Mongolia is the ultimate horse riding destination, and the best way to really experience the country. Zavkhan is not an easy region of Mongolia to get to, which is why you are very unlikely to encounter any foreigners there. We either fly or drive to Zavkhan, depending on the departure date. If driving from Ulaanbaatar, we follow 800km of less than perfect roads which eventually become little more than a dirt track. Our vehicles are reliable Russian four-wheel drives, ideal for the conditions and driven by our very experienced drivers. We believe the 'great Mongolian road trip' should be experienced at least once (one-way is enough, we fly back at the end of the trip!). We break the drive up over 3 days, stopping frequently along the way. If the thought of three days of driving across half the country doesn't fill you with joy, we are now offering departures where we fly to Zavkhan. There will still be a day of driving once we reach Zavkhan, but you do get an extra day of riding.
On the first day of driving we set out across rolling steppe and reach Karakorum, famous as the old capital of the Mongolian Empire and a must-see on most tour itineraries (hence the large number of purpose-built ger camps for tourists). However you'll need a good imagination to see anything more than the collection of run-down socialist-era concrete buildings that is the present-day town. Erdene Zuu monastery on the other hand, founded in 1586, and mostly destroyed in the Stalinist purges of the 1930s is definitely worth a look around.
The second day will see us reach Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur (The Great White Lake), a lovely spot surrounded by forested volcanic mountains. Finally we arrive in Tosontsengel where we meet our local wranglers, and familiarise ourselves with the horses. We will take plenty of time to match you to a horse you feel comfortable with, since you'll be seeing a lot of each other in the coming days!
We start off riding south from Tosontsengel, across open steppe and into the forested foot-hills of Tarvagatai Uul National Park. At this point we have many options before us. Various routes head further up in to the mountains, some we know well but others we are keen to try out. We are really only limited by the need to meet the support vehicle at the end of each day. Whichever way we go, we aim to eventually reach an old abandoned spa in the mountains, perfect for a day or two resting and soaking in the hot baths, before picking a route back to Tosontsengel. In order to explore deeper into the mountains where vehicles can't go, we need to use packhorses. If this sounds like you, see our 'Zavkhan by Packhorse' trip. After riding, we drive south to Khar Nuur, a beautiful and remote desert lake fringed by sand dunes. Perfect for swimming, hiking or just relaxing. In a country full of beautiful places, this is our all time number one!
Tour Itinerary:
Day 1: Arrive in Ulaanbaatar, you are free to explore the city before meeting for an evening meal.
Day 2: Depart Ulaanbaatar, drive west to Karakorum, visit Erdene Zuu monastery and the infamous penis rock.
Day 3: Continue on to Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur (The White Lake).
Day 4: Arrive in Zavkhan, meet the horses.
Days 5-13: Riding (8-9 days), through steppe, forest and mountains.
Days 14-15: Drive south and explore Zavkhan's desert-steppe and lakes.
Day 16: Fly back to Ulaanbaatar.
Day 17: Depart Ulaanbaatar.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Includes return domestic flight as per itinerary
Includes all meals and accommodation, English speaking guide (John).
Also see tour packages in:
Asia
Mongolia
Outdoor: Land Rambler
Horse Riding
Cultural Journey
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