Mongolia

• 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.

Ulan Bator - Khogno Khan

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

• 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.

• Visit of the sand dunes of Elsen Tasarkhai.

Khogno Khan - Kharkhorin

• 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.

Kharkhorin - Orkhon valley

• Journey to Orkhon Valley. Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, the valley is a land of nomadism and many breeders set their summer camp there.

Day 4

• Those who wish will go pony trekking along Orkhon Valley, from the camp until 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.

Day 5

• If some people wish, we will go for a pony trek until Mogoit hot springs.

• Bath in the fitted out pools of Mogoit hot springs. The temperature of the springs is contained between 48 and 75°C (118 - 167°F), and they are perfect to recover from the tiredness of the travel.

• 3, 4, 5

  Stay at herders' from the valley. During your stay, you will discover their way of life and you will be proposed many activities, such as milking, making traditional dairy products, or rounding up the animals with a horse.

  You will also attend the preparation of a Mongolian barbecue that you will enjoy with yours hosts.

Orkhon valley - Tovkhon monastery

• 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.

Tovkhon monastery - Battsengel

• In the late afternoon, arrival at Dembee's home near the village of Battsengel. In the yurt, we share a Mongolian meal with his family. He will talk about his horses and show you how proud of them he is. He will also give us advices about the pony trek.

Battsengel - Tamir river

• Saddle up ! First, it is at a slow pace that we will ride in order to familiarize ourselves with our new companions. After a few kilometers we reach the Tamir River, where we will ride along before crossing it on horseback.

  The banks are very green and the nomads are many. We see several riders who often join our group for a few minutes, curious to see us riding.

  We lunch along the Tamir, where we can go for a swim before riding again.

  In the late afternoon, we set up our camp on the banks of the river in order to water the horses and cool off.

  In the evening, we have dinner and then collect some wood to get warmed up front of a bon fire.

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  8-day ride in Arkhangai with the assistance of the logistics vehicle.

Tamir river - Agt valley

• After a few miles alternating slow pace and trotting, we leave the Tamir and its scarcely populated plain to go deeper into the steppe, where yurts are getting rare and the grass higher and more abundant. Gradually, we gain altitude and cross the Mount Argalant behind which we can see away the possible snowy peaks. Then we pass by Ulaan Khad the "red rock."

  After lunch, we hit the road in a faster pace. We go into a forest of larches perched on the hill called "the rich". The ascent is quite difficult and our pace slows down due to the high altitude. But we quickly reach back the plain and go down towards the hillside, before reaching a small river. Our camp will be set up on its bank.

• 8

  8-day ride in Arkhangai with the assistance of the logistics vehicle.

Agt valley - Burgat

• After the breakfast along the river, let's get back on the track, where a difficult ascent in a very thick forest is awaiting us. After the ascent, we reach the summit at 2500 meter high(1,55 mile) above the sea level. It will be our lunch spot for the day, while our horses will rest .

  Early in the afternoon, we ride downhill through a wide lush plain. The condition of the track allows us to go on a faster pace. It is a few kilometers away from the small village of Bugat that the camp will be set up.

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  8-day ride in Arkhangai with the assistance of the logistics vehicle.

Burgat - Khanui River

• Ride on a flat terrain allows us to cover long distances by alternating trot and gallop. Mongolian breeders often have friends in the area, and we can pop in and say hello on our way. They will share with us a bowl of nomadic airag, few biscuits, or tairag, the yoghurt made with yak's milk.

  Early in the afternoon, we have lunch on the banks of a river, and then we go back to horses and cross several hills where we meet many herds of yaks, yet without seeing a single yurt.

  By mid-afternoon, we stop on the side of a mountain, about 2000 metre high (1,24 mile), where we set up our camp.

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  8-day ride in Arkhangai with the assistance of the logistics vehicle.

Khanui River - Chuluut river

• We ride alternating trot and gallop. We reach a valley where the grass is getting shorter and shorter and where yurts are getting back in the scenery. We will be following a track and meet a few vehicles.

  Picnic near the small village of Ondor-Ulaan where we buy fresh supplies.

  Early in the afternoon, we leave Ondor-Ulaan at trot. Nomads are many in this area. We pass close to many yurts and see several herds of goats and yaks. After a few kilometers, we reach and drive along the road under construction connecting Moron to Ulan Bator, at the foot of Mount Zuun Mod. The vegetation is scarce and the soil, dry. Gradually, we leave the road to get closer to the banks of the Chuluut River and cross it.

