Days 1-2: The tour begins this morning in Ulaanbaatar, where we’ll be met at the airport by our translator and local guide, then drive by 4x4 directly to the edge of the Siberian taiga and our first birding stop of the tour: Jalman Meadows. This comfortable ger camp (pronounced ‘gear’, these round tents are known elsewhere as yurts) sits in a scenic valley surrounded by habitats ranging from riparian poplar forest to larch-covered hillsides, and is home to an array of species including Black Grouse (whose wonderful bubbling calls can be heard from our gers), Common and Oriental Cuckoos, Grey-headed and Black Woodpeckers, Red-flanked Bluetail, Amur Stonechat, Red-throated Thrush, White-cheeked Starling, Azure and Willow Tits, Yellow-browed, and Two-barred Warblers, the remarkable looking Long-tailed Rosefinch, Siberian Rubythroat and Black-faced Bunting. It is also home to the sought-after Black-billed Capercaillie, perhaps our primary target. 

We’ll have a second day around the ger camp, including more time looking for the Black-billed Capercaillie should we need it. With luck we may be able to find species such as Ural Owl or even Swinhoe’s Snipe. Each ger is equipped with a wood-burning stove, and should the weather turn inclement, there is always someone on hand to light it for you — even first thing in the morning. Nights at Jalman Meadows ger camp. 

Day 3: It’s a short drive to Gun Galuut Nature Preserve. Before we reach our ger camp, we’ll pass small lakes where we could find Stejneger’s Scoter, Garganey, and often a surprise or two. In 2018 we found the first Velvet Scoter for Mongolia and have also recorded both Smew and Falcated Duck. It can be a good area for waders, with Asian Dowitcher and Broad-billed Sandpiper being realistic targets among the more common Little Stint and Kentish Plover. This is an area for White-naped Cranes, sometimes to be seen with young chicks in tow. It is also a stopover for impressive flocks of Demoiselle Cranes that can fill the sky. A small area of riverside bushes by our gers is an excellent spot for migrants, and we’ll take time to investigate these. Lanceolated and Chinese Bush Warblers have been found here in the past, and Siberian House Martins nest within the ger camp. Beyond the camp, we’ll journey into the hills and around a large marsh area, checking that all the large white birds aren’t “just” Whooper Swans, as in some years Siberian Crane has been seen here. Mongolian Lark is common, and their distinctive song flight will become a regular feature of our future birding. We’ll also focus on mammals, with the main attraction being the world’s largest sheep, the Argali. We may also be lucky with smaller mammals such as Daurian Ground Squirrel, while thermal scoping after dark could reveal Siberian Jerboa and Daurian Hedgehog. Night at Gun Galuut Ger Camp. 

Day 4:  It’s a very long, all-day drive to the southern Gobi and the town of Dalanzadgad. We’ll break the journey with a small number of stops for the occasional leg stretch and for lunch. We’ll spend the day watching the landscape get gradually drier and transition from semi-steppes to semi-desert to desert. On the way we’ll undoubtedly see the more common residents such as Black Vulture, and we have a chance of something a little less obvious like Asian Desert Warbler or perhaps our first Mongolian Gazelles. Our ger camp will have a few trees around the grounds, and we should arrive in time for a little exploration of the grounds to see what’s about. Migrant Dusky Warblers can be almost common and Daurian Shrike often breeds on the grounds. Night in ger camp. 

Day 5: We’ll take a packed breakfast and lunch and drive to the nearby Gobi Altai and into Yolyn Am, or “Valley of the Vulture.”  We’ll spend most of the day walking along the flat valley bottom where species such as the near-endemic Kozlov’s (Mongolian) Accentor can be found alongside Brown Accentor, Chinese  Beautiful Rosefinch, Godlewski’s Bunting, Common Rock Thrush and the red-bellied form of Black Redstart. White-winged Snowfinch is abundant, and this is one of the best places in the country to see Wallcreeper. Several pairs breed, often showing at eye level for extended periods. Overhead we should see the mighty Lammergeier (Bearded Vulture) and Himalayan Vulture. The valley can also act as a migrant trap, and the stream and rough grass could hold thrushes, warblers, and buntings. For those whose interests include mammals and reptiles, this is also the best place to look for Halys Pit Viper, whose presence is often revealed by the mobbing of Isabelline Wheatears. We should also be treated to great views of Alashan Ground Squirrel and endearing Pallas’s Pika, while Siberian Ibex inhabit the cliffs above us. We’ll also be conscious that both Pallas’s Cat and Snow Leopard are possible; indeed we were treated to a Pallas’s Cat sighting here in 2023, but seeing their prey is far more likely. Back at our ger camp we’ll check the trees once more as every day brings the possibility of new arrivals. Night in ger camp.

