Journey to Mongolia

A Photographic Essay

In 2025, I traveled through Mongolia with a small group of photographers, exploring a country of extraordinary landscapes and enduring cultural traditions. From the vast expanses of the Gobi Desert to the rugged Altai Mountains, the journey offered a view into a way of life deeply connected to the land.

Portrait of a Kazakh eagle hunter holding a golden eagle, wearing traditional fur clothing in western Mongolia

Naurizbek with his Golden Eagle

This collection offers a unique glimpse into Mongolian life.

Golden eagle flying with wings fully extended above a Kazakh eagle hunter standing on a rocky hilltop beneath a clear blue sky.

Smiling Kazakh eagle hunter in traditional fur attire holds a large golden eagle with outstretched wings in the Altai Mountains.

Silhouette of a rider in red clothing atop a running Bactrian camel against a brilliant orange sunset in Mongolia's Gobi Desert.

Close-up portrait of a shaggy golden-brown Bactrian camel with thick fur around its neck and head.

Kazakh eagle hunter on horseback releases a golden eagle into flight above a rocky hillside in Mongolia's Altai Mountains, beneath a clear blue sky.

Buddhist monk in red robes blowing a conch shell beside colorful wooden railings at Gandan Monastery in Ulaanbaatar.

Mongolian man in traditional clothing sitting with three Bactrian camels in the Gobi Desert, sandy dunes and blue sky

A Mongolian woman in a purple deel stands beside a Bactrian camel in a sandy desert.

Kazakh eagle hunter wearing a fur coat sits on horseback with a golden eagle perched on his gloved arm, silhouetted against a warm orange sunset in Mongolia's Altai Mountains.

A Buddhist monk wearing red and saffron robes, an ornate yellow ceremonial hat, and traditional Mongolian boots walks through Gandan Monastery in Ulaanbaatar while talking on a mobile phone.

Four Kazakh eagle hunters riding horses across an expansive mountain valley in western Mongolia.

A Kazakh eagle hunter in traditional fur and leather attire holds a large golden eagle on his gloved arm, looking forward.

Portrait of an elderly Mongolian woman wearing a colorful green and pink headscarf and red jacket, looking toward the camera.

A Buddhist monk in a red robe walks away from the camera on a cobblestone path past a smoking incense burner at a monastery.

Close-up of Vajrapani the wrathful Tibetan Buddhist deity, with three eyes, fierce expression, and colorful decorative elements.

Close-up portrait of a golden eagle showing its powerful hooked beak and golden-brown feathers in Mongolia

A woman in traditional Mongolian attire with elaborate headpiece and colorful robe.

Mongolian Tsam dancer wearing a red ceremonial mask and colorful flowing robes performs against a black background.

From Journey to Book

the story behind the photographs

Portrait of an elderly Mongolian woman wearing a colorful floral headscarf and red jacket

The photographs and experiences from my travels became Journey to Mongolia, a large-format coffee-table book celebrating the country’s remarkable landscapes, people, and cultural traditions.

Book cover for Journey to Mongolia by Tim Fleming

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