  We set up our camp a few miles away, in a plain where the yurts are numerous.

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  8-day ride in Arkhangai with the assistance of the logistics vehicle.

Chuluut river - Suman river

• In the early morning, we ride at a leisurely pace along the banks of the enclosed canyons of the Chuluut.

  Little stop at the ovoo, place of offering. As a mark of respect, we should walk around three times and throw three stones. Then we leave the track and ride faster to go deeper into a grassy steppe.

  We have lunch near the gorges of the Suman River and go down to the bed of the river where we can observerocky paintings of ibex, horses and other animals.

  Finally, we ride along the gorges. We move slowly on a track scattered with volcanic stones. Here, we don't see any yurts and herds get seldom. Sometimes, we can see marmots. We set up our camp on a large plateau offering a breathtaking view on the gorges.

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  8-day ride in Arkhangai with the assistance of the logistics vehicle.

Suman river - Tariat

• In the morning, we still ride along the beautiful gorges of the Suman River. We pass several hills where we meet several nomads watching over their herds.

  After crossing a bridge, we reach the other bank of the Suman River and follow it carefully due to the numerous rocks on the ground.

  The water of this river is very clear and we set up our camp on its banks, in the late afternoon, a few miles away from the village of Tariat where we get fresh supplies.

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  8-day ride in Arkhangai with the assistance of the logistics vehicle.

Tariat - Terkhiin Tsagaan national park

• We wake up early for our last day horse riding in Arkhangai. We start riding along the track. The landscape changes as quickly as we approach the Khorgo Volcano. We ride on a very black and very difficult soil, made of dry lava. The landscape is original and doesn't look like anything we've seen so far. The vegetation around us is essentially made of high larches ; it formed on the lava rejected here more than 8000 years ago.

  In the morning we reach the Khorgo volcano where we dismount and tie our horses to make the ascent of the summit, 2210 metres (1,37 mile) above the sea level.

  After a few minutes of ascent, the view is already wonderful. We can already see the white lake. Here, the region is more touristic and once we get back downhill, we can taste local fruit juices sold in small stands. Around noon, we ride again following the track at a slow pace. We go to the cave of Zaluus and visit it before reaching Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur, the "White Lake of the Terkh River", located 2060 meters (1,28 mile) above the sea level. It's the jewel of Arkhangai and one of the most beautiful lakes of the country.

Day 15

• After eight days of horse riding, let's relax with other activities : walking on the banks of the lake, swimming, visiting families or playing game cards. We take advantage of the comfort of the camp to get back into shape before hitting the road again towards Khövsgöl.

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  8-day ride in Arkhangai with the assistance of the logistics vehicle.

• 14, 15

  Stay in a pleasant yurts camp on the banks of Lake Terkhiin Tsagaan, to rest after our ride in Arkhangai.

Terkhiin Tsagaan national park - Zuun lake

• Let's start the most difficult day of our journey. We are in the hell of the track : mountain passes, flooded passages … We must deserve Khövsgöl.

  Fortunately, the area is superb, hilly and scattered with yurts. The slow pace of our vehicle gives us time to enjoy the landscape. We stop on the banks of the Ider River, where we set up our camp.

Zuun lake - Moron

• Stop in Mörön to buy fresh supplies at the market.

• Visit of the site containing several deer stones at Uushigiin Övör.

Day 17

• We arrive at Lake Khövsgöl, one of the natural wonders of the world. This mountain covers an area of 2760 square kilometres, and its water is so pure that we can drink it! It's surrounded with many peaks culminating at more than 2000 metres and covered with forests of pines and lush meadows where yaks and horses graze!

• We go towards East and the green small valleys of Alag Sar, and spend the night in a small yurts camp.

• 18, 19

  Let's start a beautiful story… With local breeders and their yaks, we leave for our 2-days hike or pony-trek in the tree-filled valleys of Alag Tsar. Following the peaceful tempo of the cart, we discover this land of nomadism. In the heart of summer, the area is flowered and we will move literally on a carpet of edelweiss, while at West, we will see on the opposite bank the peaks culminating at 3000 metres that bathe in the crystal water of the lake.

  In the evening, with the breeders, we will put up the yurt that we carried, in which we will spend the night.

Alag Tsar - Moron

• We reach Mörön, the capital of province, and embark for our back flight to Ulan-Bator.

• Arrival in town and transfer to 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.

• 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.