Birding in the South

Day 1: To South Gobi

Pickup from your hotel and transfer to airport for flight to Dalanzadgad.  Meet your expedition vehicle(s) at the airport and drive to Yoliin Am /Lammergeier Valley/with packed lunch. The valley is located within Gobi Gurvansaikhan /Three Beauty/ National Park and named after the Lammergeier, which is called Yol in Mongolia and is very beautiful deep canyon with high rocky cliffs. Birding on the way to get there. Overnight in a Ger camp.

Open land and steppe: Cinereous vulture, Steppe eagle, Oriental plover, Greater sand plover, Desert and pied wheatear, Asian desert warbler. Mongolian finch,

Green wall tree nursing centers: MIGRANTS PASSING. Desert grey shrike, Dauring shrike, Oriental turtle dove, Eagle owl*,

Day 2: To Yol Valley

Early morning drive to Yoliin Am /70 km/.  Birding there until lunch time. Birding at the Poplars before and after dinner

Yoliin am: MIGRANTS PASSING. Lammergeier, Cinereous vulture, Himalayan and Eurasian griffin, Saker falcon, Little owl, Altai snowcock, Chukar, Kozlov’s brown alpine accentors, Great* and Chinese beautiful rosefinch Wallcreeper, White winged snowfinch.

Day 3: To Bayanzag

After breakfast, drive to Bayanzag, /100 km/ means rich in saxaul, also known as Flaming Cliffs, is most famous for yielding the first discovery of dinosaur eggs. Have a packed lunch.

On the way to Bayanzag: Oriental plover, Greater sandplover, Pallas’s sandgrouse, Dal brigade (agricultural spot with trees). Migrants Passing. Dark sided Taiga and Asian brown flycatcher, Daurian shrike, Oriental turtle dove,

Day 4: To Khongor Sands Dunes

Early morning drive to Khongor Sand Dunes/170 km/, also called Duut Mankhan is known as the “Singing Sands”, which extends about 180 km.  The bottom of the dunes is a small river named Khongoriin Gol, which is sourced by subterranean flows the mountains forming its valley. Have a packed lunch. Overnight at Ger Camp.

On the way to sand dunes:

Orientail plover, Pallas’s sandgrouse, Desert warbler, Henderson’s ground jay, Mongolian finch, Maqueen’s bustard

Hongor sand dune and Hongor river:

MIGRANTS PASSING. Saxual sparrow, desert grey shrike, Henderson’s ground jay, Pallas’s sandgouse,

Day 5: Khongor Sand Dunes

Full day birding at Khongor Sand Dunes and Khongor river.

Day 6: To Orog Lake

Early morning drive to north into the mountain Ikh bogd to Orog Nuur/ Orog lake/ 300 km/ via Bayanlig  soum. (Tentipi/BLD). The lake is the second big lake of lake valleys and elevated at 1217 m and non outflow and Tuin river from Khangai mountain range drain into it.   Birding on the way. Have a packed lunch.

Day 7-8: To Boontsagaan Lake

Birding at Orog lake until lunch time. Drive to west to Boon Tsagaan Nuur/180 km/. This lake is the biggest lake of Valley of the Lakes and elevated at 1316m, is a large saline and deep lake in the Gobi that is known for the excellence of its bird watching opportunities. Have a packed lunch.

At Boontsagaan Nuur: Pallas’s fish eagle, Dalmatian pelican, Swan and Bar headed geese, Pallas’s and Relict gulls, Eurasian spoonbill, Pallas’s sandgrouse/

Day 9: To Arvaikheer province

Full day drive  Arvaikheer province /350 km/via Bayankhongor province . Tarmac road has been competed most of the way. Have a packed lunch. Overnight near Arvaiheer in tentipi tents.

Day 10: To Ogii Lake

Full day drive to Ogii Nuur,/180 km/ located in Arkhangai province and a fresh water lake. Have a packed lunch.

Ogii lake (deep and marshy lake):

Pallas’s fish eagl , Black throated loon, swan-bar headed geese, various duck grebes and waders, Relict gull, Mongolian gull,

Day 11: To Hustai National Park

Very early morning birding at Ogii Nuur and then full day drive to Hustai National Park /200 km/. Picnic lunch en route and then birding until and after dinner.

Day 12: To Ulaanbaatar

Early morning birding in Hustai National Park and after lunch drive to Ulaanbaatar/100 km/. Transfer to your hotel in Ulaanbaatar.

Dates 2020 ex Ulaanbaatar:

Mid May to Mid June.
Mid August to Mid September.

PRICE 2020 ex Ulaanbaatar:

2 – 12 members: USD 3700 per person

Single supplement (11n):  USD 440

Practicalities:

Transport:

This tour is supported by a jeep or minibus depending on the number of travelers. Dependent on flight times and days, the trip may be done in reverse direction.

Accommodation:

We stay in Ger (yurt) camps and tentipi tents for the duration of this trip. The permanent camps are equipped with a restaurant and shared bathroom and shower blocks. Tentipi camps have a mobile restaurant and shared tent bathroom and shower blocks.

Staff:

An English-speaking Mongolian guide will accompany you at all times. Other language guides such as Russian, French, German, Italian, Korean etc. available at additional cost, upon request.

Meals:

The meals will be provided in the ger camps, or as picnic lunches and in a mobile restaurant during the tentipi accommodated days.

Including:

All meals in outside Ulaanbaatar. Local guide. Cook. Camping equipment. Bus for max 12+1 persons.  Support vehicle from 8+1 pax. All entrance fees to national parks and monuments. All night accommodation in shared double Tentipi tents and Ger camp accommodations. Domestic flight ticket.

Excluding:

Beverages. Visa, air or train tickets in and out Mongolia. Meals and hotel accommodations in Ulaanbaatar. Arrival and departure transfers.