The warmth of the people and the breathtaking atmosphere makes this Mongolia horseback riding tour an unforgettable experience. You will get a deep insight into the diverse landscape and Mongolian customs. By the way, this part of Mongolia is where most of the country´s film footage is shot.
On your riding tour you will be accompanied by a German speaking guide or interpreter, a local riding guide, a cook who will make Mongolian food tasty for you, as well as a Mongolian team responsible for logistics and luggage. You will be travelling exclusively with locals, so you will experience their culture first hand. This makes the riding tour a real adventure and due to the different attitude towards time and life of the Mongolians, there will be some unforeseen changes during the tour. However, if you are flexible and adventurous, you can experience Mongolia unadulterated on this riding tour.

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Ulan Bator in the morning and approx. 5 h drive (260 km) by minibus to a yurt camp at the Khogno Khan. On the way you will stop for breakfast and lunch. The yurt camp is beautifully situated at the foot of the mountain and invites you to a short hike in the evening. Dinner and overnight stay.

Day 2: Short drive to Karakorum, the former capital of Mongolia. Visit the market and Erdenezuu Monastery, the oldest (1580) and largest preserved Buddhist building site with 108 stupas (Buddhist relics). Afterwards the tour guides with the horses are waiting for you. Short ride (about 1 hour) and overnight stay in a tent on the riverbank.

Day 3: Village Hoton. Your first big ride (about 5 hours) takes you along the river to Hoton. If possible, you will visit the yurt museum, where you can learn about the life of the nomads. The wide golden steppe landscape invites you to beautiful gallops. Overnight stay in a tent.

Day 4: The Sant-Tal. Further on to the Sant valley, to the hot springs. In the idyllic wide river valley numerous nomads with their large herds of cattle settle and it is quite possible that you will be invited to a bowl of airag on the way. In the afternoon you have time for a short walk and can wash yourself at the hot springs. Overnight stay in yurts with a nomadic family.

Day 5: The valley of Khujirtiin Davaa. You ride through the enchanting valley, which is used by the nomads as winter quarters in winter. Several winter stables can be seen here. The about 6-hour ride leads over a small pass in the forest into another river valley with large herds of horses and goats. From here it goes up again to the edge of the forest, passing a small volcanic canyon. Overnight stay in tents at the edge of the forest.

Day 6: Orkhon. In the morning you will ride to Tovkhon Monastery (3-4 hours), which you will visit. The view from the monastery reaches far over mountains and steppes. In the afternoon you will ride to the volcanic valley of the river Orkhon, where you will spend the night in a tent on the river bank.

Day 7: Volcanic area. You follow the gigantic red rocks along the river to the waterfall in the volcanic area. At first you will have beautiful gallops again, later the landscape becomes rockier and you ride through volcanic rock. About 6 hours in the saddle, overnight stay in yurts with nomadic families.

Day 8: Today the 4-day packing tour with the yaks starts. On the first day the trail leads over lava fields with granite stones and old trees. The pace is a bit slower now, because the yaks are running ahead. In the late afternoon you will reach your camp site in a clearing in the forest.

Day 9: Park of the 8 lakes. Today is the most intensive riding day. In the morning you will set off for the nature park, which is only accessible via a steep pass (approx. 2500 m above sea level). The path is narrow and stony, but the sure-footed ponies have no problems with it. From the top you have a view over a wide valley, which is full of scree. A path leads along the edge of the valley through swampy ground to the first lake, where you will set up camp for the night. After a short break you will have a 3 hour ride through the nature park. Rest at an idyllic big lake with swimming possibility. The lake area is covered with blue gentian, yellow anemones and many other flowers.

Day 10: You ride over the pass back towards the Orkhon valley. The ride continues through a green fertile valley to an idyllic spot on the riverbank where you pitch your tents.

Day 11: After the intensive riding days in the nature park, you will return to the yak breeders in a relaxed manner, where you will say goodbye to the pack animals and the yak guides. Overnight in the yurt or in tents on the banks of the Orkhon River.

Day 12: You ride along the Orkhon and enjoy a last gallop through the steppe (approx. 2-3 hours). After the lunch picnic you say goodbye to the horses and guides. Afterwards drive towards Ulan Bator (approx. 280 km). On the way stop at sights. Overnight stay in tents near the striking sand dunes at Khogno Khan, the Mongol Els.

Day 13: Khustaï Park. You will visit Khustaï Park, where the Przewalski wild horses were successfully resettled. You will visit the Przewlski Museum and you will certainly discover a herd of horses. Afterwards drive back to Ulan Bator and overnight stay in the yurt camp on the outskirts of the city.

Day 14: Visit of the capital. You will visit the Ghandan Monastery and a museum or a traditional dance and singing performance. (Tickets not included). Dinner and overnight stay in the yurt camp.

Day 15: Departure. Transfer to the airport and return flight.

Please note that the program may change at short notice due to weather conditions, e.g. riding on less slippery terrain after heavy rainfall. This is for your safety as well as the safety of the horses.

Accomodation
Overnight stay in tents and 3x in yurts, the traditional dwellings of the Mongolians. In a yurt you can stand comfortably and you are heated by an oven in the middle. The toilets are behind the bush, washing can be done on the way in the clear creeks. The tents are normal 2-person tents. Each guest receives a cloth mat, a sleeping bag is to be brought along.

Meals: Full board; packed lunch and warm dinner. Dairy products, meat and pastries are especially used. Vegetarian food is possible.

Saddle & Tack: comfortable Russian saddles and local bridles.

Experience: You can control your horse in all gaits, have experience in the terrain and sufficient stamina (on average you sit in the saddle for 5 hours a day).

Horses: Mongolian ponies with a stick size between 1.35 and 1.45 m. Enduring, tough and comfortable. Only geldings are ridden.