Kensington Expeditions has launched a women-only Mongolia journey that places guests inside the expedition team, led by survival expert and strategic risk specialist Megan Hine.
Running from 30 September to 4 November 2026, the Mongolia Women’s Expedition is divided into independently bookable phases. The route begins in the Northern Taiga, crosses the Altai Mountains and finishes in the Gobi Desert.
Each phase costs from $14,000 per person, with travellers able to book one section or continue through the complete journey. Places are limited.
The small-group experience requires participants to help with practical tasks and daily decisions. They will drive 4×4 expedition vehicles across remote terrain before travelling on horseback and completing some sections on foot.
Neither prior expedition experience nor off-road driving ability is required. Kensington also says guests do not need a high level of athletic ability, although the itinerary involves camping, long overland journeys and time in isolated environments.
A participatory expedition through Mongolia
Kensington Expeditions, part of the company’s Ultraluxe division, has designed the journey around active learning. Travellers will receive instruction as conditions and terrain present new challenges, with Hine and local guides overseeing the expedition.
The practical skills covered include:
- Off-road driving and vehicle recovery
- Navigation without dependable signals or signposts
- Expedition planning and route assessment
- Remote camp set-up and campcraft
- Weather, terrain and timing assessments
- Risk awareness and adapting plans to changing conditions
- Shared decision-making and teamwork
- Problem-solving in remote environments
The itinerary does not follow a rigid minute-by-minute schedule. Routes and timings may respond to weather, river conditions and the demands of each landscape, reflecting the decisions required during a working expedition.
“This expedition is about creating the space for women to discover what they can do when they step into an environment that is unfamiliar, challenging and completely real,” said Neal Bateman, head of Kensington Expeditions.
Guests are not expected to arrive as established adventurers. The operator’s aim is to create a supportive environment in which women from different backgrounds can learn the required skills while participating in the full experience.
Horseback travel in the Northern Taiga
The opening phase leaves Mongolia’s capital, Ulaanbaatar, and follows remote tracks through mountain passes and river crossings. After the 4×4 section, the team will continue on horseback into the Northern Taiga.
Participants will spend time alongside the Tsaatan, also known as the Dukha, a reindeer-herding community whose lives remain closely connected to their animals and the taiga. The experience is intended to offer direct contact with the people who have lived within this northern landscape for generations.
Travel here will involve a marked shift from the comfort of the capital to traditional gers and expedition camps. Horseback journeys and nights beneath Mongolia’s dark skies give this phase its wilderness focus, while local guides provide regional knowledge throughout the route.
An ascent attempt in the Altai Mountains
The second phase moves west into the Altai Mountains, a remote region of glaciers and rugged peaks near Mongolia’s borders with China and Russia. Participants will undertake an extended overland crossing, helping to navigate and adjust the route as conditions change.
A central objective is an attempted ascent of Friendship Peak. Weather, terrain and group readiness will inform whether the climb proceeds, placing route assessment and risk management ahead of a guaranteed summit.
The Altai itinerary also includes time with Kazakh eagle hunters, whose traditions remain part of life in western Mongolia. Hine has previous experience in the region, including a 2023 horseback journey that involved camping, ger stays and visits connected to the Golden Eagle Festival.
That earlier journey required above-average fitness and previous time on horseback. Kensington’s 2026 programme has broader entry requirements and teaches expedition skills during the experience, although guests should still consider the realities of remote travel before booking.
Off-road driving across the Gobi Desert
The final section enters the Gobi Desert, where participants will take a more active role in route planning and vehicle management. The 4×4 journey crosses open plains and dramatic canyons before reaching the desert’s immense dune systems.
Along the route, the group will meet nomadic families who herd Bactrian camels. The itinerary also includes a climb of Khongoryn Els, known as the Singing Dunes because shifting sand can produce a deep resonant sound under suitable conditions.
After nights in remote camps, the expedition ends at a lodge where the group will mark the completion of the journey. This final stay provides a more comfortable conclusion to the desert crossing.
Megan Hine’s expedition experience
Hine has spent more than 20 years leading expeditions and supporting remote film productions. Her work has involved broadcasters and streaming platforms including National Geographic, Netflix, Amazon and the BBC.
Her professional background combines wilderness leadership and risk management. She has also worked as a producer, presenter and resilience coach, drawing on her psychology degree and experience advising productions on survival tactics and responding to crises. She is the author of Mind of a Survivor.
“Mongolia is the kind of place that asks something of you,” said Hine.
Hine said participants would be taught how to drive off-road and navigate wilderness. The selection emphasis is on a willingness to learn and contribute to the team.
Expedition camps and a filmed documentary
Accommodation will range from Shangri-La Ulaanbaatar to traditional gers. Remote sections will use expedition camps, with camping equipment supplied where required.
The price includes professional expedition leadership, local guides and use of the 4×4 vehicles. Meals, accommodation, permits, domestic flights between changeovers and relevant safety planning are also covered, alongside off-road instruction and cultural experiences.
A professional crew will film the journey for a documentary series about women undertaking an expedition. Kensington says the production will record practical challenges and group relationships as they develop.
Guests should therefore consider the presence of cameras alongside the physical and communal demands of the itinerary. Filming is integrated into the expedition.
Price and travel planning
The starting price of $14,000 applies to each expedition phase, not the complete journey. International flights, travel insurance, personal clothing and spending are excluded, along with visas where applicable.
As of 10 September, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office’s Mongolia travel advice notes that fuel supplies are short, including aviation fuel. It says disruption may affect flights, road journeys and access to remote regions, and advises travellers to check arrangements with transport providers.
Comprehensive insurance needs to cover the planned activities and emergency expenses in isolated areas. Travellers should also confirm current entry requirements and discuss personal fitness or medical considerations with Kensington before committing to a phase.
Kensington already offers privately guided Mongolia tours centred on Ulaanbaatar, Gorkhi-Terelj National Park and the Gobi. The Megan Hine programme differs through its fixed dates, shared team structure and emphasis on learning expedition skills.
Hine is also scheduled to lead Kensington Expeditions journeys in Peru and Argentina during 2027. The Argentina programme will be open to both women and men.
