Horse Riding the Cradle of Nomadic Civilization

During Mongolia's Naadam Festival

Included In-Country Services

MONGOLIA TRAVEL MAPS - Naadam Festival - Nomadic Civilization - Mongolia Nomads Tours

Mongolia’s Naadam Festival

Before experiencing the Mongolia’s Naadam in Ulaanbaatar at the end where you will witness the opening ceremony of the local Naadam Festival, the 3 ‘manly’ games: wrestling, archery, and horse races – your horseback riding adventure will take you into the Khangai. So remember, enjoy the horseback riding adventure as you’ll end it with with a great opportunity to see the past and present as the Mongols perform their traditional songs and dances and wear their traditional clothing during the Mongolia’s Naadam Festival.

The Khangai Mountain Range

The Khangai Mountain range in Central Mongolia is drained by some of Mongolia’s mightiest rivers. The Orkhon is the most famous of them. For tens of thousands of years, the Orkhon and its tributaries gave water and shelter to the nomadic peoples and their animals. Even today their lifestyle has changed little and they still herd their sheep and yaks via horse riding, in order to protect them against the misfortune of the harsh weather and wolves.

Horseback Riding Adventure!

Local horsemen will accompany you and take you to their homeland teaching you about their secrets of survival. Our staff will set up overnight camps, which will be both adequate and comfortable. There will be good food, prepared by a professional cook, a dining tent to shelter you from the sun and give you warmth at night, comfortable sleeping tents, a shower tent and a toilet tent. Vehicles will accompany the journey as an option for those who do not want to ride the entire distance.

Arrival in Ulaanbaatar

International Arrival/ city sightseeing

Arrival at the Chinggis Khaan International Airport. After clearing immigration formalities, meet your local guide. and transferred to your hotel. On your way you will pass a large suburban area, where traditional nomadic felt tents can be found next to Western styled family houses. Ulaanbaatar, the energetic capital of Mongolia, is home to more than one million people, nearly half of the Mongolian population. Migration is a tremendous challenge to this fast-growing city. … you will visit 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. The visit the Narantuul Market well known as “Black Market” great traditional market specially those wanting to pick up a traditional Mongolian clothing, horse-riding gears, traditional boots, shamanic and Buddhist ritual items, and cashmere products.

Karakorum

Today, you will travel overland to the ancient capital of Mongolia, Karakorum. For 30 years the ancient capital of the Mongoila Empire under Genghis Khan, the largest empire the world has ever seen. At it’s height in 1279 it covered nearly all of Asia and Europe (his grandson Kublai Khan moved the capital to Beijing). This area is part of A UNDESCO World Heritage site. There is little left of the former capital these days, but the walls of the massive Erdenezuu Monastery, built in 1586, still stand. Other temples suffered damage under communist purges of the 20th century, as they attempted to eradicate the 60 temples that housed nearly 10,000 Buddhist monks. Afternoon, we a visit to the Erdene Zuu Monastery which is the most ancient surviving Buddhist monastery in Mongolia. It is in Ovorkhangai Province, near the town of Kharkorin and adjacent to the ancient city of Karakorin. It is part of the World Heritage Site entitled Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape. After visiting Karakorum Museum continue drive to Orkhon Valley reach to Nariin Am and meet the local horseman tonight.

Tuvkhun Monastery

After breakfast the riders are matches to their horses, saddles selected, and the horse tour begins. Today we will visit the monastery, which is situated at the top of Tuvshin Mountain, and where the first religious King of Mongolia – the Ondor Gegeen Zanabazar – worked and lived. We will continue riding along the river until we reach our overnight camping spot on the river’s shores.

Orkhon Valley, Orkhon Waterfall to Tumurtein Am

Today we will continue to ride to Orkhon Waterfall. The waterfall is situated in the Orkhon Valley. This valley is known as the cradle of Mongolian civilization as many of Mongolia’s ancient monuments lie within its borders. We will camp by the waterfall for the next two nights to singing games – the loser has to consume a whole bowl of ‘airag,’ so beware when visiting local families!

