Gobi Desert

Fantastic trip. We travelled (admittedly some long drives) through the flat landscapes, dodging large herds of goats and sheep as well as horses and camels. Four visits to various nomad families gave us insights into their ways of life, and we sampled fermented cows’, mares’, and camels’ milk. We watched one family milk the mares, and rode camels near the sand dunes. Visits to Buddhist temples and museums gave us additional insights. The bronze age petroglyphs were a highlight, particularly those of tigers. The best bit was at the end of the trip, when we attended the Golden Eagle Festival. Watching men and women interact with their eagles was amazing, as were the other events, such as the tug-of-war with a goat skin.

Chrys Tremththanmor Mongolia Golden Eagle Festival

Mongolia is a stunningly beautiful country. Miles and miles of vast open vistas, dotted with the occasional ger and nomad herds of animals. The Gobi desert was fascinating, including a visit to the place where the first dinosaur eggs were discovered! We visited many interesting and fabulous places, including several beautiful Buddhist temples. Wherever we went, the people were charming and very hospitable. The Eagle Festival was a spectacle I will never forget, with 120 eagle hunters competing to win the honour of being the champion. Dressed in their finest traditional clothing, riding their sturdy horses at speed, they called their massive golden eagles down from the rocky hillside to land on their arm.

Jan Flynn Mongolia: Steppes, Deserts & Nomads – Eagle Festival

Advice given by Exodus regarding the transfer in Beijing was inadequate. Much more detail is needed. Many lost souls were wandering the airport for some time. Perhaps a step-by-step description ? Chinese airport personnel were generaly rude, and less than helpful.

The whole trip was generally fine.

Exodus were advisied that one of us was gluten-free, but this information was not given to the tour guide beforehand, which Exodus stated it had been. Probably did not make a huge difference in the end as Gluten free food is largely unknown in Mongolia (not entirely unexpected).

Chris Goddard Mongolia Golden Eagle Festival