Day 6: We’ll set off across the Gobi in search of one the most enigmatic and sought-after birds of southern Mongolia, the Oriental Plover. These stunning shorebirds breed at low density across huge areas of Mongolia, but this area seems particularly good for them, and we’ll scan the semi-desert for sight of a bright white head. Our destination is Khongoryn Els, one of the world’s largest sand dune complexes and a part of Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park. At the foot of the main dunes there’s a small stream with grazing meadows where Common Snipe, and Common Redshank breed alongside Long-legged Buzzard and Steppe Grey Shrike. The fresh water can also act as a magnet for tired migrants who have just transited hundreds of miles of the Gobi. A nearby river that forms a boundary between the marshes and some smaller dunes is a regular haunt of the enigmatic Saxaul Sparrow, while the subtly marked Hill Pigeon may be seen dropping into drink. Night at ger camp.

Day 7: Today we drive north to the isolated mountain of Baga Bogd. Out here we’ll feel very much in the middle of nowhere. However birds are available for the patient; Pallas’s Sandgrouse should be seen in a few places, and we will be on the lookout for the smart Henderson’s Ground Jay. These characterful birds are found at low density but usually perch atop bushes between rapid chases along the desert floor. We’ll also be on the lookout for Black-tailed and Mongolian Gazelles, both of which are regularly seen kicking up the dust as they sprint over the desert. Our support staff for the first time will have set up our own camp near the mountain. Here we have our first chance of Altai Snowcock, along with Grey-necked Bunting and Mongolian Finch among others. Night camping at Baga Bogd.

Day 8: After breakfast and perhaps some more birding in the canyon, we’ll set off for the Valley of Lakes and Kholboolj, a wetland along the Tuin river in the Gobi. This lake has proven productive for a variety of ducks and waders in recent years, and we have our second chance of Asian Dowitcher here. There is also the possibility of a few surprises, as is the case with any wetland in the desert. Night camping at Kholboolj.

Day 9: Driving west along the Valley of the Lakes, we’ll go through more Saxaul forest and have additional chances for Henderson’s Ground Jay and Asian Desert Warbler. We’ll visit a small wetland that has proved productive over the years. Falcated Duck, Temminck’s Stint, Paddyfield and Oriental Reed Warblers are all possible, as are perhaps the most easterly Savi’s Warbler in the world. We discovered that this marsh seems to hold breeding Water Rails and on several occasions we’ve detected migrant Baillon’s Crake, although these will be heavily dependent on water levels and the quality of the marsh vegetation. Later we’ll continue west, eventually arriving on the shores of the largest lake in the region, the fabled Böön Tsagaan Nuur. We’ll probably have time for a short exploration of the immediate camp surroundings, as well as time for some thermal scanning of the campsite for nocturnal mammals. Night camping at Böön Tsagaan Nuur.

Day 10: We’ll have a full day to explore the shores of Böön Tsagaan Nuur. During breakfast we may be treated to a passage of Pallas’s Sandgrouse as they come to the small river near our camp to drink, and from then onwards the day should just get better. White-winged Tern should be abundant, and waterfowl might include Swan and Bar-headed Geese and Ferruginous Duck.  We’ll almost certainly see Pallas’s Gull and this is one of the most reliable sites in the world for finding Relict Gull in breeding plumage; however, despite having a good track record with them here, they are migrants and never guaranteed. This is also one of the few spots left in Mongolia for Pallas’s Fish Eagle, a couple of which usually spend the summer here. Migrant shorebirds might be numerous and could include Pacific Golden Plover and Greater Sand Plover. It can be an excellent site to get superb views of Pacific Swift and the pekinensis form of Common Swift feeding low over the marshes, and migrant passerines may also feature, from lydiae Pallas Reed Bunting trying to hide in the short grass to Red-throated or Dusky Thrushes feeding along the small river. We may also be lucky enough to find the stunning white-headed leucocephala race of Western Yellow Wagtail, the easternmost and probably rarest of the Western Yellow Wagtail forms. Every year is different, and we never know what we might find. Night camping at Böön Tsagaan Nuur.

