2024 Autumn Expedition to Western Mongolia

Autumn Migration, Eagle Hunters & Private Cultural Festival

Trip Dates: August 25th – September 8th, 2024

This year we’ve created a new expedition which will once again be an exceptional 2 week journey through far western Mongolia exploring the nomadic landscape and its people.  Your journey will be a photographic trip of a lifetime, specifically designed to give you intimate access to the many cultural experiences found in this remote corner of Mongolia.  These expeditions were originally inspired by the first trip I undertook here with the BBC fourteen years ago when we shot a film for Human Planet about Kazakh eagle hunters.

Now in their 11th year, these very popular trips have evolved each year as we push deeper and deeper into the lesser known corners of Western Mongolia searching for new places and experiences. This year we have decided to incorporate a number of features from our other popular expeditions around Tavan Bogd National Park to create a unique trip that includes elements of our classic winter ‘Migration of the Eagle Hunters’ trip along with the unbridled access to Mongolian Kazakh Culture found on our Summer ‘Amongst the Eagle Hunters’ trip.

Our itinerary will take us on an epic 500km journey through the border regions of this relatively unknown destination.  Along the way we will be spending our time immersing ourselves in Kazakh nomadic culture and daily life, visiting families and pitching alongside them at their camps.  Our journey will include a 3 day autumn nomadic migration, natural light portrait masterclasses with 3 different eagle hunter families and our own private Kazakh cultural festival to include eagle hunting tournaments and the traditional Kazakh sports of bushkashi and tin teru. The trip will take us through 2 restricted access areas for which we have secured official consent from the Mongolian military.

Note: Bushkashi tournaments do NOT use live goats

I have designed this trip exactly the way I would have done if I were shooting it on my own.  We won’t be following any well trodden paths.  These expeditions are about meeting real people and connecting with them in their own environment. We will be using the same fixers and guides who organised our original expeditions with the BBC’s Human Planet team… trusted friends who understand precisely the kind of opportunities that photographers and filmmakers crave.  We have limited the attendance to 8 people per trip in order to give everyone the chance to shoot great images without creating too much impact on our surroundings.  I will be travelling with you at all times and offering as much advice and help as you can absorb as well as guiding you through my methods of shooting, editing and image preparation in post production during photography seminars and natural light portrait sessions.

To give you an idea of the kind of things I like to get up to on these expeditions, please take a few moments to browse through this Facebook album of photographs from previous trips: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.913102232088303

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In 2018, we made a film about our travels through this part of Western Mongolia visiting many of the same people that we will spend time with on this trip.  We will be migrating with the same family that appears in the film. Jump to 14 minutes 30 secs to see that migration. Our route on this expedition will be the reverse of the one you can see here.

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This is a photo expedition for the adventurous type.  The only times we will be seeing the walls of a hotel room will be on the first and last days of the trip in Ulan Bator, Mongolia’s capital and one night in Ulgii, Western Mongolia’s capital city. Other than that we will be staying in individual North Face expedition tents or traditional gers, bringing everything we need with us in our 4×4 vehicles including generators for safely charging all our gear.  This means that when we are camping out in the national park we will be living quite simply under canvas.  You can however expect ample hot food prepared by our cooks and a hot shower but we ask you to please acknowledge the limitations of this kind of travel before you commit to booking with us.  Once we leave UB, there will be no turning back!

What is included in the price of this trip?

Everything except your international flight, personal travel insurance, Visa fees and the costs of the kind of things you would normally expect to buy with your own personal money supply (gifts, personal treats etc.). Other than that, from the moment we pick you up at Ulan Bator’s Airport we will take care of everything for you.  Accommodation, 3 meals a day including all and any drinks, internal flights to Western Mongolia, overland transport, tips, translators… anything you can think of, and probably a few things you can’t.

What kind of things should I bring?

The number one necessity is a smile plastered from ear to ear.. closely followed by an open mind.  Expeditions to remote locations like these can be susceptible to unforeseen problems which may result in last minute itinerary changes.  Rest assured however that photo opportunities will be foremost in our minds but we kindly ask you to be prepared to go with the flow if the need requires.  Cameras, laptop, outdoor clothes, a sleeping bag (we provide sleeping mats or mattresses in gers), head torch… these kind of things instantly spring to mind.  Once you confirm your booking with a 25% deposit, we will send you all the information you need to fully prepare yourself for this epic journey.

How fit do I need to be to join this trip?

All of the places we visit on this trip will be accessible in our trusty Russian 4 wheel drive vehicles so physical fitness is not a huge priority.   Shooting the eagle hunters on hill tops might involve a little trekking to get to good vantage points and at a couple of points on our journey it may be necessary to walk alongside our vehicles so that they can ascend particularly steep terrain.  Be aware: There are absolutely no tarmac roads where we are going. Please bear this in mind before you book.

The location of the start of the migration

Can I join this trip as a non photographer?

Sure!  If your significant other wants you there by their side then be our guest! Similarly, if you just want to come alone without a camera then don’t feel that you need to be into photography. This expedition is designed to be an immersive experience for everyone, so if you don’t want to shadow us when we’re shooting, we will certainly be able to find plenty of other things for you to do.  If you’re feeling adventurous you could pop off with a translator on a horse riding excursion or just spend a quiet day with a local nomadic family joining in with their day to day tasks.  It’s up to you. This part of Western Mongolia has great fishing too, so feel free to borrow a rod and spend the day catching our lunch if you like!

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Itinerary 

Day 1Arrive from international flight. A driver will bring you to our hotel in the centre of UB.  During the day will be visiting the money changers, black market and Gandantegchinlen Monastery. ‘Meet and greet’ at the hotel at 5pm for those people arriving late.
Day 2Catch the 1300km lunchtime flight to Ulgii in Western Mongolia. In the evening enjoy a private performance from the Kazakh musicians who performed the soundtrack to our film ‘The Circle’. Sleep at hotel.
Day 3Drive for 7-8 hours into the mountains and after presenting our permits at the last army post before the Chinese border, we will head to our riverside camp next to our first Kazakh family who we will be joining on their migration. Sleep in private gers.
Day 4Migration Packing day: A day spent shooting daily life including dismantling the family gers and packing possessions onto trucks. Sleep in private gers.
Day 5Migration Day 1. Sleep in tents.
Day 6Migration Day 2. Sleep in tents.
Day 7Migration Day 3: Arrival at Autumn camp. Sleep in private gers.
Day 8Autumn camp Day. A free day during which we can be spontaneous. Sleep in private gers.
Day 9Drive to our first eagle hunter family. Guided portrait sessions. Sleep in private gers.
Day 10Drive to second eagle hunter family. Guided portrait sessions. Sleep in private gers.
Day 11Drive to third eagle hunter family. Hunting photos at sunset. Sleep in private gers.
Day 12Private festival. We have put up the prize money for a Kazakh cultural festival to include eagle hunting competitions, bushkashi (horseback tug of war with a dead goat) and tin teru (Picking up coins whilst galloping on horseback). Sleep in private gers.
Day 13Drive back to Ulgii (6-7 hours) and stay the night in our hotel.
Day 14Catch the morning flight back to Ulan Bator and enjoy a farewell meal at my favourite restaurant in Ulan Bator.
Day 15Tearful goodbyes as our driver drops you off at the airport to connect with your international flight.  Have a safe trip!

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A maximum of 8 places are available on this trip. Places are allocated on a first come, first served basis.

Trip Dates: August 25th – September 8th, 2024

Price:  TRIP FULL

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To enquire about joining this trip please use the form below.

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