First trip to Mongolia. First trip anywhere post-covid. Stayed for 6 weeks – walking around Ulanbaator and travelling to parts of the North and West of the country. In late August, temperature is beginning to drop. Friends cautioned about the changing weather in the mountains, known to be temperamental and having four seasons in a day. During winter, it’s also not recommended to climb because of snow. We went ahead anyway, booked a 8-days private tour which turned out to be an exhilarating experience and many firsts. The rugged wild west is calling!!
The Altai Tavan Bogd Mountain Range is located in Western Mongolia, with 5 peaks connected by glaciers. Khuiten being the highest and Malchin at 4050m, the only non-technical mountain. It’s the first mountain attempt for us, a very ambitious one indeed! Before this, I had only hiked in Singapore – Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Clementi Forest, Keppel Hill and the like. We had no idea what we were heading for, what to do or what to expect. Other than – it sounds fun!
We opted to fly to Olgii, the gateway into the Altai mountains, also the last town to get our food, booze and supplies. And that’s where we met our trip driver and chef! 3 support staff to two of us! And that incredible looking harsh terrain Russian van! Once out of the town, the bumpety ride begins. We are ready!
Day 1 – Bayan Olgii
Once out of town, the only accomodation is either nomad’s ger or tent. It’s rather cold today so we opted to stay with the nomads tonight. It took some time before we found one. Later I understood that since the seasons are changing, nomads were migrating. We did see several round platform like spaces, presumably the indents left by their recently vacated gers.
Day 2 – Altai Tavan Bogd National Park
Continue towards Potanin Glacier. Along the way we met a group of children playing by the water. The pure innocent gleam in their eyes, truly the Children of Nature. Whilst we were feeling cold and in layers, they were happily frolicking in the icy water. We managed a little interaction despite the lack of common language. I was secretly sad when they had to leave. Bye! Unlikely to ever meet them again even if we return to the same spot!
Day 3 – Malchin
A long but scenic hike, from pristine glaciers, views of snow-capped mountains, the allure and breath-taking landscapes, totally raw, untouched. The magical appeal and feast for all senses. It takes 6-7 hours one way, for average speed hikers. As there were some officers visiting the day before, we were not able to get as close as we had planned to.
Few hours into the hike, somewhere around noon, the weather took a nasty turn – gusty winds bringing in the clouds, picking up dust particles and creating a fog-like atmosphere, reducing visibility to barely a few metres. We were tired too, from the loose rocks that added to the challenge of the ascend. Regretably, our guide made the decision that we had to turn back. Time isn’t on our side. The weather change isn’t on our side. And physically we were exhausted. I was devastated but I know that he knew better. Safety first. Malchin will be there. “Mountains choose the people. Perhaps today you are not the chosen ones.”
Still, this is our first humbling experience climbing a mountain, and I thank Malchin for allowing me as far as I did!
That night, we camped near the Park Ranger’s family, enjoying the occasional visit by their flock.
Day 4 – “Milk” river
Stopping by here for lunch. The river looks milky white! It’s water from the glaciers, combined with minerals it picked up along the way. What a sight! We made some videos which still made me laugh each time I looked through them!
Day 5 – Khoton and Khurgan Lakes
Each day we travelled a little, finding the next points of interests, then locating a good location to camp for the night, away from harsh elements. Today, we had barely set up ready to cook lunch, when winds threatened to set us flying! Abort and find another place! Saw herds of camels
Day 6 – Baga Turgen Waterfall
Another great discovery is my love for Outdoors, specifically camping under the sky. 7 nights out – one in a hotel in Olgii, one in a nomad’s ger, plus five nights of wild camping. It’s cold, but our guide prepared sufficient layering and insulation of our tents. The deels were godsend! We wore them to sleep each night, puffed, cushioned and warm!…
Today is waterfall day – by horse! This experience led us to plan a longer 3-days horse ride in Central Mongolia the following year! An epic one indeed!
Most of the time, we have another horseman holding and guiding ours. Incredibly smart, somewhat wild and perhaps never fully tamed.
Tonight will be the last night camping. Our last chance to enjoy the wild! Definitely a bonfire finale, plus finishing whatever food still available. This includes a comb of banana, which failed to ripen after almost a week! The cold climate must have caused that?
Day 7 – Eagle Hunter – Olgii town
With the Eagle Hunters, we were not in much luck. First they had just moved due to changing season. Took a while before we found a family. But it wasn’t quite training season yet. Spotted two eagles outside the gers, rather inactive. The peak training season is during winter months – the white of the snow provides the best conditions for prey spotting. Besides eagles thrive in cold weather, while their prey is the opposite.
The Eagle Hunters were Khazakhs, whom form the majority ethnic group in Western Mongolia. While the men are Eagle Hunters, the women are all skilful weavers. Look at the colours that deck their gers, from the wall to the floor to the roof!
Outside the ger, curds and meats are dried in the sun
Day 8 – Olgii and UB
Final drive on the Russian van through the Mongolian grassland – still in awe with the changing landscape, the endless open lands and animals
Arriving in Oglii after a day’s bumpy ride. The thing we missed the most if probably the toilet! The bed. After a much-appreciated hot shower, we headed out for a short roaming around the town before dinner. Statues of Eagle Hunters were evident in the Square, certainly the town’s pride!
Next day we fly back to UB. Bye Olgii! That ends our 8 days epic trip to Western Mongolia! Lovely memories. Even now when I am putting together this blog 3 years after the trip! The memories are still vivid! Especially those at Malchin. The rugged unspoilt West – you called, we came – wish to return again, this time hopefully Malchin would give her kind permission for summit!
Also a huge thanks to the team – our guide, driver and chef – without whom all these would not have been possible!
