This horse riding holiday takes you to a remote Mongolian province, riding through open steppe, forested valleys and mountains, and visiting the lakes and desert to the west of Ulaan Bator.
This is an adventurous wilderness ride, staying in temporary campsites each night and cooking over an open fire. The ride has a flexible itinerary, allowing new routes to be followed on each trip. Mongolian horses are very hardy and full of character. The hosts work closely with local nomadic families who can provide a range of horses suitable for any level of riding ability.
The ride will take you into Tarvagatai Uul National Park, in the Arkhangai Mountains, where you can visit sacred mountain lakes and bathe in natural hot springs. At the end of each day you are met by a support vehicle, carrying food and equipment. A highlight of this trip is the chance to experience the legendary hospitality of local nomadic families. The final part of the holiday takes in the dramatic desert to the west, where clear freshwater lakes, ideal for swimming and fishing, are surrounded by towering sand dunes.
This riding holiday is organised by a New Zealand/Mongolian partnership and of a very high quality - the guiding, back up vehicles, camping and food are a well above average for this adventurous destination.
2010 - 24 Jun (FULL); 4 Aug (FULL), 25 Aug;
Please note that the 25 August departure involves driving to Zavkhan (800km over 3 days) on Day 2 therefore follows a slightly different itinerary.
No supplement if willing to share. Otherwise: please enquire.
SAMPLE ITINERARY - MONGOLIAN EXPLORER
Day 1
Arrival in Ulaan Baatar capital of Mongolia. You will be met by your hosts at the airport and transferred to your hotel. You are then free explore fascinating Ulaan Baatar before meeting up with your hosts and fellow riders in the evening for dinner.
Day 2
Fly to Zavkhan, meet the drivers and head north toward Lake Telmen (4 hours) where you will stay the night at a local ger camp. If time allows you will visit the lake, great for a swim or bird spotting.
Day 3
Drive to the small town of Tosontsengel (2 hours), set up a river-side camp, and meet the horses. You will start with a safety briefing and pointers about the local riding style, and then begin by matching you to your ideal horse. A day ride around the area (a mix of forest and steppe) will allow you to decide if this is the horse for you.
Day 4 - 13
For the next ten days we ride through steppe and forest and into the mountains of Tarvagatai Uul National Park. We do not follow a set route while riding; however around Day 7 we will reach an abandoned hot spa for a well-earned soak. At the end of each day we meet the support vehicles. By Day 13 we will be back in the area where we first started riding. We farewell the horses and our Mongolian friends and drive back to Lake Telmen.
Day 14 Drive south-west through desert-steppe to Khar Nuur (5 hours), a beautiful lake where desert sand dunes meet crystal clear water. Set up camp on the lake shore for two nights.
Day 15
Khar Nuur is the perfect place to relax after all that riding. Spend the day swimming, climbing the dunes or just reading a book.
Day 16
Drive from Khar Nuur to Uliastai (4 hours), and fly back to Ulaanbaatar in the evening.
Day 17 If you have time we will help with finding any last minute items to take home for friends and family, and you can see some more of the city. Finally we take you to the airport/train station and say farewell.
All itineraries are for guidance only and may be altered due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances.
NOTES - MONGOLIAN EXPLORER
Getting There
The most common route to Ulaan Baatar (ULN) from Europe is via Moscow (SVO) flying with Aeroflot (£500-£800). An alternative option is to fly to Beijing (PEK), serviced by many international airlines, and to then fly or take the Trans-Mongolian train to Ulaan Baatar.
Other Info
Even by Mongolian standards this area is off the beaten track, and riders are unlikely to encounter any other western tourists. Local nomadic families are not used to seeing foreigners, but are very welcoming, which makes for a rewarding cultural experience. The itinerary of the trips is flexible, allowing for more riding time and less time in the desert if the group decides as a whole. If riders would like to see Przewalski horses (the world’s only true wild horse), a day or overnight trip from Ulaan Baatar can be arranged (before or after the trip, at extra cost).
The four-wheel drive support vehicle allows participants to have a level of comfort which is not possible with pack horses (food, camping equipment etc). However to avoid this detracting from the ‘adventurousness’ of the trip, you meet the vehicle at the end of the day, while during the day you follow routes accessible only on horseback.
For riders arriving in Ulaan Baatar before day one of the trip, or staying longer after the trip, we can assist with arranging accommodation. Due to international arrival/departure schedules, it is often necessary to include an extra day or two in Ulaan Baatar before or after the trip. . Small saddle bags are provided for each rider, which will hold a raincoat, water bottle and snacks for the day.
Mongolia is a developing country and this trip is to a remote region.
The weight limit for this ride is 16 st/220 lb/100 kg, please enquire if you are an experienced rider exceeding this weight.
FURTHER DETAILS
As we are specialists in our field we have extensive knowledge of all our products from details of accommodation and meals to number/size/type of horses to pace of riding ... and much more.
Should you wish to receive further details of this ride please click here.
WHAT IS INCLUDED
All transfers from the airport/train station, all meals with tea and coffee and some wine (except on pack horse trip), accommodation including first and last night in Ulaan Baatar, riding, horses, tack, English speaking tour leader, English speaking translator, support vehicle and excursions described in itinerary. 2-person tents and eating equipment (plate, bowl, mug, utensils) are supplied.
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED
Drinks other than tea and coffee (boiling water is supplied). Other drinks are not included but can be arranged by request before departure.
International air/train travel
Single supplement (only if unwilling to share)
Mongolian visa
Personal medical and travel insurance
Entry fees into monasteries etc in Ulaan Baatar
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What you see on our web site is exactly how much your invoice will come to and this will not change once booked. Unlike some other companies the prices on our web site are fully inclusive of often hidden extras such as: VAT, Sales Tax, state taxes, city taxes, service charges, non-optional tips, fuel surcharges which can add 20% or more to the advertised cost. Prices are available in £ sterling, Euros and US$. Once invoiced, prices are guaranteed against adverse currency fluctuations. Contact us for package prices which include flights from the UK and see each ride for exact details of all items in individual itineraries.
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