Mongolia - Mass Audubon · Overnight: Blue Sky Hotel (D) Day 2, May 27: Ulaanbaatar to Hustai National Park After breakfast, we’ll visit Gandan Monastery, the seat of Buddhism in

Mass Audubon Travel | massaudubon.org/travel | [email protected] | 800-289-9504

This itinerary brings together the best the country has to offer in terms of

birding and general natural history, unforgettable landscapes, and an

introduction to one of the world’s most beguiling cultures. We’ll gaze upon

stunning landscapes seen by few Westerners, and witness birds most

birdwatchers can only dream about: rare, beautiful, or fascinating species such

as White-naped and Demoiselle Cranes, Amur and Saker Falcons, Pallas’s

Sandgrouse, Mongolian Ground Jay, Wallcreeper, Père David’s Snowfinch, and

many migrant and resident raptors, songbirds, and waterbirds.

We also hope to find Argali, Siberian Ibex, Mongolian and Goitered Gazelles, and

the Takhi (or Przewalski’s Horse).

As befits a culture famous for its nomadic way of life, we will travel miles across

rugged landscapes. Most nights will be spent in the simple but comfortable

tents called gers in Mongolia, known as yurts in the West. Our trip will include a

visit to one of the world’s best-kept natural secrets: pristine Lake Hovsgol,

Baikal’s clean and clear little sister, surrounded by primeval larch forest

beneath snowy alpine slopes.

Mongolia: Birding and Natural History

Leader: Chris Leahy May 26–June 9, 2020

mailto:[email protected]


PACE AND COMFORT: Moderate and steady. Most days will start

between 6 and 8 am, and we’ll be out exploring and/or traveling most

days until late afternoon or early evening. This itinerary has been

designed to experience the landscapes of Mongolia as the native

nomadic herders do: covering a lot of ground and taking pleasure in the

vast open steppe. This means that there will be long drives often on dirt

tracks, stopping where we encounter interesting wildlife or irresistible

photo ops.

PHYSICAL DIFFCULTY: Moderate. There will be a mixture of trail

birding and road birding, much of it at elevations of 4000-6000 feet

(there will be 1-2 outings at 8000 feet). Most of the trails and roads are

flat or only slightly inclined. We will bird some steeper and moderately

difficult trails on at least three days of the tour (walking sticks may be

useful if you are accustomed to using them). Much of the tour involves

stops along the way as we drive from one location to another, but you

can also expect to walk 2-3 miles per day. Long drives on dirt roads may

be challenging for those with back problems or sensitivity to dust.

LODGING: Except for our stays in the capital and one lodge with

wooden cabins, we will be staying in the Mongolian tents called gers,

known elsewhere as yurts. These are private with comfortable beds and

some will have en-suite bathrooms, while other ger camps have clean,

communal facilities. Electricity is not available in some of the ger

camps, and reliable internet access is only available in Ulaanbaatar.

There is laundry service at all accommodations, though we won’t always

be staying long enough at some stops to take advantage of the service.

WEATHER: Highly variable. Days can be warm, 70-80F; nights, 40F. Be

prepared to experience hot and cold, dust and snow, sun and rain, wind

and calm—sometimes in consecutive twenty-minute intervals!

PHOTOGRAPHY: This is a birding and natural history tour, and casual

photographers will have opportunities to photograph landscapes, birds,

mammals, and many aspects of Mongolian culture. As always, please be

sensitive and ask permission before photographing people; if in doubt,

ask your guide. Because this is not a photography-focused trip,

photographers will have to adjust their expectations and timing.

Digiscoping using the tour telescopes is not permitted.

WHAT TO EXPECT

1

EXPERIENCING MONGOLIA’S

MYSTIQUE IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF

HEART

There will be long, bumpy jeep rides and no

swimming pools. Weather conditions may

require changes in flight schedules and

the timing of options during our time in

Ulaanbaatar may change accordingly.

Though the kinds of food available in

Mongolia have expanded greatly in the last

decade, we will subsist mainly on hearty

simple fare—including a number of savory

Mongolian specialties prepared by

resourceful cooks in the countryside. In the

city, the cuisine is more sophisticated.

