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Mongolian Total Solar Eclipse Tour 2008
Cost land-only joining in Ulaanbaatar: $3,995.00 per person Tour Leader: Jennifer Dudley Winter Travel Itinerary:
Day 3. (25 Jul) Eagle Trainer’s Family/Olgii (B,L,D) In the morning we will spend time with the eagle trainer and watch him at work with a hunting eagle. Only females are used in hunting, as they are on average 30% larger than males, and more powerful. In the afternoon, we will participate in some of the daily activities of the family camp. Overnight with the family.
Day 5. (27 Jul) Tsambagarav Mountain/Hovd (B,L,D) Today we drive through the Altai mountains to Hovd. During this drive you have a good change of observing Argali sheep and Ibex in the high mountains. Arriving in Hovd, we will visit the town & resupply. Overnight in a local Day 6. (28 Jul) Hovd/Mankhan Caves (B,L,D) After breakfast we drive to the Mankhan caves where you can see prehistoric rock paintings and petroglyphs. Optional short hike in the Khar Uus nuur protected area. In the early evening we will have a khoomi performance - khoomi is throat singing,
Day 8. (30 Jul) Munkh Khairkhan/Southern Altai Range (B,L,D) Today we head over the mountains into southern Hovd, crossing some high passes. We will camp overnight in the Altai mountains. Day 9. (31 Jul) Southern Altai Range/Bulgan/Eclipse Camp (B,L,D) Leaving our campsite, we continue south until we arrive in Bulgan soum. Famous for watermelons and other local produce, Bulgan has a busy market, which we will visit in order to re-supply. In the afternoon we drive out of Bulgan along the Hovd r Day 10. (1 Aug) Eclipse Day (B,L,D) Today you will have free time to explore the surrounding area and make preparations for viewing the eclipse. We will watch for cloud cover in case we need to make last minute adjustments to the viewing location. Eclipse watching, followed by a celebration dinner. Camping overnight.
Day 12. (3 Aug) Terelj (B,L,D) We will start the morning with an optional easy horseback ride across the mountains to the Terelj River w Day 13. (3 Aug) Terelj/Ulaanbaatar (B,L,D) In the morning we return to the capital, and visit Gandan Monastery, the center of Buddhism in Mongolia. After lunch we will spend a few hours exploring the Black Market. This huge market contains every single item a Mongolian might need, whether they are nomads or urban apartment dwellers. Goods brought from all corners of Mongolia are here for sale. A visit to the market is a colorful experience which gives the visitor an insight to the everyday life of the people of Mongolia. Free shopping time in the afternoon. Early evening cultural performance, followed by a farewell dinner. Overnight in hotel. Day 14. (4 Aug) Departure (B) Transfer to the airport for your departing flight. end of services*.
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Day 1. (23 Jul) Arrival Day (D) Arrival to Ulaanbaatar and transfer to hotel. Depending on time of arrival, you may have a short city sight-seeing tour and visit the museum of national history, where your guide will give you a brief introduction to the history, culture, and lifestyle of the Mongols. Evening welcome dinner. Overnight in hotel. 
Day 2. (24 Jul) Ulaanbaatar/Olgii Eagle Trainer's Family (B,L,D) After breakfast we fly to Mongolia's western-most province of Bayan Ulgii, which is mostly inhabited by Kazakh people. Other ethnic groups also reside in the region, among them Tuvans and Buriats. The Kazakh have brought with them their rich cultural heritage, music, handicrafts and the ancient tradition of Hunting with Golden Eagles. We will land at Ulgii, the provincial capital, and drive to an archeological site featuring bronze age ancient burial sites and balbals (Turkic stone statues, sometimes shaped like humans). From the site, we continue to the home of an eagle trainer's family. You will learn from the eagle trainer about the ancient tradition of training and hunting with golden eagles. In the evening you will join the family in their ger, and enjoy the traditional music and dancing of the Kazakh. Overnight with the family (in tents set up next to their home). 
Day 4. (26 Jul) Eagle Trainer's Family/Tsambagarav Mountain (B,L,D) After breakfast we drive to Tsambagarav Mountain, known for its year-round glaciers and wildlife. The Mongolian government has designated this a protected area for the conservation of the Snow Leopard. You may see other wildlife today including marmots, fox, Argali sheep and Ibex, but it is rare indeed to spot the elusive snow leopards. Camping overnight. 
hotel or camping in tents. 
Day 7. (29 Jul) Mankhan Caves/Munkh Khairkhan (B,L,D) Today we continue to Munkh Khairkhan mountain, where we can see bronze age (turkic) balbals, stone grave markers that are sometimes shaped like people. Camping overnight or stay with a nomadic family. 
iver, to our eclipse camp. In the area there is a lot of wildlife, including elk, Argali sheep, and many small mammals. Along the road, we pass small households where you will likely see local people making hay for the winter and harvesting the summer's crops. We will arrive at our eclipse camp next to the emerald green Hovd River in the late afternoon. Camping overnight. 
Day 11. (2 Aug) Eclipse Camp/Bulgan/Ulaanbaatar/Terelj (B,L,D) Today we have a very early start, driving into Bulgan to catch the morning flight to Ulaanbaatar. We arrive in Ulaanbaatar and drive about an hour and a half to Terelj National Park. After checking into our ger camp, optional two to three hours easy hike through the Terelj Mountains to the sacred Turtle Rock and back to camp. Overnight in a ger camp. 
here we will enjoy a picnic lunch by the river. Those who do not wish to ride may go in the vehicles to the river. After lunch we will continue by car to the Ariyabal Temple, which overlooks the vast plains of Terelj National Park. Overnight in a ger camp. 
