Bird Watching · BM-WB1

Birding Safari for Siberian Wintering Birds

Siberian Jay, Siberian Tit, Pallas’s Rosefinch and more!Adventure birding in

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Birding Safari for Siberian Wintering Birds

Duration: 7 days; Duration
Group size: Max 4; Group size
From, per person: $2,066; From, per person

Overview

Siberian Jay, Siberian Tit, Pallas’s Rosefinch and more!Adventure birding in the cold winter of Mongolia tends to attract lots of birders to the destination. That’s because it has the beautiful snow-covered landscapes filled with many sunny bright days. Cranes, geese, harriers, and the other summer breeders all already left the country. But big flocks of Mongolian and Shore Larks, Small Snowfinch, Snow and Lapland Buntings and lots of other small passerines gather to feed on the big open grasslands of Mongolia and yet the soaring raptors including adult Saker Falcon, Upland Buzzard and Cinereous Vulture stay and guard their places. From the north, the winter visitors such as Rough-legged Buzzard, Bohemian Waxwing and Common Redpoll have already come for winter. Pallas’s Rosefinch, Siberian Jay, Siberian Tit, Brown and Alpine Accentors have come down to the lower grounds. Join us for this fabulous adventure and meet Mongolian nomads who have also settled in their wintering places. Make your dreams come true travelling in wonderful land filled with glorious wildlife!
Trip Highlights:

Benefit low season price
Many sought-after species – Siberian Jay, Siberian Tit, Pallas’s Rosefinch, Snow & Lapland Buntings and more
Nomadic family visit and stay in comfortable tourist ger camps
Grey Wolf, Mongolian Gazelle, Siberian Ibex and Argali Sheep
Sublime sceneries of snow-covered mountains, steppes, and forest

At a glance

Duration: 7 days
Group size: 4-14 Pers.
Price: from $2,066 per person
Departures: Feb 25 - Mar 02, 2023, Nov 01 - Nov 07, 2023
Physical rating: Easy/Moderate
Trip code: BM-WB1

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Download itinerary (PDF)

Itinerary

Day 1. Arrive in Ulaanbaatar

Our crew picks you up at the Chinggis Khaan international airport upon your arrival in Ulaanbaatar which is the capital of Mongolia and transfer to the reserved hotel. Optional rest at the hotel. After lunch (in case you arrive before lunch), visit Tuul river forest on the outskirts of Ulaanbaatar. Target species include Azure-Winged Magpie, Azure Tit, Long-Tailed and Pallas’s Rosefinches, Meadow Bunting, Bohemian Waxwing, Common Redpoll, Siberian and Brown Accentors and Ruddy Shelduck. WELCOME DINNER at one of the most famous restaurants in the city. Food: Welcome dinner. Road: Total coverage 30 km paved road. (30 minutes’ drive)

Day 2. Bogd Khan Mountain SPA

After breakfast, start driving to Bogd Khan Mountain. Walk along the mountain valley to get bird feeding place which attracts many hungry birds such as Willow, Marsh, And Great Tits, Eurasian Nuthatch, Eurasian Jay at close distance. After lunch, visit another area of the mountain where we find all species of Tits and Woodpeckers, Pine Grosbeak, Common and Two-barred Crossbills, Spotted Nutcracker, Eurasian Jay and possibly Ural Owl. Overnight in a hotel. Food: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner. Road: Total coverage 100 km paved road. (2 hours’ drive)

Day 3-4. Khustai NP

After breakfast, start driving to the west of Ulaanbaatar to see wintering birds on open grasslands in Khustai NP, which is the place where the reintroduction project of Przewalski’s Wild Horse Equus przewalskii have been successfully implemented. Under the umbrella of the wild horse’s protection, the number of species of wildlife has been increased recently. If the snow covered road condition allows, drive to see Grey Wolf, Red Deer, and Mongolian Gazelle. Target bird species include Saker Falcon, Golden Eagle, Daurian Partridge in winter plumage. Mongolian and Horned Larks, Small Snowfinch and possibly Lapland and Snow Buntings on the open grassland. Other raptors include Upland Buzzard, Common Kestrel, and possibly Merlin and Rough-legged Buzzard. Overnight in a tourist ger camp. Food: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner. Road: Total coverage 90 km paved road and 15 km dust road. (over 2 hours’ drive)

Day 5 -6. Gorkhi-Terelj NP

After breakfast, drive to the east of the ger camp to get the boreal forest. Upon arrival, check in a tourist ger camp near birding site. The possible birds in the park are Three-Toed and other Woodpeckers, and Hazel Grouse, Eurasian Jay, Siberian Tit and Siberian Jay. The challenging species will be Spotted Capercaillie. Other possibilities are Ural and Great Grey Owls. Overnight in a local tourist ger camp. Food: Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner. Road: Total coverage 160 km paved road. (around 3.5 hours’ drive)

Day 7. Departure

A transfer to Chinggis Khaan International Airport will be the end of our services in Mongolia.

