Mongol Horse Trails

Minimum riding ability: Competent rider. Fit and capable of riding at all paces confidently. Varying terrain, in the saddle for several hours for several days.

Upon arrival at the Ulaanbaatar airport you will be met and transferred to your hotel.

Visa Requirement

Please note for China, Mongolia and Russia, you will need to arrange your visa before you go. We have supplied links to these visa applications within our Visa section. It is your responsibility to do this before your trip but please don't hesitate to speak to us if you need any assistance. It isn't unusual for our guests to have questions particularly about the Russian visa so please call us if you are in any doubt.

Mongolia is known as the Land of the Blue Sky and throughout the year, there are 278 sunny days and 9-23 cloudy days.

In Mongolia the Central Asian desert zones meet with the Siberian taiga, hence, Mongolia is a transition zone with climatic extremes. Most of the year it is very cold, especially at night. Precipitation is low and skies are usually clear during the wintertime.

Summers, however, are very pleasant just as in the Australia and Europe. There is a short rainy season in July and August during which most of the annual rain will fall. Around 70 percent of all precipitation falls during these three summer months. When raining it tend be heavier and shorter, if extended it may cause floods locally. Occasional strong winds can come and go quickly. Spring and fall pass very quickly. Even if this sounds like a lot, precipitation during the summertime it is just about the same as in Europe at the equivalent time.

Horse Riding in Mongolia

Mongolia is probably the most equestrain nation in the world. Not only is the Mongol heritage and lifestyle intimately connected with the horse. Mongolia is an exceptionally inviting place for keen horse riders. The absence of fences and the vast expanses of the steppes and forests are ideal.

Our partner, Nomadic Journeys offer horseback journeys as an integral part of their lifestyle. Even on treks and their ordinary trips, it is at most times possible to cater for individual requirements to go horse riding. The best for keen horse riders is however to join a small horse riding group in the Terelj National Park, 100 km from Ulaanbaatar and in the steppe areas south thereof. Both are rather wild areas, with the cultural aspect more pronounced in the steppes, and extraordinary mountain taiga landscapes more pronounced in Terelj. We depend totally in moving our equipment by yak carts, and we have no vehicle support during such trips. Since the carts will be slower than the riders, we will ride in circles, meeting up with the luggage and the carts to the campsites agreed ahead of us. It also provides slow riders the option to join the carts. They travel no more than 25 km in one day.

It should be remembered that the most professionally bred horses exists in central and steppe areas rather close to Ulaanbaatar, since the horse racing tradition is more competitive and pronounced. The reason for this is the competitive edge needed to succeed in the national annual Naadam Games held in Ulaanbaatar.

If you join any of our other journeys, and still want to ride, this is also perfectly possible. You should then order your personal horses at the time of booking if you are an experienced rider. Horses can be pre-booked out of Jalman Meadows Ger Camp as whenever we are on a trek.

These horses will be provided at extra charge. We will rent horses on your behalf directly with the herdsman providing them. We will ensure that there is at least one local horseman riding along with tour members at all times. We have found it easy to learn to ride Mongolian horses, however, only experienced riders that are in command of the horse, should attempt extended rides. An easy walk around camp, will be possible for all members to try.

We will provide you Russian saddles, which are more convenient for "western bottoms" than the Mongolian equivalent. The latter are made of birch wood! We recommend that you bring your own hard hat. Riding boots or short chaps are essential. We provide a saddle bag if needed.

To participate in extended rides it is required to be a competent rider, at ease at all paces, capable of riding confidently over varying terrain for several hours every day. It is not essential to be a skilled horseman; both good riders and less experienced riders will find horses suited to their abilities and character.

The most elaborate horse riding is together with our wranglers Erdenebayar, Battsengel or Badrakh. Their fathers are among the most well-known horse trainers of Mongolia, and have been training race horses in Japan! Riding with them is in Töv province. In the steppe lands south of Ulaanbaatar, and also in the Khan Khentii.

Rides can also be organized in and around Lake Hövsgöl National Park in the north. And we will develop rides in the northeast areas of Hentii, among the Buryats. Their horses are on the average somewhat larger than most horses in Mongolia.