Expedition to the north of Mongolia

18+
Mongolia
Expedition to the north of Mongolia
Location
Mongolia
Duration
11 days
Difficulty level
Age
18+
Length
пешая часть 140 км
Group structure
8-10 человек

Description

Contrary to the common belief that Mongolia is a country covered with steppes and deserts, here in the north woodlands are still preserved. These lush forests cover the Altaiain Mountains, on the southern ridges of the East Sayans. Due to scarcely populated and underdeveloped areas in the region the odds of meeting a bear, marten or a lynx are quite high. Khubsugul Lake, which is along our route, is full of fish.

To take part in our expedition you have to have to be in good physical shape, this is because it requires about 20-25km of walking a day. Before you participate in the expedition we strongly recommend that you pass our 2 day and basic courses. If you are a complete beginner however, and you want to dive into the world of the wild taiga then call us! Our instructor will meet you and assess your capabilities.

The route of this expedition takes 12 days along the eastern shore of the Lake, from the Khatgal settlement to Khankh. En route we will make stops to rest in the most beautiful and interesting places.

Duration: 12 days

Lenth: 180 km

Initial meeting place: city of  Ulan-Bator, Mongolia

Group consists of 6-8 people

Price per person: 1000 EUR

Minors (under 18 years of age) get a 15% discount only if they take the trip with a parent.

Club discount - 7%

Route description

Day 1
The group meets up in the capital of Mongolia, in the city of Ulan-Bator. Before we board an UaZik, which is a kind of Russian mini-van in order to head to the west of the country, we will still have a few hours to go for a sightseeing tour and visit the statue of Genghis-Khan. We will spend the rest of the day on the road over the steppes in North Mongolia heading to the settlement of Muren.

Day 2
Upon our morning arrival in Muren, we will have a chance to get acquainted with the local traditions and customs; you will see with your own eyes a combination of a nomadic life style and a vast majority of people who came there as colonists to build stationary settlements. In the afternoon, we will have to go to the Khatkhal settlement. We will spend the night on the shores of Khubsugul Lake.

Day 3
This is where the walking part of the trip begins. Taking off to the north of Khatkhal we find ourselves in Khubsugul National Park, where the biggest lake in Mongolia is situated. Our route goes over highlands at a height of 1500m above sea level.

Day 4
Surmounting relatively flat land characteristic of the southern extremity of the Lake, we get to the beginning of a truly impressive area, here the western shore of Khubsugul Lake stretches north for 12o kilometers. Further along this route is the cedar-larch taiga which is perhaps the most southern taiga on the planet.

Day 5
We will spend the night in a camp that we have built on the shore of a mountainous stream with crystal-clear water before we set off to the north, walking a narrow path between the lake and ridges of the East Sayans rising above on the right. On average we will walk around 20 kilometers per day and use our remaining energy to explore the area and do some sightseeing.

Day 6
We will rest all day. However, before we do we will have to choose an appropriate place, whith strong winds that will save us from irksome mosquitoes and other biting insects, situated near water so we can shelter ourselves from the summer heat by having the chilly lake nearby and with a sufficient amount of firewood that we will use to warm ourselves during the cooler night. Those who want to may go fishing.

Day 7
We take off to the north. The path still meanders around the eastern shore of Khubsugul Lake. Yet the environment begins changing. Relatively gentle slopes turn into rocky ledges. En route we will have to overcome some obstacles in the form of small rivers. Depending on the amount of precipitation in the summer as we cross them we may walk over the dry stone bed or by wading though a tumultuous stream, tying ourselves together and holding hands for safety.

Day 8
To conserve our energy while still covering about 20 kilometers per day, we will devote the rest of the day to exploring the area. All throughout ancient Mongolian history, this land was a refuge for the tribes who fled into the woods to hide from neighboring tribes and invading conquerors. Who knows maybe we will get lucky and find one such site.

Day 9
The northern extremity of the Khubsugul Lake is dotted with canyons and gullies, across which numerous streams flow down the Sayans into the Lake. It takes about an hour or two to cross them. This is also why we started our route from the south, from a section that is easier to cross. At the end of the route all the participants will know each other well, and will begin trusting each other; this is the most important way to guarantee that the most dangerous challenges of the tour will be surmounted.

