The Nomadic Asia, Western Mongolia, an Ethnographic Journey
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| It is an ethnographic expedition to the south of Siberia and into Wester Mongolia, to the land of high plateau steppes and wise mountains. These lands are the center of nomad civilization, just like it was some thousands years ago. Neither globalization, nor information space, nor world wars have affected the traditional life style of the people here. |
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| We travel to: |
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To immerse ourselves in the nomadic culture of Siberia and Mongolia: to see how modern nomads live, to have a talk with them, to visit a yurt, to listen to throat singing and try a real khaan-tee (the Mongolian tee), kumiss (or mare’s milk) and baursak (traditional fired dough food). |
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To see and touch the most ancient history of Asian nomad civilizations: the gallery of rock drawings (petroglyphs), runes of rocks, khereksur, stone steles and warriors. |
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To visit a unique intentional festival of Golden Eagle hunting in Western Mongolia. |
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To get inspired by mountains of the Russian and Mongolian Altay, one of the most sacred mountain chains in the world. |
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| Brief overview: |
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• Organization fee:
1,050 USD with a 30% advance payment (315 USD) before March 1, 2016
1,200 USD with a prepayment before June 1, 2016
1,400 USD with a prepayment before September 1, 2016 |
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• Dates: September 26 — October 9, 2016 (14 days) |
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• The starting and finish point: Barnaul, Russia |
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• Number of participants: 5 people |
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Research: ethnography: nomads and hunters with golden eagles, |
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New knowledge and experience: a unique experience of communicating with people whose lifestyle is completely different from our urban life. The history of ancient Asian nomadic civilizations. |
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Activities: cultural enrichment, food esthetics, unity with nature, communication with interesting people, photography, Russian steam bath on the bank of a mountain river. |
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Where do we go? |
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Siberian Expeditions Team |
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(missions and goals of the trip)
It’s all simple. We go to communicate with people. But this «simple» has a very deep meaning: by touching a completely different world and understanding it, we grow to understand ourselves much better. Who are we, what we actually worth, do we really need so much to be happy as we think?
We will touch one of the most interesting and lest studied social and historical phenomena in the human history — «the Great Steppe». It is in the steppe where human saddled horses, invented the wheel, it is in the steppe where the most powerful armies were gathered basing on the principles that are still used. It is in the steppe where the nomad’s economy was formed. And we are truly lucky that the recent thousand years haven’t changed the Steppe, thus we have a unique possibility to immerse in its ancient and wise world.
Oh, there will also be mountains. Lots and lots of mountains. Ones of the most beautiful, powerful and filmable mountain chains — the Altay.
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| Why you should take this journey with us: |
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You will take part not in a tour or a trip, but in a real expedition, with its objectives, uncertainties, research and its unique atmosphere.
You will feel like a hero of the childhood books, Indiana Jones — this is the very authentic adventure tourism, which almost no one can offer in Russia. |
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You will discover a totally new world! We will not only show you beautiful scenery, but also give an extensive amount of knowledge on history, religious studies, ethnography, culture, with a comparison to other Earth nations. You will see how beautiful our planet is. |
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You will get a unique life experience. No one returns the same person from this expedition: there is a reassessment of values in life; there are interesting and reliable new friends, even the eyes of the travelers become wiser and happier. |
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You are not a customer, you are a part of the team.. We will explore and change the world together. As a rule, the expedition is just the beginning — we can work together on the received materials or carry out further joint projects. |
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| What will we see and do? |
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A movie Nomadic Asia, 2014
(from our previous expedition) |
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| The movie is filmed by Sibweek film studio during our expedition to the Altay and Mongolia in October 2014. The expedition had an aim to study the culture and life style of Asian nomad people. The members of expedition visited the hunting festival Golden Eagle 2014 in a Mongolian city Bayan-Ölgii, as well as nomad shepherds living at mountain passes of Western Mongolia. This year you will also have a chance to try an authentic atmosphere of the Altay Mountains and Western Mongolia. |
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| (click on photos to learn the details) |
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| Days 1-2. Golden Altay Mountains |
