Mongolian Winter Tours

 
 
 
 
 
 
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 gillian m 
 
 
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Mongolia, so special I spent 5 weeks travelling round Mongolia with Eternal Landscapes. Jess listened to what I wanted and put together the perfect itinerary. I hoped to experience how Mongolians live and most of my accommodation was in family Gers. Eating and chatting to real people, experiencing their way of life, which is tough especially in the freezing winter months. This was not a luxury trip. The Gers are heated with stoves and there is no running water or toilets. You use what is affectionately called a "long drop" toilet. Basically a deep hole in a small shed. Some are pretty reasonable, some not. But if you want to envelope yourself in their way of life, it's what you do. Wet wipes are king. My first 10 days were spent in the North. I had an amazing 3 day horse drawn sled trip on the frozen Khovsgol Lake. Stunning. Flying along the ice was such an experience. Then there was the Khovsgol Ice Festival. So many local people made me feel like a star as they wanted their photo taken with a westerner! The most fun part was watching tug-o-war on the ice. Hilarious! I've wanted to visit the Gobi desert since school days. Since the infrastructure in Mongolia isn't great, it meant a lot of long driving on rough tracks. EL use these great Russian 4x4 trucks which can handle the roughest terrain. Hundreds of miles of desert which was in its own way, beautiful.I then flew to Khovd in Western Mongolia, otherwise it would have been days of driving, to experience the Kazakh Eagle Hunters. I participated in an amazing Eagle festival. The Kazakh Mongolias are mostly Eagle hunters, hunting in the winter only but I had demonstrations of the hunting techniques. Watching these men in their hunting outfits, we could have been back in Ghengis Khan's time. EL's ethos is what drew me to this company. They employ mostly older men as drivers who are very experienced and female trip assistants. Giving employment and training to local people. They are involved in several projects throughout Mongolia, helping to make a difference to the locals. Nothing was too much trouble for my trip assistant and driver. They looked after me so well and made my trip incredibly special. And as for the Mongolian people! Their warmth and generosity will stay in my heart for ever.
  
 
 
 
 
 
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 lee h 
 
 
 Verified 
Trekking in Mongolia with horses, local herdsman and Jess I had a wonderful trip with Eternal Landscapes in Mongolia several years ago. I have actually traveled with Jess a couple times in Mongolia. She loves the country and people there and it shows. I like the wide open spaces and unapologetic differences of Mongolia, especially outside the Capital. I hope to go again to see the western part of the country in a year or two.
  
 
 
 
 
 
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 Sue Ellen 
 
 
 Verified 
A Mongolian Winter Adventure I can't begin to tell how much I enjoyed this trip. I worry that I will run out of superlative adjectives. The personal assistance given before, during and after the trip was incredible. It was way beyond what we could possibly have hoped for. The trip itself was so unique. Besides the glimpses of history and tradition, we were able to participate in adventures that we never imagined: winter nights in gers, riding in hand-made horse-drawn sleds across a frozen lake, and watching friendly competitions at a festival on the ice in archery, wrestling, tug-of war and more. The staff (Turuu, Amaraa, et al) was superb. The Mongolian people we met on the trip were unfailingly generous and kind, sharing their homes and culture with us. It was a particular delight to see the sweet, happy children. I have traveled a lot, and I can truly say that Eternal Landscapes and this trip are the best I've experienced.
  
 
 
 
 
 
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 Grace T 
 
 
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Exceptional customer service from first enquiry to checking in after the trip, Jess kept me well informed throughout and has created a trip itinerary that was packed with excitement from the very first day in Mongolia. If you are a solo traveller, do not hesitate to book with this company - Aidaa and Turuu were the best guides, always took care of us whilst making everyday fun, and I now count them as friends. Mongolia is a beautiful country full of inspiring people, and I felt so welcomed in every home we visited. Thank you for immersing me into such a special culture, I will never forget it
  
 
 
 
 
 
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 Viv M 
 
 
 Verified 
Winter in Mongolia - what an amazing experience This was our second trip to Mongolia, and our second with Eternal Landscapes. Our expectations were high, and we were not disappointed. We had never travelled in such extreme winter conditions and was unsure what to expect. Jess provided heaps of useful information and tips, and would answer any question, however trivial. Our trip was really 5 different experiences over five weeks: dog sledding on frozen rivers, Mongolian New Year, the Thousand Camel Festival in the Gobi, a road trip to far western Mongolia, and the Spring Festival with the Khazak eagle hunters.Wow! The whole experience was amazing. Because it was winter, there was no camping, lots of gers and home stays, and provincial hotels. We spent a lot of time with Mongolian families, learnt of their traditions, played card games and they taught us many variations of 'jacks'. All the time Jess, Turuu, and the Eternal Landscapes team were helpfully explaining the customs, and introducing us to a way of life rarely seen by tourists. And I haven't even mentioned the beautiful scenery. I can't thank Jess and Eternal Landscapes enough for providing such a well-organised and insightful and memorable holiday.
  
