Mongolia
MRO Combination Trips
Request a Reservation
Thanks for your interest in MRO Combination Trips. Fill out the form below and our team will contact you shortly to discuss availability and details.
Trip Summary
MRO Combination Trips connect two or all three sections of eastern Mongolia’s first Taimen Sanctuary into continuous 12- to 14-day or 21-day river journeys. Short programs pair the Buryat Headwaters with the Upper River or the Upper River with the Lower River, while the longest itinerary floats the Buryat, Upper, and Lower sections in sequence. Groups of four to six anglers, depending on the sections selected, fish fresh water each day from non-motorized drift boats with two anglers per guide. Taimen are the primary target, supported by opportunities for Lenok, Amur Trout, Amur Pike, Asp, and small Amur Grayling. A dedicated camp team moves luggage and equipment downstream while guests rotate through traditional ger and Nordic tipi camps, creating a fully supported but genuinely remote expedition for anglers who want more time, more water, and deeper immersion than a single-section trip.
Who's It For?
Seamless multi-section float
Short combination trips link either the Buryat Headwaters and Upper River or the Upper and Lower Rivers, while the longest program connects all three sections. Anglers remain within the same river system and continue downstream rather than returning to Ulaanbaatar between segments.
Fresh water every day
MRO’s progressive float format allows anglers to fish a different stretch of the Taimen Sanctuary each day without repetitive vehicle shuttles. Guests travel downstream in non-motorized drift boats while a separate camp team moves luggage and equipment to the next riverside camp.
Extended Taimen immersion
With 12 to 21 days on the river, combination trips provide substantially more time to learn the fishery, work with different guides, and experience changing water, weather, and presentation requirements. The additional time increases water coverage, although encounters with wild Taimen can never be guaranteed.
Fully supported wilderness camps
Professional guides, cooks, drivers, and camp staff support each trip from arrival through departure. Depending on the sections selected, anglers stay in traditional Mongolian gers, spacious Nordic tipis, or a combination of both, with prepared meals, hot showers, and simple private toilet facilities.
CHOOSE YOUR ADVENTURE
WHY BOOK WITH TRIDENT
- No Credit Card Fees
- Same Price as Booking Direct
- Earn Trident Rewards
Trident Travel's expert planning service is free of charge.
The rates below are the same as you would pay by booking directly with the outfitter.
Rates, durations, and inclusions are subject to change at any time. Contact us for current pricing, departure-specific itineraries, and availability.
2027
Short Combination Trip
Buryat + Upper or Upper + Lower
Double River-Camp Occupancy / Shared Boat (Per Person)
12-14 Days on the River = $15,500
Long Combination Trip
Buryat + Upper + Lower
Double River-Camp Occupancy / Shared Boat (Per Person)
21 Days on the River = $21,350
What's Included:
- Scheduled guided fishing and float program for the selected combination
- Two anglers per professional guide and drift boat
- Two nights of single-occupancy hotel accommodations in Ulaanbaatar
- Shared river-camp accommodations in Mongolian gers and/or Nordic tipis
- Scheduled airport and hotel transfers in Ulaanbaatar
- Scheduled overland transportation between Ulaanbaatar and the river
- Non-motorized drift boats, gear boats, and required river transportation
- Services of professional guides, cooks, drivers, and camp staff
- All meals, snacks, and beverages while on the river
- Beer, wine, and Mongolian vodka while in camp
- Breakfast at the Ulaanbaatar hotel
- Required fishing licenses, Taimen conservation permits, and access fees
- Taimen and Trout flies supplied for the fishing program
What's Not Included:
- International airfare to and from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
- Additional Ulaanbaatar hotel night associated with the recommended early arrival and buffer day
- Meals and beverages in Ulaanbaatar other than included hotel breakfasts
- Visa or other entry-document fees, if applicable
- Optional charter flights, itinerary upgrades, or additional travel arrangements
- Rods, reels, fly lines, leaders, waders, boots, and other personal fishing equipment
- Sleeping bag rated to approximately 15°F
- Excess or oversized baggage charges
- Gratuities for guides, cooks, drivers, and camp staff
- Laundry, telephone use, personal purchases, and incidental expenses
- Required medical and emergency evacuation insurance
- Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
Gallery
Seasonal Fishing
Calendar
The opening portion of MRO’s eastern Mongolia season generally offers the warmest days and longest daylight. Floating lines, surface flies, and streamers can all be productive, although early-season flows may be higher and weather-driven changes remain possible. Cool evenings and occasional frost still require complete layering systems.
Autumn colors, cooler water, and increasingly cold nights define the middle of the season. Anglers should remain prepared to alternate between floating and sinking presentations as water temperature, clarity, and fish behavior change. Longer combination trips scheduled during this period may experience a wide range of conditions.
