Prices
Is this tour for me?
Get In Touch
Highlights
Cover major ground in Altai Tavan Bogd National Park by Jeep
Hike to the top of Malchin Peak for incredible views over one of Mongolia’s prime parks.
Watch traditional eagle hunters fly their birds, maybe even catching one on your own arm!
Explore the shores of the Khoton Khurgan Lakes and snap photos of ancient stone monuments.
Marvel at the icy Potanin and Alexander glaciers, each up to 16km long and the source of the Tsagaan River.
Mongolia’s Altai Tavan Bogd National Park is a wild place of mountains, glaciers, and hidden cultural monuments that hints at a Mongolia of days gone by. This tour takes you through the park by Jeep, covering land that feels impossibly far away from your everyday life. Climb mountains for amazing views, explore massive glaciers that rivers flow from, and discover stone monuments and monasteries still standing in this untouched landscape. You’ll even meet the eagle hunters who live here, perhaps even catching one of their birds on your own arm.
Altai Tavan Bogd is 636,161 hectares of pristine landscape along the border of the western part of Ulaan Khus, Tsengel, Sagsai and Altai soums of Bayan-Olgii aimag. It was placed under protection in 1996. The national park with its amazing beauty embodies the special characteristics of high mountains, icy crystal rivers, mountain valleys, steppe landscapes, and ecosystems. Also, it is a habitat and last refuge for mammals like argali, ibex, maral and deer, and bird species like snowcock, eagle, and lammergeyer. The national park includes very high peaks, with eternal snow and glaciers in the far west of Mongolia. The highest point is the peak of Khuiten Uul on the mountain of Altai Tavan Bogd, reaching 4374 meters above sea level.
For the traveller craving a truly exceptional and far-away adventure in Mongolia, the Best of Altai Tavan Bogd National Park tour is an excellent choice.
Mongolia’s Altai Tavan Bogd National Park is a wild place of mountains, glaciers, and hidden cultural monuments that hints at a Mongolia of days gone by. This tour takes you through the park by Jeep, covering land that feels impossibly far away from your everyday life. Climb mountains for amazing views, explore massive glaciers that rivers flow from, and discover stone monuments and monasteries still standing in this untouched landscape. You’ll even meet the eagle hunters who live here, perhaps even catching one of their birds on your own arm.
Altai Tavan Bogd is 636,161 hectares of pristine landscape along the border of the western part of Ulaan Khus, Tsengel, Sagsai and Altai soums of Bayan-Olgii aimag. It was placed under protection in 1996. The national park with its amazing beauty embodies the special characteristics of high mountains, icy crystal rivers, mountain valleys, steppe landscapes, and ecosystems. Also, it is a habitat and last refuge for mammals like argali, ibex, maral and deer, and bird species like snowcock, eagle, and lammergeyer. The national park includes very high peaks, with eternal snow and glaciers in the far west of Mongolia. The highest point is the peak of Khuiten Uul on the mountain of Altai Tavan Bogd, reaching 4374 meters above sea level.
For the traveller craving a truly exceptional and far-away adventure in Mongolia, the Best of Altai Tavan Bogd National Park tour is an excellent choice.
Read more
The Best of Altai Tavan Bogd National Park Itinerary
Day 1 Arrival at Ulaanbaatar and an Optional City Tour
The crew will greet you upon your arrival at the airport. A city tour can be arranged depending on your arrival time. Ulaanbaatar is a fast-growing modern city with more than 1.3 million habitants. City sightseeing includes Bogd Khan’s Winter & Summer Palace, a series of beautiful traditional buildings in which the eighth Living Buddha and the last king lived. It is now a museum displaying fascinating artefacts and costumes associated with the last king as well as his collection of stuffed animals.
In the evening your tour guide will give you a short briefing about the coming trip and answer all your questions before he takes you to a famous Mongolian restaurant for the first taste of Mongolian food.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Ulaanbaatar
Distance: None
Meals: Dinner
Day 2 Flight to Olgii
Today you will take a plane to Olgii, capital city of Bayan-Olgii province. Unlike the rest of Mongolia, which is dominated by Khalkh Mongolians, about 90% of Bayan-Olgii’s population are Kazakh, almost all of them are Muslims. Olgii even has its own little mosque.
Upon arrival, you will be welcomed by our local team and drive into the national park. We will set up our tented camp on a truly idyllic spot further in the park.
Overnight Location: Camping in Tavan Bogd National Park
Distance: None
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 3 Trek to Base Camp
Today you will go deeper to Tavan Bogd National Park to begin an 18 km descent into the base camp. Camels will carry your baggage, which will be managed by the polite and supportive Tuvan people. On your way, you’ll pass by the Potanin and Alexander Glaciers, which have ice peaks. The glaciers are situated between 3,500 and 4,000 meters above sea level. They are the source of the Tsagaan River and run for 16 kilometers. You will get ready for the next day’s trek to Malchin Peak when you arrive at base camp.
The Tavan Bogd Mountains are considered sacred to local Kazaks, Tuvans and Mongolians. The park stretches from Russia along the Chinese border, following the Altai Mountain Range that divides China, Russia, Mongolia and Kazakhstan, for over 200 km. Ancient tribes have left many artifacts, using the region for religious ceremonies. Today, tens of thousands of petroglyphs in the park are part of a World Heritage Site. In addition, there are numerous Turkic Stone Men and stone burial mounds.
