Gobi Horse Riding

Mongolia is undoubtedly one of the biggest horse countries in the world. Within Mongolia this area we will be riding is core for horse culture. It is easy to have a family owning a couple of hundred horses in this region. We have a family of 11 who owns more than 3000 horses combined together and this is the family we will be renting horses and they will come on a trip as horsemen. Everyday life is dependent on horse and therefore we have developed big culture around it. Having no fence and boundaries makes Mongolia one great big wide-open horse riding terrain with incredible view. As we go riding horse we visit nomad families along our terrain and it is one of a unique experience to learn this age-old culture. In the evenings we set our tents under the biggest star filled sky and sit around campfire surrounded by absolute wilderness hearing horses graze.

• Horse riding everyday in vast open wilderness.
• Incredible campsites with breathtaking view.
• Visiting herder families with unique culture of nomadism
• Adventure with good food and comfortable stay

• expand_more Day 1: Arrive Ulaanbaatar, city sight seeing. Kempinski Hotel Khan Palace
  Arrival in Ulaanbaatar the capital city of Mongolia. You will be welcomed at the airport by your local guide and driver who will transfer you to the comfortable hotel in down town.  Depending on your flight we will have some optional sights to visit this day before resting for the night. Kempinski Hotel Khan Palace /L, D/

• expand_more Day 2: Sightseeing day in Ulaanbaatar
  Sightseeing day in Ulaanbaatar. This morning after breakfast we will have a full day of city sightseeing through the major sites of Ulaanbaatar, including Sukhbaatar Square, National Museum, Gandan Monastery, Zaisan Memorial Hill and Bogd King’s Winter Palace Museum. In the evening before dinner we will be entertained with the folk music concert that presents very unique art of age-old Mongolian traditional singing, dancing and music. Kempinski Hotel Khan Palace /B, L, D/

• expand_more Day 3: Drive to Zorgol Khairkhan Mountain start of the ride. Tented night
  Drive to Zorgol Khairkhan Mountain. This morning we will drive 3 hours distance out of Ulaanbaatar to south. Less than 1 hour drive from bustling Ulaanbaatar city will bring us to a vast open expanse of steppe. This is where Siberia meats Mongolian Gobi desert. 2 more hours of drive across this undulating hills and arid landscape we reach to a very distinct mountain Zorgol Khairkhan, with a sharp drop of a granite rock face. We will make our camp here to stay for 2 nights. This afternoon we will have short test ride to adjust our riding gears and get to use to our horses. Very comfortable tented night with delicious food and campfire. /B, L, D/

• expand_more Day 4: Riding around Zorgol Khairkhan
  Riding around Zorgol Khairkhan. After breakfast we will saddle up the horses. Today is our first full day of riding. We will be riding around the Zorgol Kharkhan. This rocky mountain sides become a home for vultures and other birds of prey, we often see Black Vulture and Himalayan Griffon 2 of the largest birds in Mongolia. Today’s aim is to get used to with our horses and gear as well as the terrain and riding temp. Coming up to top of one of the hills will give you a panoramic view of the area that will help you to get orientation of where we are. We will make a clockwise trip around Mt Zorgol Khairkhan and come back to our campsite for afternoon tea or coffee. Tented night. /B, L, D/

• expand_more Day 5: Saikhan Mountain
  Saikhan Mountain. It is a moving day today. We will load the tents, ger and all of our luggage onto a camel cart that is supporting us and will move to our next camp site next to small mountain called Saikhan. Terrain for the day is classic steppe landscape with rolling small hills, wide open valleys and soil that is arid and gravelly. There will be occasional herds of white tailed gazelle running along our route. We will come to our campsite in the early afternoon but we will continue our ride for  another couple of hours over to a small hills next to our camp. Nearby mountains with rocky tops become home of the large wild sheep called Argali. It is an extraordinary site to see this endangered very shy species in the natural habitat. Tented night. /B, L, D/

• expand_more Day 6: Saikhan Mountain
  Saikhan Mountain. We stay at the same campsite for another day while we ride off to a different direction. We could stay in one place and ride off to 10 different directions but we prefer to stay no more than 2 days. Today’s ride we will go further south onto the great expansion of steppe that seems to go on forever. Our ride however though will only get to the edge of this great expansion and will return to our camp site in the afternoon. Tented night. /B, L, D/

• expand_more Day 7: Uushigiin Uvur
  Uushigiin Uvur. Our next move is towards chain of small hills called Uushigiin Uvur. This place is often used for spring pasture but summer time families move out to different pasture. Being away from the families and human activities this place is a popular hideout for wolves. During our previous trips we saw wolves in this area more often than other locations. We will ride over the ridges having extended view of the steppe lies in front and any kind of wildlife we may see in the short distance such as corsac fox, hare, birds of prey and grey wolf. We wil return to our campsite that will be moved to a new location. Tented night. /B, L, D/

• expand_more Day 8: Uushigiin Uvur
  Uushigiin Uvur. We have another day of exploring and riding in this secluded part of the steppe.  Tented night. /B, L, D/

• expand_more Day 9: Uvur Burd
  Uvur Burd. Today we will change our location to a location with more families using as summer camp. We will come down from a hilly part and will get to the south side of the sand dune that stretches through the steppe. Short ride into the sand dunes will give us a very different scenery. We will come to the camp in the afternoon after a gentle ride through mostly flat terrain. Tented night. /B, L, D/

• expand_more Day 10: Uvur Burd
  Uvur Burd. We will have leisure riding day today with family visit. This area provides more pasture and that attracts herder families to raise more sheep and goats. But most attraction of this region is the horse culture. In summer time nomads make their traditional drink called “airag” with mare’s milk. This gives us opportunity to observe the Mongolian culture of handling horses up close. Lunch together with the host family and will continue our experience with the family visit. We will come back to our campsite when we are done and will rest for the evening. Tented night. /B, L, D/

• expand_more Day 11: Ar Burd Ger Camp
  Ar Burd Ger Camp. Today we will ride on the east side of the sand dune passing over a little hill and will eventually come to a sweet little ger camp situated right on the edge of the sand dunes. This is our last day with the horses so we will say goodbye to our horses and horse handlers. We will check in the gers and refresh before afternoon tea. Ger camp stay. /B, L, D/              

• expand_more Day 12: Drive to Ulaanbaatar via Manzushir Monastery. Optional shopping in the afternoon. Kempinski Hotel Khan Palace
  Drive to Ulaanbaatar via Manzushir Monastery. Today after breakfast we head back to Ulaanbaatar. But we have one interesting stop before we get back to capital city. On our way we have a stop at old ruins of a Buddhist monastery that dates back to 18th century. This is southern side of the Bogd Khan Mountain where you see evergreen pine tree forest and carpet of green with flowers, a complete different scenery than what we have been riding in the past days. Then we continue our drive to Ulaanbaatar. After checking in the Kempinski hotel and freshen up we will have optional shopping in the town before having farewell dinner. Kempinski Hotel Khan Palace /B, L, D/

• expand_more Day 13: International Departure
  International departure. Today you will be transferred to the airport for your international departures to your next destination.