Trip Report – Mongolia Photography Workshop – September 2022
Introduction To My Mongolia Photo WOrkshop
We began our journey into the heart of the Gobi Desert, where we met the traditional Bactrian camel herders. Bactrian camels are the lifeblood of the Gobi people—used for meat, milk, fur, and transportation. The ability of the camels to survive and thrive in arid conditions cemented their importance along the infamous Silk Road—the great movement of goods between ancient Europe and Asia—and earned them their prominent place in the art and literature of the region. Life here is little changed—the nomadic camel herders still live as they have for centuries. My group had the opportunity to compose portraits of the herders and their livestock in various lighting situations against the stunning backdrop of some of the longest sand dunes in the world at both sunset and sunrise.
We then travelled to Ölgii province to meet the Eagle Hunters, their families, and their eagles. Each year we are invited into the world of the Kazakh Eagle Hunters because of the trust we have built through nearly 10 years of visiting them. We followed them up into the mountains with them and watch them exercise and train their birds. After several days of photographing this community, we got to photograph our very own private eagle festival! Why private? The Golden Eagle Festival has 2,500 attendees, and it’s challenging to get the photographs we want. From our front-row seats, we watched the region’s hunters gather to test their skills and those of their eagles. There was also some horse racing, too, and even goatskin tug-of-war. It was just our small group and about 30 Eagle Hunters. It’s a festive event, the stakes are high, and the competition is fierce! Our private Eagle Festival has become something that the Eagle Hunters know about and compete for. We stayed close to the action the whole time, living in cozy, fire-warmed gers—traditional round, felted tents—set up for us among the families’ own homes. Kazakh hospitality is legendary, and you’ll likely be invited for a cup of tea or two!
This workshop was fully customized—We had simple but comfortable accommodations and our own private chef—so we could focus on the experience. Time was also set aside for our famous image reviews and critiques to help my clients produce stunning images throughout our journey.
What’s Included
Double occupancy lodging. Single available for a supplement. (Hotels only.)
All meals, soft drinks, and snacks during the workshop.
Internal flights during the workshop (extra luggage weight included).
All transportation during the workshop. (airport transfers included)
Tips for the crew, drivers, and local guides.
English-speaking local guides throughout the workshop.
Photographic guiding and instruction from 1 pro
Image reviews and post-processing instructions.
Adventure, fun, inspiration, and a great time!
What Is Not Included
Travel to and from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
Passport and visa fees (if applicable).
Any meals or accommodations before or after the workshop dates.
Items of a personal nature.
Alcoholic beverages.
Medical Evacuation Insurance (required).
Travel Medical and Trip Cancellation Insurance (optional, but recommended).
Anything else specifically not listed as included.
Single rooming is available for a supplement. (Hotels only.)
The Accommodations
From cozy and comfy in our private ger tents set up for us in the Ulgii Province to decadent 5-star accommodation in Ulaanbaatar when we returned from the countryside, we saw both ends of the spectrum.
In Ulaanbaatar, we stayed in one of the best hotels in town; located in the heart of Ulaanbaatar city and 100 meters from Sukhbaatar square, the hotel provided excellent proximity to Ulaanbaatar’s museums, art galleries, concert halls and shopping centers. The 5-Star Hotel features 198 contemporary rooms and suites, ranging from a King Deluxe room to Presidential Suite. Breakfasts were free and came with plentiful food, and the Le Cabernet coffee lounge or Premier Lounge overlooking the entire city on the top floor was a great place to wind down every night we were in Ulaanbaatar.
While in the Gobi we stayed in a very comfortable Ger Camp that offered basic yet comfortable accommodation with private en-suite bathrooms. This camp is always the best option for exploring the Khongor sand dunes and being in close proximity to where the camel herders we spend time with have their homes. While staying at this location, we always have the choice of traditional Mongolian accommodation by staying in one of 33 gers, which share a communal shower and toilet blocks. Or choose one of 24 rustic log cabins with private bathrooms. This year we decided to stay in the cabins. The main lodge is the social hub, with a restaurant serving Mongolian meals and Western and Asian cuisine. There’s also satellite TV, plenty of areas for charging, and some games to help fill the long hot afternoons that some use for a siesta.
