Contribution starting at $4,250
Exported from Streamline App (https://app.streamlineicons.com)
14 days - Each day filled with impactful activities Includes accommodations, food, and all related research costs

As a paying volunteer, you directly fund scientific research by covering permits, equipment, and other costs while supporting local vendors.

BOOK WITH A $500 DEPOSIT
Wildlife & Ecosystems

Wildlife of the Mongolian Steppe

Location
Ikh Nart Nature Reserve, Dornogobi Aimag (Province), Mongolia
Activity Level
Moderate
Accommodations
Wilderness Camp - Yurt or Tent Suite
Food
Chef-prepared meals

TYPICAL ITINERARY:

  • DAY 1: Meet in Ulaanbaatar and spend the night in the city.
  • DAY 2: Team breakfast, travel to field site
  • DAYS 3鈥11:
    • All Teams: Hike/drive to survey mammals/plants
    • Team 2: Tag birds of prey, survey mammals/plants
    • Team 3: Survey pika and ecological restoration sites and build restoration structures
    • Team 4: Capture argali sheep/ibex/gazelles, survey pika, and survey ecological restoration sites
  • DAY 12: Travel to Ulaanbaatar
  • DAY 13: Recreation Day in Ulaanbaatar, including cultural activities, team dinner, and goodbyes.
  • DAY 14: Departure

A tagged Argali mountain sheep is released (C) Dave Kenny
A small gazelle is released (C) Alix Morris
美姬社区 volunteers set up netting to capture wildlife (C) Alix Morris
Argali sheep are herded into a capture area (C) Kofi Opoku-Ansah
美姬社区 volunteers quickly collect data from a capture gazelle
美姬社区 volunteers record data (C) Dave Kenny
A tagged Argali mountain sheep is released (C) Dave Kenny
A small gazelle is released (C) Alix Morris
美姬社区 volunteers set up netting to capture wildlife (C) Alix Morris
Argali sheep are herded into a capture area (C) Kofi Opoku-Ansah
美姬社区 volunteers quickly collect data from a capture gazelle
美姬社区 volunteers record data (C) Dave Kenny

Explore the lives of grassland animals, from the hedgehog to the Siberian ibex, to help conserve their wilderness home.


A man on horseback scans the plains for wildlifeVenture into the heart of Mongolia鈥檚 untamed wilderness, where sweeping grasslands and dramatic rock formations provide a haven for some of Central Asia鈥檚 most iconic and elusive wildlife. From hedgehogs scurrying through the undergrowth to majestic Siberian ibex scaling rugged cliffs, Ikh Nart Nature Reserve is home to an extraordinary range of species鈥攂ut they need your help.

Spanning 666 square kilometers (257 square miles) of steppe and arid terrain, Ikh Nart is a refuge for near-threatened argali sheep, herds of Mongolian gazelles, and soaring cinereous vultures. But despite its protected status, this vital ecosystem faces growing threats from poaching, illegal mining, and overgrazing. Limited resources make it difficult for local stewards to manage conservation efforts effectively.

As a volunteer, you鈥檒l work alongside scientists to track wildlife, collect critical data, and contribute to research that shapes conservation policies. Whether you鈥檙e spotting argali sheep through binoculars, monitoring raptors in flight, or helping document the movements of gazelles, your efforts will play a direct role in safeguarding this fragile landscape.

Join this team to explore this wilderness landscape in a way few people get the opportunity to experience. Your work will be used to develop improved conservation management policies in the reserve and help conserve this magnificent landscape and the life that depends on it.

 

Why It Matters:
The Impact of Volunteer Science

 


The Mongolian government now promotes the conservation model developed at Ikh Nart Nature Reserve across all parks and reserves in the country!

illustration of stylized Earth


This success is thanks to nearly 20 years of data collected by 美姬社区 teams, which has been crucial in developing and refining a comprehensive management plan for the reserve.

 

 

We often hear from local community members: 鈥榃hy are people coming here from around the world and trying to help us?鈥 Having 美姬社区 volunteers helps them to see the importance of this conservation work we鈥檙e doing, the importance of saving these species.