 
 
 
 
 
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 Nadja 
 
 
 Verified 
Winter trip We had the most amazing time with Eternal Landscapes. We booked with them because of their ethical and empowering way of working and giving back to the community. If you want to be more than a tourist, we highly recommend them. Jess, the owner was extremely patient and helpful in customising our trip. And even though we never met her, her philosophy and absolutely love and knowledge for the country and it’s quirks shines through the whole experience. With such vast landscapes and different way of life, winter is a fantastic way of seeing, appreciating and experiencing the country. And as photographers it was mind blowing. Our tour assistant and driver were both lovely, incredibly accommodating, with a great sense of humour. A winter in a Mongolia sounds like it’s is not for everyone, but it should be. Even though it was freezing, we were warm in our wonderfully kitted out Russian van.The people we met were all really kind and appreciative of winter tourism. We could count the other tourists we saw one one hand. Which you can’t say for most places. If you want peace, beautiful landscapes and an adventure, go to Mongolia and go with EL.
  
 
 
 
 
 
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 Cherilyn M 
 
 
 Verified 
Amazing window onto life in Mongolia. This is a review of my two trips with EL, in June 2015 and March 2017.Our first trip with Eternal Landscapes was the first time I had ever travelled outside North America or Europe. I considered a number of travel companies, but Jess’s promptness of response and warmth at the outset, answering all my questions and putting together a plan that made sense for our family (parents and two teenagers) was quickly the deciding factor in favor of going with Eternal Landscapes. Our actual trip was about two weeks long, featuring lots of walking, driving, camping, and a bit of horseback riding. We had a guide and driver, and our family travelled in a Russian furgon, which is kind of like a 4WD VW bus on steroids. Highlights included visiting with a local family in the Orkhon river valley, finding wild peonies, riding camels in the Gobi desert, and the amazing feeling of being able to walk cross country without a path and camping in beautiful spots. Jess even set up a private concert for us featuring local folk musicians. I was so overwhelmed by the whole experience that even now I have a hard time putting it into words. At the same time, the price tag was moderate compared to other choices. The style of travel was very basic, but this certainly wasn’t an issue, and allowed us to get a taste of life more similar to what people who live there experience.Two years later, I went back alone, and joined a small group travelling to Western Mongolia. This trip was led by Jess directly, and was truly one of the most amazing experiences of my life. For one thing it was in the winter (spring really, encompassing the Nauryz festival in Ulgii), and we stayed almost exclusively in people’s homes. We stayed in the homes of several eagle hunters, met their families, shared meals, played games. This involved lots of sleeping on the floor, sometimes in a room containing all of us plus the entire family, but the privilege of having this kind of a window onto people’s daily lives is still astonishing to me. Also on this trip, I was able to spend a bit more time in Ulaan Baatar, visiting a family in a ger district and a felt-making workshop, and these were also highlights of the trip. Both trips were well organized and we were comfortable and well fed. The activities tended to be low key and unscheduled -- walking, driving, visiting, having tea, waiting around for a parade to start, but this felt natural, and by the same token it was easy to find time to explore on our own a little, which generally took the form of walking up the nearest hillside. The guides, aka “trip advisors” were kind, helpful, and responsible, and although occasionally language issues emerged, they would be on the phone to Jess sorting things out satisfactorily. There is very little good that can be said about driving in Mongolia, but the drivers were experienced and responsible and we felt safe. They were also excellent ad hoc mechanics, constantly taking care of the beast (and fixing a flat on the way to the Gobi, where not a single car came by during the two hours we were stopped on the road).Anyway I can’t say enough good things about Jess and Eternal Landscapes, if you are looking for a window onto real life in Mongolia. This is not a luxury outfit, and you’ll go longer than you ever thought possible without indoor plumbing, but you gain far more than you give up travelling with EL.
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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