3 September 2013

Mongolia Mammalwatching Trip RFI

Hello gang!

I am tentatively trying to organize a trip to Mongolia next summer (June) to see the normal mammals, but also make another attempt for wild Bactrian Camels.  I have been in contact with Selena Travel but they are very unresponsive and their latest communication makes me think they are not interested in the mammal safaris any longer.  Does anyone have any ideas of other operators up in that part of the world with the know-how and experience to get to the mammal locations and even in to see the camels?  Thanks in advance!

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15 Comments

  • 5 September 2013
    PandaSmith

    I just heard back from Selena Travel with the definitive answer that they are no longer doing wildlife trips – only high end tourism now. Most likely from the Beijing market… so if anyone knows someone else, that would be awesome!

  • 6 September 2013
    Paul Carter

    Hi Jon, if you don’t get any direct info on current operators then let me know and I will contact some geo friends from when I worked there and they could make enquiries. I also think that one of the WCS guys I met up there is still there, I will follow up on his email. I still need to get back some time as the mammal book only came out after I left. Cheers, Paul (currently on a 7 week road-trip from LA to Whistler and then back south inland).

  • 6 September 2013
    PandaSmith

    Sounds great! Let’s work on this and see what can come of it. Perhaps it could work out to be a killer expedition!

  • 6 September 2013
    vnsankar

    I just found this: http://dailyadventuresgretch.blogspot.com/2012/02/epic-adventures-part-iii-in-search-of.html. Figured you all might find it of interested – seems they went to a frontier town near Great Gobi A NR called Bayan Toroi where they hired a guide named Choijin (the same guy the BBC used to film their wild camels in planet earth – he’s paid by the govt to study the camels and bears and is the best person you could possibly have for a guide here) to take them on camel around the reserve; he seems great and they saw Gobi Brown Bears, Gazelles, Argali, and WILD CAMELS. They list the name of some guy they used in Ulaanbaatar named Timur who arranged it all – it would be nice to figure out who this is…

  • 7 September 2013
    Richard Webb

    Try Balacs at http://www.ecotours.hu/. A lot of people have used his company in Hungary and he is now running tours for mammals in Mongolia. I had a long chat with him in August as he is actively promoting Mongolia at the moment and from what he said I think he can organise trips to look for Bactrians.

    Richard

  • 12 September 2013
    Israel

    I’m in Mongolia now so asked at a research camp I visited. I was told the main camel guy in Mongolia is called Ya Adiya. He heads all the camel catching and radio-collaring and that sort of thing. He can be contacted through the Biology Institute of Mongolian Academy Sciences in Ulan Baatar (you should be able to find a general email address on the internet). He would probably be the person best able to at least give you some names.

  • 12 September 2013
    Jon Hall

    HI Coke. My Mongolian colleague here in New York has asked around and got the following list. Nomadic expeditions has also been recommended by someone else familiar with the country and nature travel.

    http://www.nomadicexpeditions.com
    http://www.gobitours.com
    http://www.tserentours.com
    http://www.threecamellodge.com
    http://www.samarmagictours.com
    http://www.tsolmontravels.com

    I also know Balazs in Hungary and can vouch for him. He’s a great guy so definitely worth talking to him too.

    cheers

    Jon

    • 13 September 2013
      PandaSmith

      Thanks! I will start the search and see what I can work through with these operators. I bet the contact that I got on the driver front you sent earlier today might be able to work out with one of these operators.

  • 13 October 2013
    John Pilgrim

    Hi all,

    I’m overdue writing up a trip to the Gobi south of Dalanzadgad in late August (highlights were Snow Leopard, Long-eared Jerboa and Marbled Polecat, and – at Ikh Nart – Pallas’ Cat). Our guide was much more familiar with that part of the Gobi, but was excellent, a great guy, and I’d definitely consider him for setting up the logistics of a Great Gobi trip. He’s often subcontracted by larger companies, such as the ones Jon lists, for Gobi tours anyway.

    He is called Tumen, though it’s easier to talk to his wife Oyunaa as her English is better. You can contact her at: Oyuntsetseg Bavuu

    I do quite a bit of work out in Mongolia (just about to go on my fifth trip this year) and am very keen to set up a camel-focused trip myself, so would be grateful of any more info that you gather. If anyone needs an additional member for a trip they’re setting up, I’d also definitely like to hear about that!

    Cheers,

    John

  • 15 October 2013
    PandaSmith

    Same here! I am in communication with one of the operators above and hope to lock something in soon. Anyone want to join us ? We’re looking at about three weeks or so starting the 7th or so of June with major attempts for the Bactrians and Saiga, as well as the normal players seen in most trip reports….

  • 27 May 2015
    Bayanmunkh Dashnyam

    Hello!
    At last, here is a Mongolian man who arranges mammal trip in Mongolia. Perhaps you found a partner in Mongolia, but as local experts, we will give you advantages in terms of consulting for location and wildlife, accommodations, and arrangements. If you are still interested in mammal trip in Mongolia, email me to ecomunkh@gmail.com or visit our website http://www.mongolica.org.

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