Vegans/vegetarians/people with special

diets: please call us to discuss.

This trip is designed for those who share

enthusiasm for discovering off-the-beaten

-path destinations. In order to reap the

rewards of visiting a seldom-explored

country, we expect that you will travel with

flexibility, a willingness to accept local

standards of amenities and services, and a

sense of humor. With this in mind, you are

sure to experience the generous,

welcoming spirit that is characteristic of

the Mongolian people.

Though there will be no long or especially

strenuous hikes, we will spend long days

in the field and will sometimes make

changes in the program based on

conditions we encounter as we travel.



Day-to-Day Itinerary

2

White-naped crane

Day 1, May 26: Arrival in Ulaanbaatar

Upon arrival, we will transfer to our first-class, centrally located hotel within walking distance of various museums and shops. In the evening, we’ll have a welcome dinner at one of the capital’s best restaurants.

Overnight: Blue Sky Hotel (D)

Day 2, May 27: Ulaanbaatar to Hustai National Park

After breakfast, we’ll visit Gandan Monastery, the seat of Buddhism in Mongolia. Later, we will drive a few hours to Hustai National Park, scanning the steppe en route for our first Demoiselle Cranes, Cinereous Vultures, and Steppe Eagles. After lunch, we’ll make explore the area, looking for the world’s largest wild herd of Takhi.

Overnight: comfortable gers (yurts) (B,L,D)

Day 3, May 28: Hustai National Park to Harhorin

Hustai contains a great expanse of steppe that exists in a relatively undisturbed state and a nice matrix of other habitats that makes for good birding. We’ll spend this morning exploring the park and learning about the status of the Takhi herds and the current conservation program.

In the afternoon, we’ll drive 4 to 5 hours to Harhorin, one of Mongolia’s most important historical sites. The construction of Harhorin city was completed during the reign of Ogedei Khan, Genghis Khan’s third son, who, in 1228, inherited the empire his father created. It is located within the beautiful valley of the Orkhon River, which bears hundreds of historically and archeologically significant sites going back 2000 years. These burial sites, deer stones, and ruins of cities all predate the time of Genghis Khan.


Day 4, May 29: Harhorin to Ongiin Hiid

After a morning visit to the impressively restored Erdene Zuu monastery, we’ll head south to Ongiin Hiid, located at the northern edge of the Gobi desert. Our 5-to-6-hour drive will be broken up with birding stops including a shallow lake that often holds a variety of waterfowl such as Whooper Swans and Ruddy Shelducks.

Ongiin Hiid Monastery, once called the “Pearl of the Gobi,“ was on the crossroads of Central Asian Silk Road camel caravans. We will have a chance to explore the monastery ruins and surrounding hills on foot and stay at our well-appointed new ger camp, beautifully situated on the banks of the Ongiin River.


Day 5, May 30: Ongiin Hiid to Hongoryn Els

We’ll get an early start this morning exploring a variety of landscapes from stony mountain gorges to rolling shrub steppe and dry river beds with native elms, which may attract migrant songbirds at this date. The area is so far unexplored by ornithologists, so any birds we record will be new data.

Starting from the mid-1990s, lama Bat-erdene has been working single-handedly to bring this once-flourishing Buddhist center back to life. For over 20 years, he has taught basics of Buddhist teachings to more than 30 local children, many of whom now study in India and elsewhere before returning to help their teacher with his work. The founding lama of this monastery, Barigri Damtsagdorj (1781-

Hustai ger

Deerstones


Mass Audubon Travel | massaudubon.org/travel | [email protected] | 800-289-9504 3

1848), has recently been reincarnated in the Gobi, and there is hope that this place will come fully back to life in the near future.

After an early lunch, we will drive much of the afternoon deeper into the Gobi to arrive at the Hongoryn Els, Mongolia’s most impressive expanse of sand dunes. Birding stops along our 6-hour drive will depend on local conditions: for example, we may stop at a lake bed that can be teeming with waterbirds or completely dry. Depending on time and energy, we may make a late afternoon stop near the dunes for “sundowners“ before heading to our nearby camp. Tonight’s lodging, with a view of the dunes, consists of wooden cabins with private bathrooms.

