Few locations ship such dramatic contrasts in a single journey as Mongolia. From the huge openness of the steppe, the place wild horses graze beneath infinite skies, to the stark rock formations of the Gobi and the snowcapped peaks of the Altai, Mongolia is a land of shifting horizons. For vacationers who crave selection, Nat Hab’s Untamed Mongolia journey reveals altering gentle, numerous cultures and uncommon wildlife throughout three defining biomes in a single itinerary.
On this Nat Hab expedition, non-public chartered flights carry you swiftly throughout immense distances, maximizing time in nature. Alongside the best way, meet Mongol herders on the steppe, uncover conventional archery within the Altai, and go to Kazakh households whose nomadic traditions have endured for hundreds of years.
Takhi horses, Hustai Nationwide Park, Mongolia
What Makes Mongolia’s Landscapes Distinctive?
Mongolia is a land of extremes. Its 604,000 sq. miles maintain deserts that freeze in winter, alpine peaks that stay snowcapped via summer time, and huge grasslands that assist one of many planet’s nice mammal migrations.
Every of Mongolia’s biomes tells a unique story:
- On the steppe, the final true wild horses—Przewalski’s horses—graze alongside giant herds of gazelles.
- The desert reveals granite cliffs and crimson rock, residence to argali sheep, Siberian ibex and cinereous vultures.
- The Altai Mountains rise in sharp distinction, with snowcapped peaks the place tribal archers reveal centuries-old Uriankhai strategies.
In a single journey, you progress from steppe to abandon to mountains, witnessing contrasts and cultures that outline Mongolia.
Steppe: What Grows on Mongolia’s Grassland?
Grassland steppe covers about 332,000 sq. miles—55% of Mongolia—and is taken into account the final remaining pristine grassland in Eurasia.
The steppe is residence to:
- An estimated 2 million Mongolian gazelles, whose annual migration is likely one of the final large-scale migrations within the northern hemisphere
- 5,000 critically endangered saiga antelopes, making a comeback in neighboring Kazakhstan
- Przewalski’s horse, Mongolia’s nationwide animal, reintroduced to the steppes and an emblem of the nation’s wild heritage
- The elusive Pallas’s cat, stronghold populations within the Japanese Steppe
- About 180 recorded chicken species, each migratory and native
- Greater than 20,000 herding households, elevating numerous livestock as their major livelihood
At Hustai Nationwide Park, Nat Hab visitors get pleasure from unique permission for a non-public 360° cellular ger camp on the sting of the Core Zone, usually closed to vacationers. From this base, wildlife drives attain analysis areas usually off-limits, timed for optimum viewing. Anticipate intimate encounters with Przewalski’s horses, plus possibilities to see Mongolian wolves, pink deer and steppe raptors. Nights are illuminated by the Milky Method, unbroken by metropolis glow.
Discovering the Desert: Ikh Nart Nature Reserve
Established in 1996, Ikh Nart Nature Reserve spans about 257 sq. miles on the Gobi’s northern edge, the place steppe meets semi-desert. Rocky outcrops, shrublands and canyons see temperatures from –40°F in winter to 109°F in summer time.
About 110 pastoral households dwell with their livestock, migrating seasonally inside the reserve. For wildlife, Ikh Nart is essential habitat for:
- greater than 1,000 argali sheep
- lots of of ospreys, the biggest inhabitants in Mongolia
- dense populations of cinereous vultures and kestrels
- goitered and Mongolian gazelles
- Siberian ibex
- Mongolian wolves
As soon as thought of a “paper park” with out adequate administration, Ikh Nart is now a conservation mannequin. Lengthy-term analysis and group engagement have boosted argali and ibex by 200–300% and elevated cinereous vulture fledging success by about 35%. In 2012, UNDP acknowledged Ikh Nart as a Mannequin Protected Space.
Friends in a single day in a everlasting ger camp, watching dawn paint the granite crimson. Chartered flights out and in preserve the give attention to exploration, not street time.
