Mongolia: The Eastern Steppes

Day 1: Participants should arrive in Ulaanbaatar no later than this evening. We'll convene for a brief introductory meeting and dinner together at our hotel. Night in Ulaanbaatar.   

Day 2: We’ll set off early this morning on our all-day drive to the Baruun Urt region, stopping first in Nalaikh for provisions. On the way, we’ll see the more common Mongolian birds, with Red-billed Chough and Daurian Jackdaw along the roadsides, and Black Kite, Steppe Eagle, and Upland Buzzard dominating the skies. Night in Baruun Urt.   

Day 3: After a pre-breakfast hunt for migrants among the small stands of trees near our hotel, we’ll continue on another all-day drive east to an area of sacred hills deep in the steppe. Depending on whether there have been wildfires or not, we’ll either see a sea of gold or a sea of fresh new green. Either way, the steppe will be alive with larks, and among the many huge Mongolian Larks, we should have no trouble finding the more dainty Mongolian Short-toed Lark. We may also encounter Siberian migrants, as out here the only feature that attracts them are the dirt tracks! Taiga Flycatcher may be the most common, but we could also encounter other forest dwellers such as Brown Shrike or Siberian Blue Robin. We will also be scanning as we go for that most prized of steppe shorebirds: Oriental Plover. Out here is where they are at their most numerous, and we have a good chance of finding one or two along the journey.  

Once we arrive at our destination, we’ll find ourselves truly alone in the wilderness. The landscape is seemingly endless, and from our slightly elevated camping position on the edge of the hills, it spreads out like a vast canvas. If we are lucky, we may be treated to one of the world’s great mammal spectacles, the huge herds of Mongolian Gazelle. On our 2023 scouting tour, we estimated the visible herd at over 100,000. We’ll spend two nights camping here at Dornod Mongol National Park. 

Day 4: A small population of Rufous-backed (Jankowski’s) Buntings was discovered around 2019 in these isolated hills. It was previously thought to be restricted to a handful of sites in northern China and it remains one of Asia’s most endangered birds. After the long drives of the previous days, we’ll spend all day exploring a limited area. Hopefully, our search for the bunting will also reveal northbound migrants sheltering in small, vegetated gullies. Buntings are likely to feature strongly and should include include Meadow, Little and Black-faced, while with luck we may also find Chestnut, Tristram’s, and Yellow-throated. These gullies often hold a myriad of surprises, and in 2026 we discovered Mongolia’s first Blue-fronted Redstart, along with Chinese Pond Heron, Yellow-rumped, Dark-sided and Asian Brown Flycatchers, Siberian and Eyebrowed Thrushes, Siberian Blue Robins and Siberian Rubythroats, all while being entertained by nesting Amur Falcons. Night camping.

Day 5: Driving further east, we take a dirt track that goes through some incredible steppe. Mongolian and Mongolian Short-toed Larks are very common here, and we may also encounter Pallas’s Sandgrouse. Along this track we have also encountered Great Bustard and, more unexpectedly, Wolf. We’ll eventually arrive at a lake and wetland complex deep in the steppe where we’ll camp for two nights. The reedbeds here are home to Marsh Grassbird and Reed Parrotbills (here of the northern race polivanovi – sometimes touted as a potential split from birds further south in China), while Ochre-rumped Bunting gives out its simple but pleasant songs from the surrounding marshes. We’ll camp as close to the reeds as we can and could be watching all three from our tents by nightfall! Night camping.

Day 6: We’ll have all day to explore this area, mostly by foot but we’ll also use our vehicles as necessary. The local lakes host good numbers of waterfowl, including Falcated Duck, and we should find White-naped and Demoiselle Cranes, with a chance of the rare Red-crowned Crane. The reedbeds should be alive with perhaps the world’s most easterly Paddyfield Warbler, as well as Black-browed and Oriental Reed Warblers and Bearded Tit. Migrant shorebirds should include Pacific Golden Plover, Marsh Sandpiper, and perhaps Asian Dowitcher, while migrants such as Dark-sided Flycatcher and Arctic Warbler might be hunting along the reed edge. There is at least one record for Swinhoe’s Rail, and while this would require extraordinary luck, considering only a handful of birding visits have been made here, we should remain hopeful and vigilant! Night camping near Ikh Tashgai.