Day 11: We’ll leave early for the Khangai Mountains. It’s another all-day drive, but we’ll stop en route for occasional birding breaks and lunch. Our destination is the Khukh Lake, a large lake high in the Khangai Mountains where the full suite of high-altitude bird specialties can be found. Night camping at Khukh Lake.

Day 12: We’ll have a full day to explore the high-altitude habitats around the magnificent lake. We are in the realm of some of Mongolia’s most special and sought after birds; Altai Snowcock display on the crags, while Hodgson’s (White-throated) Bushchat, Eversmann’s and Güldenstadt’s (White-winged) Redstarts, Altai Accentor and sushkini Asian Rosy-Finch bound around the lake shore slopes and boulder fields - occasionally being seen from the comfort of the dining tent! We may have to drive up onto a nearby plateau to seek some of these, too, but we’ll take it slowly, probably shifting our gaze between memorable birds and the stunning surroundings.  Night camping at Khukh Lake.

Day 13: Leaving the lake and alpine species behind, we’ll drive along barely discernable tracks through the Khangai to a woodland area on the north side of the mountains. Here, we’ll be exploring the woods looking for Pallas’s Rosefinch and Eversmann’s (Rufous-backed) Redstart, as well as more common woodland birds such as Pine Bunting, Olive-backed Pipit and Hume’s Warbler. More familiar species such as Tree Pipit and Brambling reach their easterly edge here. Night camping at Terkshin Tsugaan Nuur.

Day 14: After a morning birding the woodlands, we’ll begin the drive back east, through the Khangai mountains towards the bird rich Ugii Nuur. We’ll make several stops along the way among the passes to explore this very under-watched area. Night in ger camp at Ugii Nuur.

Day 15: We’ll have the entire day to explore the shores of Ugii Nuur and catch our breath from the previous long mileage days. This large lake holds good numbers of Stejneger’s Scoter and potentially numbers of other wildfowl too, such as Arctic Loon, Great Crested, Common Pochard and Tufted Duck. It’s also a reasonably regular haunt of migrant Relict Gulls, although we would need some luck to find one. The journey around the lake should reveal, as well as more unpredictable species such as Père David’s Snowfinch and Steppe Eagle which will no doubt be keeping a close eye on the many rodents. This is a good area for the unexpected, and recent records of Siberian Crane and Baer’s Pochard (including three we found here in 2024) hint at what is possible. Night in ger camp at Ugii Nuur.

Day 16: From Ugii Nuur we’ll continue east, first stopping at the roadside lake of Bayan Nuur, an excellent site for several reedbed species such as Eastern Marsh Harrier and Bearded Tit, and a regular site for Eastern Spot-billed Duck, Paddyfield Warbler and Pallas’s Reed Bunting among others. There may also be a selection of migrant waders that could include Pintail or Swinhoe’s Snipe, plus a few breeding Eastern Yellow Wagtails. We’ll then continue to the famous Hustai National Park, an area of hills, steppes and birch woodland. This is one of just three locations in Mongolia where one can see Przewalski’s Horses, ancient animals brought back from the edge of extinction many years ago through a captive breeding program. Mongolian Marmots and Brandt’s Voles scurry across the grassland, Meadow Bunting and Blyth’s Pipit sing from the hills, while Saker and Hobby hunt overhead and Golden Eagle cruise the ridge tops. Night at Hustai National Park ger camp.

Day 17: We’ll spend the morning looking for species we may have missed. Hustai is particularly good for Père David’s Snowfinch and Daurian Partridge, and the trees along the Tuul river hold White-crowned Penduline Tits as well as potentially some late migrants. We’ll then make the short journey to Ulaanbaatar, arriving in time to go to a Mongolian cultural show, complete with traditional dancing and throat singers, before having our final dinner in a local restaurant. Night in Ulaanbaatar.

Day 18: The tour concludes this morning in Ulaanbatar with transfer to the airport for homeward flights. 

