Horseback Riding in Mongolia
KARAKORUM WITH NAADAM FESTIVAL |
The Khangai Mountain range in Central Mongolia is drained by some of Mongolia’s mightiest rivers, including the Orkhon, the most famous of them all. For thousands of years the Orkhon and its tributaries provided water and shelter to the nomadic peoples and their animals. Today their lifestyle has changed little; they still herd their sheep with horses and yaks, protecting them against the misfortune of the harsh weather and wolves.
On this trek through the land of the Orkhon River, local horsemen will accompany you and share their homeland and secrets of survival. The staff will set up comfortable overnight camps which include a dining tent to shelter you from the sun and provide warmth at in the chilly evenings, comfortable sleeping tents, shower tent and a toilet tent.
Your final days are spent in Ulaanbaatar witnessing the colorful pageantry of the Naadam Festival, a celebration of Mongolia's three national sports: wrestling, archery and horseback riding.
Karakorum Trek There are also treks scheduled at times other than in conjunction with the Naadam Festival. The itinerary is the same, except does not include the days at the festival.
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| Itinerary |
| Day 1: | Arrive and transfer to your 3-star hotel. Guided sightseeing in Ulaanbaatar. Lunch and dinner in a local restaurant. |
| Day 2: | After breakfast at the hotel, head west of Ulaanbaatar. The scenery is wide-open steppe with rolling hills in the background. We will stop for lunch along the way. Overnight in tents next to Ogiin Nuur (Lake). |
| Day 3: | Today you will get acquainted with your horse and tack and set out for the first ride. You may also wish to spend some time resting, swimming and fishing. Later, we will drive to Khoshoo Tsaidam, and exploring ruins from the time of the Turkish Empire. Overnight in the previous night’s camp. |
| Day 4: | Ride towards Karakorum, setting up camp at a place called Five Trees close to Karakorum. |
| Day 5: | Today we will ride to Karakorum, the ancient capital of Mongolia from where Chinggis Khan launched his cavalry. There is a small town here now. On arrival the first and most obvious landmark is the vast wall of Erdenezuu Monastery. The monastery was built in 1586 and is surrounded by a massive 400m x 400m wall. Not a single nail was used in the construction of the ornate temples, only a few of which remain standing after the communist purges. In previous times the grounds held over 60 temples with 10,000 monks using them for their daily worship. We will visit the monastery and then ride along the Orkhon River, where we will camp for the night. |
| Day 6: | We will continue riding until we reach Nariin Valley, which is on the way to Tovkhon Monastery. We will camp in the valley tonight. |
| Day 7: | Today we will visit Tovkhon Monastery, which is situated 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 to where camp is set up on the shore. |
| Day 8: | Continue to Orkhon Waterfall. The waterfall is situated in the Orkhon Valley and this valley is known as the cradle of the Mongolian civilization since many of Mongolia’s ancient monuments lie within its borders. We will camp overnight by the waterfall. |
| Day 9: | After many days in the saddle you might want to spend a day of leisure by the waterfall. If not, you can ride around this picturesque area. The area surrounding the waterfall is green and forested and you can spend the day walking in the area. This area of Mongolia is well known for producing the best "airag" (fermented mares’ milk) in the country. Many locals love to challenge you to singing games - the loser has to consume a whole bowl of "airag" so beware when visiting local families. |
| Day 10: | Today we will drive until we reach a place called "Piece of Sand," about a 5-hour drive from the waterfall. This stretch of sand is a long strip that originates in the Gobi and reaches all the way into the central aimags of Mongolia. On arrival we will set up camp in the foothills of the Khogno Khan Mountain. This mountain is perfect for some afternoon hiking and there are some remains of an ancient monastery that should be explored. |
| Day 11: | After breakfast we will return to Ulaanbaatar in the vehicles, about a 6-hour drive, mainly on paved roads. On arrival in the capital you will be taken to the hotel. There will be a dinner at the Ger Restaurant with traditional Mongolian food and entertainment. |
| Day 12: | Today we will spend a full day at the Naadam Festival in Ulaanbaatar. In the morning we will see the flag ceremony on the main square, then go to the stadium to see the opening ceremony, and the wrestling and archery competitions. In the afternoon we will see the horse racing in the surrounding countryside. The evening program will be a performance of Mongolian folk song and dance. A guide and vehicle will accompany you at all times. Breakfast and lunch will be at the hotel, and dinner will be at a local restaurant. Overnight at the 3- star hotel. |
| Day 13: | This day can be spent relaxing and exploring the city, or you can return to the stadium to watch more wrestling and archery, or watch more horse racing just outside the city. There will be a dinner and cultural program, followed by another overnight stay in the hotel. |
| Day 14: | After breakfast transfer to the airport for your international departure.
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| THIS ITINERARY IS FLEXIBLE. CHANGES MAY OCCUR DUE TO WEATHER OR OTHER UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES. |
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| Pricing and Dates |
| Meeting Point | Ulaanbaatar |
| Length of Ride | 14 days, 13 nights and 6 1/2 days riding. |
| Riding Ability | Strong Intermediate Intermediate |
| Group Size | Minimum-2 Maximum-12 |
| Riding Per Day | 5-6 hours |
| Pace | moderate to fast |
| Tack | English trekking and Australian stock |
| Horses | Mongolian ponies |
| Weight Limit | 200 lbs |
| 2010 Dates | June 30 – July 13
The same itinerary, without Naadam
May 15-26, June 3-14, August 11-22, August 30- September 10 |
| 2010 Price | $3,550 for 2-3 people
$3,390 for 4-5 people
$3,055 for 6-8 people
Without Naadam:
$2,925 for 2-3 people
$2,775 for 4-5 people
$2,535 for 6-8 people
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| Single Supplement | $360 ($200 without Naadam) |
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