October can bring freezing nights, shorter days, rain, and snow, although clear and relatively mild afternoons are also possible. Sink-tip lines may receive more use as water temperatures fall, but surface opportunities can still occur. Late-season trips demand warmer clothing and careful preparation for extended time in remote camps.
Lodging & Accommodations
Accommodations
The package includes private, single-occupancy hotel rooms in Ulaanbaatar on the standard arrival and departure nights. River accommodations are shared by two anglers and vary by section. Upper River camps primarily use traditional Mongolian gers furnished with beds or cots, linens, carpets, storage space, and wood-burning stoves. Lower River and some Buryat camps use spacious Nordic tipis with two cots, sleeping pads, and blankets. Camps provide hot showers and simple private toilet facilities. Guests must bring an appropriately rated sleeping bag, with approximately 15°F recommended for the coldest departures.
Food
Professional camp cooks prepare substantial breakfasts, streamside lunches, snacks, and multi-course dinners throughout the river program. Menus combine Mongolian, Asian, and familiar Western dishes using locally sourced ingredients when practical. Soft drinks, coffee, tea, beer, wine, and Mongolian vodka are available in camp. Dietary restrictions can generally be accommodated with sufficient advance notice. In Ulaanbaatar, hotel breakfast is included, while other meals and beverages are the guest’s responsibility.
Connectivity
WiFi and cellular service are available in Ulaanbaatar, but the river camps operate entirely off the grid. There is no guest internet, cellular coverage, or electrical service once the group leaves the city. MRO maintains satellite communication for emergencies only. Guests should bring fully charged batteries, power banks, or a compact solar charger and download all essential documents before departing for the river.
Target Species
Taimen
Lenok
Amur Trout
Amur Pike
21-Day Itinerary
Each day is carefully planned to maximize your fishing success while experiencing the best of what this destination has to offer. Itineraries are flexible based on conditions and guest preferences.
Most U.S.-based travelers reach Ulaanbaatar through Seoul, with Tokyo and Istanbul providing additional routing options. Total travel commonly requires approximately 20 to 30 hours and spans two calendar days. Upon arrival at Chinggis Khaan International Airport (UBN), an MRO representative will meet you and transfer you to your hotel. Because this arrival is one day earlier than the standard package schedule, the first hotel night is at your expense, although MRO can arrange it and add the cost to your package.
MRO and FM strongly encourage guests to reserve a complete day in Ulaanbaatar before departing for the river. The local team offers complimentary touring and logistical support, allowing guests to explore the city and surrounding area, recover from international travel, organize equipment, and retain a valuable delay buffer. The hotel night immediately before the river departure is included in the standard package.
After breakfast, you will depart Ulaanbaatar in 4x4 vehicles for the journey into eastern Mongolia. The route and travel time depend on the starting section, road conditions, weather, and river crossings. A Buryat + Upper itinerary can normally reach camp in one long day, although remote-travel delays can require adjustments. After arriving, you will settle into camp, meet the guide and support teams, and prepare equipment for the river journey.
Over the next 14 days, the group will progress downstream through the Buryat Headwaters and Upper River sections. Two anglers share each guide and non-motorized drift boat, with guides generally rotating during the trip. Fishing strategies, daily distances, and time spent wading or casting from the boat depend on current conditions and angler objectives. While guests fish, the camp team moves luggage and equipment downstream so the next camp is prepared upon arrival. Taimen are the primary target, with additional opportunities for Lenok, Amur Trout, Amur Pike, Asp, and small Amur Grayling.
After breakfast, you will begin the overland return to Ulaanbaatar. The Buryat + Upper itinerary normally completes this transfer in one long day, with food and drinks provided during the journey. Upon reaching the city, you will check into the included hotel for a final night. Upper + Lower combinations may require a two-day return with an overnight stop en route.
An MRO representative will transfer you from the hotel to Chinggis Khaan International Airport for your international departure. Most guests connect through Seoul, Tokyo, or Istanbul before continuing to the United States. Depending on the routing, connection times, and home airport, return travel may occupy one or two calendar days.
Frequently Asked Questions
GET IN TOUCHShort combinations connect either the Buryat Headwaters and Upper River or the Upper and Lower Rivers, providing approximately 12 to 14 days on the river. The long combination connects the Buryat, Upper, and Lower sections for 21 days on the river. Group size, transfer schedule, camp types, and exact number of fishing days depend on the sections and departure selected. Programs involving the Buryat section generally accommodate four anglers, while an Upper + Lower combination can accommodate six.