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| We will drive through entire Altay from the north to the south in 2 days: the passes of Chiket-Aman and Seminsky, the beautiful rivers Chuya and Katun, an excursion to the petroglyfic complex of Kalbak Tash and an ineffable atmosphere of autumn mountains. Our destination point is a yurt camp Tydtuyaryk in the beginning of Chuya steppe. There we will be met by a hot dinner of traditional kazakh cuisine and a concert of throat singing organized specially for us. The first night spent in a tent camp, the second one — in yurts. Rally: totally 630 km for 2 days (smooth road). |
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| Day 3. In the Chuya steppe |
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| Next morning we will have a walk around Tydtuyaryk and study its unusual Martian-like landscapes. Then we will go further south towards Mongolia. Just after Kosh-Agach we will explore Mount Zhalgyztobe and its unusual rock drawings, thus getting acquainted with ancient runic scriptures. Night spent in the tent camp. Rally: 45 km (smooth road, steppe dirt roads). |
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| Day 4. Searching for ancient secrets |
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| Just before the Mongolian border we will turn to two very interesting valleys — Bar-Burgazy and Yustyd. They are the giant outdoor museums of ancient times. Our main goal is to find a stele with runes and generally interesting and unusual things, since they are many there. Moreover, the first yurts at our way may be set in Yustyd, which is just the thing we want. Night spent in the tent camp. Rally: 55-75 km (asphalt, dirt roads, fords, off-roads). |
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| Day 5. Submersion to the nomadic Asia |
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| We will drive further south. In a village Zhanna-aul we will visit the museum of Kazakh culture and pay a visit to a craftswoman in felting. After passing the border, we will drive towards lake Tsaagan Nuur. We will enjoy the Moon-like landscapes, get acquainted and communicate with people and work together on the film. To make your communication complete, we will have an interpreter in Kazakh in our team. Night spent in the tent camp. Rally: 85-111 km (from asphalt to off-roads) |
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| Days 6-8. Golden Eagle Festival |
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| We will dedicate the next couple of days to a unique event — the festival of golden eagle hunting in Bayan-Ölgii. It is a very picturesque event, perfect to be filmed. We will get acquainted and talk with hunters training golden eagles and other interesting people. Nights will be spent in the yurt camp. Rally for the first day: 75 km (dirt roads, smooth road). |
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| Days 9-11Among the nomads |
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| Further on we will be free to choose our route. Our next actions will depend on the situation and on things we’ve found and people we’ve met. Perhaps, we will go south to lake Nolbo Nuur, or turn straight north, to the Tavan Bogd mountains. Nights will be spent in the tent camp. Rally: unknown (dirt roads, fords, off-roads). |
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| Days 12-14. Returning home. |
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| We will gradually say farewell to the Great Steppe and move further and further south. There will be late autumn in the Altay Mountains then: trees having already lost their leaves, and snow covered mountains grown more severe and inapproachable. Winter knocking more and more intense on the door. Nights spent in tent camps and at tourist camps. Russian steam bath. Total rally: 800-900 km (from off-roads to good asphalt roads). |
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Prices, where and when:
• Organization fee:
1,050 USD with a 30% advance payment (315 USD) before March 1, 2016
1,200 USD with a prepayment before June 1, 2016
1,400 USD with a prepayment before September 1, 2016
Dates: September 26 — October 9, 2016 (14 days).
The starting and finish point: Barnaul, Russia.
Number of participants: 5 people.
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Expedition vehicle::
Upgraded UAZ nicknamed «Kuzya» with high off-road capabilities, fitted with an inverter to recharge camera and video equipment.
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The organization fee includes:
• The organization and work of journey leaders;
• Meeting at the airport or at the railroad station;
• Place in the expeditionary car (the length of the route is more than 2200 km);
• A concert of throat singing in a yurt camp Tydtuyaryk;
• A ticket to Golden Eagle Festival 2016;
• Accommodation at a tourist camp in the Altay Mountains during the drive home (1 night), steam bath;
• A medical insurance and an insurance against accidents;
• Expedition meals (cooked together);
• Group equipment: tents, everything for a fire and so on;
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The organization fee does not include:
• Flight (rail transportation) to Barnaul
We suggest using www.aviasales.ruto find cheap flights.
Just enter the necessary data in the form below:
(Arrival: before 10:00 on September 26 or earlier; departure: after 22:00 on October, 9)
• Meals in cafes according to the bill (4-7 times during the expedition, an average meal costs 200-300 rubles)
• Stays in private houses (200 rubles per person, 1-5 times during the expedition)
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Wishes to participants
You should understand that this is an expedition. It means, we don’t go according to a planned and ready-made program, and the Kazakh won’t welcome us with earlier paid speeches. It is a live and impromptu communication. Hiking experience is desirable, but not obligatory. An inquisitive mind and kind temper, as well as the readiness to partial lack of personal comfort are required.
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I want to go to this expedition.!
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| What should I do next? |
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