Overnight Location: Camping in Tavan Bogd National Park (around 3,000m / 9,842’)
Distance: 18km
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 4 Trek to Malchin Peak
You will start your trekking day from base camp. After a good breakfast, set off for our expedition to the Tavan Bogd Glacier. You will trek through a high mountain terrain of rocks and wetlands. You will have a beautiful view of the 5 mountain peaks of the Tavan Bogd Mountain and of its glacier. In front of you, you will have the absolute top of the Altai Mountain Chain and the highest mountain peak of Mongolia.
Your final destination of today is the smallest of Tavan Bogd’s mountain peaks, the Malchin peak (4050m). From the mountaintop you can see Russia and China.
Overnight Location: Camping in Tavan Bogd National Park (around 3,000m / 9,842’)
Distance: 6-8 hours
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 5-6 Drive to Khurgan & Khoton Lakes
Today, you will drive to Khurgan & Khoton Lakes. On the way, you can drive to Tsengel sum to see big and beautiful 2 deer stones located 15km to the south, which is registered by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
Khurgan and Khoton lakes are the second largest and clearest of all lakes in Mongolia, the average depth is 26m, and the maximum depth is approximately 58m. The Khoton and Khurgan Lakes are connected by a wide natural channel. The landscape around the lakes is very beautiful and picturesque, with snow-capped mountains.
Overnight Location: Camping in Tavan Bogd National Park (around 3,000m / 9,842’)
Distance: None
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 7 Eagle Hunters on the Way
Today you will start driving back to Olgii town. On the way near Sagsai village you will visit Kazakh families in their traditional Ger, bigger than Mongolian Gers and brightly decorated with handmade rugs. You will enjoy a cup of tea and share with your hosts delicious Kazakh dishes while chatting and deepening your knowledge of rich Kazakh culture and custom.
This afternoon you will go trekking in a nearby mountain valley and ride on horseback together with hunters through the scenic landscape. In the evening you will head back to Olgii.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Olgii
Distance: Flexible
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 8 Return to Ulaanbaatar
Today you fly back to Ulaanbaatar. Our team will take you directly to your hotel. You may enjoy the free afternoon to catch up on all the places you haven’t visited yet. You can check out the beautiful cultural show, enjoy the colourful and rhythmic Mongolian dance, throat singing, or admire the contortionists.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Ulaanbaatar
Distance: None
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 9 Departure
Your tour ends after breakfast. You may depart any time you wish.
Overnight Location: None
Distance: None
Meals: Breakfast
Best of Altai Tavan Bogd National Park Price and Dates
This guided overland tour to Mongolia is always run as a private tour for your group only and the price depends on the number of people traveling in your party. Prices below are per person:- Guided group of 2+: USD2025 per person
Accommodation on the Best of Altai Tavan Bogd National Park Tour
This tour is based in hotels and camps. Hotels are 4-star and offer modern conveniences that can make this trip more pleasant. Campsites on the tour offer basic services and your necessary equipment is included.
In some cases, the accommodation listed below may need to be substituted for other comparable accommodations.
What’s Included in the Best of Altai Tavan Bogd National Park Tour?
Meals
8 breakfasts, 8 lunches, and 8 dinners included.
Accommodations
Accommodations for 8 nights are included.
Transportation during the Tour
Local transportation is included for you and your luggage. International airport transfers are not included. Please note that local flights have luggage included of up to 10kg and any extra weight is a subject to extra charge (around 2 USD per kg);
Also Included
- English-speaking guide
- Camping and kitchen equipment
- National park entrance fees
- Museum and monasteries entrance tickets
Not included
- City touring
- Medical, trip insurance and
- Evacuation costs
- Alcoholic and soft drinks
- Excess of 10kg luggage, approx. 2 USD per 1kg
- Visa if required
- Personal gear
- Travel insurance
- Meals not previously mentioned
- Anything not mentioned as included
Optional Extras
- City tour
- Additional nights before or after the tour
- Single occupancy upgrades where available
- Airport transfers
- How hard is the Best of Altai Tavan Bogd National Park tour?
- Do I need a visa to travel to Mongolia?
- Are meals included on the Best of Altai Tavan Bogd National Park tour?
- Do I need insurance?
- How do I get to Ulaanbaatar to start this tour?
- Is the Best of Altai Tavan Bogd National Park tour in English?
- Where does the Best of Altai Tavan Bogd National Park tour end?
- Can I customize this tour?
- Do I need special vaccines to travel to Mongolia?
- Are there any travel restrictions for Mongolia?
We rate this tour as a 4/5. There is a little bit of hiking included but the hiking is only moderately challenging. Expect to spend time at high altitudes, stay in basic accommodations, and drive on occasionally rough roads.
Do I need a visa to travel to Mongolia?
8 breakfasts, 8 lunches, and 8 dinners included.
Yes, it is mandatory to have health and medical insurance to join this trip. Get your travel insurance.
Fly into Chinggis Khaan International Airport (ULN). Airport transfers are available as a supplement.
Yes, the tour guide is English-speaking.
The tour ends where it starts, in Ulaanbaatar. You can find your own way to the airport or book a trasnfer as a supplement.
Yes! Please contact us with your preferred tour specifications and we’ll adapt this itinerary to your needs.
Check with your family doctor.
Please check with your local government about travel restrictions before you book your tour. This map from the US Department of State provides an overview of the current status in countries around the globe. The UK‘s Foreign Office and Government of Canada also provide advice on foreign travel. Note that the travel advice may change depending on your nationality.
Customer Ratings
Mongolian Dot Travel is a B2B company that is a member of the Mongolian Tourism Association and one of Mongolia’s most reputable and professional Destination Management Companies.
