Duration
10 days / 10 nights
Days of riding
5 days total
Difficulty
Intermediate to Advanced
Price
Per person – 2595 Euro
Dates
8th to 17th June 2026
Introduction
Mongolia, also known as ‘The Land of the Horse’, is where seas of grass stretch as far as the eye can see and herds of animals move freely under the protection of nomadic peoples. The horse is still central to nomadic life in Mongolia, and Mongolian people are some of the best riders in the world, having a deep and intimate knowledge of equine behaviour. Join Hanna Rogers from Hooves Around The World to explore Mongolia in 2026.
This itinerary includes horse and camel riding expeditions, exploration of ancient monasteries, camping in traditional Ger tents, as well as wild camping in the beautiful Mongolian countryside. You will journey through Khangai Nuruu National Park’s rolling hills, river valleys and lush woodlands, stopping at historic sites such as the Shiveet Ulaan ruins and the Tsenkher hot springs. Enjoy stargazing, hot spring relaxation, and authentic nomadic hospitality along the way.
Itinerary
24 hrs before the tour. Airport transfer to your hotel or guesthouse is included.
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 thier family at their Ger and enjoy a traditional Mongolian BBQ to celebrate the start of our horse trek.
Day 4. Explore the UNESCO World Heritage Area of the Orkhon Valley on horseback. We will ride beside a beautiful river in a picturesque plain, ending at our camp for the evening.
Day 5. We ride into the hills and through the trees as we head for an old and remote mountain monastery with spectacular panoramic views of the surrounding landscape.
Day 6. After camping in the sacred valley the previous evening, we continue up the valley to its head. Passing lush meadows as we travel between valleys to the ancient site of Shiveet Ulan.
Day 7. Our final day in the saddle. Enjoy the ride as we leave the beautiful plains of the Hanuy and Hünüy basin and cross into yet another stunning river valley to wild camp by its meandering rivers.
Day 8. Say goodbye to our nomadic host and their horses as we drive to the nearby Tsenker Hot Springs to relax in the healing pools.
Day 9. 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 10. 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 goodbye 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 – 2595 Euro
Full Itinerary
Mini Gobi, camel riding and journey to Mongolia’s Ancient Capital
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.
First Day of Horse Riding Through Mongolia’s Scenic Hills.
Day 3. Our first full day in Khangai Nuruu National Park. This region is renowned for its fertile rivers and a prosperous nomadic culture. The valley we are currently in is also a UNESCO World Heritage area 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.
Our riding days are typically around 6hrs per day with breaks, and we cover 25 to 35km a day. The ride today is to Mongolia’s largest waterfall by volume, the Red Falls. Our nomadic hosts and their horses will meet us at our camp, and we have a roughly 21km ride to the falls. At the falls, we plan to have an extended break to give time to take photos, have a dip and explore the area. The waterfall on its own is very impressive, but the river has also carved a deep gorge into the landscape that is accessible by a steep path. The gorge shelters many trees and wildflower meadows, making it a great place to go for a walk and explore a little before continuing with our ride. From the falls, it is a short ride to our host’s camp, where, if they are willing, they will prepare for us a traditional Mongolian BBQ to celebrate our first day in the saddle.
Tonight is also our first night camping, and we will pitch up beside our Nomadic hosts under the beautiful Mongolian sky. We can then spend the rest of the evening relaxing around the fire, socialising. This is a great time to get to know your fellow travellers, guides and hosts as we swap stories and answer questions about Mongolia and the trip. As night falls, you are in for a treat as the sky lights up with thousands of stars and the dust clouds of the Milky Way become visible. Mongolia is one of the best places in the world for stargazing, as the country is at a high elevation. Nights are usually clear, and there is little to no light pollution for hundreds of kilometres in every direction.