2026 Narrative

This was WINGS’s 17th trip to Mongolia – known, and rightly so, for its wide vistas, traditional semi-nomadic lifestyle, and friendly people. During this 17-day tour, we travelled 3,300 km (2,000 miles), visiting taiga forest, desert dunes, high mountain lakes and vast steppe in the process. Four nights were spent under canvas; the remainder mostly in ger (yurt) camps. All in all, it was a memorable trip for all present.

Day 1 – 29th May
In various stages of jet lag, from freshly arrived last night to two-weeks-acclimatised in Mongolia (two of our group having segued from Paul French’s Eastern Mongolia tour to this Central tour), we were waved off from our hotel in Ulaanbaatar by overhead parties of Pacific Swifts. Roadside birds on our drive east of Mongolia’s bustling capital included Daurian Jackdaws, Red-billed Choughs, Northern and Isabelline Wheatears, White Wagtails and Demoiselle Crane. A brief stop at a rocky outcrop added Rufous-tailed Rock-thrush to the list, before we pressed on into the southern reaches of Siberia’s vast taiga forest. We quickly struck gold – rose-gold at first, with a pair of Red-throated Thrushes, by no means a common bird in these parts, followed by black-gold: a handsome male Black-billed Capercaillie, slowly making its way along the forest floor. ‘Cooperative’ would be an understatement. 

Post-lunch, we pressed on east, stopping at a number of riparian sites, where we found another Red-throated Thrush, a Grey-headed Woodpecker, a pair of White-crowned Penduline Tits, and several Daurian Redstarts. From our final birding site, it was a short drive to Jalman Meadows, where we settled into our comfortable, brightly decorated gears and enjoyed a hot shower and a good, home-cooked meal.

Day 2 – 30th May
Skylarks were singing overhead and Isabelline Wheatears were pottering around amongst the tents as we woke to a cold morning at Jalman Meadows. We soon warmed up, thanks to some coffee and a cooked breakfast, and the weather followed suit, with temperatures rapidly rising as the sun rose. We headed up one of the nearby valleys, where several stops saw us catching up with Brown Shrike, Common Rosefinch, Black-faced Bunting, Dusky Warbler and Amur Stonechat, and both Steppe and Golden Eagles were seen. Best bird, however, was reserved for the end of a short trek at the head of the valley – a stunning male Siberian Rubythroat. 

The afternoon was hot and windy, but we put in the time for some birding along the Tuul river valley, nonetheless. A Blyth’s Pipit showed well by the track, and there were several Black-faced Buntings and Dusky Warblers in the riverside variation, as well as a vocal Oriental Cuckoo. 

Day 3 – 31st May
We waved goodbye to Jalman Meadows, stopping at a few sites en route, including some pine forest at the peak of the pass, where we found a handsome (and cooperative) male Pine Bunting. From there, we headed southwest across the increasingly open steppe, with trackside Mongolian Larks and a Lanner Falcon nest, with one adult in attendance at four fluffy chicks.

We reached Gun Galuut in good time, allowing for a good couple of hours scanning the lake and its shores. Variety was high, with Black-necked (Eared) Grebes and Common Pochards and a flock of Demoiselle Cranes plus accompanying Common Crane on the lake shore. It was the waders that stole the show, though – scores of Little Stints, five Terek Sandpipers, four Temminck’s Stints, two Red-necked Stints, a Broad-billed Sandpiper, and a Grey-tailed Tattler! 

Lunch was taken overlooking a nearby lagoon. Engrossed in watching the White-winged Black Terns, Black-tailed Godwits, Wood and Marsh Sandpipers, and White-naped Cranes, none of us had thought to look beyond the wetland area. That was until one of the drivers mentioned there were four ‘white crane-like birds’. Huh?! Siberian Cranes! Magical – and unexpected. The final hours of the day were spent at the small patch of trees between the river and the camp, where we caught up with migrants such as Asian Brown Flycatcher, Pallas’s Leaf Warbler, Dusky Warbler, Thick-billed Warbler and a fleeting Eyebrowed Thrush.

