Wet and Verdant in Wild Mongolia

[Kitsafari]

Tumen diverts into the grasslands to show us another important project he is undertaking, a fenced up area of the head of a natural springwater source. The fences keep herders and animals away from the freshwater source so that the water flow is unimpeded and kept permanently clean. This improves the natural spring's water discharge and water flows increase, giving better and more access to herders and their animals and to wildlife. This is part of an on-going programme in Mongolia. WWF mentions in a report that some 43 heads of natural springs have been fenced as at January 2024 in the ranges where the critically endangered saiga roams. 

 

The fenced area also allows natural plants to spring up around the clean waters, encouraging more shorebirds and waders to come into the area which increases the number of transitory stops for migrating birds from Siberia. I also notice within the same area, a fenced property housing a residential home surrounded by trees and plants, one of the many successful private attempts by residents at growing back trees in the arid region.

 

What note-worthy efforts these are by conservationists invested in the future of their country. 

 

 

Across the  springwater is a property growing trees and plants in the desert, showing it is possible to revive greenery to the  arid region. 

Some waders at the fenced project were Little Ringed Plover and long-toed Stint. Just outside the fences were demoiselle cranes. 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

We return to DZ and have a most delicious late lunch at a popular Korean restaurant Yuna. No pix as we are too ravenous and tuck in immediately. 

 

It is already evening when we head to a new spot south of the Altai mountains to stake out the ghost. A climb up a steep slope sees me, Bagi and Gaegi breathlessly and slowly make our way to the top, at nearly 2,600 feet above sea level. We sit patiently, feeling fairly small as the mountains loom around us.

 

On the way with some small hopes

 

all hands on scope, bins and cameras

 

 

 

 

We wait till nearly 8pm, and make our way down to the cars, a little despondent and empty-handed once again. Not a sniff of the ghost.

 

 

The skies are losing the natural light. Tumen grabs Sugi and has a serious conversation away from us up on the mountain top. 
At dinner we find out that our last two destinations are impassable because of the rains. We have to pivot (much as I hate to use this word). We don't know what places we should go to so I tell Tumen draw up a revised itinerary so we can understand it better. He agrees. 
Strangely, that night, I sleep well, trusting Tumen will do good by us, despite not knowing where we will go to replace Khurkh and terelj. That's the adventurous spirit Tumen demands from us. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 10 by Kitsafari

[Kitsafari]

There is beauty in silence broken only by the winds riding across the valleys, zig zagging through the Gobi Altai mountains. The  flushes of green smother the smooth rolling slopes making the mounds even more prominent, like the silent restful burial grounds of giants sleeping among the mountains.

 

Horses bray. Across from where I sit, a herd of horses is lingering on a lower mountain. A couple of them have laid on the ground, enjoying the warmth of the sun in the biting chill. Another looks impatient to move on, braying, perhaps telling the others that the rest is over and it is time to go. A few peaks away, a herd of small dots of domesticated yaks are enjoying the fresh greens and warm sun. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have returned to last evening's stakeout point this morning of Day 6. As usual, I am the last to peak the top although OH waits for me. Sugi hurries us - a target mammal is seen behind a big rock. 

 

Argalis! shy and really very nervous of humans, the wild sheep - the largest of all sheep in the world at up to 4ft tall - is intensively hunted in its range in central Asia, landing it on the IUCN Redlist's Near Threatened list and on the Mongolia's endangered status. They have the biggest horns of all sheep, which trophy hunters feel the lack of compunction to kill for it in Mongolia. There is an estimated 4,000 argali left in the wild in Mongolia, a massive decline from 40,000 in the 1970s due to illegal hunting, competiton for grazing land with the large volume of domestic lifestock. They are extremely difficult to see, and very skittish to any kind of noise or sound. 

The three that are down in the valley keep staring in our direction. Even though we are as quiet as mice, the sheep are too nervous to stick around, and move off the valley and climb the opposite mountain until they blend in into the face of the rocks. May they stay safe and live long. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We sit and try to be comfortable, while scanning the mountains surrounding us on all four sides for the invisible big cat. Raptors fly above our heads. Redstarts hop around us, and a juvenile flies in, close to us, driven by curiousity. Over the ridge, the gentle slopes are pockmarked with holes hidden by tufts of grass. A pika steps out to see if the coast is clear but the others stay hidden.

 

A golden Eagle perches at the top of a peak before it opens its wings and launches into the valley. It flies straight across the valley then begins to circle around with each flyby a little lower into the valley, probably hoping to snatch an easy breakfast.The pika is well hidden and far from danger. 

 

The ghost remains a shadow. Tumen desperate to find signs of the ghost, takes a walk to the other highland. after a long wait, he radios to say he sees tracks of the long-tailed ghost of a day old but nothing else to suggest it is still around. Our heads droop further down. The minutes tick into hours and we know, the ghost has ghosted us. 

 

a curious redstart

 

griffon

 

Golden eagle

 

Saker falcon seen earlier

 

We stop in the valleys to have a packed lunch - instant noodles with huge flasks of hot water collected in DZ on our way out. We are going to a new camp tonight, but not without stopping in another peak to have another stake-out, located quite a distance away. My google timeline is missing these hours, presumably because phone and telecommunications connection is lost. A much easier hike up a gentle slope but still the ghost eludes us. 

 

 Another stakeout, another mountain view

 

 

It is past 8pm and the light is failing. Bagi drives quickly back to the grasslands that stretch miles and miles and miles. In the daytime, everything looks clear. But night has fallen and darkness makes everything unfamiliar. Tumen is directing him and seems to tell him to cut across the grasslands instead of keeping to the trails. It stretches and we pass one building 2x and OH and I know that we are going in  circles and are hopelessly lost. Each time we see a light in the distance, I hope that Tumen goes towards it to ask for directions but instead the car will turn and lurches into another blackness. By the time we pass the same building the third time, I call a halt and tell Sugi that we are lost and Tumen has to ask for directions. Sugi and Gaegi go towards a light in the distance but return to say no one is home. I don't know how Tumen figures it out, but he must have dug deep into his memory on that building to get his bearings, and finally we limp into Gobi Mirage past 10pm, hungry and tired. The camp staff is fantastic, they have kept our dinner aside. The great news is - we finally get ensuite gers! All is forgiven and forgotten!

Edited October 10 by Kitsafari

[TonyQ]

It really is a stunning place. An adventurous trip, and you share the highs and lows with us. Beautiful photos of wildlife and landscapes.

[NSY]

great report brings back memory’s of our trip 25 years ago climbing in the Altai mountains. Driven to the mountains in old Russian  UAZ jeeps.  The drivers just wanted to race each other across the stepps. We did see an eagle hunter in traditional dress at side of road who was happy for us to take photos. 

[Atravelynn]

Great report that shows the vast beauty of Mongolia and you did not end up getting lost in the dark.  Thank you for sharing this adventure.