Day 1 (Tuesday)
After meeting and greeting your flight leader and the other students traveling to Mongolia and China, you're off to Hong Kong! This is an easy, nonstop flight across the Pacific – most students find that after dinner and a movie, they're able to manage dozing off to sleep for a while. So sit back, have a chat with your new friends, and enjoy the flight!

Day 2 (Wednesday)
This day is 'lost' as you cross the International Date Line. But don't worry– you'll get it back when returning home!

Day 3 (Thursday)
Arrive at Hong Kong International Airport, where you'll meet your program leaders and have time for a long awaited stretch. You will have a few hours in the airport before we grab our bags (preferably small and manageable!) and check in for the connecting flight to Mongolia. You will arrive in Ulaanbaatar in the early afternoon and transfer to the guesthouse. The remainder of the day will be spent relaxing and recuperating from your long journey. In the evening, you will have an orientation about the exciting adventure you are about to begin as a photojournalist. As an advanced photo workshop, we will dive right into discussing themes and concepts for the upcoming weeks to maximize the development of your individual portfolios.

Day 4 (Friday)
Ulaanbaatar- Spend the day exploring modern Mongolia before heading deeper into the Far East on your photographic journey. Mongolia's capital is a large city of pulsating commerce and heavy traffic. You may notice how the new meets the old, especially as elderly Mongolians in traditional dress mingle with the nation's young business elite. Today we will explore some of the many museums to learn about the country's turbulent history, including the reign of the most famous of Mongolian historical figures, the feared and respected Genghis Khan. We also will visit the Museum of Natural History and its excellent dinosaur display. Lastly, Mongolia's largest and most important monastery, the lively Gandan Khiid, is a great place to learn about the main religion of Mongolia, Tibetan Buddhism. As we walk around the city, begin thinking about possible photography topics you may want to pursue. We will be visiting Ulaanbaatar again at the end of your trip to reinforce the contrast between Mongolia's developed capital and the rural region of Khovd Province.

Day 5 (Saturday)
Khovd – We will depart this morning from Ulaanbaatar and fly across the country to Khovd, a character-filled place made up of 17 large towns where some of the ethnic tribes reside, including the Kazakhs and the seven other Mongolian tribes. Some of the tribes have their own culture, dialect, clothes, dances, songs, ceremonies, and musical instruments. This is a once in a lifetime experience for any tourist, to learn and know the different customs and traditions in each town.

The sights to visit in Khovd include Baatar Khairhan Mountain, which is a famous historical site because it symbolizes the freedom of Hovd city when Mongolian soldiers attacked the troops of Manchu in 1912. We will also visit the cave paintings inside Tsenkheriin Agui, located in Mankhan soum. The red-ochre drawings and masterpieces found inside are believed to have existed 15,000 years ago, which could date from the late Stone Age.

Day 6-7 (Sunday-Monday)
Khovd Som (Eljas' home)- We will be spending the next couple of nights in the village of one of our local staff members, close to the Kazakhstan border, where we will immerse ourselves in their lives and come up with individual subjects to photograph. Each student will be working on a different photo essay. You will have the opportunity to get more involved in the Mongol/Kazakhstani lifestyle as you complete a 'day in the life' piece for your portfolio.

Day 8 - 11(Tuesday - Friday)
Nomadic Homestays - For the next few days we will be staying with nomadic Kazakh and Mongolian families where you will have a chance to experience their lifestyles. You will notice many differences in each home stay, especially in religion, language, food, and daily routines. This will be a great opportunity to assemble a portfolio full of images that not many photographers have had a chance to shoot and document a culture that is seldom experienced by foreigners.

Day 12 – Day 14 (Saturday - Monday )
Khar Us Nuur National Park- (Dark Water National Park)- This will be the last leg of our journey through the Wild West of Mongolia. Here, we will settle into a ger camp nestled in a lush, beautiful valley, photographing nomadic families and enjoying the gentle rhythms of their lives. We may have the opportunity to watch a traditional tsam-mask dance and listen to the surreal sound of khoomii, or throat singing.

Day 15 – 16 (Tuesday - Wednesday)
Ulaanbaatar- ending our trip in Ulaanbaatar, we are greeted once again into a more modern setting. You will have time to finish up your personal projects while we also practice street photography. With accessible electricity, we will now have time to go through your many photographs and edit, caption and critique them so each student feels comfortable making his or her own unique, professional portfolio for future use.

Day 17 (Thursday)
It's time to say goodbye to Mongolia and continue on to your next adventure. You will carry the memories and photographs of your adventures here for a lifetime!

An Important Note about Schedule Changes:
Rustic Pathways reserves the right to change, alter, or amend the daily itinerary for this trip at any time. Changes can be made for various reasons including changes in flight or program schedules, changes in the schedules of various external tours incorporated in our trips, the addition of new activities into a trip, or the substitution of an old activity for a new activity. The itinerary shown here provides a good outline of the anticipated daily schedule for this program. As with any travel program, some changes may occur.

