Looking for advice on organizing an Altai expedition

Hi everyone,

Seeing wild bearded vultures has been a dream of mine for a long time. I’m considering traveling to Mongolia, especially the Altai region / Bayan-Ölgii, to try to see and hopefully photograph them in the wild.

My three main questions are:

1. Is it realistic to organize this independently, or is a local guide/driver basically necessary?
2. What budget should I expect for a proper Altai expedition, including transport, guide, accommodation, food, and logistics?
3. What is the best way to find reliable local guides or expedition companies for this kind of trip?

Any personal experience, itinerary, recommendation, warning, or practical tip would be hugely appreciated.

Thanksssssss :)