Mongolia Horse Trek Tour

Your Guides

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The best people to immerse you in a destination are the ones who live there, which is why we feature local Adventure Guides on our trips. Here are a few that you might meet on this adventure.

Thomas Kelly

Thomas began his world travels as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nepal, in 1978, and has since worked as a photo-activist-documenting the struggles of marginalized people and disappearing cultural traditions around the world. His work has appeared in Time, National Geographic, The New York Times, and many more publications. Thomas has worked in Mongolia for nearly 20 years and is excited to share his deep knowledge of Mongolian life with MT Sobek travelers.

Stephanie Miller

Stephanie grew up on the back of a horse and trained horses at Stonebrook Farm in Virginia for more than 10 years. In addition to being a competitive rider, she also developed a therapeutic riding program for local children and adults. In 2018 she co-led her first international equestrian expedition in Mongolia. Her passion for leadership in the outdoors pushed her to earn her Wilderness EMT and Wilderness Medicine Certification, and she is trained to teach several different styles of yoga. Stephanie is an avid rock climber, ice climber, skier, and kayaker, but what gives her the most joy is the opportunity to share her love for the outdoors with others. 

Carroll Dunham

Medical anthropologist Carroll Dunham has spent the past 16 summers living among the nomads of the Khangai mountains of Mongolia. Passionate about the incredible history of the steppes, nomadic traditions, way of life and spiritual practices, it is the profound relationship Mongolian nomads have sustained with their animal herds and particularly the horse that keeps her returning to learn more. Author of five books, she has worked on over a dozen films for PBS, BBC, and National Geographic, but is happiest on the back of a horse. 

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                    [Headline] => Arrive in Mongolia
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Welcome to the energetic Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar! Upon arrival at Chinggis Khaan International Airport, meet an MT Sobek representative and transfer to the hotel. In the late afternoon, gather for orientation and trip briefing followed by a welcome Mongolian feast at a traditional restaurant.
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                    [Headline] => See Wild Horses in Hustai National Park
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Visit the beautifully restored 19th-century Gandan (Gandantegchinlen) Monastery in Ulaanbaatar. After a ceremonial butter lamp offering, set off for Hustai National Park and settle into your comfortable ger camp with sweeping views. Visit the Neolithic graves of Ongut, take in the Tuul River with its willows and red-footed falcons, and look out for roaming herds of wild Przewalski\'s horses, locally called takhi.
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Today journey west across vast grasslands, stopping for lunch at Eden Camp nestled into the sacred Khogno Khan Mountain. The arid terrain and rocky landscape of this remote, 46,900-hectare nature reserve is almost surreal. Continue on to Karakorum, a 4-hour drive from Hustai. With a little luck, ride a camel in Elsen Tasarkhai sand dune, also known as "Little Gobi." In late afternoon, arrive in Karakorum, once the legendary capital of the Mongolian Empire, established by Genghis Khan and his son in the 13th century. 
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Today explore Karakorum, once a vibrant place that served as the political, cultural and economic capital of Mongolia for 400 years. Little of the original Karakorum remains, except Erdene Zuu Khiid, a Tibetan-style monastery built in 1586. Wander around the monastery grounds and, schedule permitting, meet with Khambo Lama to learn about the concept of Hiimur (windhorse). After lunch at a local restaurant, continue on to Tsetserleg, "the Garden City," ringed by stone mountains. Stop here for tea and move on to Lapis Sky Camp in the Bhukhan Valley.
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                    [Headline] => Do Yoga, Take a Photography Class & Go Horseback Riding
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Today choose to join an (optional) yoga session or join a photography class by professional photographer, Thomas Kelly, with a visit to a nearby nomad camp. Witness nomad neighbors milk yaks and horse mares, brush up on your horseback riding skills, and head out for a warm-up ride in the spectacular Bhukhan Valley. This evening, enjoy dinner and wonderful storytelling by local nomads.
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Take an (optional) yoga session, and then join professional photographer Thomas Kelly for a photo walk , to heighten photographic skills and capture images of the dazzling countryside and nomadic way of life. Go fishing for grayling and lenok trout or practice your aim with a bow and arrow. In the afternoon, mount a horse and pay a visit to nomads camped nearby, to spend time in their gers and learn about their everyday life. In the evening, gather for a feast of traditional Mongolian barbecue.
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                    [Headline] => Trek to Vulture Mountain on Horseback
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This morning head out for a birdwatching walk, a fishing activity, or a yoga session - choose what suits you. After lunch at the camp, saddle up and set out on a horseback riding adventure across the sweeping steppes. Ride for 3 hours to Vulture Mountain and camp in a lovely meadow setting.
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                    [Headline] => Journey to Mandal Mountain by Horseback
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Today set out on horseback for an invigorating 5-hour ride over majestic mountain passes, along the way circling Buddhist ovoos, ceremonial cairns set in high places. In the afternoon, camp at the base of Mandal Mountain, a sacred ancestral place for Mongolians.
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                    [Headline] => Attend a Buddhist ceremony atop Mandal Mountain
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This morning set out for a silent walk up to Mandal Mountain and attend a Buddhist ceremony at a sacred ovoo at the mountaintop. Spend the rest of the day exploring Bhukhan Valley - head out for a walk, go fishing, or take an optional horseback ride to a nearby nomad settlement. In the evening, enjoy a feast of traditional Mongolian barbecue and singing around a bonfire.
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                    [Headline] => Return on horseback to Lapis Sky Camp
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Today ride back across the steppe to Bhukhan Valley ; alternatively, return by jeep. Settle into your ger at Lapis Sky Camp and enjoy free time to unwind before gathering for a shaman performance, followed by a hearty dinner in the camp\'s dining ger.
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Today take part in an exciting local Naadam festival. Naadam (short for Eriyn Gurvan Naadam) means "Three Manly Games" - bareback horse racing, wrestling, and archery. These festivals take place every summer, and young men train all year to compete. Watch the races, mingle with locals, meet the winners, take photos, and sample delicious local food.
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                    [Headline] => Enjoy a Day of Leisure at Lapis Sky Camp
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Today enjoy a day of leisure to soak up the serene surroundings of Lapis Sky Camp. Choose among several activities. Set out on horseback to visit the nomads\' winter camp, head out for a hike, go on a fishing expedition to the Tamir River, practice yoga or archery, or just relax at the camp. This evening, listen to a traditional morinkhuur, a horse-head fiddle concert, as you sit around the camp\'s bonfire and bid farewell to the nomad horsemen and hosts.
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After breakfast, journey back to Ulaanbaatar by bus, while enjoying a movie about the history of the Mongol Empire. Stop along the way for lunch at Altan Tul. This evening, enjoy a farewell dinner with the group at Namaste restaurant. 
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Bid farewell to Mongolia and transfer to the airport for your homeward-bound or onward flight.
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Accommodations

