Naadam Trek

The trek will start after breakfast to ride to the horse racing grounds. We will head off in the direction of Ulziit, a small horse trainers’ town. We will have lunch in the shade next to a beautiful river, with view of the plains and surrounding mountains. After riding through Ulziit we will get settled for the night. You will sleep in a traditional Mongolian ger.

Ride to the racing grounds to see the children and the horses reach the finish line in a final sprint. In addition to watching the races, you’ll be able to ride around the fairgrounds and soak up the atmosphere, eat food, play billiards, shop for souvenirs, and meet Mongolians enjoying their national holiday. You will sleep in a traditional Mongolian ger.

We will drive to Ulaanbaatar in the morning to assist to the Opening Ceremony. Then you will be able so see the Mongolian wrestling and archery competitions. You can also walk around the stadium to have some food, find souvenirs and enjoy the festive atmosphere. 

At the end of the afternoon we will drive you back to our camp close to the horse races. Wrestlers wear special clothes to show the beauty and strength of their bodies. There is no categorization according to weight. The basic rule of wrestling is the number of wrestlers must be equal: 512 or as many as 1024 during special anniversaries. The higher-ranked wrestlers choose their competitors from lower ranking wrestlers. The winner remains for the next round whilst the loser leaves the competition. 

If you don’t want to watch sports all the time, there’s plenty to see and do outside – go for a walk in the streets and enjoy some food, music, crafts or just watching people and culture. This is the best time to see the Mongolian people and soak up with the party atmosphere! You will sleep in a traditional Mongolian ger.

We will have a last stop at the horse race finish line to see the end of the most popular race. Afterwards we will ride along the river towards the small town of Songino where we’ll stop for lunch. We will then cross over the river and ride back to our camp. 

Once at camp there will be time to relax, take a shower, get changed, maybe play some volleyball before dinner is served in our communal dining ger. If there is time, you can take your horse up to the ridge to have a look around.

Sometime in the morning, our dinner arrives on four hooves and is dispatched into the cooking pot. The Mongolian method of slaughtering and butchering an animal is humane and fascinating, but not for the squeamish. We will prepare a feast for you while you relax. The meal is called “khorkhog,” (sounds like “hor-hog”) and it is traditional Mongolian goat, pressure-cooked with clean, hot river rocks, potatoes and carrots. 

While you’re waiting for your food, you will watch traditional Mongolian wrestling. You can even have a try if you feel adventurous. Plus, our extended family will join us for the feast, so you will have plenty of opportunities to make new friends and practice your Mongolian!

You’ll be taken back to Ulaanbaatar in the morning. Longer stays are most welcome.