In July of 2024, I ran my first workshop for Pallas cat kittens in the far east of Mongolia. I am no stranger to travel and photography in Mongolia, having led multiple winter workshops to this fantastic country (for both Pallas cat and Snow Leopard) over the last 7+ years, but this was the first time I have run a summer workshop that was dedicated to the photography of Pallas cat kittens. It was a fantastic experience with many sightings of Pallas cats and their kittens! There is also something to be said for the packing requirements for a summer workshop that dictates shorts and a T-shirt!

During our nine-day workshop, we were fortunate to have numerous captivating encounters with Pallas cat kittens and their mothers. The absolute highlight was the rare chance to conduct multiple photographic sessions with a Pallas cat and her extraordinary litter of six kittens. Such a large litter is a rare occurrence, only happening in years with abundant prey. This year, the area was teeming with voles, ensuring a plentiful food supply.  We also had the privilege of encountering another litter of five kittens and several smaller litters.

For the duration of this workshop, we are based in a permanent wildlife camp set up specifically to study and photograph Pallas cats. The camp is approximately eight hours’ drive east from the capital of Ulanbataar and is located in a region known as the Steppe. This area boasts the highest density of Pallas cats to be found anywhere on earth. It is a stunning location that comprises endless grass-covered rolling hills that stretch to the horizon in all directions.

For the duration of the workshop, we stay in traditional Mongolian Gyrs. Each Gyr is equipped with a comfortable bed, a small basin with clean, fresh water for washing, and power for charging via a generator. With average daily temperatures ranging from 25 to 35º Celsius and cooling down in the evenings, there’s no need for heating in the summer. The facilities include western-style pit toilets, a dedicated living and dining Gyr, and 4-wheel drives for exploring the Steppe region.

The photography of the Pallas cat kittens is done from portable blinds that we set up at a location out in the field. These blinds, which are quickly assembled on site, and allow us to photograph the cats and kittens without disturbing their natural play and hunting behaviour. As the blinds are portable, we can position them for the best possible backgrounds, light angle and to ensure the best opportunities. Telephoto zoom lenses are ideal for this workshop with focal lengths between 100 and 600mm.

The days are long this time of year in Mongolia, with sunrise around 5:00 a.m. and sunset around 8:30 p.m. As the cats are most active first thing in the morning and just prior to sunset, this means we are out in the field from 4:30 a.m. until 7:30 a.m. and then again from 4 p.m. until sunset. Time in between is lunch and downtime to download images and review the day’s shooting.

Toward the end of our workshop, we experienced two days of stormy weather and some heavy rain, which made locating the cats more difficult as they tended to relocate to higher ground at this time. Nevertheless, we managed some interesting opportunities of the kittens playing high in rocky areas.

On our final day, we were treated to an unforgettable morning and evening session with a different Pallas cat and her litter of five kittens. During the sunset shoot, the cats disappeared for a while, only to re-emerge during the best light of the day. It was a valuable lesson in the importance of patience and perseverance in wildlife photography. We also had several opportunities to capture the mother hunting voles near her den.

I will return to Mongolia in July of 2026 to lead another workshop for Pallas cat kittens in the Far East of this fantastic country. The workshop will be strictly limited to a maximum of five. Please drop me an email if you would like to register for this opportunity.