Jalman Meadows

Introduction
Khan Khentii Mongolia

We offer a beautiful and conveniently short multisport getaway, just a few hours from the capital city and yet in pristine wilderness and extravagant isolation.
In the uppermost parts of the Tuul River Valley, just a one-day ride short of the watershed of Asia, is Jalman Mountain and Jalman Meadows. It is a huge expanse of meadow along the winding Tuul River, with a particular abundance of wildflowers in the summer. It is located within the Khan Khentii, a strictly protected area of true Mongolian wilderness, extending all the way up to the Russian-Siberian frontier and boasts the Gorkhi-Terelj National Park as its southernmost extension. Nestled in thius quiet back country of the Khan Kentii is our low impact "ger camp" of Jalman Meadows, riverside to the great Tuul. There are steppe valleys and endless meadowland to discover along the path of the river, pretty larch forests with patches of birch.  Wildlife such as the wolf, lynx, brown bear, red deer, gazelle, moose, and wild boar are certainly present, but are unexpectedly hardest to see during the summer.
During the autumn and winter, these meadows are the pastures of the nomadic herders of Erdenesoum. A few remain year-round, but most Mongolian families vacate the area with their animals to allow for the good seasonal pasture to recover it's beneficial nutrients. North from the meadows it is complete feral wilderness, and with a two days hike South, you will find the summer pastures of the nomadic families.  Mongolia's simplistic and humble beauty will do wonders for your sense of freedom, adventure and soul searching.

Activities available range from day hikes, rafting, swimming, mountain biking and birding to excellent horseback day excursions with local horse guides.  Additionally, you can relax and recoup in our unique river sauna ger and read from our collection of books offered in our library ger!
The relatively remote location of Jalman Meadows allows it to be the beginning base camp for other  of our extended trips - to the remote lakes at Hagiin Har Nuur deep in the Khan Khentii taiga or our  progressive Yak Treks and Mongolian Horse Trail expeditions.

Transfers operate to/from Jalman Meadows on Wednesdays and Saturdays. These are subsidized and shared with staff. During other days of the week you can order a private transfer to suit your time table. The entire drive from Ulaanbaatar to Jalman Meadows is 3.5 hours of 4x4 off-roading, a adventurous experience in itself! 

Departure from Ulaanbatar to Camp is at 9 AM.  Departure from Camp back to Ulaanbaatar is at 2 PM for an arrival into the city around 6 PM.

Accomodation

Low Impact Ger Camp 

We are committed to the principles of Eco-tourism in Mongolia and have entered into a concession agreement with the Erdene Soum and the Khan Khentii Protected Area administration to create additional jobs and emplyment in the rural areas based on their traditional livelihoods. These involve provision of yak carts, pack-horses, riding horses and labor.
The camp has a maximum capacity of 30 guests in double occupancy gers and vehicles are parked away from the camp. 
The entire ger camp is fully collapsible and transportable - and do not have conventional showers nor WC blocks.
The toilets are long drop style, allowing for the most natural decomposition.
Showers are organized in the small ger with sufficient hot water from specialized portable showers.
All trash is separated.
The camp can be relocated - like magic - leaving no more impact on the local area than a herdsman  and his family would. Solar panels and windmills generate some electricity for the refrigerator and kitchen use for our Ger Restaurant. Jalman Meadows Ger Camp is essentially a fully collapsible hotel!

Riding

Itinerary

Activities

Day Hikes (included): From the lookout point of Hifte Gatsaa there is a beautiful view over the Jalman Meadows and the Tuul River. You can order a picnic lunch from camp and make day hikes in any direction. 

Yak Cart Rafting: Load a lightweight catamaran inflatable raft on to a yak cart. A herdsman will follow and trek for half a day upstream the Tuul River. You’ll have your picnic lunch at noon and return by the raft down-stream through the Jalman Meadows to camp. Life vests, paddles and picnic lunch are provided. USD 12 p.p. half day, USD 25 p.p. full day.

Swimming: The Tuul River is in its most pristine way up here and is next to the camp. The water may be cold, but usually pleasant during parts of July and August. The river is crystal clear and transparent with regular deep pools.

Reading: A small library on Mongolia, with many recent articles, have been collected over the years and is made available to guest’s in the Library Ger next to our Restaurant Ger. It is mostly Mongolian, Swedish and English language, but also some German and French.

Horse riding: Day rides can be arranged with local horsemen at an additional cost. Picnic lunch can be provided from the camp. 
There are a few hard hats and chaps, why serious riders are best advised to bring their own. Full day rides should be pre-ordered. 

Mountain biking: There are two mountain bikes that may be rented for the day for ex-cellent excursions in the area. 

Yak Cart Sauna: Bring a folded ger to the river by yak cart and build your own river side sauna from it. 

Birding: You may admire the avifauna that comes in many sizes from Azure Tits to majestic Steppe Eagles. You will get 80 percent of Mongolian species with a European bird guide book.  There is one also available in the library ger.  

Conferences & lectures: At additional cost for groups, seminars on contemporary, historical or natural Mongolia can be organized. Also you can learn traditional Mongolian medicine and music. 

Rates and Dates for Jalman Meadows

Dates Note:

Other Info
Meeting: Ulaanbaatar hotel
Airport: Ulaanbaatar
Transfer: Ulaanbaatar

Climate: The mean elevation of Mongolia is about 1500 meters above sea level (5000 ft) which enhances the sharp continental climate. For most of the year it is very cold, especially at night. Precipitation is low and skies are usually clear during the wintertime. Summers, however, are very pleasant just as in the US and Europe. There is a short rainy season in July and August during which most of the yearly rain falls. Around 67-78 percent of all precipitation falls during these three summer months. This rain, however, is just what we get in northern Europe, at about the same time. Occasional strong winds can come and go quickly. Spring and fall pass very quickly.

In Mongolia the Central Asian desert zones meet with the Siberian taiga. Hence, Mongolia is a country of climatic extremes. Ulaanbaatar is the coldest capital city on Earth. Mongolia is known as the Land of the Blue Sky. Indeed, this is true throughout the winter. Throughout the year, there are 250 sunny days and 9-23 cloudy days. The duration of the period with a mean daily temperature higher than the freezing point lasts about 170-190 days, increasing to the south and southeast up to 200-215 days.

The summer climate, when most visitors are likely to be in Mongolia, could be described as being similar to Scandinavian summers. However, with somewhat more pronounced extremes. E.g. when raining it tend be heavier and shorter. If extended they can cause floods locally. When a cold front comes, hail storms can come and go quickly. There may be more heat, and sudden strong winds. All in all, the weather pattern is very variable over short periods of time. In July 1996 some parts of Mongolia had drought, whereas at the same time other areas had floods and more rain than normal.