Day 4 – 1st June
We started early to get in some birding before we left Steppe Nomads camp, checking the bushes by the river. There had clearly been some movement overnight – some of the birds from yesterday had gone, while others were new in (or perhaps just more cooperative than they had been in the evening). A tally of three Dusky and three Arctic Warblers, a Pallas’s Leaf Warbler, a Hume’s Leaf Warbler and two Asian Brown Flycatchers wasn’t a bad way to start the day before the long journey that lay ahead. Bar a brief stop for lunch, it was then one long drive to the Gobi region. Arriving at our ger camp, we were greeted by a pair of Isabelline (Daurian) Shrikes and a warm evening with a wonderful sunset.

Day 5 – 2nd June
Today, we headed into Yolyn Am, an impressive gorge in the ‘three sisters’ mountain range. Here, we found a selection of species that we wouldn’t find anywhere else on the tour – such as Mongolia (Koslov’s) Accentor, Wallcreeper, Sulphur-bellied Warbler and Chinese Beautiful Rosefinch – as well as Lammergeier, Himalayan Griffon Vulture, Black Redstart and Chukar. In the afternoon, we visited a neighbouring gorge, where we found a pair of Barred Warblers, before we headed back to camp for the night.

Day 6 – 3rd June
Today was another day spent mostly on the road but, of course, we managed to squeeze in some (good quality) birding. First up was a quartet of Oriental Plovers, followed by a stop for Asian Desert Warbler (with a bonus Desert Wheatear and Asian Short-toed Larks). More ticks were found at lunch, when we stumbled upon a Grey-necked Bunting, which was promptly chased off by a Pied Wheatear. We finished at the day at the Khongoryn Els sand dunes, where we visited a small breeding colony of Saxaul Sparrow as well as a flock of Mongolian Finches 

Day 7 – 4th June
It was time to say goodbye to the Gobi desert region today, as we started our long loop back north in the (very) vague direction of Ulaanbaatar, but not before we added two doves to our list – a Laughing Dove in camp and a Collared Dove out in the middle of nowhere a little ways into the open, stony desert – as well as close fly-by views of a couple of Pallas’s Sandgrouse. Stopping in a picturesque gorge en route, we found several Lammergeiers, which circled overhead, watching us watching them, and a female Eagle Owl, which briefly poked its sleepy head out of its nest hole to check us out. We arrived at our camp in the foothills mid-afternoon, where we found a bunch of Rock Sparrows and a pair of Pied Wheatears, before settling in for our first night under canvas.

Day 8 – 5th June
We woke to find a dusting of snow on the higher peaks visible from our camp and, with the wind still howling, we elected to head down off the mountain in search of warmer (although, as it turns out, not necessarily calmer) weather. En route, we encountered several Pallas’s Sandgrouse, as well as a confiding Steppe (Great) Grey Shrike and a flock of Bar-headed Geese. 

Arriving at Kholboolj Lake, we found a flock of Greater Sand Plovers, some nesting Avocets, and a friendly Mongolian Mastiff dog. After lunch, we headed to the freshwater section of the lake where we found hundreds of Red-crested Pochards, two Turnstones, two Red-necked Phalaropes and two Swan Geese, as well as good numbers of other common species of wildfowl. We finished the evening at camp, where the wind dropped, the wine flowed, a the Asian Short-toed Larks were singing overhead.

Day 9 – 6th June
We woke early this morning, taking in the view across Kholboolj Lake as we sipped our morning coffee. Before long, small groups of Pallas’s Sandgrouse began to arrive – dozens, then hundreds, and eventually about 10,000! A magnificent, awe-inspiring sight and sound. 

A quick check of the freshwater lake revealed much the same as yesterday, with the addition of a Whiskered Tern; and then we were off, continuing northwest. Stopping for lunch, we took a wander into the bushy desert where we found several Asian Desert Warblers, two Great Grey Shrikes and, best of all, three Mongolian Ground Jays, which performed amazingly well for us. Then it was off to our camp for the night – a series of cabins on the shores of Böön Tsagaan Lake. In the camp ‘garden’ – a line of scraggy bushes and some rather brown spruce saplings – we found at least three Hume’s Yellow-browed Warblers, a Dusky Warbler, a pair of Daurian Shrikes (plus an interloping male, which was soon given the boot by the breeding birds), and a Two-barred Greenish Warbler.

