Hiking and horse riding - Nomadays

Mongolia

Hiking and horse riding

This mixed tour is made for nature and large open spaces lovers. We'll start with a 4-day pony trek from Tsenkher hot springs to Orkhon Valley, riding across the wonderful landscapes of lower Khangai. Then we'll leave for a 4-day self-sufficient hike in the Naiman Nuur National Park.

This is the perfect tour for the inexperienced horsemen/women who wish to taste the joys of the gallop in the steppes and enjoy a natural hike in the lower Khangai.

Day 1Arrival in Ulan Bator and visit of the city

Day 1Arrival in Ulan Bator and visit of the city

  • Arrival at the airport, meeting with our driver. Transfer to your hotel, settling in, and rest.

  • Appointment at 12 o'clock at your hotel with your guide. He will take you to the restaurant of your choice.

  • Let's immerse ourselves in the heart of the Mongolian history, in the wonderful National History Museum. Three floors of a rich, glorious, violent and noble past, from prehistory to Soviet period, including the creation of the great Mongolian Empire by Genghis Khan.

  • Walk in the centre of Ulan-Bator. Discovery of Gengis Khan Square and the House of Parliament.

  • At 18 o' clock, Mongolian traditional show at Tumen Ekh: folkloric dances, contortion, and of course khoomi, the overtone singing.

Day 2Kharkhorin, from one capital to another

Day 2Kharkhorin, from one capital to another

Ulan Bator - Kharkhorin

  • Visit of Gandantegchinlen Monastery. In the morning, lamas get together to pray. They will answer your questions at the Mongolian Buddhist Centre.

  • Journey to Kharkhorin, the former capital of Mongolia. The legendary city of Genghis Khan was founded in 1220 and was one of the stages of the silk road. The Mongolian Empire was governed from this city until Kubilai Khan set up the capital in Beijing. Today, there are only a few vestiges left of the former capital.

  • Visit of Erdene Zuu Monastery, built in 1586 by a nomad prince. The Chinese and Tibetan-inspired buildings are surrounded with 108 sacred stupas. Visit of the Museum of Kharkhorin.

Meal and accommodations
Breakfast: Hotel Nine
Lunch: Made by your team
Dinner: Anja camp
Accommodation: Anja camp

Day 3A bit of history and much pleasure

Day 3A bit of history and much pleasure

Kharkhorin - Khoshoo Tsaidam

  • Let's immerse ourselves in the Turkish period. We reach the site of Khöshöö Tsaïdam and its two monoliths built in the 7th and 8th centuries. These writings tell the story of Prince Kul-Tegin and his brother Bilge-Khagan. They are the oldest traces of Turkish literature.

    Funeral steles and tumuli, alignment of erected stones are so many accounts of the rites of that period.

Khoshoo Tsaidam - Tsenkher hot springs

Meal and accommodations
Breakfast: Anja camp
Lunch: Picnic from the camp
Accommodation: Shiveet Mankhan
3h 45m-110km
Khangai Mountain

Day 4-5Pony trek in Khangai

Day 4-5Pony trek in Khangai

Day 5

  • Ride along a valley where many breeders have set up their camp. We reach the Ondor Shireet Hill and have lunch near the winter camps of the nomads. In the area, we will observe petroglyphs dating from the Bronze Age.

  • Visit of Tovkhon Monastery. Vehicles can't go until the top of Öndör Ulaan Hill and we will walk until there to discover Tovkhon Ermitage, where Zanabazar, the first religious leader of Mongolia, created the Soyombo alphabet. The monastery is located 2312 metres (1,44 mile) above the sea level and from that place we'll have a wonderful view of the whole Khangai range. We'll picnic in exceptional surroundings, facing Orkhon Valley.

Meal and accommodations
Breakfast: Shiveet Mankhan (4)
Breakfast: Made by your team (5)
Lunch: Picnic from the camp (4)
Lunch: Made by your team (5)
Dinner: Made by your team
Accommodation: tent camping
Khangai Mountain

Day 6Stay among nomads in Orkhon

Day 6Stay among nomads in Orkhon

Khangai Mountain - Orkhon valley

  • We ride along a hilly path and reach the Orkhon River and its canyons. We cross the river in the place called Ongoistiin Guur and reach the Orkhon Valley, and its hundreds of herds and yurts. We ride on a path scattered with volcanic stones, because the valley is located in an old area of volcanos.

