Affluent Page Features Urbane Nomads

By Author: John Santos
Total Articles: 40
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Swaddled within the bordering presence of the Great Wall of China and Siberia lies Mongolia, one of the last natural landscapes unchanged by industrialization. To the south extends the Gobi Desert, a vast land of reticent beauty. To the north rests Lake Khuvsgul, an aquatic mystery in comparison to the foreboding mountains, and somewhere in between are the fading steps of the Tsaatan people. It is precisely within this remote environ that the Most Luxurious Trip on Earth occurs.

The Urbane Nomads, self-proclaimed Travel Mixologists, have created the premier escape, all within a one-month camping trip. However, this is no ordinary camping trip. For $2 million, guests will be led through the unique opportunity of locally guided equestrian, hunting, and falconry trips.

The journey begins with a one night stay in Bejing. From there, guests will board a commercial flight to Ulan Baatar, Mongolia, where each person will be treated to a local cultural performance featuring Mongolian throat singers. The next morning, each guest will take to the skies in the Urbane Nomads helicopter, swooping through the lush landscape ...
... of rolling green hills, to arrive in western Mongolia later that day. Upon exiting the helicopter, an ominous silence will ring through the air declaring the secluded nature of the trip. Here in this particular region, each guest will spend the better portion of a month.

Guided by an international filmmaker (a Mongolian sights af icionado) and logistics personnel, Urbane Nomads will offer daily falconry trips on horseback.

Joining the horseback journey are the Kazakh nomads — a group of local inhabitants that emigrated from Soviet Kazakhstan who are some of the last individuals to consistently practice falconry. Mirroring the hunting trips of Kublai Khan and his men, the Kazakh nomads will demonstrate and instruct their pristine hunting prowess.

However, each day (other than the meals) is essentially constructed by the individual. The Urbane Nomads provide an on-call helicopter, which allows guests to request Mongolian sightseeing, the witnessing of reindeer migration (the main Tsaatan economic source), or watching a local polo match. Among the backdrop of the natural phenomenons, the cultural performance entertains guests on a weekly basis. Each day is intended to be a new experience, says Hajar Ali,Public Relations Director of Urbane Nomads.

The camp is highlighted by 20-25 separate westernized tents, all hand crafted by locally inspired artists. Each camp will accommodate one individual to a tent, along with providing a separate tent for the kitchen, the bathroom, personal library, and falcons (brought or provided).

Guests are encouraged to bring their own falcons along with them, stated Ali.

The meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) are expertly prepared by dedicated chefs, inspired by the local Mongolian ingredients. Rich in Halal tradition, most meals consist of various meats. In addition, the highly trained chefs will prepare and cook any animal caught during the expedition - a true Tsaatan delicacy.

The land of the Tsaatan is believed to have once been the ancient Shabhala of Tibetan Buddhist texts. Urbane Nomads has now elevated western Mongolia from obscurity to the stuff of modern legend. LI

Including airfare, Urbane Nomads' Western Mongolia trip costs $2 million.

The author of this article knows Luxury Travel is the best at Mongolia. There are many other articles on Luxury Vacations written by this author as well.