Conventional Kazakh apparel, Altai, Mongolia
Shifting in Mountains: Conventional Archery & Kazakh Hospitality within the Altai-Sayan Ecoregion
The Altai-Sayan Ecoregion spans the boundary of Siberian taiga and Central Asian desert—a mosaic of snowcapped peaks, alpine valleys and larch forests.
The realm options:
- About 159,000 sq. miles of forestland, roughly 39% of the area
- 3,700 plant species (16% uncommon or endangered, 9% endemic)
- 650 vertebrate species, together with Altai argali, the critically endangered Mongolian saiga and the elusive snow leopard
Regardless of its harsh local weather, the Altai holds:
- 27,000 lakes
- Glaciers storing about 11.8 cubic miles of freshwater
- The Ob and Yenisei Rivers, two of the world’s largest watersheds
Within the excessive nation, vacationers encounter cultural traditions formed by the mountains. Witness a conventional archery demonstration, discovering historic Uriankhai strategies as tribal archers show exceptional precision and energy.
Later, go to a neighboring Kazakh household. Kazakhs dwell largely in Bayan-Ulgii province, many having migrated from Xinjiang within the early twentieth century to flee civil struggle, with a second wave resettling within the Nineteen Forties. At this time, greater than 120,000 Kazakhs dwell in Mongolia, sustaining a nomadic way of life that has endured for hundreds of years.
We’re welcomed into the household’s conventional Kazakh ger, distinctive in its design from Mongolian gers and warmed by a wood-burning range. Our hosts supply airag (fermented mare’s milk tea) and hand-made curd merchandise. Inside, colourful felt carpets cowl the ground and intricately stitched tapestries adorn the partitions, every embroidery sample distinctive to the household. Find out about their herding practices and cultural traditions, then return to camp by late afternoon for dinner and, climate allowing, a stargazing session with our Expedition Chief—the Altai’s evening skies are among the many darkest on Earth.
How Do Mongolia’s Nomadic Cultures Mirror the Land?
Mongolia’s cultural range mirrors its geography.
- On the steppe, Mongol herders dwell intently with horses and blended herds of sheep, cashmere goats, cattle/yaks and Bactrian camels towards the Gobi. Their lifestyle is formed by infinite horizons and ample grazing.
- Within the Altai, Kazakh households herd livestock and observe abilities reminiscent of archery, embroidery and feltwork. Their gers are adorned with colourful textiles, every design distinctive to a household.
Collectively, these traditions illustrate how human adaptation is inseparable from land and local weather. For vacationers, these encounters convey human texture to Mongolia’s wild landscapes.
Mongolia Journey FAQs
What’s one of the simplest ways to discover Mongolia’s huge landscapes?
Most Mongolia itineraries contain lengthy, tough drives. Nat Hab eliminates this with non-public chartered flights, carrying visitors on to Ikh Nart and onward between areas. You spend your days on wildlife drives and cultural visits, not in transit, and acquire a placing chicken’s-eye view of grasslands, desert ridges and glaciated peaks.
The place do vacationers keep on Nat Hab’s journey?
Three distinctive ger experiences anchor the route:
- A non-public 360° cellular ger camp in Hustai, with unique permission to camp close to the Core Zone
- A everlasting ger camp in Ikh Nart, surrounded by granite outcrops and canyons
- A luxurious ger camp within the Altai, the place tribal archers reveal historic abilities and Kazakh households welcome us into their houses
Every camp blends cultural authenticity with trendy consolation and small-group intimacy.
What’s a ger?
A ger is a conventional Mongolian yurt. White and spherical, it’s constructed with a wood body, supporting columns and layers of felt that present insulation in excessive temperatures. Nat Hab vacationers are welcomed into gers, sharing meals and every day rhythms.
What wildlife can I count on to see?
The itinerary targets optimum viewing in every biome:
- Hustai Nationwide Park: Przewalski’s horse, Mongolian wolf, pink deer
- Ikh Nart Nature Reserve: argali sheep, Siberian ibex, cinereous vultures
- Altai-Sayan Ecoregion: Altai argali, Mongolian saiga, golden eagles and the not often seen snow leopard
