Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Ulaanbaatar

Our driver meets you at the airport and transfers you to a centrally located hotel. Free day to relax and discover the city on your own while staying in a good location hotel.

Accommodation: 3* Hotel

Day 2: Leave Ulaanbaatar, meet horse herding nomads and get accustomed to your horses

Our countryside tour will start heading Elsentasarhai Elsentasarhai is a unique place represents features of the Gobi desert, mountain steppes, and grasslands in an area. Arrive at Elsentasarkhai by lunchtime and have an authentic Mongolian barbeque for lunch. Next, we will see how the equestrians catch the horses, get instruction about local riding techniques, the best way to treat Mongol horses, their character, and have a 2-3 accustom riding in the semi-desert area of Elsentasarkhai. Continue the journey to Kharkhorin and stay overnight in a ger camp.

Accommodation: Ger camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3: Visit Erdenezuu Monastery and the riding starts heading Naiman Nuur/Eight Lakes

In the Orkhon River Valley, the stunning Erdenezuu monastery coexists with Kharkhorin town. The monastery was built on the ruins of Mongolian ancient capital Kharkhorum using old materials of the destroyed city. Erdenezuu is the first and the largest monastery in Mongolia has a history of over 400 years. See some valuable religious items in the temple museum and view its stunning architecture. Seeing some remains of the ancient city and visiting the Kharkhorin Museum is a part of our today’s tour. After lunch, we mount on the horses and ride along the Orkhon River Valley.

Accommodation: Camping
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4: The landscape changes into the mountainous area and riding along the Orkhon River Valley

The riding continues along the Orkhon River. The valley is picturesque, full of nomads and their countless animals. If you like, you visit as many nomad families as you wish. Overnight in a tent in the Orkhon River River Valley.

Accommodation: Camping
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5: Riding to Ulaantsutgalan waterfall

Ulaantsutgalan is the biggest waterfall in central Mongolia falls from a 24 m lava cliff. From today, we will see more yaks than we saw flocks of sheep, goats, and horses on past days. The riding takes place along basalt covered valleys crossing some rivers and streams. Arrival at Ulaantsutgalan late afternoon and discover the beautiful area and lava cliffs. If you are a good swimmer, why not challenge yourself swimming through and around the waterfall. Overnight in a tent near the waterfall.

Accommodation: Camping
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6: Reach the main destination Eight Lakes/Naiman Nuur

The riding becomes more challenging as we will ride through more obstacle areas and narrow trails of forested mountains into more remoteness. Even though, nature will be pristine and untouched. We will reach our main destination Eight Lakes. Overnight in the tent on the shore of Khuis Lake.

Accommodation: Camping
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 7: Ride between the lakes and relax

It is a day to relax or optional activities such as ride/walk between the beautiful lakes, walk around, watch birds and flowers, etc.

Accommodation: Camping
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 8: Ride back from the mountain

Today you will ride back down into the Buureg valley and meet the support valley. Continue the riding to a ger located 5 km further the Ulaantsutgalan waterfall. Check-in at a ger camp.

Accommodation: Ger camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 9: Riding to Shiveet Ulaan Mountain

The scenic riding continues back through the Orkhon Valley. Arrive at the bottom of forested Shiveet Ulaan Mountain. Stay overnight in the tent.

Accommodation: Camping
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 10: Hiking to Tovkhon Monastery, drive to Ugii Lake

In the morning, you will hike or ride to the top of Shiveet Ulaan Mountain to visit Tovkhon Monastery. Tovkhon Monastery was established on the 2312 m rocky top of forest-covered Shiveet Ulaan Mountain. Visit the monastery and the meditation caves. Vistas are fascinating from the top of the mountain. Return to the campsite, lunch and time to say goodbye to the horses and equestrian. The journey continues driving to Ugii Lake. Stay overnight at a ger camp enjoying the view of the mountain steppe lake.

Accommodation: Ger Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 11: Drive back Ulaanbaatar

We will arrive in Ulaanbaatar at lunchtime. Have lunch and check-in a hotel. Free afternoon.

Accommodation: 3* Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 12: Transfer to the airport/railway station.

We will transfer you to the airport/railway station.

Meals: Breakfast

Tour Price

Background

The 12-days tour includes 9 days of horse riding adventures, a day city tour, and an overland four wheels driving on the other days. The tour is suitable for advanced riders. We planned the tour with maximum of 40 to 45 km riding depends on the terrain. Even though you can have your optional riding after we settle the camping if the 40 km is not long enough for you. A support vehicle will follow you 4 of the 7 days horse riding. So that the riders can choose their riding distance and drive if necessary. We will put our tents after 7-8 hours including 1-1.5 field lunch and relaxing time since we start the tour in the morning. Therefore, you can have enough free time in the evening. The equestrian and guide will teach the local riding techniques, the best ways to treat Mongol horses, and their character at the beginning of the tour. We ride at walking speed in burden areas. Cantering and trotting will help us to cover the distance faster when available. You can gallop on the steppes and in flatter areas if you wish.

Mongolian tourism depends highly on the season, and seasonal accommodation ger camps are fully open between 15 May and 25 September. It could be earlier or late. However, we will be traveling in central Mongolia and most ger camps start earlier and close late autumn. Nomad family home stays are available if you are a keen traveler and would like to discover more about the nomadic life. The company will provide good quality camping gear. Bringing your sleeping bags suitable for as low as -10°C is recommended. Alternatively, we can provide sleeping bags. The tour includes 3 overnight stays in Ger camps. So that you can do washings and be refreshed from the adventures. 6 nights in the tent among outstanding nature and under starry skies and 2 nights in a hotel in Ulaanbaatar. For more detailed information about the main accommodation ger camp, please visit Mongolia Ger camps and Mongolia hotels

Most of our company guides are English speaking. We also have some guides who speak German, French, Spanish, Italian, Russian, and Japanese. They are all friendly, helpful and most of them were born and grown in the countryside. Therefore, they have good knowledge about every aspect of Mongolia, good at horse trekking and have at least three years or more years of guiding experience. Except for your interpreter-guide, one or more nomad men will be your equestrian depends on the riders’ number. Your guide will be a cook for a small group of 2-4 people, and we will provide a cook if the group has more than 4 PAX.

Most of our tours were designed with four wheels driving Japanese or Korean vans driven by experienced, friendly and good mechanic-drivers. For bigger groups, the Russian van will be used due to its capacity and load capacity. Different types of vehicles are available on request.

The most suitable time to take the tour is between 15 May and 15 September. The day temperature in July and beginning of August could rise to +38°C. Therefore, consider your health issue of horse riding in hot. On the contrary, July and the beginning of August could be the wettest time of the year. Therefore, be prepared for some occasional rains. May, June, August, and September are the most suitable months for riding. Mongolian weather fluctuates a lot seasonally, daytime, and at night. We suggest you expect and be ready for sudden weather changes such as in hot temperature you ride in T-shirt and later ride wearing your woolen hat and gloves on the same day. Weather in May and September is cold in the evenings and at night. It could even snow in mountainous areas. For your pre-departure preparation and an idea to prepare for this inflexible weather condition, you may check our detailed packing list of the horse riding tours.

To plan your dream holiday or customize the tour exclusively for you, what to do and see in Mongolia page may help you.

As well as, please check attractions in Central Mongolia, and Northern Mongolia.

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