Scheduled · 15–21 August 2027
Wild horses, sand dunes and the ancient capital of the Mongol Empire, followed in the best light of the day.
This journey crosses the heart of Mongolia in seven days. It begins with a mini naadam festival at a nomad camp, with wrestling, horse racing, archery, long-song and the horse-head fiddle, and an evening in Hustai National Park looking for Przewalski's horses, the takhi. From there we follow steppe tracks to the dunes of Elsen Tasarkhai, visit a herding family and reach Kharkhorin, once the capital of the Mongol Empire, with Erdene Zuu Monastery and its walls of white stupas. We camp on the Tuul River and at Ögii Lake, return to Ulaanbaatar for an evening of folk music and spend the last night in Gorkhi-Terelj National Park.
Proposed Itinerary
We drive to Argalant for an afternoon at a mini naadam festival at a nomad camp: wrestling, horse racing, archery, long-song and the horse-head fiddle. In the evening light we look for Przewalski's horses, the takhi, in Hustai National Park, then make camp on the bank of the Tuul River near Öndörshireet (about 150 km).
Overnight: Photolink field camp on the Tuul River, or a local ger camp in bad weather.
Early light in Hustai, then off-road steppe tracks to Elsen Tasarkhai. We visit a herding family and stay for sunset on the dunes, with an optional camel ride.
Overnight: Photolink field camp, or a local ger camp in bad weather.
Khögnö Khan and the ruins of Övgön Monastery, then on to Kharkhorin: Erdene Zuu Monastery, the Kharkhorum Museum and Turtle Rock. The evening over the Orkhon Valley.
Overnight: hotel in Kharkhorin.
The Bilge Khan and Kül Tegin monuments at Khöshöö Tsaidam and the ruins of Khar Bukh Balgas, then on to Ögii Lake for sunset, birdlife and the night sky.
Overnight: Photolink field camp, or a local ger camp in bad weather.
A morning on the lake, then back to Ulaanbaatar via Bayannuur. In the evening, a Mongolian folk performance by Tumen Ekh.
Overnight: hotel in Ulaanbaatar.
A free morning or a visit to Gandan Monastery, then the Chinggis Khaan Equestrian Statue at Tsonjin Boldog and Gorkhi-Terelj National Park: Turtle Rock and Aryabal Temple. A farewell khorkhog dinner.
Overnight: ger camp in Terelj.
Transfer to the airport for your onward flight.
We plan each day around the best light: evening and early morning in Hustai, sunset on the dunes and at Ögii Lake, the evening over the Orkhon Valley. Weather on the steppe changes quickly, so our photographer adjusts the schedule on the ground to make the most of it.
Photographers, Storytellers, and Curious Travellers
Travellers and photographers who want to see Mongolia's heartland in one week, from wild horses and dunes to monasteries and nomadic life, are comfortable with long drives on steppe tracks and simple field camps, and want their journey photographed by a professional.
Moderate — long drives on unpaved steppe tracks, short walks on dunes and around monastery and historic sites.
Expect long drives on unpaved steppe tracks and short walks on the dunes and around monastery and historic sites. Nights are spent in field camps, with a hotel night in Kharkhorin, a hotel night in Ulaanbaatar and a ger camp night in Terelj. August days are warm, and nights on the steppe can be cool.
Stay, Eat & Travel
In good weather, we set up our own field camps in open country, including the bank of the Tuul River and the shore of Ögii Lake. When wind, storms or rain move in, we stay in local ger camps instead. We also spend a hotel night in Kharkhorin, a night in a hotel in Ulaanbaatar and the last night in a ger camp in Gorkhi-Terelj National Park.
On field days, our own field kitchen cooks for the group, and all meals on those days are included. The journey ends with a farewell khorkhog dinner in Gorkhi-Terelj National Park.
Guests travel in a Toyota Hiace or Foton Toano van. Our UAZ Hunter and pickup support vehicles carry the field camp and kitchen.
Up to 12 guests
| Group size | Price per person |
|---|---|
| 1–3 guests | $2,300 |
| 4–6 guests | $2,000 |
| 7–9 guests | $1,800 |
| 10–12 guests | $1,600 |
| Single supplement | +$250 |
|---|
Group pricing: the more guests who join, the lower the price for everyone. Your final price is set by the final group size and confirmed when booking closes on 15 June 2027. This departure is guaranteed. It runs even with one guest.
This journey is also available as a private trip for your group, on dates that suit you.
Private journeys from $450 per person per day.
Good to Know
A wide-angle lens and a telephoto lens for the takhi and the birdlife at Ögii Lake, spare batteries and memory cards, a tripod for sunset and night-sky shots, dust protection for your camera gear and warm layers for cool evenings on the steppe.
Airport pickup on arrival and the transfer to the airport on 21 August are included. Hotel nights in Ulaanbaatar before 15 August are at your own cost; we are happy to book them for you.
Booking terms for this tour
General terms: Cancellation & Payment Policy
Long days on unpaved steppe tracks. We travel with support vehicles, carry a satellite messenger and keep a first aid kit in every vehicle. The nearest hospital on the route is in Kharkhorin. Travel insurance that includes emergency medical evacuation is required.
Photography Highlights
Central Mongolia holds much of the country's story within a week of travel: the wild takhi of Hustai, the sand of Elsen Tasarkhai, the walls of Erdene Zuu and the open water of Ögii Lake. We camp away from the crowds, travel the steppe tracks between them and plan each day around the light, with our photographer capturing every moment, and you in it.