Our team

Along with employing 70 to 80 people for at least 30 days during the travel season, we have 15 regular employees. For our trips, we employ knowledgeable local guides, experienced drivers, and skilled chefs. We also have long-time working relations with local horsemen, camelmen, and eagle hunters.

Bekbolat

CEO & Tour guide

Bekbolat was born in 1979 as the ninth child to a family of ten children near Dayan Lake in the Sagsai region of Bayan-Ulgii province. He studied to be an ecologist. After graduating, he returned home and started his career as a secondary school teacher. Outside of work during this time, he went to a six-month long English course taught by the U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer program. Studying English was of big help when entering the tourism sector. Bekbolat has always developed himself and he searches for innovations. So in 2013, he went to the Netherlands for a “sustainable tourism development” program carried out by the CBI of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He has not only been developing tourism, but he has been working to implement projects and events focused on local communities, and strives to create more opportunities for the people. So in 2018, he created “Achievable Solution” NGO - successfully implementing many projects and initiatives, such as: improving the quality of the health and education sectors, improving the expertise of teachers, and supporting locals in agriculture. He has successfully organized raising funds from within and outside the country, and uses a certain percentage of the income from Altai Expeditions LLC to fund projects and events.

Kunsaule

General Manager

Kunsaule was born and raised in Bayan-Ulgii province’s most remote soum of Bulgan. She was born as the sixth child to a family of eleven children. She graduated from the National University of Mongolia in 2002. She is a qualified physics and geography teacher. Starting from 2002, she has been working as a teacher at the 1st secondary school of Ulgii city. Kunsaule together with her husband, Bekbolat, founded Altai Expeditions LLC. Summer holidays for teachers are long, therefore it’s possible for her to work in tourism. During her summer break, Kunsaule works as the general manager and organizer at Altai Expeditions. Additionally, her learned profession as a geography teacher comes to good use when planning trips and creating new itineraries. Kunsaule is respectably fulfilling the role of a mother of five, a skillful teacher, and a great manager. The government has recognized Kunsaule’s accomplishments and presented her a certificate of honor from the Ministry of Education and awarded her as a leading worker of the Ministry of Tourism.

Habil (Haba)

Stockkeeper

Haba is a major person behind our expeditions running smoothly. He manages all the travel equipment and gears, which play a key role in how the trips progress and ultimately result in our clients’ satisfaction. He is also responsible for the travel vehicles and double checks the quality of all cars and parts prior to trip commencement.

Janargul

Chef

Janargul has worked at Altai Peaks ger camp since 2009, where she has cooked delicious meals for guests from many countries. She specializes in Mongolian and Kazakh traditional dishes. For breakfast, she bakes her own bread, which she serves with homemade goat cheese.

Baibolat

Eagle Hunter

Baibolat first started learning about eagle hunting by helping hunters in his area. He learned how to care for eagles and the techniques used to train them. He’s been hunting for six years. During these years, he has earned the name, Eagle Hunter. He has participated in many documentaries about the tradition of eagle hunting. Due to these documentaries, the travel industry has benefited greatly in Mongolia.

Bagdaulet

English Speaking Guide

As the Eltai family’s oldest son, Bagdaulet was born in the Sagsai soum of Bayan-Ulgii province. He grew up in the Mongolian countryside riding horses and herding livestock. Bagdaulet has been part of the Altai Expeditions team since 2009 as tour manager and tour guide. He has travelled in all parts of western Mongolia - leading mountain-climbing expeditions, hiking trips, horse treks, and cultural tours. Along with his expertise in the region’s geography, history, and the local people’s cultures and customs, Bagdaulet is also fluent in English, Mongolian, and Kazakh languages. He was awarded the title “Best Guide of the Year” in 2016 by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism.

Saken

Driver

Saken grew up in the countryside as a herder. After graduating from high school, he took a driving course. And then for five years, he was a bus driver’s assistant on transits between Ulgii and Ulaanbaatar. While working as an assistant, he saved money in order to buy a Russian jeep. Soon after in 2011, he started working as a driver for Altai Expeditions. He has become a great mechanic, giving tourists peace of mind if something does happen on a journey. Saken is very friendly and approachable when interacting with our clients. Certainly, he is one of our most loyal drivers.

Eltai

Camelman

He raised five different kinds of animals (horses, cows, sheep, goats, and camels). In 2008, he received an award for being an outstanding herdsman. During his time as a herdsman, he has been recognized as someone who has great knowledge about animal husbandry. In order to pay for his children’s school tuition, he saw the possibility of hiring out camels to local tour operators. Now Eltai is one of the most important people in our company. It wouldn’t be possible to do trekking trips without him because camels can go to places inaccessible by cars. Everything needed for a 10-day trek (food, utensils, tents, gear, etc.) must be loaded onto camels every morning and unloaded every evening. This is a very important responsibility only camel handlers can accomplish.

Tamara

Chef

Tamara is one of the longest working chefs in our company. Tourists have given her the nickname “Warrior” for her dedication and adventurous spirit. She is one of the most experienced chefs for alpinists, trekkers, and large groups. Because of her years of experience in the great outdoors, she has become very knowledgeable about natural water sources, mountains, and weather patterns.