Day 7: We’ll drive all day, firstly to the frontier town of Khalkhgol to refuel, then west to the town of Choibalsan. Khalkhgol has proven to be an amazing place for Siberian migrants and Mongolian rarities, and we may have time to explore a small part of the environs to try our luck. On our way to Choibalsan, once again, we’ll be passing through extensive steppe, keeping alert for larks, Oriental Plover and migrants. Perhaps a Siberian Buff-bellied Pipit or Dusky Thrush may drop by, and any small patch of water will be worth investigating. Night in Choibalsan. 

Day 8: We should arrive at Chukh Lake in time for lunch. Our main target will be Baer’s Pochard, a critically endangered duck whose numbers have fallen dramatically at all of its wintering sites. Very small numbers are recorded in Mongolia in spring, at mostly random locations, but one or two have visited this lake in recent years, and it seems to be fairly reliable. Also here will be good numbers of waterfowl including Ferruginous Duck, Falcated Duck, and Stejneger’s Scoter. A marsh at the north end of the lake holds a few pairs of Eastern Marsh Harrier, and migrants are attracted to its margins. With luck, we may get good views of Yellow-breasted Bunting, or perhaps even a displaying Marsh Sandpiper. Night camping at Chukh Lake.

Day 9: After birding Chukh Lake in the early morning, we’ll begin the long drive back west along the Ulz River valley. We’ll be passing through the Daurian steppe and alongside some huge cereal fields, keeping a watchful eye out for Great Bustards along the way. We’ll be stopping for birding breaks along the way, especially where the river bends to meet the tracks, and we can look down into riverside bushes for migrants as well as enjoying the huge Sand Martin colonies in this area. There are also occasional places where the forest comes down to the valley floor, and we may enjoy lunch serenaded by Pine Bunting and Yellow-breasted Bunting. We are likely to make camp near the town of Norovlin. 

Day 10: Once we arrive in the Khurkh Valley and find a camping spot, we will set about scanning the area. This extensive and unique wetland is of major importance for breeding and migrating cranes. Pairs of White-naped are scattered throughout, and they may even have chicks by this point. Flocks of Common Crane pass through, and Hooded Crane is a regular feature of the marshes in spring. The main prize is the critically endangered Siberian Crane, and this valley is a regular stop for them on their spring migration. Great Bustard, a species that remains in serious decline throughout its range, is also possible. The valley runs roughly north-south and is a major migration route for the more usual Siberian migrants, with many possibilities such as Chestnut-eared and Yellow-breasted Buntings, and perhaps a Japanese Sparrowhawk or Oriental Cuckoo. Night camping in Khurkh valley. 

Day 11: We’ll spend the morning birding the Khurkh valley area, then depart in time to arrive in Ulaanbaatar and our hotel for dinner. Night in Ulaanbaatar.

Day 12: The tour concludes this morning with transfer to the airport for international departure, or to continue on to the Mongolia: Central tour. 

2026 Narrative

The vast steppes of Mongolia have long held an allure to birders and those who like the road less travelled. This, WINGS first tour to the east of Mongolia following 16 years of running tours through the centre, proved that not only can you go and find a brace of north-east Asia’s most sought-after bird’s, you can do so while enjoying a hatful of Siberian migrants and the relative comfort of our tented camps. We were to travel approx. 2800km, much of it off-road on (mostly!) smooth tracks, enjoying the all too rare feeling of being the only people for as far as you can see. Jankowski’s Bunting and Baer’s Pochard topped the list of specialties, but we also found Mongolia’s first Blue-fronted Redstart as well as mouth-watering migrants such as Yellow-rumped Flycatcher, Siberian Thrush, Siberian Rubythroat and Siberian Blue Robin. Throw in Great Bustards, White-naped Cranes, Eastern Imperial Eagle, Asian Dowitchers, Pallas’s Sandgrouse, Ochre-rumped Bunting and vast steppes full of Mongolian Larks and Mongolian Short-toed Larks, then this really was a special sort of adventure for all. 