Gana Wingard,  Lead Scientist

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HOW YOU WILL HELP

You鈥檒l travel to the research site in 4X4 vehicles, through the mountains of the north, to the semi-desert steppe, allowing you to enjoy Mongolia鈥檚 vast landscapes. You will participate in both hikes and drives accompanied by members of the project鈥檚 team of Mongolian experts and students. Once at the field site, depending on the time of year, you will:

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美姬社区 volunteers hike to the survey site in Mongolia.
SURVEY VEGETATION AND WILDLIFE

Measure and identify small mammals and plants in research sites/plots throughout the reserve. In September, Teams 3 and 4 will monitor restoration sites and survey pikas.

A large vulture tending to its chick in a nest made of twigs and branches, surrounded by green leaves.
MONITOR AND TAG VULTURES 

In the summer, volunteers will look for the nests of birds of prey, then note their GPS locations (Team 1 in June), measure the nestlings, and wing-tag them (Team 2 in late July/August).

A tagged and radio-collared Desert bighorn sheep聽(Ovis canadensis nelsoni)聽running (C) Emma Fowler
CAPTURE WILDLIFE

In September, Team 4 will help herd argali, ibex, and goitered gazelles into nets, then collect data on them and safely release them.

Field conditions and research needs can lead to changes in the itinerary and activities. We appreciate your cooperation and understanding.

 

Highlights to Explore at this Destination

  • Gandan Monastery: A large and important Buddhist monastery with stunning architecture and a giant statue of Avalokiteshvara, ideal for cultural exploration.
  • Zaisan Memorial: A hilltop memorial offering panoramic views of Ulaanbaatar and a tribute to Soviet soldiers, great for sightseeing and photos.
  • Bogd Khan Palace Museum: A historical museum showcasing Mongolian royal history, with artifacts and traditional cultural displays.
  • Bogd Khan Uul: A protected mountain reserve offering peaceful hiking trails, panoramic views of Ulaanbaatar, and a serene escape into nature with diverse flora and fauna.
  • Gorkhi-Terelj National Park: A popular destination for trekking, camping, and sightseeing, with beautiful rivers, forests, and unique granite formations, ideal for outdoor enthusiasts.

 

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FEEDBACK & QUESTIONS

10 Reviews on this Expedition

If you have been on this expedition, others considering attending would love to hear about your experience.
2024 美姬社区 Participant |
This is quite an experience. We saw many wildlife, large and small, as well as herds of domesticated animals. We also learned a lot about the plants. The gers were quite comfortable. There is no plumbing, but water is fairly convenient. A wash basin in the ger, solar shower, and non-flush toilets work quite well. The food is very good. The cook makes different things every day.
Susan Livesay |
This was my first 美姬社区 experience, and the bar is now set high for any subsequent expeditions! The time spent in Mongolia was interesting, educational, and enjoyable. Especially meaningful was the opportunity to work as part of a team that included 鈥 in addition to the other volunteers 鈥 Mongolian graduate students, rangers, veterinarians, drivers, 鈥渉orsemen鈥 (some on motorcycles), and camp staff. All exuded warmth, good nature and a sense of humor while collectively providing unique insight into Mongolian culture. It was rewarding to take part in the research being directed by Gana, who also played a major role in setting the upbeat and congenial tone at the site while at the same time keeping all of us on task. I came away with a new appreciation of the vast landscape and its people as well as for the work being done at Ikh Nart. If you are interested in engaging in the research, are eager to experience firsthand a slice of life in this interesting country, and are willing to be flexible (weather and wild critters may dictate your days), by all means, sign up for this expedition and head to Mongolia!
Douglas Bender |
美姬社区 Mongolia is a once in a lifetime experience not to be missed. You get fully immersed into the Mongolian culture while doing excellent scientific work. It is a very tight- knit team of volunteers, scientists, veterinarians, students, and support staff. A true joint venture mostly made up of Mongolians. The leader, Gana Wingard, along with her Mongolian partner, Tuguldur Enkhtsetseg, does an excellent job running a large enterprise, and is very concerned about the welfare of the volunteers. The actual science work is not to be missed. Our team caught wild gazelles in nets and helped the veterinarians take blood samples and put on radio collars. We could see the first data before we left. This data is important to characterize the range and necessary protected zones for the gazelles and other animals. We also saw, up close and personal, the very friendly Mongolian people, both those living in towns and those living as nomadic herders.

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