Overnight: cabins (B,L,D)

Day 6, May 31: ArHongoryn Els and the Gobi Sun Lodge

Hongoryn Els extends for 60 miles alongside the Gobi Altai Mountain range and reaches 2,500 feet in height.

We’ll start the day exploring the dunes and other desert habitats looking for birds and end the morning with a visit to a local camel breeder family with a chance to ride Bactrian camels. After lunch at the lodge, we’ll head to our next night’s lodging. On the way, we’ll watch for herds of

gazelles, stop at a reliable site for the very local Mongolian Ground Jay, and examine some ancient petroglyphs at a small rocky outcrop before arriving at our comfortable accommodations for the next two nights.

Overnight: Gobi Sun Lodge (B,L,D)

Day 7, June 1: Yol Valley and Flaming Cliffs

We will depart very early this morning and head for Yol Valley National Park, cradled within the Gurvan Saikan (Three Beauties) range of the Altai Mountains. One reason to arrive early is to have the best chance to see the local herd of Argali and Siberian Ibex while they are still foraging in view. Another is to take advantage of some of Mongolia’s best birding for species such as Père David’s

Snowfinch, the exceedingly local Kozlov’s Accentor, Wallcreeper, Beautiful Rosefinch, and many others.

By midmorning, the valley’s namesake, the Yol (or Lammergeier), usually appears along with its close relatives, Cinereous and Griffon Vultures. We will explore a deep-stream gorge where some of last winter’s ice remains, surrounded by the striking juniper-clad peaks.

We’ll return to our lodge for lunch (or bring a packed lunch).In the late afternoon, we’ll drive across the desert to the legendary “Flaming Cliffs,“ named for red-orange sandstone. The Mongolian name for this area is Bayan Zag, which refers to an expanse of saxaul forest growing near the cliffs. This characteristically small desert tree is the foundation of a unique (increasingly threatened) habitat with a number of endemic species, and we will take time to explore it a bit. Overnight: Gobi Sun Lodge (B,L,D)

Day 8, June 2: Return to Ulaanbaatar

We will drive to Dalanzadgad this morning to catch our flight back to the capital.

Flights depart at 8:40 AM and arriving at UB at 10 AM

We will have the opportunity to see more of Ulaanbaatar, experience more of its rich cultural heritage, visit the Fine Arts Zanabazar Museum, and perhaps do some shopping for cashmere or other fine Mongolian products.

We’ll have dinner at another of the city’s fine dining restaurants. Overnight: Blue Sky Hotel (B,L,D)

Day 9, June 3: Ulaanbaatar to Gun-Galuut Nature Reserve

After an early breakfast, we’ll head east from Ulaanbaatar, 2.5 hours to the Gun-Galuut Nature Reserve.

Among the special natural attractions, we will hope to find here a small population of the endangered Argali and the graceful White-naped Crane, which is even rarer. There is

Bactrian camel ride

Saker Falcon above Flaming Cliffs



also a chain of small lakes likely to hold an interesting variety of shorebirds and other waterbirds at this season. Our ger camp here overlooks the valley.


Day 10, June 4: Gun-Galuut to Ulaanbaatar

We will spend a full morning exploring the Gun-Galuut Nature Reserve and after lunch drive back to Ulaanbaatar. In the evening, we’ll enjoy a performance featuring traditional Mongolian musicians, dancers, and hoomi (throat) singers followed by a dinner at yet another excellent local restaurant.

Overnight: Blue Sky Hotel (B,L,D)

Day 11, June 5: Murun and Lake Hovsgol

Flight departs Ulaanbaatar at10:40 am, arrivies at Murun at 12:20 pm.

Arriving in Murun, the capital of Hovsgol Province, we will drive overland to Lake Hovsgol (approximately 2.5 hours), with birding stops en route as time allows. Overnight in a lakeside ger camp with private bathrooms and excellent birding opportunities on site.


