through more montane habitat. After lunch we hope to be in perfect Oriental Plover habitat. Finding such a dramatic species in a bleak, almost lifeless desert is sure to be one of the highlights of the trip. If we are lucky we may witness its incredible display flight, in which the males fly in high circuits above their territory, rocking from side to side on stiff wings. We should reach our next ger camp in time to check the trees for migrants. Poplar trees planted several decades ago surround the camp, not only providing shelter but also acting as an oasis for passing migrants. Over the last six trips we have seen a large variety of migrants here including Golden Oriole, Rosy Starling, Booted Eagle, Long-eared Owl, the leucopsis and personata races of White Wagtail, Red-throated and Eyebrowed Thrushes, Chestnut-eared Bunting, Siberian Rubythroat, Olive-backed Pipit, Pallas’s Grasshopper, Two-barred Greenish, Dusky, Pallas’s, Oriental Reed, and Thick-billed Warblers, Taiga and Asian Brown Flycatchers, Brown Shrike, Common Rosefinch, Hawfinch, and Chaffinch. In the past, some new species for Mongolia such as Forest Wagtail and Black Drongo have been found here, and in 2007 we found the first Red Collared Dove for the country. Night in ger camp.
Day 10: We’ll head out early this morning, taking our breakfast and lunch with us for what should be a very special day at Yolyn Am. Our main target so early in the morning will be Altai Snowcock. If we are lucky we should see this species “singing” from the dramatic ridges above us while we enjoy our picnic breakfast. This can be a bird-rich valley, and we’ll spend most of the day walking along the flat valley bottom, where species such as the near endemic Kozlov’s Accentor can be found alongside Brown and Alpine Accentors, Common and Beautiful Rosefinches, Godlewski’s Bunting, Twite, Blyth’s and Water Pipits, Isabelline and Pied Wheatears, Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush, and the red-bellied form of Black Redstart. This is also one of the best places in the country to see Wallcreeper, and there are sometimes several pairs on our short route. In some years we’ve also seen Great Rosefinch. Overhead we hope to see more Lammergeiers, both Himalayan and Eurasian Griffon Vultures, Golden and Steppe Eagles, and Upland Buzzard.
This valley is also excellent for mammals: sousliks, pikas, Siberian Ibex, and sometimes Argali Sheep (the largest sheep in the world) are all possible. If time allows, we’ll stop at the small Gobi museum on our way back to camp before once again checking the camp trees for any newly arrived migrants. In the evenings small gatherings of Lesser Kestrels return to roost near the camp, sometimes attracting a migrant Amur Falcon. Night in ger camp.
Day 11: Today’s itinerary is wholly dependent on flight schedules. If we have an evening flight, we’ll divide our time between Yolyn Am, birding around the camp grounds, and perhaps checking some small areas of trees in nearby Dalandzadgad before transferring to a hotel in the city for the night. If we have a morning flight, we’ll say goodbye to our ground crew and head north. From the capital we’ll travel to a private camp of traditional felt-lined gers operated by our ground agents, and if time allows we’ll explore the area around our camp. The patches of coniferous forest nearby are home to Oriental and Common Cuckoos, Olive-backed Pipit, Pallas’s Warbler, and Pine Bunting, and we could also see Two-barred Greenish Warbler or a singing Common Rosefinch. Night in Ulaan Bataar or ger camp.
Day 12: Assuming we spent the night in Ulaan Bataar, we’ll travel this morning to another ger camp. Its surroundings vary from riparian poplar forest to larch-covered hillsides, all home to species such as Siberian Rubythroat, Red-throated Thrush, Common and Oriental Cuckoos, Yellow-breasted and Black-faced Buntings, Steppe Eagle, Grey-headed, White-backed, Lesser Spotted, and Black Woodpeckers, Eurasian Wryneck, Azure and Willow Tits, Dusky, Yellow-browed, and Two-barred Greenish Warblers, and the attractive Long-tailed Rosefinch. Night in ger camp.
Day 13: We’ll spend more time birding close to our camp, maybe catching up on any birds not seen the previous day or simply enjoying species such as Siberian Rubythroat once more. Around late morning we’ll depart for our next ger camp. Along the way we may encounter small groups of Amur Falcons, singing Rufous-tailed Rock Thrushes, or groups of Black Vultures sailing overhead. A small seasonal lake may hold a wealth of wildfowl: Asiatic (Stejneger’s) White-winged Scoter, Common Pochard, Common Goldeneye, and Eurasian Wigeon are all regulars and perhaps will be joined by Garganey, Ferruginous Duck, or even Falcated Duck. Groups of White-winged Black Terns sometimes hold a Whiskered Tern or two, and any gulls present are worth checking, as Relict Gull has been seen here on a couple of occasions. The stony shoreline is not ideal for shorebirds, but Little Ringed and Kentish Plovers both find it to their liking and Avocets and Demoiselle Cranes are usually present. Night in ger camp.
Day 14: This morning we’ll visit an area of grazed pastureland near our camp. This site usually holds a few pairs of White-naped Cranes, and Siberian Crane has even been seen here! The grassland, much greener here than elsewhere on our tour, is where we’ll find Mongolian Larks, their song filling the morning air along with that of Eurasian Skylarks and the calls of displaying waders such as Marsh Sandpiper and, with luck, Eastern Black-tailed Godwit. This is always an exciting area, and in some years we have found Asian Dowitcher in the wet grassland, sharing the habitat with Citrine Wagtail and Richard’s Pipit. With such a profusion of activity it’s no surprise that raptors are also present, from burly Upland Buzzards to powerful Saker Falcons. Later we’ll leave the camp and return to Ulaan Bataar. Night in Ulaan Bataar.
Day 15: The tour concludes this morning in Ulaan Bataar.
Updated: 11 July 2011
Prices
- 2012 Tour Price : $4,500*
- Single Occupancy Supplement : $560
Notes
Due to limited air service, the dates of this tour may shift by a day or two once the airlines have announced their final summer schedules. This usually happens in March.
This tour is limited to 10 participants with one leader. Those who wish to join the group flying from London should contact the WINGS office.
This tour involves some long drives on non-existent roads of varying quality. Away from Ulaanbaatar we’ll stay in camps erected by our ground agents, or in ger (yurt) camps, which are permanent lodge-type accommodation using the traditional large round tents typical of the region. Single-room accommodation at the yurt camps cannot be guaranteed, and private bathroom facilities are available only in Ulaanbaatar.
* Tour invoices paid by check carry a modest discount. Details here.
* This tour is organized by our British company, Sunbird. Please review the explanation of our Sunbird pricing here.