Meal and accommodations
Breakfast: Made by your team
Lunch: Made by your team

Day 7Horse riding to Orkhon Waterfalls

Day 7Horse riding to Orkhon Waterfalls

  • Visit of Ulan Tsutgalaan falls, white flood flowing on the black stone, transformed in rainbow by a short sunray… These 16-metres (52,49 feet) falls are just magic ! They were formed 20.000 years ago, as a result of a unique combination of earthquakes and volcano eruptions.

  • Horseriding until the entrance of Naiman Nuur National Park. We'll follow our path across the steppes scattered with edelweisses, then we'll ride along the forests of larches and pines, before stopping for the night at Boorgiin Oroi, on the edge of a small wood, in front of the mountains of Naiman Nuur Park.

  • We finish this pleasant day in a small yurts camp at the gates of the Naiman Nuur National Park. We'll enjoy a good comfort and will have a restorative rest.

Meal and accommodations
Breakfast: Made by your team
Breakfast: Made by your team
Lunch: Made by your team
Dinner: Boorog camp
Accommodation: Boorog camp

Day 8-104-days hiking in the Naiman Nuur National Park

Day 8-104-days hiking in the Naiman Nuur National Park

Day 8

  • We start our self-sufficient hike. We hike in a valley surrounded by the Khangai range. We reach a small mountain lake where we'll set up our camp for the night.

Day 9

  • We go on hiking in the Khangai Valley. We cross a tree-filled area, go up towards the pass of Khangai Nuruu, then come back down towards Lake Tsagaan Azarga. Picnic. We go up towards the gorges of the Khokh Davaanii River, then we reach the Naiman Nuur National Park. First, we visit Lake Shanaga, then we set up our camp in the banks of Lake Khuis.

Day 10

  • Visit of the several lakes of the area : Lakes Bugat, Khaya, Doroo, Khaliut, and then Lake Shireet where we set up our camp.

Meal and accommodations
Breakfast: Boorog camp (8)
Breakfast: Made by your team (9, 10)
Lunch: Picnic from the camp (8)
Lunch: Made by your team (9, 10)
Dinner: Made by your team
Accommodation: tent camping

Day 11We join a nomads family

Day 11We join a nomads family

  • We hike on the Shireet Hill and visit the stone of Shurangiin Tsokhoi. Then we finally join a nomads family and rest in its camp.

Meal and accommodations
Breakfast: Made by your team
Lunch: Made by your team
Dinner: made by the family

Day 12Desert area of Khogno Khan

Day 12Desert area of Khogno Khan

  • We arrive at the splendid rocky formations of Khogno Khan. Discovery of the park : semidesert steppes, taiga, stunning rocky formations, 80-kilometre (49,71 miles) long sand dunes, are characteristic of this arid area nicknamed "Mini-Gobi".

  • Walk until Erdene Khambiin Monastery. "Monk Erdene's Monastery" dates from 17th century and was built in the mountain. Zanabazar built it in honour of his teacher, monk Erdene.

Meal and accommodations
Breakfast: Made by your team
Lunch: Made by your team
Dinner: Eden camp
Accommodation: Eden camp
4h 30m-280km

Day 13Back to Ulan Bator

Day 13Back to Ulan Bator

  • Back to Ulan-Bator. Last herds of wild horses crossing the road outside our dumbfounded eyes, last yurts smoking far away, the steppe will be with us until the last moment.

    Arrival in town and settling in at your hotel, where you can rest a few moments.

  • Rest of the day free. With our guide, you can go shopping in the centre of the city.

Meal and accommodations
Breakfast: Eden camp
Lunch: Picnic from the camp
Accommodation: Hotel Nine
Flight back

Day 14Have a nice journey and see you soon !

Day 14Have a nice journey and see you soon !

  • Breakfast at the hotel. We go with you to the international airport of Ulan Bator. The transfer can be organized at the time you want, according to the schedule of your flight.