Upon arrival in Ulaanbaatar (known invariably as ‘UB’) we will be greeted by our friendly local ground team and no doubt Pacific Swifts as they whizz above the airport terminal. Lying at an elevation of 1,300 metres, the capital city of Ulaanbaatar is the biggest settlement in the country, with a population of over 1.3 million, almost half of Mongolia’s entire population! We will transfer to a hotel on the outskirts of the city for our first night, close to the airport and the Tuul River, with its associated wetlands and surrounding stunted willow habitat. Here we can recover from the long journey by enjoying some gentle birding in the hotel garden and along the river, hoping to encounter our first exotic avian delights such as White-crowned Penduline Tit, Azure Tit, White-cheeked Starling and Long-tailed Rose-finch, as well as a host of water birds.

This morning we take a domestic flight west to the city of Khovd, from where we travel overland to the Altai Mountains for a 6 night stay in a beautifully located ger camp. With the mountains to the west and a vast lake surrounded by semi-desert steppe to the east, we will be staying in a remote and wildlife rich area. The facilities here are shared and basic, but the local team will be keen to provide everything that we need to make our stay in this remote part of Mongolia as comfortable as possible.

With an estimated 30 to 35 Snow Leopards in the area, much of our time over the next five days will be dedicated to exploring the rocky valleys and higher elevations (maximum 3,000 metres) in search of the elusive Snow Leopard in the magnificent landscape of the Altai Mountains. The majority of the observation points can be accessed with a 4 wheel drive vehicle, followed by a short walk of up to around two kilometres over largely flat terrain. However, on occasion it may be necessary to take a slightly longer walk that will demand a basic fitness and the ability to walk on rocky, uneven or steep terrain. With plenty of time in the area, we will be able to proceed at a leisurely pace that is comfortable for everyone and will allow us time to admire the breath-taking scenery, alpine flora and the birding highlights without haste.

Leaving this magical place behind, we will return back to Khovd Airport and fly to Ulaanbaatar, from where we transfer approximately 2 hours to Hustai National Park (also known as Khustain Nuruu National Park) for a 2 night stay. Home to the successfully reintroduced Przewalski’s Horse (once extinct in the wild), Hustai covers an area of over 50,000 hectares and was designated as a Special Protection Area in 1993.

After two nights in Hustai we enjoy a final morning in the park before returning to the capital where we will overnight in a comfortable city hotel. This afternoon we’ll take a brief tour of the city including a visit to Sukhbaatar Square and the National History Museum. Then, this evening, we will enjoy a folklore concert followed by a farewell dinner at a local Mongolian restaurant.