 

Photo Equipment:

Memory: 16-32g of memory is ideal.

Hardrive: you'll need this to transfer photos off your cards. We'll have computers to assist you in this process. Students DO NOT need to bring computers! If you feel like you have enough memory then you don't need to bring a hard drive.

Filters: Every lense you bring should have a UV filter on it to avoid scratching of the glass. Polarizers are cool filters to have which bring out blue skies and contrast but they are a bit expensive.

Camera Bag; Anything to protect your gear from the rain or damage. Lowepro make great camera bags at affordable prices.

Batteries: Make sure to bring your battery and charger. I would recommend having 2 batteries but it is not required.

Lense cloth- It is not recommended to clean your lense with your t-shirt. Make sure to but a specific lense cloth.

Tripod: Not required but recommended for the advanced photo workshops. Lightweight as possible.

Insurance: Having camera insurance is a very good idea. Accidents happen when you're traveling and you don't want to pay hundreds of dollars to replace a brand new camera or lense.

Checked Luggage: A medium sized duffel bag or large back pack will be most efficient. Wheeled bags are not recommended due to the rough terrain, but is acceptable if that is what you have. It is important that you try to keep your total luggage to one piece of checked luggage, and do your best to keep it under 40 pounds. You will be carrying it with throughout the program and you want to keep it movable.

You Should Bring :
small backpack- this can be used as your carry on and will also be used for day hikes sleeping bag (The nights in Mongolia can get chilly, so a sleeping bag with a rating of 0 degree is reccommended)

Sleeping pad or Thermarest – optional but recommended for extra comfort while sleeping.

hiking shoes (for all trips) – it is best to wear hiking shoes for all trips, which give good support and protect your feet from rocks, loose stones, etc.

towel – a travel towel that is compact, very absorbent, and fast drying is the best kind waterproof shell/rain jacket or poncho – in most cases a waterproof/windproof shell with a hood is ideal. Ponchos are more practical on a horse trek as they can cover your saddle and prevent your seat from being wet. Jackets or ponchos for horse treks should be of a subdued, darker color, and preferably of a material that does not crackle or rustle much. Some Mongolian horses are spooked by unfamiliar bright/light colors and noises from plastic or nylon rain gear.

waterproof pants – should fit over your other pants, and from May through September need not have a lining or should have a very light, breathable lining.

fleece jacket or warm sweater/jumper –a fleece jacket with a full length zipper in front would be the most practical. Pull over fleece jackets or any kind of synthetic material would be good as well.

cotton t-shirts – two to three T-shirts will usually suffice

long sleeve shirts – one light weight, fast drying, light colored one, preferably with buttons down the front so you can wear it open over a T-shirt for sun protection – and one medium weight for cool evenings.

lightweight pants – two pair, and if you have one with zip-off legs that can double as shorts, this is ideal shorts – the fast drying kind are ideal

warm hat – wool or fleece, which can cover your ears

long underwear – (for treks and horse treks) in summer a lightweight top and bottom will suffice. Your long underwear should be the synthetic kind that wicks away moisture from the skin and keeps you dry

swimsuit- be mindful that Mongolia has a very conservative culture, so be considerate of the type of suit you

pack socks – socks should be of a material that keeps your feet dry

underwear – fast drying. Sports/athletic bras offering good support are best for countryside portions of all trips – roads are bumpy here!

sun hat – should shade your face, ears, and the back of your neck

gloves – lightweight for trekking and riding, warm for spring and autumn trips

sandals – to be worn around camp, in the shower, and wading in streams or lakes. The best kind have adjustable straps around the ankle, and will stay on your feet if you are walking in a slippery stream bed

sun glasses – should be dark and offer UV protection

sunscreen – choose one with stronger protection (SPF 20 or more) if you are light skinned. A sunscreen in stick form that can be applied to lips, nose, cheeks, and the tops of your ears is a very handy item

comfortable shoes – should have sturdy soles and good support

insect repellent – read the label carefully and avoid those that are toxic to fish and amphibians, or wash these off well away from rivers, lakes, and streams

resealing (ziploc) plastic bags – bring enough to protect your documents, money, camera, binoculars, and other items from wetness, sand, and dust. A few extra bags are handy for repacking wet clothing until you reach your next camp and can dry them out

binoculars/camera – carry in a soft padded case if possible water bottle – for treks and horse treks, should have a wide mouth for refilling easily wet tissues – choose unscented ones that will not attract insects

chapstick- a stick that has spf would be best

watch/alarm clock – an inexpensive watch with an alarm is a handy item

hand sanitizer- just something to keep your hands clean. notebook and pen- good to keep track of you adventures through Mongolia.

Optional- gifts for your host families. These can be simple gifts like a tee shirt or some small souvenir from the states.