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Mongolia: the hidden heart of Asia Sunday 31 May to Sunday 14 June 2009 with James Lidster and local guides as leaders.
Cost: £1850 plus about £930 for flights Single room supplement: £180 Click here for explanation of price breakdown Maximum group size: 10 with 1 leader. |
'The tour was even better than anticipated. James was an excellent bird leader and dealt with the group firmly but in a friendly way. From a clients viewpoint everything ran smoothly. What more could one ask?'. E. Leisk 2007. 'James is simply one of the best leaders we have been with. A natural. His enthusiasm, competence and birding expertise made this challenging trip a joy plus he’s great fun.' - B. Stevens 2007.
'I have recommended this tour to everyone I have talked to.' C. Verkley 2006.
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Lying right at the heart of the vast continent of Asia is Mongolia, the land where nomadic horsemen still ride across windswept steppes, where Shamanism and ancient Tibetan Buddhism still flourish and where, according to legend, lies the last resting place of Genghis Khan, leader of the once great Mongol empire. This exotic country is full of natural wonders. The vast Gobi Desert, which covers one third of Mongolia, the endless steppes strewn with thousands of lakes, the picturesque Altai mountains and the rich taiga forest – all remote, beautiful, fascinating and full of birds. Our trip here will be more than just another birding tour - it will be a true adventure. From the capital city of Ulaanbaatar we will travel out into a forgotten land, much of it unchanged for centuries and, as befits a culture famous for its nomadic way of life, we shall camp as we go. We will gaze on stunning landscapes seen by few Westerners, and on birds most Western birdwatchers can only dream about: Upland Buzzard, Amur Falcon, Altai Snowcock, Pallas’s Fish Eagle, Oriental Plover, Relict Gull, Pallas’s Sandgrouse, Mongolian Lark, Blyth’s Pipit, Kozlov’s Accentor...the list goes on. Our ground agents are skilled at showing this wonderful country to groups. We will travel in vehicles admirably suited to the terrain and stay in superb camps that are testament to their nomadic heritage. We will mingle with the locals tending their flocks of sheep and cattle, much as they have done for centuries, and we shall walk along pathways few have trodden. Day 1: The tour starts in London with a flight to Ulaanbaatar via Berlin and Moscow. Day 2: Arriving in the morning there will be chance to freshen up in a hotel in Ulaanbaatar before we transfer the short distance to the Tuul river for a relaxed introduction to the birds of this fascinating country. Our eastern location will immediately become obvious with birds such as Black-eared Kite, Pacific Swift, and Red-billed Chough around the town. Once out into open country we’ll begin to get a taste of what birding in the heart of Asia is all about, with Ruddy Shelduck, Blyth’s Pipits, Brown Shrike, Isabelline Wheatear and Daurian Jackdaw all possible. A short stop around the willow fringed river should provide our first encounter with the highly sought-after Azure Tit as well as the possibility of Black, White-backed, Grey-headed and Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers, Hoopoe, White-cheeked Starling and Daurian Redstart. Night in Ulaanbaatar. Day 3: After a morning flight from Ulanbaatar to Bayankhongor we’ll set our sites on the fabled Boon Tsaagan Nuur. Birding on the way could vary from a close Upland Buzzard or Saker Falcon to a dazzling Citrine Wagtail or showy Pied Wheatear. In the afternoon we could well see our first of many, Pallas’s Sandgrouse and Mongolian Larks, species as enigmatic as the country itself. Night camping. Days 4-5: These days will be spent around Boon Tsaagan Nuur. This jewel of a lake is home to one of Asia’s rarest birds, the striking Relict Gull. We’ll hope to enjoy this beautiful gull in this remote wilderness, and during our days camping there will be other birds, migrants and residents alike, to distract us. Our camp site is close to a wide inlet whose mud banks offer ideal resting sites for gulls and terns. Pallas’s Gull is regular and Relict Gull possible among the large numbers of Common, Caspian and White-winged Black Terns. Greater Sandplovers share the adjacent grassland with breeding Kentish Plovers and flock of Greylag Geese may hold a unique Swan Goose. Bar-headed Geese and Ruddy Shelduck will be seen most days and mass panic among the waterbirds normally means one of the resident Pallas’s Fish Eagles is on the move. Eurasian Spoonbills are normally present and