Duration
9 days / 10 nights
Days of riding
4 days total
Difficulty
Beginner to Intermediate
Price
Per person – £1,995
≥ 2 people £1,895
≥ 4 people £1,795
Dates
Available to request for a date that suits you.
9th to 17th August 2026 (Ger instead of wild camp) (See Extras)
Introduction
If you have never seen Central Mongolia you have never seen how beautiful open spaces can be. The Eurasian steppe of Central Mongolia is one of the most beautiful and impressive spaces in the world. Many of Mongolia’s traditional nomadic people live on this vast steppe and their connection to their surroundings and nature is a humbling experience in our modern world.
We will be exploring the beautiful Khangai mountain range on this trip. Visiting a local nomadic family and making the most of the beautiful scenery by horsetrekking and wild camping in the great outdoors.
Itinerary
Day 1. Drive to Kharakhorin, Mongolia’s ancient capital. On the way, stop to ride two humped Bactrian Camels in the dunes of the Mini Gobi.
Day 2. Explore Kharakhorin, Mongolia’s ancient capital and home to Mongolia’s largest Buddhist monastery. In the afternoon, we travel into the countryside to stay in a traditional nomadic Ger camp.
Day 3. Meet our nomadic hosts and their horses as we ride to the Red Falls. In the evening, visit our host and their family at their Ger and enjoy a traditional Mongolian BBQ to celebrate the start of our horse trek.
Day 4. Ride beside the beautiful Orkhon river on the edge of a picturesque plain, next to towering volcanic stone cliffs, ending at our next to the river.
Day 5. Leave the Orkhon valley behind for easy riding in the grassy valleys between rolling hills.
Day 6. A change of terrain as we head into tree-covered hills to visit a remote monastery. On the other side, we follow a sacred valley to its head and say goodbye to our nomadic host as we head to the Tsenker Hot Springs.
Day 7. Rest and relax after a busy few days in some revitalising hot springs.
Day 8. Drive to the Hustai National Park, the home of the Przewalski horses, and stay in a local Ger camp, ready to visit the park in the morning.
Day 9. Wildlife safari in the park to see the wild horses and other rare species that the park is home to. Once we are finished in the park, drive back to Ulaanbatar (UB) for a final meal together.
24 hours after the trip. Our guides or drivers will be available to help you with airport transfers, travel or staying on in Mongolia. We wish you a safe onward journey. Thank you for travelling with us.
Per person – £1,995
≥ 2 people £1,895
≥ 4 people £1,795
Full Itinerary
Camel Riding and Ancient Capitals
Day 1. Pick-up is 07:00 am from your hotel or guesthouse in Ulaanbaatar (UB) city. We aim to get out on the road early as we have a long drive, roughly 5hr 30mins to reach Kharakhorin, Mongolia’s ancient capital. As we leave UB behind, you will get your first taste of the vast size of the Mongolian countryside. We will stop regularly to take photos and break the journey up. Our first stop will be a short way out of the city to pick up provisions for the week. After we leave Kharakhorin tomorrow, we will only stop in with local nomads and very small villages, so this is a great opportunity to pick up anything you have forgotten or grab some snacks for the rest of the journey or in between meals.
Four hours into the drive (around lunchtime), we reach the geological phenomenon of the Mini Gobi, an offshoot of the larger desert to the south. Here, it won’t be horses that we are riding but the native two-humped Bactrian camel as we spend an hour or so exploring the dunes of this unique landscape. After lunch, we finish the last leg of the journey to Mongolia’s ancient capital. In the evening, we can relax at the guesthouse, and we will have a trip briefing so you know what to expect during the rest of the trip.
Day 2. Learn about Mongolian history and the local area as we visit Eredene Zuu Monastery, Mongolia’s largest functioning Buddhist monastery and the Kharakhorin museum. The monastery is one of the few sites that survived destruction during the communist purges. Its 108 stupas on the outer wall, three temples and some smaller buildings that survive to this day have been restored to their former glory with beautiful artefacts and colourful wall paintings. It is a must-see if you are in the area. The monastery, with its long history, gives you a glimpse of what the ancient city would have looked like under the Great Khans.
After a visit to the fabulous Kharakhorin museum and some lunch, we will set out for the Khangai Nuruu National Park and Orkhon Valley. The drive is 2hr 30 mins, and we will spend the night in a comfortable local Ger camp (traditional Mongolian tent) in the foothills of the mountains near Bat-Ultzii village. The region is renowned for its fertile rivers and a prosperous nomadic culture. The area we are staying in is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its beauty and cultural significance to nomadic people. The surrounding landscape consists of steep, rolling hills with mountains and wide meandering river valleys at their base. Many of the slopes are covered in trees, and herd animals roam freely through the landscape.