Days 1-3 (19-21 May): After arrivals and a meeting for dinner at our hotel, our tour began before breakfast in Ulaanbaatar, a city sandwiched between forested hills to the north and open steppe-desert to the south. A stroll around the park next to the hotel gave us Little Bunting, Olive-backed Pipit and a surprise Long-tailed Rosefinch. Our journey to the far east would take two days, and the first day was relieved by a quick stop to enjoy a large Siberian House Martin colony, then lunch along the Kherlen River at Chinggis. Here, Taiga Flycatchers buzzed from the willows, a Booted Eagle drifted over and our first shorebirds appeared, including Green Sandpiper and several Wood Sandpipers. With the leader's calming (and prophetic) words of “we’ll see more of these later” to various birds seen from the cars, we pushed on east towards our surprisingly swish hotel for the night in the town of Baruun-Urt. The following morning was a bit of a surprise, as even with no inclement weather to speak of, it was immediately clear there had been an overnight arrival of migrants. A couple of small patches of trees near the hotel held several Black-faced and Little Buntings, Asian Brown, Taiga and Dark-sided Flycatchers, Arctic Warbler, many Pallas’s Leaf Warblers, a flock of 30 Hawfinches and some rather dapper Common Rosefinches. A lovely Siberian Rubythroat skulked in the riverine willows, and a hulking Thick-billed Warbler surprised us at the back of a school, competing with Eyebrowed Thrush for our attention. All was topped off by finding a Chinese Pond Heron, still a scarce migrant in these parts. 

Continuing southeast, we left the tarmac behind and began our off-roading. Steppe Eagle and Upland Buzzards were passed by, but a shout of "Oriental Plover!" had us hitting the brakes and circling back to enjoy this stunning and enigmatic shorebird. Built seemingly entirely of legs, wings and a huge white head, they often allow close approach, and this one was no exception as it treated us to extended views. Another few miles and another appeared! All in all, we logged an impressive seven on this journey. After a long day's drive, we arrived at our ready and waiting campsite for a well deserved rest and our first night under canvas in the wilds. The steppe stretched out before us as we looked north from the edge of Dornod Mongol NP, gentle hills rising behind us being the only feature in an otherwise gently rolling landscape. 

Day 4 (22 May): A full day in the Dornod Mongol NP, or “Janko Mountain” as it's also called after the most famous of its inhabitants. Despite a brisk breeze, we easily found our first pair of Jankowski’s (or Rufous-backed) Buntings sending its simple but pleasing song across the valley. The habitat here is just grass and very low sparse bushes, but it’s a combination that is increasingly rare, and the buntings are correspondingly rare with it. In fact, it is now listed as Endangered and likely to be upgraded to Critically Endangered soon. This recently discovered population in the wilds of Mongolia may yet prove to be of critical importance to the species. With this in mind, it was amazing to find a total of 20 birds comprising seven pairs and two trios in this relatively small area. The surrounding air was thick with the song of Blyth’s Pipits and the occasional Meadow Bunting, a pair of Sakers cruised the ridges and a couple of pairs of Amur Falcons were going about the important business of sorting a nest site. 

These hills also contain small valleys with dense bushes along their bottoms, and these are very attractive to north-bound migrants, being the only bushes for many, many miles in any direction. In addition to the expected Taiga Flycatchers, Black-faced Buntings and Pallas’s Warblers, we managed to connect with several Siberian Blue Robins, a Siberian Rubythroat, a couple of Siberian and Eyebrowed Thrushes, Paddyfield and Thick-billed Warblers, several Dark-sided Flycatchers, a simply stunning Yellow-rumped Flycatcher, a brief Tristram’s Bunting for a lucky couple, but best of all, a complete surprise in the form of a female Blue-fronted Redstart, being the first record for Mongolia. 