Buureg -Khuis Lake- Shireet lake – Shurangiin Tsohio

Refreshed and relaxing at base camp, we are back on the horses today. When you watch the packhorses being loaded, you will be amazed about how much these small, sturdy horses can carry. Nevertheless, we recommend that you take as little as possible with you on this part of the trip. The riding becomes more challenging as we will ride through more obstacle areas and narrow trails of forested mountains into more remoteness altitude of 2200m above sea level. Even though, nature will be pristine and untouched. We will reach our main destination Eight Lakes. Overnight in the tent on the shore of Lake. Following day ride between the beautiful lakes, walk around, watch birds and flowers The Naiman Lake area was formed by volcanic eruption in the late Neogene. You still can see lava rocks in the flat area and barren mountain tops. then ride back where the Nomad family lives, farewell dinner with horseman and meet the support vehicles.

Drive to Khugnu Khan

After leisurely breakfast drive to Khugnu Khan by Erdene Khamba Monastery is located only 18 km north of Elsen Tasarhai, at the Khogno Khan Uul Mountains (1967 m ASL.) Today there are only the ruins. Erdene Khamba Monastery had two sections: the lower one called the Zaluu Khiid, or the “Novice Temple” and the upper one called the Uvgun Khiid, or the “Elder’s Temple”, which was built on top of the mountain. The monastery was built in a sacred valley, according to Mongolian Buddhist traditions.

Drive to UB city via Hui Doloo Hudag

After breakfast drive to drive to Hui Doloon Khudag which is outskirts of Ulaanbaatar to watch horse race competition. The tradition is said to date back to the Bronze Age Horse-racing. It’s considered as one of the three traditional skills of the Mongolian young men where good horses and skillful horse-riders race one another. Therefore, horse-racing has naturally been a favorite sport’s activity cherished by the herdsmen in Mongolia. The horses are categorized according to age; the distance of the race is determined by the age of the horse and may range between 15 and 35 kilometers. Mongolian horses are short and stocky with robust feet, a large head, and a thick neck. They bare a certain resemblance to the Przewalski’s horse and are said to be largely unchanged since the time of Genghis Khan. Then drive to Ub city check I to your Hotel.

Naadam opening ceremony

After a leisurely breakfast we will head to the central stadium to attend the Naadam Festival opening ceremony. Naadam is the biggest and the most widely watched traditional festival in Mongolia, locally also named the “Eriin Gurvan Naadam” – “the three games of men”. Wrestling, horse racing, and archery are practiced during this National Holiday from July 11th to 13th. Women have started to participate in the archery and horse-racing games, but not in the wrestling. Naadam is a formal celebration of the 1921 revolution, when Mongolia declared itself a free country. The Naadam celebration was accredited by the representative list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of UNESCO in 2010. Later afternoon after this fascinating event drive to Tuul Lodge. An intimate and fully sustainable traditional Mongolian ger camp on the foot of the Bayanzorik Mountain, the beautiful camp’s surrounding invites to be explored and discovered! Your gers are prepared by a dedicated team of people, giving you a warm welcome!

Full Day at the Lodge

After leisurely breakfast our nomadic neighbor will come with his ox and his card will take you on a ride! We will take also the Mongolian arrows and bows with us! Legendary for their prowess with the bow, Mongols perfected this ancient practice with bows constructed from wood, animal sinew, bone, and glue made from fish bladders in a process that could take up to a year. A stone inscription dating from the 13th century claims that one of Genghis Khan’s generals hit a target from a distance of 1/3 of a mile! Late afternoon we will learn Mongolian traditional game using ankle bones like a shooting and horse racing etc. In the evening dine a traditional Mongolian barbecue food, known as Khorhog – our family’s favorite Mongolian dish by the way – demonstrating what an important ingredient stones can be: mutton will be cooked slowly in a huge, metal urn with vegetables, water, and most importantly hot stones from the flame. The meat becomes soft and tasty, and the water turns into a thick meaty broth… Quite a few Mongolian chefs affirm that they can taste the difference between river and lake stones. The day shall finish with a camp ‘s bon-fire and star gazing … Unforgettable on a clear night.

International Departre

 

After a relaxed breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport and depart back home. Thank you very much for travelling with us! We hope to see you again.

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