Mongolia: Pioneering expedition to attempt virgin peaks

March 1, 2016 - PRLog -- In June 2016, a team of ambitious adventure travellers will make the first commercial summit attempts on two unclimbed Mongolian peaks, led by UK-based expedition company, Secret Compass.

“The part of Mongolia we’re exploring is not generally visited due to its remoteness and the challenges posed by its mountain peaks”, said Tom Bodkin, director of Secret Compass.

“Our team aims to summit the previously unclimbed peak of Nariin Ekhin (3,952m) and an unnamed peak at 3,907m, located deep inside Mongolia’s UNESCO-nominated Siilkhem National Park.”

“If conditions allow, the team will explore further new routes as the team’s strong leadership team includes one of Mongolia’s top mountaineers alongside our professional guides,” said Bodkin.

“As a Guardian ‘Top Adventure for 2016’, we hope this pioneering foray into remote western Mongolia lives up to its name, and look forward to meeting the team on the ground in Ulaanbaatar.”

Mongolia: Expedition highlights

Be part of the first commercial team to summit Nariin Ekhin (3,952m)
Trek at altitude at the juncture of Mongolia, China, Russia and Kazakhstan
Cross rivers, traverse valleys and trek on glaciers above 2,900m
Climb to exposed ridge lines with phenomenal views north to Russia
Look out for elusive eagles and snow leopards spotted in the Park

Communications director Kerry O’Neill said, “While we welcome applications from those with mountaineering experience – and have some impressive people on board so far – this expedition is also for anyone who’s fit and happy to learn the basics of ice axe and crampon use in situ.”

“Secret Compass has long sought to stage an original expedition in Mongolia. Our inspiration includes Tim Cope’s book, On the Trail of Genghis Khan, and the BBC’s Human Planet footage of eagle hunters in near Bayan Olgii, the region our team will head to at the outset of this adventure.”

O’Neill concluded, “The unclimbed mountains of Siilkhem National Park jumped out to us as the perfect place in which to attempt something pioneering, something that no other adventure travel company offers.”

Expedition fact box

Name: First Ascents in the Mongolian Altai
Dates: 5 – 19 Jun 2016 (14 nights)
Cost: £2,999pp all inc. except flights (from £576 return with Turkish Airlines)

Expedition destinations for 2016 and 2017

With its military background, expedition company Secret Compass is renowned for offering expeditions and adventure travel to countries eschewed by most operators due to their remoteness, post-conflict reputations or inaccessibility.

Upcoming destinations include Afghanistan, Armenia, Burma, Ethiopia, Gabon, Iran, Iraqi Kurdistan, Kyrgyzstan, Madagascar, North Korea, Panama, Siberia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Chad and southern Sinai.

Expedition styles range from mixed-terrain trekking and minimalist desert traverses to mountain-biking, rafting and horseback expeditions. Secret Compass welcomes applications from anyone with a good level of fitness who’s keen to achieve the extraordinary in the world’s wildest places.

For further press information contact communications director Kerry O’Neill on 0207 096 8428 or via email.

------- ends -------

Notes for editor

Secret Compass
Secret Compass redefines what is possible by creating pioneering projects in the world's wildest places. Secret Compass is built around a team of trusted experts who combine a passion for exploration with industry-leading professionalism. Secret Compass reignites your primal need for adventure, providing the catalyst for you to come alive and achieve the extraordinary.

Secret Compass for TV, film and brand projects
Secret Compass is trusted by production companies and brands to create and capture the extraordinary in remote and wild regions thanks to its unrivalled location and risk-management expertise. Credits include location-managing Channel 4’s Walking the Nile and Walking the Himalayas series, alongside projects for the BBC, National Geographic, Animal Planet and the Discovery Channel. Brand clients to date include Mitsubishi, Sony, Nespresso, Giro, Xbox and Jagermeister.