Altai Mountains, Mongolia

The range · What to see · People · Things to do · When to go · Getting there · Is it for me? · Tours · FAQ

Where are the Altai Mountains?

The Altai Mountains are a mountain system in Central Asia shared by Russia, Kazakhstan, China and Mongolia. In Mongolia, the range begins at the country’s far western tip, where the borders of Mongolia, Russia and China meet, and runs southeast along the Chinese border. Further east, the lower Gobi Altai carry on into the Gobi. The name is usually traced to the Turkic-Mongolian word for “golden”.

In Mongolia, the Altai is the country’s highest and most glaciated terrain. It culminates in the Tavan Bogd massif in Altai Tavan Bogd National Park, home to Khüiten Peak (4,374 m), Mongolia’s highest point, and the Potanin Glacier, its longest. Most travellers explore the range from Ölgii, the main town of Bayan-Ölgii province.

The mountains shape everything about life here: the nomadic herding routes, the Kazakh eagle-hunting tradition and the short, intense summer travel season.

Why visit the Altai Mountains?

For travellers who want real mountains rather than Mongolia’s more familiar rolling steppe, the Altai is the range that delivers them, with a still-living nomadic culture in its valleys.

• Mountain scenery: glaciers, scree ridges, alpine lakes and larch forest
• Nomadic life: Kazakh, Mongolian and Tuvan herding families on their seasonal pastures
• Eagle hunters: the Kazakh tradition of hunting with golden eagles, still practised every winter
• Ancient rock art: petroglyphs recording thousands of years of life in these valleys

What is there to see in the Altai Mountains?

The Mongolian Altai covers a huge area, and each part of the range has its own character. These are the places our trips visit most.

Who lives in the Altai Mountains?

Bayan-Ölgii, at the western end of the Mongolian Altai, is Mongolia’s westernmost province and the centre of the country’s Kazakh minority. Kazakh and Mongolian families herd their animals across the valleys, moving between winter camps and summer pastures with the seasons, and Tuvan herding families live in the high valleys of Altai Tavan Bogd.

The Altai is also home to the Kazakh eagle hunters, who still hunt with golden eagles each winter. You can meet a family in their own valley on a homestay, watch the hunters compete at the Golden Eagle Festival in early October, or travel with a family on their winter migration.

Please ask your guide before photographing people or their homes.

Things to do in the Altai Mountains

• Trek through alpine valleys and over high passes, camping beside glacial rivers, on the Altai Traverse.
• Climb Khüiten Peak, Mongolia’s highest point, on a guided summit climb in July or August.
• Ride across the valleys with local herding families, with short outings for first-time riders on our Nomad Homestay trip.
• Stay with an eagle hunter family and learn how they train and care for their golden eagles.
• Go to a festival: the Golden Eagle Festival in early October, or the regional Naadam in Ölgii in summer.
• Photograph the winter migration as a Kazakh family moves its herds to spring pasture, on our migration photography expedition.
• See the rock art at Tsagaan Salaa and the other petroglyph sites.
• Relax by the lakes at Khoton and Khurgan, with riding, hiking and camping on the shore.

When is the best time to visit the Altai Mountains?

Most travel happens from June to September, when the mountain passes are clear and families are on their summer pastures. Each season suits a different kind of trip.

Nights are cold even in summer, and the weather changes quickly at altitude, so bring warm layers whatever the season.

How do you get to the Altai Mountains?

The Altai is remote. Allow for a domestic flight, a long off-road drive and a border-zone permit before your first day in the mountains.

Is an Altai Mountains trip right for me?

You don’t need to be a mountaineer. Our Altai trips range from easy family homestays to challenging treks, and only the Khüiten Peak climb is technical.

• Altitude: Malchin Peak base camp sits at about 3,000 m; Khüiten Peak reaches 4,374 m.
• Effort: trekking days are long, on foot and on horseback, with river crossings.
• Glaciers: the Potanin Glacier has crevasses, so cross it only with a local mountain guide and the right equipment.
• Nights: gers, tents, family homestays and local guesthouses. Nights are cold, so bring a warm sleeping layer.
• Group size: small groups of 2–10, led by Sayat’s own guides.

Altai Mountains tours

Compare by season, length and difficulty. Each card links to the full itinerary.

Want a private trip, a different season, or to combine the mountains with a festival? Ask us about a private trip.

Altai Mountains: FAQ

Explore nearby

• Altai Tavan Bogd National Park: Khüiten Peak, the Potanin Glacier and the Mongolian Altai rock art
• Khoton & Khurgan Lakes: twin alpine lakes and summer camps in the south of the park
• Bayan-Ölgii: Mongolia’s Kazakh province and home of the eagle hunters
• Western Mongolia: eagle hunters, nomadic families and the Altai’s highest peaks