Extreme Weather Reindeer Migration Trip

Dates: April 12 - 28, 2025

Price: $4,850

Group Limit: 7

Group of 2 discount 5% each, 3 or more 10% each

Not for the faint of heart this is truly a once in a lifetime adventure, to one of the most remote areas of Mongolia for one of the most incredible journeys. Taking place in April, the annual reindeer migration trip has one simple goal: get over 200 reindeer from winter pasture to spring pasture… seems simple right? This simple goal is made more exciting by the extremes of the environment where reindeer thrive, where we see windblown expanses of snow and ice they see a cool spot to dig through and find a snack, where we see high mountain passes they see a comfortable bedding spot on the other side, needless to say this trip will take you through some rough and wild terrain and that is the magic of it!

Travelling deep into the Taiga we will spend several days navigating the rapidly changing lower elevations of the Mongolia Taiga. In April this area is rapidly changing from a snow- and ice-covered landscape to one flowing with melt water, this creates varying degrees of boggy ground, and frozen ground. Luckily reindeer are perfectly adapted to this kind of environment and traverse the uneven terrain with ease! As we move higher the terrain turns to a truly high alpine environment, tree cover is scarce and the high mountain valleys are covered by 2-3 meters of snow.

“You don't have to be in an amazing shape. But you need to be able to jump up onto a reindeer with just the use of a stick and have some balance. This trip is kind of a perfect blend between extreme travel and accessibility. ”

Ryne Olson, Guest from Alaska, USA, 2024

The goal is to traverse this section in one day as getting stuck out here makes for a windy cold night. These high mountain valleys are what separate us from the herd and must be crossed to get to our waiting reindeer! Across the flats the reindeer await us quietly meandering through the forest munching on lichen all under the watchful eye of our Tsataan partners. On our arrival to the winter camp, we will be greeted by the men who carefully watch these herds through the tough winter months. The following days we will gather, count, and trim the antlers of the reindeer herd as we prepare them for the migration. On our departure we will be tailing the large herd, watching for stragglers, and of course checking for the potential arrival of new calves along the way. When we reach spring camp, we will again check the reindeer numbers, check for arriving calves and then exit the Taiga having completed our task for the trip.

What to expect

Variable Weather

01

Expect warm temperatures, cold temperatures, snow, rain, wind and possibly all of these in one day!

03

Helping out

In order to efficiently run this trip we require everyone to help with camp chores. This means getting water, collecting firewood, holding and packing reindeer, setting up camp and several other reindeer related chores. We will teach relevant skills over the course of the trip.

05

Close living quarters

We have found the most efficient way to keep our weight down and keep tents warm is to use a large communal tent. The tent does have a wood stove, so it gets nice and warm at night! Not only does this limit our gear but really provides extra warmth on those cold nights. Please let us know if you have a specific medical issue that prevents you from sleeping in a group tent.

Variable Day to Day plan

02

Expect the plan to change as the weather, location and condition of reindeer and a variety of other things may force us to alter the daily plans.

04

Limited Meal Variety

This trip is entirely pack supported that means every piece of equipment, and all meals are packed into the Taiga on reindeer! We strive to provide tasty and nourishing meals on all of our trips and this one is no different, that being said we will have several varieties of soup for most of the dinners on this trip.

06

No bathroom facilities

Meaning you will be responsible for finding a good spot and maintaining personal hygiene.

07

Long travel days

Expect long travel of 2-3 days of driving each to and from Ulaanbaatar and Tsagaannuur, Khuvsgul where we will begin our reindeer packed journey.

IS THIS TRIP RIGHT FOR YOU?

Flexibility - This trip is best designed for adventure seekers looking for a challenge. Flexibility in both planning and responsibility is a must for this trip, as well as having a good attitude when plans change! We may be stuck in camp for a day or two, but that doesn’t mean the trip is over, rather it’s an amazing chance to talk with and learn from our Tsaatan partners, learn a new skill like antler carving or rawhide braiding, or to simply read and enjoy the tranquil quiet of the Mongolia Taiga.
Physical and mental ability - In equal measure there will be days that push you to the limit, wading in waste deep snow for hours at a time, this requires and equal measure of mental fortitude and toughness, rest assured all safety measures will be in place but still be prepared for long tiring days!
Weight limit - A final note, the maximum weight for the trip is 80 kilograms (176 lbs.) We know this is restrictive but reindeer are small and to ensure the safety and well-being of the herd we must enforce a strict limit. It is incredible what these reindeer can do but pushing them past there limit is unfair to them, our Tsaatan partners and you!

All of this is what makes an adventure truly memorable and so if you read this and think “ Hmm, I don’t like being wet, cold and tired…” maybe consider one of our other less extreme trips!

This trip is unique in the fact that we have a real and important job to do. Everything we do on this expedition is dependent on the reindeer herd and its wellbeing. That fact in conjunction with the weather means that the plan can change daily, hourly, even by the minute depending on what situations we encounter! In addition, this is a working migration, you will be asked to help pack reindeer, catch them in the morning, help trim antlers, assist in setting up camp and more. As a team our job is to get the reindeer safely and efficiently from winter to spring pasture and so everyone is expected to work together towards that goal!

Email seek.mongolia@gmail.com to book this trip and for inquiries!