Day 4. We ride out from our camp and say goodbye to our host’s family as we pick up the trail to the Orkon River. Outcrops of trees and volcanic rocks break up the landscape of the wide river valley. As we meet the Orkon River and ride along its banks downstream, we will choose a nice spot to stop and have lunch. You can relax on the shores of the river or go for a swim as our cooks prepare a delicious meal. After lunch, we will continue on our journey downstream until we reach the sacred valley. The area here is sacred as it is a common route for visitors to the nearby monastery. For this reason, we are not permitted to have a campfire. However, we can enjoy activities such as archery, traditional games like knucklebones, and swimming in the river.
Day 5. As we leave the Orkon River and its wide valley behind, we head into the hills and smaller valleys of this region. The morning will be spent riding through one of these smaller valleys until we reach the trailhead for the pilgrims’ path to Tövhön Hiid monastery. In true Mongolian fashion, the Monastery is situated on a stunning rocky outcrop at the top of one of the nearby mountains. The panoramic views of the surrounding landscape from the top are incredible, and it has a rich history, being one of the oldest Buddhist Monasteries in Mongolia. Its position on the mountain and solitude echoes older shamanic traditions of connecting with the great blue sky and living in harmony with nature. For most people, the only way to access this monastery is to take the 10-kilometre hike or ride to the top. Fortunately for us, the horses will do most of the hard work, and the pilgrims’ path is a change of terrain and pace for us on our ride.
Cross the Hanuy and Hünüy Basin to Tsenkher Hot Springs.
Day 6. Having returned to the sacred valley to camp, we continue our journey following the valley to its head. Along the way, many springs well up from the ground, feeding a little stream. This area is often kept for winter grazing, so wildflowers and plant life are abundant. It is a beautiful area, and the rest of the ride continues with this breathtaking scenery and more opportunities to gallop in the open and gently sloping terrain. We will pass over into a couple more valleys, getting a stunning view of the green landscape before finding a suitable place to camp near the Shiveet Ulaan ruins. The ruins are situated at the confluence of the Hanuy and Hünüy Rivers. It is believed to have been built by the Uyghur people, and its strategic location in the landscape, and signs of fortification, suggest it was a power base for the region. Possibly even serving as a summer palace for Nomadic people. Excavations are ongoing, and the archaeologists are often enthusiastic to tell us a bit about the site and what they have found.
Day 7. As we leave the beautiful Hanuy and Hünüy basin and cross the small mountain range to our West on our way to the Tsenkher hot springs. There is some room for exploration. The terrain is perfect for letting the Mongol horses show you what they are made of as we ride over the rolling hills of the mountain pass. Camp for the evening will be by the banks of the river, with a few good spots to choose from, as many rivers and streams flow through the valleys. The surrounding hills also provide wood for the fire and shelter from the winds. Parts of the rivers are deep enough to swim in, and there are often very few people around.
Tonight we will have a celebration to mark the end of the horse riding on this trip. Enjoy the company of our nomadic hosts, who will be leaving us in the morning to head home to their families. Our hosts often sing traditional songs for us around the fire, and we will share some drinks and stories with our fellow travellers.
Last day of riding and return to civilisation via the ancient past
Day 8. We will say farewell to our Nomadic hosts and horses as we continue by vehicle to the Tsenker hot springs. The 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 5 days of riding. There is a Ger camp attached to the hot springs, and we will spend the day and evening lounging in the pools before retiring to our Ger for a well-earned rest.
Day 9. Today is the penultimate day of our trip, and we must make our way back towards Ulaanbaatar. 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 gazelles, lynx, ibex, red deer, and marmots, to name a few.
Wild horses and goodbyes as our adventure comes to a close
Day 10. We will set off as soon as the park rangers open the gates to give us the best chance of seeing some of the more elusive members of the park. However, the Przewalski horses are the main draw for the park and are what made the park famous. Their reintroduction in 1990 after going extinct in the wild has been a massive success, and they are now a common sighting here, and they are spreading out as far as Kazakhstan. 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 pick up our things and leave 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.
24 hours after the trip. 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.