Trip details

Physical rating: Easy/Moderate

The price includes: Price is per person, double occupancy. For a single room, add USD 350. Price includes all transports and accommodations within Mongolia, and meals, expert bird guide, drinking water, nomad family visit, entrance fees to all national parks, and road tolls

Trip Information

Date & Duration: This tour will run from February to March and November 2023. And it continues for 7 days including arrival and departure date in Mongolia.

Group Limit: 8 persons, plus guides

Accommodation: Please note that the hotels you are staying at are below the average of international hotels, but those are clean, comfortable, and has en suite rooms.

No tented camping during this trip. You will stay overnights in permanent tourist ger camps, which have gers (yurts) for accommodation, and separate blocks with European style toilets and shower rooms, as well as a restaurant. Each ger is equipped with small wood or coal-burning stove, which fired by a worker of the camp. Deluxe en suite gers are also possible in some sites, but it charges a little bit higher than the standard ones.

Meals: All main meals are included in the price. The breakfasts will be very simple. We will have bread/toast, cheese, butter, jam, eggs, sausage and cereals for breakfast. Depending on the time possibilities, we will have picnic lunches packaged from the tourist ger camps or restaurants. Sometimes we will have lunches in local restaurants. Evening meals will be well prepared Mongolian and European-style dishes served in the hotel restaurants and at the ger camps. Food is generally good, it may lack a variety (e.g. meat, vegetables, rice, French fries).

Payment: The deposit 30% of all cost per person should be paid by wire transfer or by Paypal before 3 months. Be sure that you have read our terms & condition on our website before you make payment. If you pay it through our website, our collaboration with Golomt Bank has been taken care of the transfer security.

Includes:

Accommodation (2 nights’ hotel in Ulaanbaatar city; 4 nights’ tourist ger lodges)
Transport (Ground transportations by 4WD vehicles, including petrol;)
Meals -7 breakfast, 5 lunch; 6 dinner
Entrance fees to all National Parks and road tolls
English speaking bird guide
Drinking water will be provided. It will be appreciated if you could bring your refillable bottle.

Excludes:

Last dinner (It will be your free choice)
International transportation
All types of insurance
Visas
Departure tax
Alcoholic drinks and items of personal nature
Binoculars, telescopes and tripods
Extra luggage
Optional tours

We cannot warranty:

Occasional flight delays or cancellations
Poor road conditions
Items of personal nature
Adverse weather conditions

Physical Rating: The tour is suitable for every bird watcher with different levels of skills and ages. Our experienced guide will do his/her best to explain everything about birds, wildlife, culture etc.

We will do easy and moderate walks during this trip. There will be optional hard walks in the mountains.

Road and Transport: We will mostly drive on the paved road during this trip. The longest drive will cover 160 km a day, which will take about 3.5 hours with shortstops. Mitsubishi Delica or Russian Furgon or County Bus will be employed depending on the number of participants and their interests. 3-4 clients will occupy a car in case we do not hire a county bus. Our experienced and skilful drivers will drive safely on the occasion of off-road journey.

Weather: Temperature is generally dry and very cold during days in winter, mostly being -24°C. You can check the weather forecast on http://www.tsag-agaar.gov.mn/eng while you are packing or staying at the hotels in Mongolia where it is possible.

Money: You can change your US Dollar or Euro and other foreign currency into Mongolian tugriks (MNT) at the Chinggis Khaan International Airport just after your arrival. Alternatively, you can ask your guide and drivers to stop for changing money at any bank or official currency exchange offices in Ulaanbaatar. Remember it might be a problem if you try to change them outside of Ulaanbaatar as the banks there could have a limited amount of foreign currency. You can change the money only for your need for beers or any other alcoholic drinks, snacks, and personal items. A fine bottle of beer costs about 4000 -6000 MNT at the restaurants of tourist ger camps, but in the supermarkets, it will be cheaper. The official currency rate can be found at https://www.mongolbank.mn/eng/default.aspx.

Destinations on this trip: Gorkhi-Terelj National Park, Bogd Khan Mountain SPA, Ulaanbaatar, Khustai Nuruu National Park