Ölgii & Mongolian Altai

Mongolia's westernmost, Kazakh-majority region: the Golden Eagle Festival, homestays with eagle hunters, the glaciers of Altai Tavan Bogd and UNESCO-listed petroglyphs.

Ölgii is the capital of Bayan-Ölgii, Mongolia's westernmost province. Sitting at about 1,700 m on the Khovd River, the region borders Xinjiang in China and Russia's Altai Republic to the northwest. Around 90% of the province's residents are Kazakh and Kazakh is widely spoken; mosques, yurts and eagle-hunting culture give it a character quite different from the rest of Mongolia. In town are the provincial museum, the central mosque and the market; nearby you can visit Tolbo Lake, Achit Lake and the snow-capped Tsambagarav, or stay with an eagle-hunting family in Sagsai; furthest afield, Altai Tavan Bogd National Park is home to Mongolia's highest peak, the Potanin Glacier, Khoton Lake and UNESCO-listed petroglyphs. Best seasons: Jun–Sep, when the grasslands turn green and the mountains are open for hiking; the Golden Eagle Festival is held each year in early October; winter temperatures can drop to -40°C, suitable only for specialised eagle-hunting tours. Getting there: daily flights from Ulaanbaatar to Ölgii take about 3.5 hours; overland it is about 1,700 km and takes 3–4 days. Almost all roads outside town are dirt tracks, so you need to hire a 4x4 with driver, and a border-zone permit must be obtained in advance to enter the national park. Suggested time: 3–4 days for the Golden Eagle Festival; 7–10 days for an off-road and trekking trip including Tavan Bogd National Park.

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