Day 10 – 7th June
Breakfasting early (via a bonus couple of Rosy Starlings that pitched up briefly outside our huts just as we were finishing our meal), we headed down to the shores of Böön Tsagaan Lake before the heat of the day got too much. Before long, we had connected with one of our sought-after target species: Asian Dowitcher. In fact, we found three of these localised, threatened, orange-faced beauties. A supporting cast came in the form of a Marsh Sandpiper, scores of Caspian Terns, a sculking female Pallas’s Reed Bunting and, most unexpected, a duo of Dalmatian Pelicans that flew over our heads.

Back in ‘the garden’, we found a couple of Greenish Warblers, keeping company with a Hume’s Warbler and a Dusky Warbler, as well as two Hawfinches, which looks totally out of place when they briefly landed on one of the cabin rooves. After lunch, we took a drive along the north side of the lake, where we found a Wood Sandpipers and several thousand Cormorants, and then the south side of the lake, where we encountered a female Eastern Marsh Harrier and a trio of Mongolian Finches.

Day 11 – 8th June
Today was another day of primarily travelling, but not before we checked ‘the garden’ for migrants – two Hume’s Warblers and a Dusky Warbler were familiar, while two Common Rosefinches were new in. A few choice stops en route saw us connecting with multiple Steppe Eagles and Cinereous Vultures, as well as a close encounter with a pair of Pere David’s Snowfinches. Time allowed for an hour of birding when we arrived at our high-altitude, lakeside camp site, so we checked the waterside bushes, adding Pallas’s Reed Bunting, Arctic Warbler, Black-faced Bunting and Citrine Wagtail to the day list.

Day 12 – 9th June
We were up early this morning, in time to see an Altai Snowcock showing itself in full view along the ridgeline above our campsite – an auspicious start to the day. Then, after breakfast, we headed even higher, where we found our second target of the day – a White-throated Bush-chat. After lunch, we took a walk along the lake shore, where we found several (at-times showy) Pallas’s Grasshopper Warblers, plenty of Pallas’s Reed Buntings, a couple of Pallas’s Leaf Warblers, a Two-barred Greenish Warbler, singing Dusky and Hume’s Warblers, an Arctic Warbler, and a female Asian Rosy Finch. All in all, not a bad day at 9,000 feet.

Day 13 – 10th June
Today was largely a travel day again. We were waved off by a Saker Falcon that was sat close to the track, while birds seen en route included Western House Martin, Rook and Hill Pigeon. We took lunch in an area of fir forest, where Red-flanked Bluetails were singing (but tough to see) and Willow Tits were abundant, before continuing on to our ger camp. 

Day 14 – 11th June
Birding this morning started close to the camp, where we found several singing Ortolan Buntings, as well as a couple of Pine Buntings, two Common Rosefinches, and a most unexpected Rufous-backed (Eversmann’s) Redstart. From here, we headed west to Ugii Lake (via a quick stop to examine a colony of Pale Martins). Stopping to scan the marsh where the river enters the lake, we found several Falcated Ducks, some Asian Dowitchers and, top of the pile, two Siberian Cranes.

Day 15 – 12th June
Today was a full day around Ugii Lake. It was hot, and water levels were low, so we had to work hard to find the birds. Several Pere David’s Snowfinches were seen, while a Ferruginous Duck was hiding out amongst the Common Pochards. In the gull colony, we found three pairs of Pallas’s Gull, including one pair with an adorable, powder-grey fluffball of a chick. 

Day 16 – 13th June
We left Ugii Lake early, heading towards Hustai National Park. En route, we stopped at Bayan Lake, where we added a bunch of new species to the list – Yellow Wagtail, Common Reed Bunting, Bearded Reedling, Paddyfield Warbler, Oriental Reed Warbler, Baillon’s Crake and three Brown-cheeked Rails! We reached the national park by mid-afternoon. A short drive around the park saw us catching up with Meadow Bunting and a distant Amur Falcon, as well as the park’s famous Przewalski’s Horses.

Day 17 – 14th June
For our final morning, we revisited the park’s horses – seeing many more at much closer range than yesterday – before heading towards Ulaanbaatar. Making good time, we stopped off at some riparian parkland downstream from the city, where we found two pairs of breeding Azure Tits as well as a male Mandarin Duck. From there, it was a short hop into the city centre, where we marvelled at a Mongolian variety show, with singing, dancing, and contortionist archery, before an extremely enjoyable, relaxed, smile-filled final meal.

- Stephen Menzie

Back to Narratives