Our accommodation while we spend time with the Eagle hunters are basic ger tent accommodation. Men in one tent, women in the other. There are dorm-like bathrooms and showers. There is also a common area tent that we used for cooking, eating, editing sessions, and night-time social settings where we could sit and laugh while discussing the days activities. Never short on coffee, soft drinks, water, beer and wine, this tent became our area to chill out after a long day of photography in the foothills of the Altai mountains.
The weather during THe WOrkshop
I will not go as far and say, “we lucked out this year.” The forecast before we landed was for it to be extremely cold with snow on the ground. By the time we got there, it proved to be more seasonal. The average temperatures ranged from 10C to 15C during the days, warmer in the Gobi desert. The nighttime lows averaged between 5C and 10C, cooler again in the Gobi desert at night.
We experienced very little rain or snow during this trip; in fact, the days were mostly sunny, and many nights were clear for those that wanted to try their hand at night sky. The Gobi was actually the best location for night sky photography, with a vertical milky way over the sand dunes.
The Transportation During THe WOrkshop
We had two commercial in-country flights during this workshop. We also paid for extra weight allowances for everyone’s camera gear. I mention this because a lot of companies do not cover this. Sometimes, the amounts can be quite hefty for photographers. When driving, we were in comfortable new minivans, with three guests in a van, with plenty of room to stretch out. When off-road and when out at the eagle families, we were in Toyota Land Cruisers, again three guests to a vehicle with plenty of room for you and your gear. Once again, I was reminded that the roads could range from extremely bumpy dirt tracks to smooth paved highways. No wonder they call it. Mongolian massage during those long drives in the countryside. :-)
The PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES
There are so many photographic opportunities during this trip to Mongolia. Let me list them for you.
1) Action Photography – Eagle hunters running on horseback, flying golden eagles, wrestling, archery on horseback and running camels herders in the dunes
2) Portrait Photography – Intimate indoor portrait sessions and environmental portraiture.
3) Night Sky Photography – The Gobi desert offers amazing night sky opportunities over the snd dunes. This year we photographed the galactic core over the sand dunes of the Gobi desert.
4) Landscape Photography – The mountains in the Ulgii area are great for landscape photography during golden hour. Then there is the Gobi desert. Photographing the Gobi is fantastic both day and night. From bright sky days where we can capture black and white images of the desert to early in the mornings when the sun accentuates the curves in the dunes.
5) Cultural Photography – From the home visits we conduct to meet the families of the people we are photographing to the private night at the museum, where we rent out the entire museum and bring in entertainers to sing and dance for us, the cultural photography opportunities don’t even come close on any other trip that I run.
my Post-Trip Thoughts
Workshop number 18 is in the books. It was the smallest group I had ever taken to Mongolia, but we laughed louder than a group of 8 quite a few times during our adventure across Mongolia. Staying with the Eagle Hunter families and putting on our own private Eagle Hunter Festival are still my favorite things to do in Mongolia. Living with people I consider friends while in Mongolia enriches the experience, and offers photographers more than posed portrait photos. Don’t get me wrong; I love taking those portraits; maybe it’s just that I am at a point in my life where photography is more than just taking a photo; its the memories that the image of a family or group laughing recalls in my brain long after the trip is over.
The private festival we created back in 2018 continues to be the best decision we made. Sure, for the tourists that are not there to take photos, the normal eagle hunter festival is a great experience. 1000’s of tourists, 100’s of eagle hunters, the shopping bizarre. I remember being at that festival and trying to take photos in harsh light conditions with tourists always in my background. It was never a highlight of the trip for me.
Now, we have our own festival. Sure, only 25-30 eagle hunters. But NO tourists in the background of our images. We are right out there with the competitors, taking their photos, sitting with them between events, and taking photos I would never have gotten at the larger public festival.
Testimonials From Workshop Attendees
“Kevin is a great leader and very connected to the local people, which makes a big difference. He is great at going with the flow, which is important in remote areas. ” — Elaine H.
“Kevin was very proactive in insuring that each individual was provided both the opportunity to shoot what he/she wanted and given aid in those technical areas where aid was needed. We had a group with a wide range of photographic skills and Kevin handled each person's needs/requests professionally and with the needed amount of individual attention. I was quite impressed with the time he took to ensure that each individual on our trip was happy with the photo opportunities provided and the help they required.” – Mike C.
My Next Mongolian Adventures
If you would like to join me on one of my next Mongolian adventures in the coming years, please see them here.