careful searching along the shoreline produced Mongolia’s first Intermediate Egret in 2007 as well as country rarities like Bewick’s Swan and Chinese Pond Heron. Shorebird migration will be quietening down but there is always the chance of a Pacific Golden Plover or Long-toed or Red-necked Stint among the regular Avocets, Black-winged Stilts and Marsh Sandpipers. A nearby lagoon has a small reed-covered island in its centre which holds breeding Pallas’s Grasshopper, Paddyfield and Oriental Reed Warblers while careful scanning may reveal a shy Baillon’s Crake. This small pool clearly has a lot of aquatic life and duck numbers can be impressive and include Red-crested Pochard, Ferruginous Duck and Garganey. Both Black-necked and Slavonian Grebe occur and we have also seen Smew and White-winged Scoter here in the past. Nights camping. Day 6: We’ll spend most of the day driving towards Orog Nuur. Before we reach the lake we’ll spend time searching for the charismatic Henderson’s Ground Jay in its specialised habitat. The same areas are likely to hold Desert Wheatears, Crested Larks, Asian Desert Warblers and Isabelline and Steppe Grey Shrikes. Arriving at Orog Nuur in the afternoon we could be serenaded by displaying Richard’s Pipits and ‘drumming’ Common Snipe over our campsite while flocks of Mongolian Trumpeter Finches feed nearby. Water levels in this lake vary considerably from year to year and governs what birds we’ll see. The damp areas left in drier years are home to Water Rail, Richard’s Pipits and Citrine Wagtails as well as feeding Wood and Marsh Sandpipers, groups of White-winged Black Terns or maybe some Garganey. Whether wet or dry this area is particularly popular with Demoiselle Cranes, and their bugling calls echo through the night air. Night camping. Day 7: After breaking camp we’ll pass through the Gobi Altai mountains. It’s a dramatic journey that may start with a statue like Little Owl near our camp before we follow the course of an old river bed, or some nomadic trail into the hills. Stopping along the way we could see a whole host of species from Lammergeier, Golden and Steppe Eagles to Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush, Pied Wheatear or a Grey-necked Bunting. We have no set camp for the night but our ground crew will choose somewhere towards the evening. Wherever it is we are unlikely to be disturbed and the view of the night sky could be breath-taking. Day 8: Today our destination is Khongoryn Els in the Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park, home to some of the world’s largest sand dunes. This dry desert habitat will present us with some new species including the enigmatic Saxaul Sparrow as well as more Desert Wheatears, and Asian Desert Warblers while Goitered and Mongolian Gazelles are both possible. In some years there is a small stream on the edge of the dunes which acts as a great migrant trap as well as a drinking site for many Pallas’s Sandgrouse. And of course we may wish to climb the dunes to watch the sun setting over the Gobi Desert, a simply unforgettable experience. Night at Khongoryn Els ger camp.
Day 9: We’ll spend the morning on the edge of the dunes and in the afternoon drive to the Gobi Tourist camp. This day will provide our best opportunity to find Oriental Plover and finding such a dramatic species in a bleak, and almost lifeless desert is sure to be one of the highlights of the trip. If we are lucky we may witness its incredible display flight as the males fly high up and perform an strange, rocking display flight. We should reach the Juulchin 1 Gobi Tourist Camp in the afternoon. Here, poplar trees planted several decades ago surround the camp, providing not only shelter for the camp but also acting as an oasis for passing migrants. On the last four trips we have seen Golden Orioles, Rose-coloured Starling, Booted Eagle, Long-eared Owl, the leucopsis and personata races of White Wagtail, Red-throated and Eyebrowed Thrushes, Chestnut-eared Bunting, Siberian Rubythroat, Pallas’s Grasshopper, Two-barred Greenish, Dusky, Pallas’s and Thick-billed Warblers, Taiga and Asian Brown Flycatchers, Brown Shrikes and Chaffinch. In the past, some new species for Mongolia such as Forest Wagtail and Black Drongo have been found here and in 2007 the Sunbird group found the first Red Collared Dove for the country. Night at Gobi tourist camp. Day 10: After breakfast we’ll head to Yolyn Am, the Valley of the Lammergeier, in the Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park. The lofty ridges of the valley are indeed patrolled by Lammergeiers as well as Himalayan, Eurasian Griffon and Black Vultures and Golden Eagles. Other