🐾 Scouting Tour: In Search of the Elusive Pallas’s Cat – Mongolia

This is a Scouting Tour, which means that all participants—including the Tour Leader, Daniel Mideros—will be visiting this destination for the very first time. While we’ve carefully selected the best locations and partnered with experienced local wildlife guides, it’s important to emphasize that this is an exploratory trip. Daniel is even covering his own expenses in order to personally evaluate the site’s potential for future photo tours.

The main goal of the trip is to observe and photograph the Pallas’s cat (manul), one of the world’s most elusive and charismatic wild felines, in its natural steppe habitat. We also expect to encounter other iconic species such as corsac fox, steppe polecat, and a variety of steppe birds.

• A rare opportunity to see and photograph the elusive Pallas’s cat in its natural habitat.
   
• Easily accessible from the capital city, with solid infrastructure.
   
• All profits go directly to wildlife conservation.
   
• No light pollution—perfect for enjoying the night sky and stargazing.
   
• Authentic cultural experience with Mongolian nomads.
   
• Stay in a traditional and comfortable ger (yurt).
   

Pallas’s cats are perfectly adapted to the cold, dry conditions of Mongolia’s steppe ecosystem.

We’ll be based at Steppe Wildlife Camp in Sukhbaatar Province, about 570 km east of Ulaanbaatar. Our focus will be both birding and mammal watching, but with a strong emphasis on finding and photographing the Pallas’s cat.

If we visit during the breeding season, there’s even a chance to see kittens playing near the den as they wait for their mother to return—learning through play, pouncing at anything that moves.

Other possible sightings include corsac foxes, Mongolian gazelles, and various bird species.

Our base will be Manul Camp, located in Sukhbaatar Province, about 570 km east of Ulaanbaatar.

• Average elevation at Manul Camp: 900–1,100 meters 

We’ll stay at an eco-friendly field camp made up of traditional Mongolian gers. Each ger includes:

• 3 beds with linens, blankets, and pillows
   
• Handwashing sink inside
   
• Shared toilet and shower facilities outside
   
• Electricity via generator (each ger has power outlets)
   
• Separate dining and kitchen ger
   

The camp is located just 4 km from Halzan village, so there’s reliable 4G mobile service and Wi-Fi available.

You'll be accompanied throughout the tour by an English-speaking biologist guide.
Drinking water is bottled; cooking water comes from a deep well.

Meals are homemade and hearty.

• Breakfast: oatmeal, fried eggs, cheese, sausage, bread, and homemade cookies.
   
• Lunch: Russian and Mongolian-style meals—mostly meat-based (eco-friendly mutton, chicken, bacon), with rice, noodles, vegetables, and salads.
   
• Dinner: soup, hot dishes, and dessert.
   
• Beverages: Coca-Cola, bottled fruit juice, and coffee.
   

Vegetarian and vegan options are available (tofu, soy, vegetables)—please let us know in advance if you have dietary needs.

Drive to Manul Camp (500 km paved + 70 km dirt road). Overnight in traditional ger.
 

Morning: search for steppe polecat and corsac fox—both diurnal and crepuscular.
Afternoon: Pallas’s cat observation from previously identified locations.
 

Drive back to Ulaanbaatar. Overnight at hotel.
 

International flight home.