Altai, border and first 200km in Mongolia

a stop at the sacred OVO with a commemorative board

We finally see the first trees since Russia! about 9 days in high severe altitudes

Continuing east we finally reach the last passage through the high mountains in the direction of Ulangom

On the way east to Ulangom

a look back to one of the most beautifull mountains that I ever got to drive through

the engine takes a beating with the very fine powder dust, getting even through into the fuel and carb, that had to be cleaned each day!

the nomad elder smoking his pipe

Earlyer Elios gets to ride on a mongolian horse.

We pass a caravan of camels, that also are used to transport the whole yurt to the next location, perhaps 200km futher.  Somehow we feel that we are going the same pase...

The next hard day contines, We let Elios sleep in the soft sleeping bag bed, as we drive no faster than 20km/h due to rocky road, and small tiny dust that keeps getting through the rusty holes in the bus, as well us shaking doors, through the seals

Another steep climb up to reach the other end of the huge valley.

As we found the correct road , and crossed the 3rd rivier, we started for the high passage at 2400m.

Before however we had to fix the gas pedal that fell through at the hinge, another vee-gyver trick had to do

The site was rewarding, another lake in a smaller valley, but still huge, the whole "crater of this valley streches out more than 100km.

We drove into a large impressive canyon with a large lake at the south, and 3 rivers going into that lake!

We were told that should we not make it through the rivers, than we shall come back and take the road more traveled.
We drove around a little lost looking for a river passage where we could acctually make it through.  First river was easy, as we went higher up to its sourcem and where it would fork out.
The seccond passage was difficult to find, but we got some help from local boys, who also showed us a nice fruity and thorny bush, that we could eat.

Filip inspecting the passage through luckyly a low river.

while we were lost driving over rutts and big stones, the muffler got hit and disconected from the heatexchangers.  There was even more of a threat that it would drown the engine...
after inspecting the exchaust, we fond small rocks that swam between the pushrod guards and the push rods, better to get them out before we keep on rocking on those roads...

a photo of the engine after the river, I kept it running after to dry out faster, but a big wave came through anyhow.

We reach the correct road after getting slowly used to gravel bumpy road, and very tempting soft sandy and dusty alternative roads, 

 The border crossing and the first rough kilometers took a toll on Filip who crashed on the first grassy bed he found, while Elios played in the sand

The Altai region was very beautifull, a real change from the flat swompy 2000km from Ural to Altai mountains.

The border went smooth, though we were supposed to register after being in russia 7 days, which we were told was not necessary. However the border officials let us slide.  At the border we met a lot of people traveling on the Mongol Rally, some old ambulances and little cars.  Good to meet some people from the west and learn their travel stories. 

While rolling into Altai, we found a road sign describing the first 3 digits of the model of the bus so 237

some futher set backs with lights not working, so a vee gyver trick had to be used and a bridge made of aluminium candy wrpper

 Another discovered fault = a cracked advance hose, so I had to cut the end and get it back on tight.

As a tourist attraction we have seen a prisoned camel, his owner gets 100 rubels for a photo shot.

spoted 'Russian samba" a minibus used in transportdurring the early 60s

As we waited on the border for monday to come, we hang out our loundry to dry on the border barbed wire

we asked the mongol rally participants waiting at the border to push the bus by that saving the precious fuel:  70l in the roof ural tank, 55l in the leaky original tank, 20l in a canister, 5l in a jerrycan, and on top of this 80l of LPG

really prepared for the Mongolian empty steps!

Upon reaching the lake shore, we stopped by some nomade yurt.  We were greeted with goat cheze, sutece salty,greasy milk tea,

and a freshly killed marmotte!

The next day they chased the heard off to another location, and started to dismantel their yurt.

the famillys oldest grand grand grand father, and his wife, who walked only on her knees...

We helped to load up on a big truckm that actually carried 3 other yurts for the whole familly.