Northern Mongolia Horse Trek: Khovsgol, Taiga, and the Tsaatan

From

/ per person

  • 11 Day 10 Night
  • Northern Mongolia
  • People

Join us on an 11-day horseback adventure through northern Mongolia. Ride along the shores of Khovsgol Lake, through taiga forests, and across the Khoridol Saridag Mountains. You’ll visit the Tsaatan reindeer herders and experience their traditional lifestyle, explore the Darkhad Depression, and see ancient deer stones and burial monuments.

 

This tour is perfect for those who love nature, adventure, and learning about Mongolia’s unique culture. Whether you’re an experienced rider or a beginner, this trek offers a memorable journey through one of Mongolia’s most beautiful and remote regions.

What’s included:

  • Accommodation: Ger camps and tented camps
  • Guiding: Expert interpretation and navigation
  • Meals: Full board with local and international cuisine
  • Transport: 4×4 vehicles or minivans
  • Entrance Fees: To protected areas and national parks
  • Horse Guide and Horses: For an authentic horse trekking experience
  • Camping Equipment: Provided for a comfortable outdoor stay

What’s not included:

  • International Airfare: Arrange separately
  • Personal Equipment: Bring your own gear
  • Optional Activities: Additional costs outlined
  • Excess Baggage Charges: Check airline policies
  • Single Room Supplement: Available for an extra fee
  • Alcoholic Drinks: Not included
  • Travel Insurance: Highly recommended
Day 1: Arrival and Transfer to Khovsgol Lake

When you arrive in Ulaanbaatar, you’ll be taken to the airport for a flight to Moron, the main town in Khovsgol Province. After landing, enjoy a typical Mongolian lunch in Moron. Afterward, you’ll drive to a tourist ger camp by the shores of Khovsgol Lake where you’ll stay for the night.

Day 2: Horse Trek to Khar Us Mineral Spring

Today, you’ll meet the horses and get ready for the trek. Ride along the beautiful shoreline of Khovsgol Lake, heading towards Khar Us. This area is famous for its mineral spring, known for its healing properties. You’ll camp in tents near the lake, enjoying the peaceful surroundings.

Day 3: Crossing Gigleg Pass and Camping in Khoridol Saridag Mountains

After breakfast, you’ll continue your ride towards Gigleg Pass, located at 2,500 meters above sea level. The path can be muddy, even in dry weather, so be prepared. From the top, you’ll have a stunning view of Khovsgol Lake. This pass is a route used by travelers heading to the Tsaatan people. After crossing the pass, you’ll camp in the Khoridol Saridag Mountains, which has signs of past glaciation.

Day 4: Exploring Darkhad Depression and Nomadic Life

Today, you’ll ride through mountains and rivers, reaching the Darkhad Depression. This area is known for its unique landforms and natural beauty. You’ll visit the family of one of your horsemen to learn about the nomadic way of life, experiencing the daily routines of Mongolian herders.

Day 5: Journey through Darkhad Valley and Taiga Forest

After saying goodbye to your hosts, you’ll continue riding through the Darkhad Valley and enter the taiga forest. You’ll camp near the Shishigt River, surrounded by the peaceful forest and diverse wildlife.

Day 6: Riding Through the Taiga Forest

You’ll spend another day riding through the taiga forest, camping in a quiet spot surrounded by trees. This will be a great opportunity to enjoy nature and possibly spot some local wildlife.

Days 7: Visit to the Tsaatan People

Today, you’ll ride through the forest to visit the Tsaatan people, a semi-nomadic group known for herding reindeer. The Tsaatan, also called the Dukha, are one of the last communities of reindeer herders in Mongolia. This visit will give you a chance to learn about their traditional lifestyle and their close bond with the reindeer.

Day 8: Drive to Ulaan Uul Village

After leaving the taiga forest, you’ll meet your vehicles and drive to Ulaan Uul village. You’ll stay at a small tourist camp nearby where you can relax after the journey.