Days 5-6 (23-24 May): After a walk through the steppe and our first real views of Mongolian Short-toed Lark, along with hulking Mongolian Larks, we drove further east through some of the most impressive steppe we were to experience. The number of larks was incredible, a pair of Pallas’s Sandgrouse showed nicely along the track and we even drove alongside a sprinting Wolf for a short way, until it dropped a shoulder and disappeared off into the distance. Perhaps a bigger surprise was when a male Great Bustard rose up in front of us and lumbered slowly into the distance. Arriving around lunchtime in the Ikh Tashgaii area (after an eventful experience getting stuck in marsh!), we settled into a new habitat and began enjoying the waterbirds on offer. Stejneger’s Scoters and White-winged Black Terns entertained on the lake, and both Citrine and Eastern Yellow Wagtails added splashes of colour around the margins. A walk towards a reed fringed lake saw us get wet feet, but eventually a couple of Ochre-rumped Buntings appeared, singing from the wet grassland. In the reeds, brief views were managed of Reed Parrotbill and Bearded Reedling, but the increasing winds made viewing difficult, and given the forecast was the same for the following day we decided to cut our losses and head onwards early the next morning. It proved to be a very varied day, as we started with a good wader showing near our camp, with Asian Dowitcher, Terek Sandpiper, Long-toed Stint and Oriental Plover all performing. Another Great Bustard appeared, also immediately flying off to the north. Setting off to the north west, we first went through the border town of Khalkhgol where we logged a Black Redstart and several Oriental Turtle Doves, but the strong winds hampered our efforts here too so we continued onwards to Choibalsan. 

Days 7-8 (25-26 May): An early morning stroll around Choibalsan was surprisingly productive given the huge number of locals out enjoying the early morning cool for their fitness goals. Several Dark-sided Flycatchers and a Two-barred Warbler competed with a stunning male Bullfinch, while flocks of Pacific Swifts screamed overhead. The drive to Chukh Nuur saw us have a well-timed stop at a small lake where a flock of 70 stunning Spotted Redshanks fed with a couple of Red-necked Stints. Arriving at Chukh Nuur, we had lunch and then set about scanning the lake for our main target, Baer’s Pochard. It didn’t take too long to find, and we reckoned there were three males, along with a couple of hybrid Baer’s PochardxFerruginous Duck – an ominous sign for the future. Enjoying the pochards was our main focus for a while, but also here were large numbers of Falcated Ducks, Stejneger’s Scoters, Garganeys, Red-necked Grebe and more, all just gently milling around this highly productive lake. A marsh in the northeast corner gave us some great looks at Yellow-breasted Buntings and Eastern Marsh Harriers, while several Temminck’s Stints crept along the lake shore. The next day, after some early morning birding around the lake again, we set off back west, driving along the Ulz river valley. A couple of Great Bustards treated us to extended views, but a huge Sand Martin colony was also much appreciated, especially as it had migrant Chestnut and Yellow-breasted Buntings in attendance. Our lunch stop turned out to be well chosen too, with singing Pine Bunting eventually showing well, plus a large flock of Hawfinch and several Yellow-breasted Buntings. 

Days 9-10 (27-28 May): After an overnight camp near the town of Norovlin, we continued westwards, with a stop for Eastern Imperial Eagle, and into the Khurkh valley. A well known birding hotspot, we pitched camp and were immediately enjoying White-naped Cranes close to us. A Black Stork, a family of White-tailed Eagles and plenty of Common Cranes were also in the area, and it didn’t take long to find a small group of Hooded Cranes. Despite much searching, we couldn’t locate any Siberian Cranes, but nonetheless the valley was highly rewarding for some gentle scope scanning. After an early morning checking all of the likely crane spots, we once again headed west, stopping for lunch at Gun Galuut, before reaching Ulaanbaatar in the late afternoon.