The Buryat section explores the smallest and most remote headwater reaches with a four-angler group and a mixture of ger and occasional tipi accommodations. The Upper River is a broader, relatively gentle section with braided channels, varied holding water, and traditional ger camps throughout. The Lower River is larger, more isolated, and typically uses Nordic tipi camps, with additional soft-water habitat that can create opportunities for Amur Pike and Asp. Every section holds Taimen and native Trout, but the landscape, camp style, water character, and travel logistics differ.
MRO operates in eastern Mongolia from late August through October. Late August and early September generally provide the warmest days and the greatest likelihood of comfortable surface fishing, although flows may be higher. Mid-September through early October offers classic autumn conditions with cooler water and changing foliage. October can produce excellent fishing but brings shorter days, freezing nights, and a greater possibility of snow. Because combination trips span multiple weeks, guests should prepare for significant changes in weather and river conditions.
Taimen are low-density apex predators, and fishing for them requires patience, sustained casting, and realistic expectations. Quiet periods or even difficult days are possible despite the river’s healthy population. Most fly-caught Taimen measure approximately 25 to 40 inches, fish exceeding 40 inches are noteworthy, and fish approaching or exceeding 50 inches are exceptional. A combination trip covers considerably more water than a single-section program, but the added time does not guarantee a particular number or size of fish.
Two anglers normally share a professional guide and non-motorized drift boat, with guides rotating so guests fish with different members of the team. Anglers leave directly from camp, fish downstream through new water, and arrive at another prepared camp later in the day. Fishing combines casting from the boat with opportunities to get out and wade suitable runs, riffles, and banks. Most guests fish full days, but guides can adjust the pace when an angler wants to reach camp earlier.
A 9-foot, 8- or 9-weight single-handed rod is the most versatile Taimen setup, although rods from 8 through 10 weight may be used. MRO strongly recommends bringing two complete Taimen outfits, with an aggressive-taper floating line on one and a cold-water sink-tip or sinking line on the other. A 9-foot, 5- or 6-weight rod with a floating line covers Lenok and other smaller species. Spey and switch rods can be enjoyable for wade fishing but are generally less practical when casting from drift boats.
MRO supplies proven Taimen and Trout flies as part of the package. Taimen presentations include large streamers, tube flies, gurglers, and rodent-style surface patterns, normally fished on straight 20- to 40-pound fluorocarbon. Lenok and other Trout are commonly targeted with terrestrials, attractor dries, nymphs, and small streamers using approximately 2X to 4X leaders and tippet. All fishing is fly-only and catch-and-release with single barbless hooks. Tandem and treble-hook flies are prohibited.
Lenok are the most dependable secondary gamefish and commonly take dry flies, nymphs, and small streamers. Rare Amur Trout may be encountered, particularly in upper reaches, while Amur Pike occupy slower backwaters and can exceed 40 inches. Asp are generally found feeding on baitfish in back eddies and respond to small streamers. Amur Grayling are present but usually measure less than 10 inches and should be considered an incidental light-tackle opportunity.
Guests should be prepared for sustained casting with large flies, entering and exiting drift boats, optional wading over rocky riverbeds, long overland transfers, and up to three weeks in a remote environment. River accommodations are shared by two anglers in traditional gers or Nordic tipis with beds or cots, blankets, and nearby hot showers and private toilet facilities. Camps have no electricity, internet, or cellular service. Guests must bring an appropriately rated sleeping bag, and sufficient batteries or a solar charger.
The river is managed as a legally designated Taimen Sanctuary with tightly controlled international access. MRO arranges the required fishing licenses, Taimen conservation permits, and local access permissions, all of which are included in the package. International angling is fly-only, catch-and-release, and restricted to single barbless hooks. Motorized boats are not used on the river, and each seasonal camp is temporary and designed to minimize its environmental footprint.
Most U.S. travelers connect through Seoul, with the Seoul-to-Ulaanbaatar flight taking slightly more than three hours. Tokyo and Istanbul are the principal alternatives, and total travel from the United States commonly requires approximately 20 to 30 hours. MRO recommends arriving one day earlier than the standard package date to create a complete rest, touring, and travel-buffer day in Ulaanbaatar. U.S. tourists currently do not require a visa for stays of 90 days or less, and passports must remain valid for at least six months beyond arrival. Entry requirements and flight schedules should always be reconfirmed before booking.
Medical emergencies and evacuations can happen in remote destinations, which is why we strongly recommend enrolling with Global Rescue before your trip. Global Rescue provides industry-leading medical and security evacuation services, and they also offer comprehensive travel insurance plans serviced through IMG. This all-in-one solution allows anglers to secure both emergency evacuation coverage and travel insurance through a single provider, helping ensure you’re protected if something unexpected occurs before or during your trip.
