Altai Tavan Bogd & Eagle Hunters
Fly to Ölgii to enter the Altai, hike the Potanin Glacier, visit the twin lakes, and stay in the home of Kazakh eagle hunters.
After flying to Ölgii, charter a 4WD vehicle to enter Tavan Bogd. Hike to the base camp to see the Potanin Glacier, then head to Khoton and Khurgan Lakes, and visit the Sagsai eagle hunters on the return journey. Mountain roads are rough and conditions are basic; you need to be able to walk over 10 km a day and sleep in tents. This itinerary does not include technical climbing and is suitable for fit, returning travelers. If you want to see the Golden Eagle Festival, you must change your trip to early October, but the hiking section will be too cold by then and should be cancelled.
The mountain area is suitable for travel from June to mid-September. Border permits must be processed about 1 month in advance.
Day by day
Day 1 · Fly to Ölgii City
Ulaanbaatar & Terelj → Ölgii & Mongolian Altai（Bayan-Ölgii Provincial Museum、Ölgii Central Mosque）
Fly from Ulaanbaatar to Ölgii (about 2–3 hours). Meet your local guide and explore the city in the afternoon.
Flights to Ölgii run only a few times a week and are often adjusted, so book tickets first; stock up on supplies here before heading into the mountains.
Stay: Ölgii Town
Day 2 · Enter the Mountains to the Tsagaan Gol Valley
Ölgii & Mongolian Altai（Shiveet Khairkhan Petroglyphs (Upper Tsagaan Gol)）
Drive about 170 km on dirt roads in a 4WD, taking about 6 hours including river crossings. Arrive at the Tuvan nomadic camp in the afternoon.
Permits will be checked at the park entrance, so carry your original passport; you must be accompanied by a qualified local guide.
Stay: Tuvan Nomadic Ger in Tsagaan Gol Valley
Day 3 · Hike to Tavan Bogd Base Camp
Drive to the trailhead and then hike for about 4 hours (about 15 km). Gear will be carried by camels or horses.
The base camp is at an altitude of about 3,000 meters and gets very cold at night; watch out for altitude sickness and ensure your sleeping bag is warm enough.
Stay: Tavan Bogd Base Camp Tent
Day 4 · Potanin Glacier and Return
Ölgii & Mongolian Altai（Tavan Bogd Base Camp & Potanin Glacier）
Walk to the glacier viewpoint in the morning (about 3 hours round trip), then descend back to the Tsagaan Gol Valley camp in the afternoon.
Do not walk onto the ice as crevasses are dangerous; whether to step onto the glacier is at the guide's discretion.
Stay: Tuvan Nomadic Ger in Tsagaan Gol Valley
Day 5 · Head South to Khoton and Khurgan Twin Lakes
Ölgii & Mongolian Altai（Khoton & Khurgan Lakes）
Drive south in a 4WD for about 200 km (about 5–6 hours), stopping to see deer stones and Turkic stone man statues along the way.
Stay: Tavan Bogd Mountain Gers
Day 6 · Horse Riding and Waterfall Valley Hiking in the Lake Area
Spend the whole day in the lake area. Hike in the waterfall valley for about 2–3 hours, or ride horses along the lake for half a day.
Stay: Tavan Bogd Mountain Gers
Day 7 · Visit Eagle Hunters in Sagsai
Ölgii & Mongolian Altai（Sagsai Kazakh Eagle Hunter Family Stay）
Drive northeast out of the mountains for about 165 km (about 6 hours), visiting a family in Sagsai before returning to Ölgii.
Summer is the resting period for eagles, so you won't see actual hunting; the home visit focuses on cultural exchange and demonstrations.
Stay: Ölgii Town
Day 8 · Fly Back to Ulaanbaatar
Ölgii & Mongolian Altai → Ulaanbaatar & Terelj
Transfer to the airport according to your flight time. Fly from Ölgii to Ulaanbaatar (about 2–3 hours). Leave plenty of buffer time if connecting to an international flight today.
Flights in the west are prone to delays; leaving a one-day buffer before your international return flight is safer.