Days 12&13, June 6–7: Lake Hovsgol

We have 2 full days to explore Mongolia’s largest lake by water volume, Hovsgol. It is over 800 feet deep and contains 1 percent of the world’s fresh water. Though fed by over 90 rivers and streams, water exits the lake only through the Egiin River, which eventually flows into Lake Baikal in neighboring Siberia. Birdlife and wildflowers abound, and we will have ample time to discover the lake's secrets during our time there. Our camp is surrounded by forest and sited between the main lake and a smaller pond with nesting Horned Grebes and other specialties of this boreal taiga ecoregion.


Day 14, June 8: Return to Ulaanbaatar

Today, we will return to Murun for our flight back to Ulaanbaatar.

Flight from Murun to Ulaanbaatar departs at 12:40 pm and arrives at 2:10 pm.

We may investigate a nearby site of unique and still mysterious Bronze Age “deer stones.“ Upon arrival in Ulaanbaatar, we will transfer to our comfortable hotel.

Overnight: Blue Sky Hotel (B,L,D)

Day 15, June 9: Homeward bound

We will make the short drive from downtown Ulaanbaatar to Chinggis Khan International Airport to catch our flights home.

Gun-Galuut, by sergelen1 via Flickr (CC by 2.0)



Mass Audubon Naturalist

Chris Leahy retired from Mass Audubon in the spring of 2017 after a 45-year career as a professional naturalist and conservationist, and he continues to work on selected conservation projects under the Bertrand Chair (emeritus). He was the first occupant of the Gerard A. Bertrand Chair of Natural History and Field Ornithology at the Massachusetts Audubon Society from 2001 to 2017. His comprehensive interest in natural history began in childhood, and he is a recognized authority on birds and insects.

During his long career at Mass Audubon, Chris has been deeply involved in all of Mass Audubon’s mission functions, including land protection, ecological management, scientific research, education, and advocacy.

In the early 1970s he was instrumental in the development of the organization’s international Natural History Travel Program, one of the first of its kind in the world, designing and leading natural history explorations to more than 80 countries on all of the continents. He is especially fascinated with the world’s great remaining wilderness areas and biodiversity hot spots, especially those with rich indigenous cultures such as Mongolia, Bhutan, Gabon, and Madagascar.

Chris’s published works include The Birdwatcher ’s Companion to North American Birdlife (Princeton University Press, 2nd edition, 2004), The First Guide to Insects in the Peterson series (Houghton-Mifflin), Introduction to New England Birds (Mass Audubon), and The Nature of Massachusetts (Addison-Wesley). He is co-author (with Gombobaatar Sundev) of the first comprehensive English language guide to the Birds of Mongolia published by Bloomsbury Press in August 2019. He initiated Mass Audubon’s State of the Birds series, and co-authored the first two installments, published in 2011 and 2013 and is the editor of a series of authoritative books on the flora and fauna of New England.

He grew up in Marblehead, Massachusetts and has lived in nearby Gloucester with his family since the 1970s.

Main Tour Price: $5800 per person, double occupancy. Single supplement: $800 (single rooms are very limited). Price based on a minimum of 10 travelers. If the group does not reach the minimum, additional small group supplement fee (~$300) may be added. Price Includes:

All meals and accommodations as shown in the itinerary

Services of Mass Audubon naturalist leader Local guides and naturalists All excursions and entrance fees Extensive trip preparation notes and bird checklist Transportation within Mongolia, including internal

flights Medical evacuation insurance Carbon offset credits for your international flights All tips and gratuities (included if we have the

minimum of 10)

Price Excludes:

International airfare Passport and visa fees; trip cancellation insurance Airport taxes; excess baggage charges Items of a personal nature, including alcoholic

beverages, laundry, and telephone calls; other items not specifically mentioned as included.

HOW TO BOOK

Email or call us at [email protected] or 800-289-9504 to reserve your place.

APPLICATIONS, RESERVATIONS, DEPOSITS Early applications are strongly encouraged. Trip rosters usually must be finalized 4 months before departure! All applications must be accompanied by a completed reservation form and $500 deposit. Deposits can be by check or credit card (Visa or MasterCard). We reserve the right to decline your application. In the case of questionable health, we reserve the right to require a physician’s certification to affirm you are capable of the activities. Final payment is due 90 days before the departure date. Final payment must be by check or money order.


mailto:[email protected]/%20800.289.9504

mailto:[email protected]/%20800.289.9504


RATES: All tour prices are based on double occupancy. If you would like us to find you a roommate, we will do our best, but cannot guarantee a share. If we cannot find a share, you will need to pay the single supplement. All forms and fares are accurate at the time of publication (October 2019) but are subject to change at any time prior to departure. It is our policy to only pass on the actual amount of any increases in airfares or land costs such as those increases due to the devaluation of the dollar. Rarely, a price increase may be called for if the group falls below the minimum, as listed in the itinerary.

TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: A U.S. passport valid for at least six months beyond the trip’s departure date is required.

FLIGHTS: You, the traveler, are responsible for booking and paying for your own international flights. Once you reserve your space, we will provide you with suggested flights and tell you which flights our staff will take. You may book flights directly with the airline, online, or with a travel agent. Please be aware that most tickets are non-refundable, therefore you should not book your flight arrangements until you have checked with us to be sure the tour has the minimum number of participants for the trip to go. We ask that you provide us with your flight details

TRIP INSURANCE: A brochure and application for optional trip cancellation, illness, and baggage insurance will be sent to you upon registration. We strongly recommend that you purchase trip cancellation insurance to protect yourself. See insuremytrip.com.

PHOTOS: Mass Audubon reserves the right to make use of any photographs taken on the tour. We guarantee that no photos of a compromising nature will be used. If you have questions or concerns, please contact us.

PHOTOS, FRONT AND BACK COVER: Hiking, by Chris Leahy (front); Dinner by the Flaming Cliffs, and Ongiin Hiid Monastery (back).

PHOTO CREDITS: All photos by or courtesy of Dave Larson except as indicated.

CANCELLATION POLICY: If you need to change your booking, you must inform us immediately in writing. All cancellations must be done in writing and are effective upon receipt in the Massachusetts Audubon Travel Office.

Cancellations received up to 121 days prior to departure will be refunded deposits less a $300 per person fee. For cancellations between 120 and 90 days prior to departure, no deposits will be refunded, but any payment balance will. There are no refunds for cancellations 90 days or less from departure. We strongly urge all travelers to purchase trip cancellation insurance. You will be sent information from the Massachusetts Audubon Society upon receipt of your deposit. YOUR RESPONSIBILITY: Although every precaution is taken to safeguard you and your belongings, group travel trips by their nature involve a certain amount of risk. Trip participants should understand that the domestic and international trips sponsored/operated by Massachusetts Audubon Society (Mass Audubon Tours)—hereafter collectively “M.A.S.“—involve known and unknown risks. M.A.S. assumes no responsibility for injuries, death, financial losses or damage to clients’ property caused by or occurring during participation in any of the travel trips sponsored/operated by M.A.S. Trip participants must assume responsibility for having sufficient skill and fitness to participate in the trips and activities offered or sponsored by M.A.S. Trip participants must also certify that they have no medical, mental or physical conditions which could interfere with their abilities to participate in the activities and/or trips they are participating in and they must assume and bear the cost of all risks that may be created, directly or indirectly, by any such condition. It is the responsibility of trip participants to have in place adequate insurance to cover any injury, damage or emergency transportation costs related to their travel and/or participation in trip activities and/or to bear the costs of such injury, damage or emergency transportation costs. Because of the risks associated with the travel trips sponsored by M.A.S. we urge all trip participants to supplement their own insurance with travel or vacation or emergency response types of insurance. M.A.S. requires that all trip participants acknowledge and assume these risks by reading and signing an M.A.S. Release and Waiver and Assumption of Risk contract prior to departure. CONDITIONS OF TRAVEL: Travelers will be provided with an itinerary and trip preparation information. It is expected that travelers will read this information prior to trip departure. Travelers will be responsible for completing an application reservation form, including the personal information and a release of liability (see attached). Travelers will be expected to abide by the terms set for in the invoice. During the tour, travelers are asked to respect and follow the directions of their guide and leader.


http://www.insuremytrip.com



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Mongolia - Mass Audubon · Overnight: Blue Sky Hotel (D) Day 2, May 27: Ulaanbaatar to Hustai National Park After breakfast, we’ll visit Gandan Monastery, the seat of Buddhism in