Horse Trekking
Day 3. Mongolia is the land of the horse, and there is no better way to explore this country than in the saddle. Today’s ride will take you to Mongolia’s largest water fall by volume (The Red Falls) and to the home of our gracious nomadic hosts. The ride is 20km to the waterfall from our Ger camp and a further 7km to our hosts Ger. Our route takes us along the south side of the Orkhon River valley. This flat plain is broken up by formations of volcanic rock and scatterings of Siberian Larch. At the waterfall we will relax and have time to explore the rocky gorge the river has carved out and the 24-meter and 10m wide waterfall. The gorge shelters many trees and wildflower meadows from the larger grazers, making it a great place for wildflowers and other plant life. After exploring the waterfall and the surrounding gorge, we will ride to our hosts Ger, where, if the family is willing, they will cook a traditional Mongolian BBQ (Khorkhog).
Tonight’s camp will be next to the family’s Ger in our tents. Relax by the fire, play games and swap stories with your fellow travellers. As night falls you will be treat to the vast Mongolian night sky. On clear nights, you will be able to see the Milky Way as there is next to no light polution here and Mongolia’s elevation makes it the perfect place for stargazing.
sDay 4. Starting from our host Ger, we will ride across the valley to the Northern side of the Orkhon valley. Here, the river flows, hugging and winding around towering cliffs on its northern shore. For most of the day, we will follow it downstream, enjoying the breathtaking scene as the river transitions from deeper pools to shallow rapids. Many nomads live in this valley, and we will pass many herds of grazing animals and a few Ger camps along the way. It is your typical Mongolian scene and part of a way of life that has been unbroken for thousands of years here. Our camp tonight will be next to the river, allowing us to wash and swim before the night descends. Total riding distance today is roughly 25km.
Day 5. For the start of the day, we will follow the Orkhon River a little further until we reach the Uurtiin Tochoi Cliff. Here, the cliffs briefly force the river North with their towering slopes, slowing the river’s continued march to the East. It is at this point, when the river again turns to the East that we will leave it for a grassy valley between tall hills. A small stream runs through the valley, and rolling hills gradually rise steeply on either side as we continue. On the Northern slopes, trees creep down the hills, but few make it to the valley’s bottom. This is a fantastic place to let loose the reins and let the Mongolian horses show you what they can do. Today’s ride is roughly 23km.
Day 6. A change of terrain today as we leave the grassy valleys behind and head into the tree-covered hills. Our destination is the remote Tövhön Hiid Monastery. Built on a rock outcrop a the top of the mountain with panoramic views of the surrounding landscape. It is one of the oldest Buddhist monasteries in Mongolia and served as a retreat for its scholar/ artist founder Zanabazar for over 30 years.
After taking in the view and exploring the monastery, we will continue our ride into the valley on the other side of the hill. This valley is sacred as it is part of the pilgrims’ path to the monastery, and many springs well up and feed the stream that flows through this fertile valley. At the head of this valley is where we will end our ride and say goodbye to our nomadic hosts, allowing them enough time to make their ride home and us to get to the Tsenker hot springs before dark. Today ride is roughly 20km
Hot Springs and Hustai Nature Reserve
Day 7. The Tsenker hot springs are a popular destination for locals and tourists alike, as they are believed to have healing properties and soothe the pains of joints and muscles. Perfect after 4 days of riding. There are many camps in the area as a result, and we will stay in one of these camps to use their showers, restaurants, cafes, and, most importantly, hot baths to soak and relax during the day and into the evening.
If you tire of the springs, the area is also great for hiking. Faint trails through the forest lead to panoramic views of the surrounding landscapes. We will have time to play traditional Mongolian games, such as knucklebones, compete in archery or read by the poolside. The time is yours to relax as you please, and it is a welcome change of pace after a busy and exciting few days in the saddle.
Day 8. Today is the penultimate day of our trip in Central Mongolia, and we must make our way back towards Ulaanbaatar and its domestic airport. We now leave the dirt tracks and horse trails of Khangai Nuruu National Park behind and regain the paved roads on our way back to the city. The trip, however, is not over, and we will stop at a Ger camp near Hustai National Park, home to the rare Przewalski horses.
Make sure to get some rest tonight, as we will be setting off early in the morning to increase our chances of spotting other wildlife such as wolves, Mongolian gazelle, lynx, ibex, red deer and marmots, to name a few.
Day 9. We will set off as soon as the park rangers open the gates, giving us the best chance of seeing some of the more elusive inhabitants. However, the Przewalski horses are the main attraction for the park and are what made it famous. Their reintroduction in 1990 after becoming extinct in the wild has been a massive success, and they are now a common sight here. The horses are distinct from other horse species as they are believed to have never been domesticated, splitting from domesticated horse breeds 38,000 to 160,000 years ago. After spending a few hours wildlife-spotting, we will head back to our ger camp to collect our things and depart for UB – a 2-hour drive.
