Mongolia Photo Expedition

13 days
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3.5/5 Great
30 reviews  
57%
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Group Tour
Home to sweeping landscapes and a nomadic culture that pre-dates the age of Genghis Khan, Mongolia offers a stunning array of photographic opportunities. Travel through the vast steppe to capture images of Mongolian horses, traditional ger camps, and camel-herding families. Catch the towering dunes of the Gobi at sunrise and the brilliant Flaming Cliffs at su...
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Overview

Trip type
Group Tour
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Balanced schedule

Highlights

    • Snap portraits of Mongolian throat singers, camel herders, and traditional nomad families, and learn about their age-old culture.
    • Stay in an award-winning ger camp in the Gobi desert, and set off on photo hikes amid nearby gorges and dunes.
    • Fill your lens with the vibrant pageantry of Naadam, Mongolia’s most celebrated festival, documenting wrestling, archery, and horse racing competitions.
    • Meet with monks on a visit to Gandan Monastery in Ulaanbaatar, and go on a photo shoot in the eccentric Winter Palace of Bogd Khan.

What's this trip about?

    Home to sweeping landscapes and a nomadic culture that pre-dates the age of Genghis Khan, Mongolia offers a stunning array of photographic opportunities. Travel through the vast steppe to capture images of Mongolian horses, traditional ger camps, and camel-herding families. Catch the towering dunes of the Gobi at sunrise and the brilliant Flaming Cliffs at sunset, and spend a thrilling day documenting Naadam, Mongolia’s most celebrated festival .

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Details

Itinerary focusClassic Highlights
Group sizeOperator does not provide
Age rangeNo age restrictions
Flights and transportAll internal ground transport included
Start CityUlaanbaatar
End CityUlaanbaatar

Travel Themes

  • Education / Learning
  • Photography

Destinations

Activities

  • Adventure & Adrenaline
  • Bird Watching
  • Culture
  • Hiking
  • Historic Sightseeing
  • History
  • Horseback Riding & Equestrian
  • Photography
  • Wildlife Viewing

Trip includes

    • Accommodations and meals as indicated in the itinerary
    • Educational materials
    • Pre-departure information
    • Entrance fees, excursions, and sightseeing noted as included in the itinerary
    • All gratuities except those for train or ship's crew, unless otherwise noted on the itinerary page
    • Ground transportation during the expedition
    • Transfers to and from group flights where applicable
    • Services of National Geographic experts and/or local guides, lecturers, expedition leaders, and any other staff
    • Taxes, port charges, baggage handling, and service charges
    • Internal airfare is included on some international expeditions as indicated in the itinerary

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Itinerary

Travel Map

Days 1 & 2: U.S./Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Accommodation: Tuushin Hotel

Depart on an overnight flight to Ulaanbaatar and check into our centrally located hotel upon arrival on Day 2.

Day 3: Ulaanbaatar

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Tuushin Hotel

Spend the morning at a specially arranged photo shoot at the Gandan Monastery, Mongolia's largest functioning Buddhist monastery—one of the few to survive the Stalinist purges during the 193...

Day 4: Ulaanbaatar/Gün-Galuut Nature Reserve

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

This morning, join a senior U.S Embassy official for an introduction to the current political and economic climate over breakfast. Then drive east to Gün-Galuut, a nature reserve near the Khentii Mountains where the steppe con...

Day 5: Gün-Galuut Nature Reserve

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Spend the day exploring the mountains and wetlands of the reserve on a photo hike or an optional horseback ride, and keep an eye out for endangered Argali mountain sheep and a number of endangered crane species. In the afterno...

Day 6: Gün-Galuut Nature Reserve/Ulaanbaatar

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Accommodation: Tuushin Hotel

Enjoy a morning at leisure before returning to Ulaanbaatar. Along the way, stop to frame a 131-foot-tall Genghis Khan equestrian statue, and venture into small villages to document daily traditions ...

Day 7: The Gobi/Gegeet Valley/Khongoryn Els

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Soar over the vast steppe on a flight to the mystical Gobi, site of some of the most important paleontological discoveries of the 20th century. Over the next four days, photograph the wildlife and varying landscapes of the des...

Day 8: Khongoryn Els Sand Dunes

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Three Camel Lodge

After breakfast, encounter the "Singing Sands," dunes known for the uncanny, deep groan the sand emits when the dunes' surface is disturbed. Stop in at the camp of a camel herding family...

Day 9: Yolyn Am

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Three Camel Lodge

Awaken early to capture scenes of the desert infused with glowing hues of sunrise. Travel to Yolyn Am, or Eagle Valley, a dramatic chasm that cuts a narrow path through the foothills of ...

Day 10: Tugrigiin Shiree/Flaming Cliffs

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Three Camel Lodge

Drive to Tugregiin Shiree, where paleontologists discovered the famous “Fighting Dinosaurs” fossil in the 1970s. Continue to Bayanzag, also known as the Flaming Cliffs. Here, brilliant r...

Day 11: Gobi Desert/Ulaanbaatar

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Accommodation: Tuushin Hotel

Fly to Ulaanbaatar this morning, arriving in time for lunch at a local restaurant. Venture into the Winter Palace of the Bogd Khan, home of Mongolia's last theocrat and eighth Living Buddha. Focus o...

Day 12: Naadam Festival

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Tuushin Hotel

With your camera in hand, immerse yourself in the spirit and pageantry of Naadam—Mongolia’s centuries-old annual festival and sporting event. Dressed in traditional garb, participants compet...

Day 13: Ulaanbaatar/U.S.

Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your return flight, or continue on the extension.

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Dates & Availability

Price From $5,995
Price per day$461
Last Updated: 5/15/2023

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

Check Current Availability, prices, specials with National Geographic Expeditions.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

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Logistics

What's excluded

    • Air transportation and related fees (except as indicated in the itinerary)
    • Activities noted as optional in the itinerary
    • Passport, visa, and permit expenses
    • Medical expenses and immunizations
    • Baggage, accident, cancellation insurance
    • Personal expenses, such as laundry, telephone calls, and alcoholic beverages
    • Any other items not specifically noted as included

Accommodation

Travel Insurance
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance alongside your travel package to safeguard against unforeseen circumstances such as medical expenses, trip cancellations, and other contingencies. It offers you peace of mind and ensures you are prepared for unexpected events that may occur before or during your journey
Visa requirements
Visa requirements vary depending on your country of origin and your country of destination. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the relevant requirements. For a handy tool that can help you quickly find the requirements, please visit this link .
Meals Included

11 Breakfasts, 10 Lunches and 8 Dinners

Age Requirements
No age restrictions
Optional Activities
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Additional Information
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Trip ID
nation-monphonat

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