West Mongolia Expedition: Riding With the Tuvan People

Transfer to UB airport for a flight to Ulgy town in Western Mongolia. Upon arrival meet with your support team and drive to Tavan Bogd NP. We first travel across mountainous desert and then along V-shaped mountain valleys before arriving to Baga Oigor valley, home to the largest rock art gallery in Asia registered in the UNESCO "World Cultural Heritage List. The gallery is 15 km long and 500 m wide and dates back to Stone and Bronze ages. Images depict wild and domestic animals and scenes of human life such as hunting, handling domestic animals, worship etc. 

Here we set up our tented camp and spend the rest of the day leisurely exploring the rock art gallery. We relax and acclimatize and possibly get a visit or two by local nomads who gingerly approach our camp to exchange greetings. 

(Breakfast, lunh, dinner, tent)

Another half a day travel along V shaped mountain valley and by lunch time arrive to Tavan Bogd NP gateway. This is where the riding tour starts from. We spend the rest of the day acclimatizing further. 

This evening your local guides arrive bringing their horses and pack camels that will carry our camp, luggage and food in the next days. 

(Breakfast, lunch, dinner, tent)

After breakfast guides will select you a horse to suit your riding abilities and the tour starts. 

Riding stocky Mongolian horses requires skills quite different from the western riding style. Horses are used to a different set of commands and behavior on the riders end but still are very responsive and clever animals. Accompanied by the local guides we ride on a high mountain terrain with occasional bogs and many small streams to cross. Our entire luggage will be carried by the pack camels. Without much luck you will see marmots, Golden Eagles, vultures and falcons. Halfway through the route magnificent views of snow capped mountains and vast glaciers will come into your sight. 

After a picnic lunch we continue to our camp site with an impressive view of highest peaks of Mongolia and the Potanin glacier as the backdrop. 

We tonight camp at 2900m above sea level. 

(Breakfast, lunch, dinner, tent)

We first hike along the Potanin glacier moraine for an hour before stepping on the mountain. Although clearly established the trail is mostly on the scree. Once at the top you can enjoy spectacular bird's eye views of glaciers beneath and of the Russian territory as the ridge overlaps with the border line. Only trekking poles are required for the Malchin climb. Alternatively, you can take a less demanding option of hiking up to a lower ridge and glance into Russia too. 

(Breakfast, lunch, dinner, tent)

The river takes source from the snow capped peaks and the glaciers of Tavan Bogd. As historic evidence suggests, the region was inhabited by hunter gatherers and prehistoric nomads from as early as the Stone Age. Dozens of burial mounds and rock carvings are scattered just in the Tsagaan Gol river valley alone. 

Today, a tiny community of Tuvan herders grazes their animals here during summer months. It is these very people who are serving as your local guides. Today’s ride is a gradual downhill interrupted by a couple bogs and slightly longer than the way up. Again loads are carried by camels. Tonight we taste local hospitality by visiting one our camel drivers. 

(Breakfast, lunch, dinner, tent)

We ride in a linear way each day covering up to 30km. The Tuvan guides accompany you looking after your safety and emotional wellbeing. They will certainly share their life experiences and you will get a rare opportunity to learn of mores of these modest and stoic people and of their unique symbiotic relationship with the nature and animals, particularly with their horses. Landscapes here are truly spectacular and vary every single day: fertile river valleys alternate with rugged mountains, open grasslands, alpine lakes and snow capped peaks. Riding terrain is suitable for all paces: trotting, galloping and racing. We will mostly be travelling at about 2000 meters above sea level.

At any time you can take a break in of support cars. Shortly before the end of each day’s riding drivers go ahead to prepare camp and to let cooks start their operations.

(Breakfast, lunch, dinner, tent)

Continue the horseback adventure through Tuvan's diverse landscapes. Ride with experienced Tuvan guides, learn about Tuvan culture and their connection with nature and horses. Witness river valleys, mountains, grasslands, alpine lakes and snow-capped peaks.

Support cars available for breaks. 

(Breakfast, lunch, dinner, tent)

Continue the exhilarating horseback journey through Tuvan's changing landscapes.

Yaks and horses roaming about, local herders grazing large flocks of sheep and goats is a common scene. Invariably, they come to greet you, to exchange news or to just take a curious look. With some luck we may come across Kazakh eagle hunters who train golden eagles and use them for hunting. Although actual hunting is done in winter you can still see the massive birds and have a photo taken holding one on your arms to impress your family and friends. 

(Breakfast, lunch, dinner, tent)

Ride captivating Tuvan landscapes on horseback. Ride with Tuvan guides immersing in Tuvan culture and their connection with nature and horses. Experience river valleys, mountains, grasslands, alpine lakes and snow-capped peaks. Encounter yaks, horses, herders and perhaps Kazakh eagle hunters. 

Support cars available. 

(Breakfast, lunch, dinner, tent)

Continue the horseback expedition through Tuvan's enchanting landscapes witnessing river valleys, mountains, grasslands, alpine lakes and snow-capped peaks. Spot yaks, horses, herders and keep discovering Tuvan culture.

Today we arrive to Khoton a spectacular alpine lake bordering with China’s Xinjiang province. 

(Breakfast, lunch, dinner, tent)

We spend this well earned rest day at ease. The Khoton lake campsite is truly idyllic. A snow capped ridge marking the borderline with China and wooded slopes below reflect in the mirror-like surface of the lake. You can go swimming or explore some distinctly well preserved bronze age rock carvings just beside the camp. This is also time to part with the riding guides who will start their journey home.

(Breakfast, lunch, dinner, tent)

Our riding adventure is over and we head back to civilization. For the most of the day we drive along Khovd river, the largest in Western Mongolia. The river winds along rocky mountain slopes with sparse vegetation and some poplar trees that line the banks. In Ulgy we settle in the coziest local hotel before gathering for a traditional Kazakh dinner. 

(Breakfast, lunch, dinner, hotel)

After breakfast transfer to Ulgy airport for flight to Ulaanbaatar. On arrival transfer to your hotel. The rest of the day is at your own disposal. In the evening gather for a farewell dinner. 

(Breakfast, dinner, hotel)

Transfer to airport for your return flight home. 

(Breakfast)