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Traditional and comfortable ger camps, as well as the first and last night in a modern city hotel.

Best Western Premier Tuushin Hotel

Comfortable Hotel

Right at the heart of Ulaanbaatar, this five-star hotel is a stone's throw away from the city's landmark attractions and sights. Contemporary rooms and suites showcase spectacular views of the city skyline, and on-site facilities are extensive — from three restaurants, a 25th-floor lounge bar, and a spa with two saunas, a Jacuzzi, and massage treatments with bamboo and hot stones.

Gachuurt Reserve Park Ger Camp

Rustic Lodging

Tonight's ger camp occupies a beautiful location in Hustai National Park. Enjoy sweeping views of the rolling grassland, roaming Takhi horses, and historical Ongut statues. The gers are clean, warm, and comfortable, and the camp's architecture is authentically Mongolian. Guests can enjoy supreme views and feel part of the natural environment.

Urguu Gher Camp

Rustic Lodging

Located 4 miles from Karakorum, this unique camp is noted for its spacious gers, warm hospitality, and hot showers. It has the biggest restaurant on a campsite in the entire country, which makes for a fun mealtime experience. Other onsite amenities include a special Mongolian movie viewing room, and space to play the country's popular ankle bone game. You can also see nomads herding animals from your ger!

Lapis Sky Camp

Rustic Lodging

A rustic eco-camp in Mongolia's spectacular Bunkhan Valley, also known as the "Valley of the Ancestors," Lapis Sky Camp has a majestic setting near the Tamir River, with remarkable views of mountains. At this family-style wilderness camp, staff comes from the local nomadic community, meals are homemade and served in the dining tent, and each ger comes with its own wood-burning stove.

MT Sobek Camp – Mongolia

Comfortable Camping

Enjoy one of our most unique wilderness camping experiences in a truly remote setting. Two guests will share spacious three person tents, which come with thick sleeping pads and blankets to ensure a level of coziness and comfort in this wild environment. The camp is also conveniently equipped with a dining tent and three bathroom tents.

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