Pioneering (Horse riding) Through the Wild West
Included In-Country Services
Horse Riding in Western Mongolia
The far west of Mongolia is a remote and unique geographical area with a population of nomadic people equally as interesting and diverse as the land they inhabit – and fantastic for horse riding. The landscape includes high glacial mountain peaks, large lake basins, steppe grassland and desert sand-dunes. One of the main minority groups in this area is the Kazakh minority, who are as well the largest one in Mongolia, inhabiting the province of Bayan Ulgii since the mid 1800s. Still maintaining their traditional customs and traditions, they live in large felt gers and hunt with the aid of huge, golden eagles while horse riding in the winter months to supply themselves with fur from the prey.
On this journey we will take you through some of the most spectacular peaks of the Altai Mountains and then into the flat arid plains of the Gobi desert. We will set up tented camps by vast, clear blue lakes and visit many of the minority groups in the area and learn about their ancient customs. Along this horse riding journey you’ll also travel via camels and by jeeps so that you may experience this land in all its brilliant diversity.
Arrival in Ulaanbaatar
Sightseeing and Welcome Dinner
You will be met at the airport and transferred to your 4-star hotel. After lunch at the hotel, there will be sightseeing in Ulaanbaatar, including the National History Museum and the Bogd Khan Palace, a series of beautiful traditional buildings where the last religious King of Mongolia resided. The Palace is now a museum displaying fascinating artifacts and costumes associated with the king, as well as his collection of European furniture and stuffed animals. There will be a welcome dinner at a local restaurant, before heading back to the hotel for the night.
Sightseeing in Ulaanbaatar
A full day of sightseeing in the city including the Gandan Monastery, the Fine Arts Museum, and the Natural History Museum. Lunch at the hotel. There will be time for art and cashmere shopping before the evening program of a folklore show, followed by dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight at the hotel.
Flight to Donoi for Some Horse Riding
(Mon & Fri only) of Zavkhan-Zavkhanmandal
Today we will get a flight to Uliastai town either in the morning or afternoon depending on the domestic flight schedule. On arrival at Uliastai town, we will meet our local staff and driver and drive to Zavkhanmandal soum, where the great sand dune, Mongol Els(well known as Mukhart River) lies. Dinner will be served and we will have our first tented night in the wilderness in this area.
Leisure Day before Horse Riding
Today we spend the day exploring the area. We will take a hike through the sand dunes to see the source of the river Mukhart. Later we will meet our horseman’s and horses.
Horse Riding along the Sand dunes
After breakfast we saddle our horses and for the next two days, we will ride from the Mukhart River past the enormous and picturesque sand dunes. The Bor Khyaryn sand dunes are about 100miles long and 8 to 10 miles wide. These are some of the biggest sand dunes in Mongolia. Our goal is to reach Zavkhanmandal by the end of the second day. Those who don’t wish to ride can stay in the vehicles and drive the same direction meeting the riding party at night.
Drive to Khyargas Nuur
Today we will drive to Khyargas Lake located in the far northwestern aimag Uvs- named after the largest lake in Mongolia, Uvs Lake. Part of the region is within the mountain basin Ubsunur Hollow protected as a World Heritage Site for being “one of the largest intact watersheds in Central Asia where 40,000 archaeological sites can be found from historically famous nomadic tribes such as Scythians, the Turks, and the Huns.” Khyargas Lake is a 543 square mile saltwater lake up to 154 feet deep and with a 3300-foot elevation. The sunsets are spectacular here. We camp by this lake tonight.
Drive to Turgen Sum
After breakfast, we head towards the small town of Turgen. This is a traditional Autumn place for local nomads. We meet our horses and horseman here and test our horse riding skills to make sure we are matched with the right horse. We camp by a local river.
Horse Riding to Uureg Lake
We have two full days of horse riding down the mountain valley towards the stunning Uureg Lake. Each day we will ride 13-16 miles, our support vehicles will follow us and serve meals on the way. The scenery is full of grazing herds of livestock. We will ride through here around the time when those families move back to their seasonal settlement and will be able to see how nomadic people move their gers using camels. The second night we will camp by the gorgeous Uureg lake. Surrounded by tall mountains it is a 92 square mile saltwater lake in an endorheic basin-” a closed drainage basin that retains water and allows no outflow to other external bodies of water such as rivers or oceans, but converges instead into lakes…” If we get here on time, we can take a refreshing swim.
Drive Achit lake
Today we continue our drive toward Achit lake. It is the largest freshwater lakes in Mongolian Altai Mountain Range, covering 311 square kilometers. The length o flake is 30km, width is 16km, and lies 1,464 meters above the sea level. The lake is home to a few unique Mongolian fish that can typically only be found in the Altai region.
The lakeshore covered with steppes, mostly hilly but also swampy on the northwest and northeast. Several rivers also flow into the lake. This area is known to be liked mosquitoes, so please bring protection.
Drive to Sagsai Town
After a relaxed breakfast, we drive to Sagsai village via Ulgii town. This is the center of Bayan Ulgii Province and the only Muslim province in Mongolia. On our way to Ulgii town we drive to a nomadic settlement of Kazakh families. Their gers are slightly larger than Mongolian gers, and are decorated with brightly colored rugs. Their traditional dress is also slightly different to the Mongols as the men tend to wear large, black deels and small, bright hats. We will set our camp near the Sagsai river.
Visit Eagle hunters/ Drive to Ulgii
Today we will visit Kazakh families, which many are eagle hunters, then saddle up our horses go with eagle trainer and his assistant to the beautiful snowy high mountains, we can observe the hunting training with our guide. This is one of the oldest and most spectacular customs of Mongolia’s Kazakh people, passed down from generation, hunting with specially trained eagles. The animal work in a similar way as hunting falcons do. While the eagle is used for hunting in another part of the world, this area is arguably the birthplace of eagle falcons. Alte afternoon drive to Ulgii camp shore of the Khovd River.
Note: For June departures there are no eagle hunting training is available, we will look at the birds outside the gers and watch the Kazakh men with them and for August departures able to see part of the training – the hunting season starts in November and December when the first snow covers the ground.
Return to Ulaanbaatar
We will drive to the local airstrip of Ulgii town for the flight to Ulaanbaatar. On arrival, you will be taken to your 4-star hotel for dinner and rest.
International Departure
After breakfast at the hotel, you will be taken to the airport for your international departure.
NSA-002: 15-29 Jun 2024
NSA-004: 17-31 Aug 2024
Price per person in a group of 9 and more: USD 3,674
2 domestic flights, transportation within Mongolia, twin accommodation in a 4 star hotel. Single accommodation can be arranged at an additional cost. Tented accommodation while on trek, three meals a day, English-speaking guide, all sightseeing costs, transfers, camel or horse hire where specified, support staff including drivers, horse /camel men and camp assistants.
International transportation, travel insurance, visas, departure tax, alcoholic drinks, gratuities, items of a personal nature.It is the responsibility of the client to be fully covered with travel and medical insurance while traveling in Mongolia.
Upon request, single supplement in the countryside can be provided at the additional cost. In case single accommodation in ger camps was not provided the amount would be calculated based on the missing nights and reimbursed. Nomads cannot be held responsible for over bookings, as long as the company can prove with sufficient documentation that overbooking has been the error of the third party.Should circumstances beyond our control, such as the imposition of quarantine restrictions, any changes of domestic flight or train schedules, require a change of itinerary, we will inform your agent and propose an equivalent itinerary. Again, Nomads cannot take over the responsibility for the Airlines or the National Train Company. The traveler is responsible for having proper travel documents, such as a valid passport, proper visa and the necessary passport pictures.
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