Day 9: Scenic Drive through Khoridol Saridag Mountains

You’ll take a scenic drive through the Khoridol Saridag Mountains to a tourist camp near Delger Murun and Moron Town, where the airport is located. The drive offers beautiful views of the mountains and the surrounding landscape.

Day 10: Rest Day and Optional Activities

Take a break today at the camp. You can go for a short horseback ride to explore more of the area, or you can visit historical sites like the deer stones and ancient grave monuments known as Khirigsuur, which give you a glimpse into Mongolia’s ancient past.

Day 11: Return to Ulaanbaatar

On the final day of your trip, you’ll fly back to Ulaanbaatar and be transferred to your hotel, bringing an end to your adventure in northern Mongolia.

(5 Review)
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    Evelina H

    Horse trekking
    08/06/2024 Helpful

    Unforgettable Time in Mongolia 🇲🇳

    The trip with Bataa and his horseback riders was unforgettable! I never expected to experience such a beautiful country, filled with so many adventures. We had so many wonderful moments, learned new things, and felt as comfortable as if we were with family. This made my time in Mongolia truly unforgettable. I am very grateful for the experience and highly recommend it! Next time, I’ll bring my brother to show him the amazing country and its lovely people.

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    Arthur E

    Horse trekking
    27/07/2024 Helpful

    Unforgettable horse trekking

    My family and I had an absolutely unforgettable experience with Taiga Travel and Bataa! From when we first got in touch with Bataa, the communication and organization were perfect. Bataa was open and flexible to what we wanted out of our 16 day experience in Western Mongolia. He made great recommendations for areas, activities, and transportation options. He even took care of bringing all the gear we needed for camping; we just had to bring ourselves and our personal items. Bataa will walk you through everything you need to know in a complete and thorough way. He’s an awesome guy who you can tell loves to be in the Mongolian countryside sharing culture and traditions with you. We visited several nomadic families and had conversations with all of them thanks to his great translation skills. He made sure we got to experience unique aspects of Mongolian and nomadic culture along the way. His entire team are professional, courteous, and downright awesome people. I’m already thinking about coming back to Mongolia to explore a different part of the country with Bataa in the future.

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    Friedrich J

    Horse trekking
    20/07/2024 Helpful

    Magic Moments!

    It was an unforgettable experience. I had a lot of fun and laughed a lot with Bataa. I really enjoyed the time and felt safe and well looked after during the entire trip.

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    Laura P

    Horse trekking

    Perfect experience to see Mongolia

    It was the adventure of my life. The tour was planned perfectly and you will see Mongolia through the eyes of a Mongolian. It’s not Touristic at all, a REAL experience. I will come back again in August! Thank you so much

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    Anna E

    Horse trekking

    Traveling through Mongolia’s mountains on horseback was an incredible experience. Very grounding and kind of therapeutic for me. Bataa always made an effort to satisfy everyone’s wishes and helped us understand his county’s traditions. I felt very well taken care of and welcomed by his kindness and humor. I can only recommend traveling with Bataa, he was one of the reasons why that trip was so special.

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    Kathi Schnatti

    Horse trekking
    05/08/2023 Helpful

    If you were always dreaming of an amazing, unforgettable, very special and very intense journey – Bataa from Taiga Nomadic Travel is your man to help you out!!
    Why? Because he is responsible for a super well organized trip with:
    x landscapes that let you feel being directly in the scenario of “lord of the rings”
    x top powerful and brave horses, that will steal your heart forever
    x super friendly, generous and diligent team members of horse-men and eagle-hunters, who are making you feel like a champion on the horse and survive every challenge on the way
    x excellent talented cooks, letting you discover the varied culinary of Mongolian food
    x a loooot of fun and laughing, after you probably could have belly soreness
    x huge adventures, which you will tell your grandchildren for sure

    And probably many many many things more!
    I am so thankful for every second during this time and so happy about experienced this with this people!

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