DATE                     06.03 - 15.03 2023 (10 days)

GENRE                  Snow Leopard Photographing                  

TOUR LEADER      Michael Westerbjerg Andersen. The language we                                     speak on our tours is English, German & Danish

FEE                       From 4,400 US$ pr. person in shared DBL room 

SINGLE SUPPL.    800 US$           

DEPOSIT              Please pay a 10% deposit (US$ 440. -) per person                                  when booking;

                             Please pay Please pay the balance 3 months prior to                              tour start

VISA                    Depending on country of origin. At present no visa                                  for many nationalities! Information when booking the                              tour

VACCINATION     Yes, against COVID-19 (If no vaccination PCR-test                                   might be needed). Miksture will keep updating

GROUP SIZE       Max. 5 guests plus your expedition leader Michael                                   Westerbjerg Andersen. The tour will go ahead with 2                               or more guests

LEVEL                 Physical requirements include being willing and able                               to get up early and enduring cold conditions. Apart                                 from that moderate. Generally walking will be limited,                             and the days might long. We dohowever expect to be                               out all day most days. See below for further details.                               Should you have any physical limitations, please                                     notify us in advance of departure. Non-photographing                             partners will also love this tour!

DESCRIPTION    This exciting winter tour presents an adventure of                                 photographing elusive Snow Leopards. Delve into the                             pristine wilderness of Mongolian Altai and                                             photograph truly enigmatic Snow Leopards with help                            of local nomadic herders. 

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                         Photographing Snow Leopard would be a highlight in                              the life of any nature photographer and wildlife                                        enthusiast. The photographic opportunities are a gift                              to any wildlife photographer. Whether you are an                                    aspiring amateur or a full-on professional, the                                          spectacles you will witness will challenge and reward                              you 

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PHOTO HIGHLIGHTS AND FOCUS EVENTS

• ​Incredibly scenic Mongolian Altai and untouched wilderness of semi-desert,

• enigmatic Snow Leopards along with the charismatic Siberian Ibex and Argali,

• stay in the community based ger camp with Mongolian nomadic herders.

• maximum amount of time in the field, positioning ourselves for the photo opportunities of a lifetime!

• breathtaking mountainous landscapes of Mongolia’s west 

• small group - flexible, with plenty of time and respect for your photographing

• expert tour leader with 25+ years Snow leopard expedition experience  

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Joining one of MIKSTURE photo tours, you are going to have the very best opportunities to photograph the wildlife and pristine winter landscapes. Sunrises and sunsets are extraordinarily beautiful along with Mongolia's mountains. We enjoy comfortable accommodation and cuisine, but most important: We enjoy the maximum amount of time in the field, while other tour groups are slumbering or in seminars, we will be in the field positioning ourselves for the photo opportunities of a lifetime!

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IMPORTANT NOTES This is an easy paced wildlife photography tour. We will spend some time searching for the Snow Leopards with help of local trackers. If we can find a kill by snow leopards, we will set up our photography hides and might wait for it extended hours. The chance of observation and photography possibilities are 90%. Average distance to the Snow Leopards from our hides is 100 - 150 meters; sometimes closer...

​We designed this trip involving the least possible strenuous walks and treks throughout the trip. Depending on the sighting, we might ask you to walk maximum 2 km on comparatively flat terrain.

FAUNA The Mongol Altai embraces diverse fauna. Besides elusive Snow Leopards, we have a chance to see many interesting mammals including Argali, Siberian Ibex, Black-tailed Gazelle, and Grey Wolves. All mammals will be in their winter 'coats', which means that our models will be beautiful and photogenic. In the mountains and lakes of the Mongolian Altai Mountain range, we have a good chance to see the charming Altai Snowcock, Brandt’s Mountain Finch, Saker Falcon, Lammergeier, White-winged Redstart, Brown and Siberian Accentors etc.

ELECTRICITY AND POWER SOURCES We use a power generator in the community-based ger camp, providing 220 KV. The common socket type is type E. The recently built buildings have the combination of Type G and Type E.

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EXPECTED CLIMATE Mongolia is the ‘Land of Blue Sky’, the nickname comes from the number of sunny days throughout the year in the country – two third of the year. Temperatures should be freezing cold and skies are usually brilliantly clear. The days will usually be sunny and cool, and pleasant. Nights will be considerably cooler after the sunset. The temperature should be lower in the mountains and snow is possible. As there is no weather station in the mountain we visit for the tour, following is the climate data collected at Ulgii town during 2005–2015. But Ulaanbaatar weather is collected during 1985–2015. Source: timeanddate.com.

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TOUR PACE & TRANSPORT Moderate to easy. Domestic flights between Tokyo, Kyushu, and Hokkaido. Two comfortable vehicles from airports to accommodation, and every day from accommodation and into the adventure and back again. There will be ample space for everyone to have a window seat in the vehicles as well as for our luggage.

ACCOMMODATION Comfortable accommodation: Hotels - 2 nights, Community-based Ger Camp – 7 nights. Miksture book centrally located 3-4 star hotels for the stays in Ulaanbaatar so that our clients can stroll through the city center in their free time.

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We will stay in a community-based ger camp when we explore Altai in pursuit of the Snow Leopards. The campsites are a real heaven located in the authentic wilderness, facing the sublime scenery to all directions. Average altitude of the camp and surroundings is 2,000 m above sea level. The camp provides clean and comfortable traditional Mongolian gers with two beds or three beds inside. The gers will be heated by stove. The outside toilet will be secured in the secluded area of the campsite. There will be a place to wash hands and face but no shower due to cold temperature.

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Generally, we will book twin doubles, but single accommodation is possible against a fee (Solo Rate) (see below for details). If you are a single traveler and are ok to share, we will attempt to pair you with a same-sex co-traveler. If that is not possible, the single supplement fee (Solo Rat) will apply (se also Terms & Conditions (T&C)). At several of our locations, there will be the option of the use of an ‘Onsen’. These are the world-famous traditional Japanese public thermally heated warm baths. A string of guidelines applies (and slightly varying from one Onsen to the next). We can discuss that further at the time. Do pack bathing suits/trunks for the outdoor/shared ones.

MONGOLIAN CUISINE 9 breakfasts, 9 lunches, and 9 dinners is included in the price, which covers all the main meals during your stay in Mongolia.

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Our cook in the community-based camp will cater for your special food requirements. Please let us know your dietary requirements in advance so that we can prepare the supplies accordingly. We will provide our guests with fresh fruits every day. However, the meals in the camp might lack a variety comparing to the European standards. There will always be hot drinks and snacks.

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CULTURE Mongolian culture is intricate; ancient, and modern, tradition-bound, and flexible. We will mostly be focused on wildlife and wilderness, but we will meet the people and their ways as well. Most locals speak little to no English. 

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OTHER ATTRACTIONS Spectacular scenery, culture and fantastic wildlife

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PHOTOGRAPHIC OPPORTUNITIES WORLD-CLASS!