Day 10
Finishing our route along Khubsugul Lake, we will rest on the last day there. After setting up a field camp, we will make a sauna, swim in the waters of the crystal clear mountainous lake and say goodbye to the beauties of the National Park.

Day 11
We will arrive at the settlement of Khankh, our final destination in Mongolia. Saying good bye to the friendly Mongolian peoples and visiting a local shop when we board a soviet Uazik, a kind of Russian mini-van, then drive an unpaved road to the Russian border. We will cross the border close to the Mondy settlement, arriving in the western portion of the Republic of Buryatia. Here we will spend the night a kilometer away from that settlement on the shores of the Irkut River.

Day 12
400 kilometers separate us from the Trans-Siberian railroad. We will have to travel this road by taking a local marshrutka, a kind of van that can be ridden if fare is paid, a mixture between taxi cab and bus. The final point of our route is the city of Sludyanka which is located to the south of Lake Baikal. From there we can get to Irkutsk or Ulan-Ude or even spend a few days on the world’s oldest and deepest lake!

The above plan is flexible. En route some corrections can be made due in the route and the way we return to Khatgal.

  • all transfers on the route
  • food
  • instructor’s service
  • rent of common equipment (tents, cooking equipment, GPS, etc.)

Additional expenses:

  • travel expenses to and from initial meeting place 
  • rent of personal equipment
  • cafes and restaurant expenses
  • personal expenses
Do You want to go to this trek individually or with your family or friends only? We can find convinient dates for you and we will help you to buy tickets to the meeting point. Just call or write us!

Have any questions? Call +7 916 1765430 or send email on  info@wolfin.ru 

Route

г. Улан-Батор г. Мурен поселок Хатгал оз. Хубсугул поселок Турт поселок Слюдянка г. Иркутск

Event program

1-ый день
1-ый день

Группа встречается в столице Монголии, городе Улан-Баторе. Несколько часов, чтобы ознакомиться с городскими достопримечательностями

2-ой день
2-ой день

Добравшись до поселка Мурен, на утро у нас появится возможность познакомиться с местными нравами и обычаями

3-ий день
3-ий день

Начинается пешеходная часть нашего маршрута. Выдвинувшись на север от поселка Хатгал, мы попадаем в национальный парк «Хубсугул»

4-ый день
4-ый день

Преодолев относительно равнинный участок, мы добираемся до начала действительно впечатляющего участка пути – восточного берега озера Хубсугул

5-ый день
5-ый день

Переночевав в лагере, оборудованном своими руками на берегу горного ручья с кристально чистой водой, мы выдвигаемся дальше на север

6-ой день
6-ой день

Весь день мы посвятим отдыху. Правда, для этого еще заранее необходимо выбрать наиболее подходящее место, продуваемое ветром, который избавит нас от надоедливого гнуса и комаров

7-ой день
7-ой день

Мы выдвигаемся дальше на север. Тропа наша по-прежнему вьется по восточному берегу озера Хубсугул. А вот характер местности начинает меняться.

8-ой день
8-ой день

Стараясь сильно не уставать, но при этом преодолевать около 20 километров за один день, мы посвящаем остальное время разведке окружающей местности. 

9-ый день
9-ый день

Северная оконечность озера Хубсугул изрезана многочисленными каньонами и оврагами, по которым с Саян в озеро стекают многочисленные речушки.

10-ый день
10-ый день

Завершая наш путь вдоль озера Хубсугул, последний день нашего пешеходного маршрута мы посвятим отдыху.

11-ый день
11-ый день

Мы выходим к поселку Ханх, нашей финальной точке на территории Монголии. 

12-ый день
12-ый день

От Транссиба нас отделяют 400 километров, которые уже по асфальтовой трассе нам и предстоит проехать на местной маршрутке. 

What you need to do

Visa

You need no visa

Equipment

List of required equipment you can find here

Insurance

You need active sport insurance

Tickets

Initial meeting point — city of Ulan-Bator

Included in the price

  • Guide's service
  • Transfers in program
  • Camp food
  • Group equipment incl tents
  • Group medical kit

Not included in the price

  • Staying in hotels, hostels etc.
  • Tickets to initial point
  • Personal expenses
  • Rent of personal equipment
  • Medical insurance
  • Visits of cafes and restaurants
  • Souvenirs