Date: 19 Feb – 08 Mar
Travel to Mongolia on a photo trip to capture photographs of the country’s magnificent scenery, ethnic people’s portraits, true nomadic lifestyle, vibrant festivals, old historical sites, and amazing wildlife. TGM is an experienced adventure travel operator that specializes in photography tours and seminars in Mongolia. Mongolia’s untamed splendor will inspire you. Join us on an exciting photography class for an intense cultural experience in which you will practice portrait, landscape, and genre photography in-field in one of the world’s most compelling nations!
What photo workshops are included?
White Moon celebration
The event Tsagaan Sar or White Moon is a must-see for visitors and photographers visiting Mongolia. You will visit or stay with a Mongolian nomadic family on New Year’s Eve to learn about Mongolian culture, traditions, and history.
Eagle hunter
You will be whisked away to a number of stunning mountain sites for a breathtakingly personal experience with the eagle hunters, while photographing them against a backdrop of some of nature’s most impressive vistas.
Reindeer people
Capture and explore the northern Mongolian wilderness on the back of a reindeer, and meet the Tsaatan tribe. A fantastic opportunity to capture unusual picture sessions. Cooking over an open fire and sleeping in a tent or teepee are both options. Challenge yourself on this once-in-a-lifetime trip.
Camel herder
You will get the wonderful opportunity to meet and shoot the locals as they herd Bactrian camels over the dunes of Southern Mongolia during a number of individual sessions.
Horse herder
Length: 23 days
Area: Western Mongolia, Northern Mongolia, Gobi Desert, Eastern Mongolia
Type: Mongolia Expedition Tours
Potential dates and weather condition: This trip is organized only in winter. A specific date will be announced.
Difficulty: Hardened
Mongolia Winter Photography Tour
Eagle hunter part
19 Feb. Day1. Fly to Ulgii town
20 Feb. Day2. Drive to Tsengel village & kazakh family shooting
21 Feb. Day3. First eagle hunter photo shooting
22 Feb. Day4. Drive to Sagsai sub-province & second eagle hunter photo shooting
23 Feb. Day5. Second eagle hunter photo shooting
24 Feb. Day6. Drive to Ulgii & fly to Ulaanbaatar.
Reindeer & Ice festival part
25 Feb. Day7. Drive to Amarbayastalant Monastery & monastery photo shooting
26 Feb. Day8. Monastery photo shooting & drive to Murun town
27 Feb – 28 Feb. Day9 – 10. Drive to Tsagaannuur village & reindeer herder
01 Mar. Day11. Reindeer herder shooting
02 Mar. Day12. Drive to Khuvsgul lake
03 Mar. Day13. Ice festival first day
04 Mar. Day14. Full day drive back to Ulaanbaatar
Horseman part
05 Mar. Day15. Drive to Undurkhaan town
06 Mar. Day16. Drive to Batnorov sub-province & horseman shooting
07 Mar. Day17. Horseman shooting
08 Mar. Day18. Drive back to Ulaanbaatar & free time
Detailed itinerary
19 Feb. Day1. Fly to Ulgii town
We will pick you up from hotel & transfer you to the airport for fly to Ulgii town from same airport. Then fly to Ulgii town (3 hours flight). After you landed there, our local guide and driver will pick you up and transfer to the local hotel. Overnight in the local hotel.
20 Feb. Day2. Drive to Tsengel village
After breakfast time, we will drive to Tsengel village (200 km – 5 hours on the dirt road). There we will meet our host family of Kazakh Eagle hunters. Overnight in the kazakh family.
Photo workshop:
- You may photograph individuals within the ger.
- Portraits of typical Mongolian people
21 Feb. Day3. Eagle hunter photo shooting
Photo workshop:
- Eagle Trainers on horseback with eagles in a scenic natural location, such as the top of a hill with mountain view. Morning picture with one trainer; afternoon picture with 2 trainers; afternoon picture with one trainer.
- Portraits of Eagle hunters
We’ll also get to see them hunt with their gorgeous birds of prey. We’ll join hunters from surrounding hills as they search the amazing environment with their birds for things to hunt. If their keen-eared eagle detects a hunting prey, it alerts them by crying out. The hunter then sends his eagle off to catch the prospective target it has spotted. Overnight in the kazakh family.
22 Feb. Day4. Drive to Sagsai village & eagle hunter photo shooting
After breakfast time, we will drive to Sagsai village (150 km – 4 hours on the dirt road). After lunch time, we will then transfer to another homeland of eagle hunters at Sagsai village to experience life with another eagle hunter family. Overnight in the kazakh family.
23 Feb. Day5. Eagle hunter photo shooting
Photo workshop:
- Eagle hunter lifestyle documentation pictures during hunting with the eagle. Also cooking, other activities of the family.
At other times, we will join our host family in their yurt to capture the daily lives of a Kazakh eagle hunting family as we see them make meals, care for children, and engage in family talks in the same manner that generations have done. Overnight in the kazakh family.
24 Feb. Day6. Drive to Ulgii & fly to Ulaanbaatar.
After breakfast time, we will drive to Ulgii town (50 km – 2 hours on dirt road). fly back to Ulaanbaatar (2 hours flight). After you arrive in the city, our driver will pick you up and transfer to the hotel.
25 Feb. Day7. Drive to Amarbayastalant Monastery & monastery photo shooting
After breakfast time, we will pick you up from your hotel & drive to Amarbayasgalant Monastery (330 km – 6 hours on the paved road).
