Horseback Trail Ride in MONGOLIA : THE ORKHON VALLEY UNDER THE YURTS

HORSE RIDING TRIP IN MONGOLIA
INDICATIVE ITINERARY *

Day 1 - Saturday: Ulan Bator. Welcome to Mongolia ! Your English speaking translator is waiting for you at Ulan Bator airport at midday (arrival of Turkish Airlines flight - private transfer at extra cost if you are flying with another airline). Visit of Gandantegchinlin Monastery and the National Museum of Mongolian History. Dinner downtown and overnight at Nine hotel or similar (3*).

Day 2: Ulan Bator - Khogno Khan Park (Bayan Gobi). Breakfast and transfer to Hogno Han Park (5 hours drive - strongly depending on the condition of the roads). Lunch on the way. In the afternoon, short first horse ride in the Bayan Gobi, the "rich desert". We will ride to the Ovgon Khiid Monastery, set in a dramatic scenery. Bayan Gobi region is the only opportunity to ride horses in typical Gobi desert landscape in Mongolia, as there are no horses further south in the Gobi Desert. Dinner and night at the yurt camp (2 to 4 riders per yurt, with single beds, showers in a separate building).

Day 3: Khogno Khan (Bayan Gobi) - Full day on horseback. After breakfast, departure for a spectacular day on horseback. We will ride from the cliffs of Khogno Khan, through Bayan Gobi semi-desert steppes. At midday, we reach an area of ​​ golden sand dunes called Elsentasarhaï, where our horses will show their remarkable endurance. Picnic lunch brought by our vehicules, nothing to carry on the horses, so we can enjoy many canters. In the afternoon, we keep on riding in these amazing landscapes. The contrast between the desert dunes and the marshland that borders them is spectacular! We pass suddenly from the desert to the Garden of Eden. Nomads often gather their herds in this vast wet plain, a wonderful vision... We arrive on horseback at the yurt camp, located in a semi-desert environment. Dinner and night at the yurt camp (2 to 4 riders per yurt, with single beds, showers in a separate building).

Day 4: Khogno Khan - Orkhon Valley. After breakfast, we drive through the Orkhon Valley to visit the family of the nomads who will guide us during this ride and who breed the horses we will ride (4 hours drive - strongly depending on the condition of the roads). Late lunch, and it is time to choose our horse for the first ride in the Valley. This short ride will be the opportunity to get acquainted to our horse. As we come back at the nomadic family yurts in the evening, it will be possible to try another horse if necessary. The rest of the day is devoted to the discovery of the traditional lifestyle of the nomads of Mongolia. We can participate in their daily activities, and become acquainted with the various family members. You'll find simple tips to facilitate contact with your host family on the site by clicking here. In the evening, our hosts will prepare a traditional specialty, the Khorkhog, the "Mongolian barbecue". This night, we will sleep in a "guest-yurt" close to our nomad family's yurts. The comfort is more simple than in the yurt camps as there are no showers, but you will experience the real nomadic way of life...

Day 5: Horse riding tour in the Orkhon Valley (upstream). After breakfast with our nomadic family, we start our horse riding adventure in Mongolia. We ride in the upstream part of the Valley where the landscape becomes wilder and wilder. This volcanic region has black ancient lava flows which contrast with the white running water of the Orkhon River. Picnic lunch brought by our vehicules. On horseback, we reach the forest with the impressive Naiman Nuur mountains in front of us. Dinner and night at a very remote yurt camp in the forest (2 to 4 riders per yurt, with single beds, showers in a separate building).

Day 6: Horse riding tour in the Orkhon Valley (Orkhon Falls). After breakfast, we still ride in the upstream part of the Valley, returning towards the Orkhon Falls through another way. Picnic lunch brought by our vehicules. We arrive in the afternoon at our yurt camp, not far from the famous Orkhon Falls where we go on horseback. Dinner and night at the yurt camp (2 to 4 riders per yurt, with single beds, showers in a separate building).

Day 7: Horse riding tour in the Orkhon Valley (Uurt). Another beautiful day on horseback as we will ride to one of the most famous sites of the Orkhon Valley: Uurt Canyon. Picnic lunch brought by our vehicules. We are now in the downstream section of the Valley, the landscapes are more open, towered by two mountain ranges, and we meet lots of nomadic families with their herds, who take advantage of the rich grass of the valley. The arrival at the yurt camp (gercamp) is a nice surprise as it is located in a superb site, bordering the canyon of the Orkhon River. We will spend 2 nights in this beautiful gercamp. Dinner and night at the yurt camp (2 to 4 riders per yurt, with single beds, showers in a separate building).

Day 8: Horse riding tour in the Orkhon Valley (Around Uurt). Today we ride in the surrounding mountains, to get a higher view on the Orkhon Valley. We return to the same gercamp in the evening. Dinner and night at the yurt camp (2 to 4 riders per yurt, with single beds).

Day 9: Horse riding tour in the Orkhon Valley (Khujirt). Today we continue our horse riding tour to the southern mountains bordering the Orkhon Valley, in Khujirt region. Khujirt is famous for its water, which is bottled and sent all over Mongolia. The view is spectacular on the river which is now mich wider and lazy among wavy grassy hills. That's the Mongolia of your dreams ... Picnic lunch. We arrive in the afternoon at a unique environment friendly yurt camp. The view from the camp on the huge valley is incredible. This camp is "eco-friendly", there is no "real" showers, but wet warm towels are brought to your yurt twice a day: quite surprising but efficient ! Dinner and night at the yurt camp (2 to 4 riders per yurt, with single beds).

Day 10: Horse riding tour in the Orkhon Valley (Karakorum). Today is our last day on horseback in the Orkhon Valley. In the last miles before Karakorum - the former capital of Mongolian Empire - the Valley is narrower, offering wonderful views from the mountain slopes on the Orkhon river. This part of the Orkhon Valley is one of the nicest, as the river is very calm, the water reflecting the sky as a mirror. The dark blue water contrasts with the lush green of the grass, and the white yurts around. Many herds roam in the steppe around, and you will take many pictures of the typical Mongolia today. It is time to say good bye to our horses and to our wonderful nomadic friends. Dinner and night at the yurt camp (2 to 4 riders per yurt, with single beds, showers in a separate building).

Day 11: Karakorum - Hustai National Park. After breakfast, we visit Erdene Zuu Monastery. After the visit, we drive to Hustai National Park, home of the wild Przewalski's horses also called Takhi (4 hours drive - strongly depending on the condition of the roads). In the afternoon, we go on a drive in the Park to try and find the Takhi. Dinner and night at the yurt camp (2 to 4 riders per yurt, with single beds, showers in a separate building).

Day 12: Hustai - Ulan Bator. Breakfast and early departure to Ulan Bator (2,5 hours drive - strongly depending on the condition of the roads). Lunch and free time for shopping in stores downtown. In the late afternoon, you will attend a show with traditional dances, music and songs from Mongolia, especially the amazing Khoomei. No dinner included, to let you choose among the varied dining opportunities offered by Ulan Bator. Night at Nine Hotel or similar (3*).

Day 13 - Ulan Bator. Breakfast and transfer to airport on time for Turkish Airlines flight (private transfer at extra cost if you are flying with another airline).

* Indicative itinerary: may be changed if necessary.