species we shall search for in this rocky habitat include Wallcreeper, Crag Martin, Water Pipit, the endemic Kozlov’s Accentor as well as the much commoner Brown and Alpine Accentors, Black Redstarts, White-winged and Pere David’s Snowfinches, Great, Common, and Beautiful Rosefinches and Godlewski’s Bunting. We’ll scan the higher slopes for Altai Snowcock and in doing so we may also see an Ibex or Argali, the largest wild sheep in the world. There may also be other eyes gazing upon these creatures as here we are in the territory of Snow Leopard. Although visitors have seen them in the past the chances of doing so are obviously very remote. Night at tourist camp. Day 11: If we haven’t seen Altai Snowcock we’ll take a picnic breakfast and scan the ridges for any calling birds. The rest of the morning will be spent at Yolyn Am, where the centre of our attention may be Barred and Sulphur-bellied Warblers or perhaps a small group of Twite drinking from the stream and there will be further chances to look at Wallcreeper and Lammergeiers. In the afternoon we return to the Gobi Tourist camp, where we’ll once again check the trees surrounding the camp. The regular flock of Lesser Kestrels here may have attracted an Amur Falcon while the trees act almost as an island pulling in a constantly changing array of different migrants. Night at tourist camp. Day 12: After a last look for migrants around the tourist camp we’ll transfer to Dalandzadgad for our return flight back to Ulaanbaatar. From the capital we’ll head straight to a private camp of traditional felt-lined gers run by our ground agents and if time allows there will be opportunity to explore the area around our camp. The patches of coniferous forest nearby are home to Olive-backed Pipit, Pallas’s Warbler and Pine Buntings, and we could also see Two-barred Greenish Warbler or a singing Common Rosefinch. Night at ger camp. Day 13: We’ll spend a whole day exploring the area. The habitat varies from riparian poplar forest to larch covered hillsides. We’ll be looking a variety of birds including Siberian Rubythroat, Red-throated Thrush, Common and Oriental Cuckoos, Yellow-breasted and Black-faced Buntings, Steppe Eagle, Grey-headed Woodpeckers, Eurasian Wryneck, Azure and Willow Tits, Dusky and Two-barred Greenish Warblers and the attractive Long-tailed Rosefinch. Each year is a little different but the birding is always good. In particular we’ll visit a small wetland which is a breeding site for White-naped Crane and we should enjoy great views of this magnificent species. In recent years this site has also seen the occasional Siberian Crane spending the summer and we’ll of course be keeping our fingers crossed. The wet marshland holds more Citrine Wagtails and Marsh Sandpipers and sometimes Asian Dowitcher is seen here while the nearby meadows hold grazing Swan Geese and singing Mongolian Larks. Night at ger camp. Day 14: We’ll spend the morning around the wetland where two larger lakes often hold good numbers of wildfowl. This seems a popular site for the very distinctive stejnegeri race of White-winged Scoter and scanning through the ducks could also produce Smew, Garganey and, if we are really lucky, a spectacular Falcated Duck. Almost anything is possible here and in 2008 we had both Relict and Brown-headed Gulls on these lakes. In the afternoon we’ll return to Ulanbaatar, where the traffic noise and people will be quite a shock to our relaxed systems! Night in Ulanbaatar. Day 15: We will connect with a flight back to London via Moscow and Berlin, arriving the same day. Please note that this tour involves some long drives on virtually non-existent roads of varying quality. Away from Ulaanbaatar we shall either stay in camps erected by our ground agents, or in ger (yurt) camps which are permanent lodge-type accommodation using the traditional large round tents typical of the region. Please also note that single room accommodation at the ger camps cannot be guaranteed, and that en suite bathroom facilities will not be available other than in Ulaanbaatar. The internal flight schedule sometimes means we have an extra day on our Gobi loop, or an extra day at sites closer to Ulaanbaatar, the ground agents and leader will adjust the itinerary accordingly when the flight schedule becomes available.
E-mail or phone +44 (0)1767 262522 for availability.
Last updated June 2008. |
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We will not have travelled far before encountering our first Daurian Redstart...
and at the famous lake, Boon Tsaagan Nuur, we may find a Pallas's Fish Eagle...
while waders along the shoreline could include Greater Sand Plover...