Photo workshop:
- Religious lifestyle photography at Amarbayastalant Monastery
- Photograph the temple structure as well as the monks within.
Overnight in the local ger guesthouse.
26 Feb. Day8. Monastery photo shooting & drive to Murun town
After breakfast time, we will have time to continue our photo shooting around the monastery. After lunch time, we will drive to Murun town (560 km – 8 hours on the paved road). Overnight in the local hotel.
27 – 28 Feb. Day9-10. Drive to Tsagaannuur village & reindeer herder
After breakfast time, we will drive to Tsagaan Nuur village (265 km – 8 hours on the dirt road). Tsagaan Nuur village is located in the Darkhad Depression which is a wide plain surrounded by 2000-3000 m high mountains roughly the same size as Khuvsgul Lake basin. This fantastically beautiful place with countless rivers and containing over 300 small lakes. It is home of fishes. After lunch time, we will drive to reindeer people (distance and time depends on the weather or road condition). It might be necessary to horse ride for some hours to arrive the reindeer people – depends their exact location. The ride itself is over some difficult mountainous areas but the scenery is spectacular. After dinner time, finally we will reach to Duka people home. Overnight in the winter wooden house.
01 Mar. Day11. Reindeer herder shooting
Photo workshop:
- Tsataan lifestyle documentation pictures: activities with reindeers, cooking, hunting, etc.
- Tsataan pictures with many reindeer in a natural environment (white snow valley, forests, etc.)
- Tsataan pictures with traditional teepees
- Portraits of Tsaatan people
You can learn about and appreciate different ways of life. For indigenous communities, it can facilitate cultural exchange and celebration. And for those that are struggling to maintain their livelihoods and traditions, it’s also a way of educating others about their situation, earning some money and playing an active part in the maintenance of their culture.
02 Mar. Day12. Drive to Khuvsgul lake
After breakfast time, we will drive to Khuvsgul Lake (280 km – 9 hours mostly on the dirt road). About midway along border between Mongolia and Russian Siberia, in a gigantic stone bowl nearly 110 km long and almost 40 km wide, lies 3% of the all the fresh water on earth – Khuvsgul Lake. Overnight in the local ger guesthouse.
03 Mar. Day13. Ice festival second day
After breakfast time, we will go to the event site. Today we will see the opening ceremony. Then we will see or participate (of course, if you like) some different types of the competition such as ice sculpture competition, sumo wrestling, ankle bone archery on the clear ice. There is also a shamanism ritual worshiping ceremony which offers visitors a fascinating glimpse into the Tsaatan people’s way of life and the shaman culture and National Folklore concert etc. The sled sliding on the ice, punctuated by the trotting horses, and the tinkling of bells attached to the harness in the incredible universe of frozen waves is one of the highlights of this trip (this activity is included in the price). Reindeer people bring their reindeer to the festival site and we will also interest it. Overnight in the local ger guesthouse.
04 Mar. Day14. Full day drive to back to Ulaanbaatar
After breakfast time, we will drive to Ulaanbaatar (900 km – 13 hours on the paved road)
05 Mar. Day15. Drive to Undurkhaan town
After breakfast time, we will drive to Undurkhaan town (580 km – 9 hours on the paved road). Overnight in the local hotel.
06 Mar. Day16. Drive to Batnorov sub-province & horseman shooting
After breakfast time, we will drive to Batnorov sub province (100 км – 2 hours on the paved road). Our photographic sessions begin with a brief talk of Mongolian horse peculiarities, such as their personalities, the horse-horseman relationship, and nomadic horse culture. Then we’ll talk about our photographic settings and other private sessions, such as portraits of nomadic people, dozens of horses rushing over the steppe, and action shots of horse etc… Overnight in the local family.
07 Mar. Day17. Horseman shooting
Photo workshop:
- Buryat lifestyle documentation pictures
- Buryat picture with many horses running in a natural environment
- Portraits of Buryat people
Following the conformation pictures are the riding shots. We’ll start with some basic riding photographs and particular captures, such as rising horses, portraits, and your personal capturing requirements. Overnight in the local family.
08 Mar. Day17. Drive back to Ulaanbaatar & free time
After breakfast time, we will drive to back Ulaanbaatar city (440 km – 6 hours on the paved road). You will transferred to your accommodation. END
Price:
5990 USD for 1pax
3990 USD p.p for 2pax
Included: Local ger guesthouse stay & local hotel stay, food service three meals in a day, land transportation, English speaking guide service, all entrance fees and Government charges, all activities costs, mineral water, all photo shooting
Not included: sleeping bag, gratuities for staffs, personal expenses (extra some drinks, souvenir buying, locals concerts etc), travel insurance
Information
- This tour will only register 7-8 photographers.
- Lunar New Year is held on different days every year. Because the Eastern calendar is different from the Gregorian calendar.
- You can skip parts of this tour. Please consult our travel advisor about this.
- Children cannot be registered for this tour. Because of the hard long journey.
- This trip will not be accompanied by a dedicated chef. Food service will be taken from the accommodation. The food is very simple.
- Most of the accommodations are herders’ ger and are very simple. You will have to go to the toilet outside.
Please let us know should you have further inquiries! We are looking forward to assist you with organizing your stay in Mongolia and answering any questions you might have about this tour. We want your holiday experience in Mongolia to be as amazing as it is possible.