Once back in the city, you can rest and relax before we meet up for a final meal together to recount our exploits and say our farewells. If you require airport transfer, the following day, one of our guides or drivers will be available to help you. We wish you a safe onward journey. Thank you for travelling with us.
Day 10. We have nothing planned for today, but we will be available to provide airport transfers as well as help and information with onward travel and staying longer in Mongolia should you need it.
Tour Details
Ger camping: The traditional Mongolian yurt is called a Ger. When near towns or settlements we will be staying in Ger camps which often provide running water and on occasion clothes washing services although this is not a guarantee. The Ger is the perfect home for a nomad because it can be taken down and erected extreamly quickly. They provide enough space for a family and are well insulated. A single wood burner can make one feel like a sauna if the logs are piled on enough and provide a family with a place to cook.
Wild camping: We will be spending a lot of time in remote areas during this tour and for most of the trekking sections we will be wild camping. Wild camping is one of the top reasons to visit Mongolia as it is completely free to roam meaning we can pitch our tents anywhere and pick only the best places to stay. There is also almost no light pollution, very little cloud cover and most of the country is at over 1500m which makes Mongolia one of the best locations on earth for stargazing. While wild camping food will be cooked for you by our chef on the campfire. The campfire will be kept lit into the night for you to stay up and see the stars or tell stories with your fellow travellers. Tents are provided but please bring your own sleeping bags or roll mats.
Washing and water: Modern washing facilities in the Mongolian countryside can be limited therefore we opt for a more traditional style. In most cases, water is available from rivers and lakes for washing. This water can be heated up on the fire for basic body and clothes washing or you can go for a swim. If you do swim we ask that you don’t use any products as they can change the chemical make-up of the waterway. If you are using water collected from rivers please check the label and bring soaps and detergents that are natural and biodegradable. Many of Mongolia’s rivers and lakes are so clean they are considered safe to drink by UK standards without treatment, so we would like to keep it that way. For travellers, we supply bottled water and despite the access to mostly clean water we recommend filtering or boiling any water you drink from waterways for at least 1 minute before you drink it. We cannot guarantee it is safe without testing and we don’t want anyone to get sick.
Temperatures and Weather: Mongolia is known as “The Land of Blue Sky” due to its low annual rainfall and its affinity for beautifully blue cloudless skies. The weather can change quickly however and the summer months of June, July and August do see more rainfall so we still recommend waterproofs as we will be spending a lot of time outdoors. More often than not the weather is glorious but best be prepared. Daytime temperatures during the summer range between 20℃ and 30℃ but the nights can get cold and they can range as much as 5℃ to 20℃. The lower temperatures tend to occur early (May-June) and late in the season (August-September) and altitude is a factor. We recommend bringing a four-seasons sleeping bag and roll mat with you in case the nights do get chilly. We often bring extra bedding for anyone who does get cold but please do not rely on this.
Horse Riding: Riding experience is not necessary. A sense of adventure and a can-do attitude is all you need. Our local nomadic guides are expert horse handlers and have a wealth of knowledge to keep you safe during the ride and instruct you on your riding style. If you tire of riding we have a support vehicle on hand which will carry all our equipment and pick you up should you require it. We aim to ride for about 6 hours a day and cover about 20-30km which may sound like a lot but is easily achievable even for beginners at a horses walking pace. For more experienced riders there is plenty of opportunity to explore the surrounding wilderness and we always hire some extra local guides so you can break off and feel the wind in your hair if you choose.
If you would like to know more about this tour please give us a call. We are always happy to answer your questions.
Info on Extras
Ger camp instead of Wild camp – 9th to 18th August 2026. For these dates, we have had a request to stay in Ger camps for the duration of the trip. This means proper beds each night instead of sleeping in a tent and some basic facilities such as toilets, although this still may be longdrop, we are in remote Mongolia. The itinerary and horse trekking route stay very similar to the Central Mongolia trip, as the Ger camps are only a few kilometres away from our wild camp locations. For more information on the horse trekking route, it is the same as the Eagle Hunters Festival trip, just earlier in the year, when it is warmer and without the Eagle festival at the end. Click here to find out more about the Eagle tour. Price extra: £200 per person
Eagle Hunters Festival – 18th to 30th September 2025. Fly to Ulgii, the capital of the Kazak eagle hunters and witness the annual competition for greatest Eagle Hunter. Click here to find out more about this tour.
Nature ♦♦♦♦◊
Culture and people ♦♦♦♦◊
Adventure ♦♦♦♦◊
Includes:
Hotel guest house in Ulaanbaatar (optional)
Overnights in Gers and tents
Three meal a day
English speaking guide
Support staff
Permits
All activities
Excludes:
International flight
Travel insurance
Personal sleeping bag and role mat (for the trek and family visit)
Per person – £1,995
≥ 2 people £1,895
≥ 4 people £1,795