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17 Day Horse Trekking Tour around Khovsgol Lake, Darkhad Valley, and Khoridol Saridag Spa
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Mongolia Horseback Riding Tour
This listing has one of the 10 most popular offers available in in Mongolia
With this tour, you're able to see the most unspoiled natures of northern Mongolia. Also, you will have a chance to visit real nomads' lives and their lifestyles along the trip. If you want to be yourself and meditate, this trip will give you your own space. Riding a Mongolian horse will be a much different experience than any other horse. Hopefully, your friendly horse trekking guides will show you their homelands, the beautiful Darkhad Valley, Khoridol Saridag Spa, and Khovsgol Lake National Park. Even if it is hard, you will be fully energized and refreshed at the end of the trip.
Key information:
- Horse Breed: Mongolian Horse
- Rider Weight Limit: 140kg / 309 lbs
- Horse Height Range: 130-145cm
- Tack Type: Traditional Mongolian tack
Meet the instructors
Ulamjargal
Read more
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Highlights
- 11 days with horse trekking
- Ride on a powerful Mongolian horse
- Approximate daily rides: 15-20 kilometers
- Experience the Mongolian nomadic lifestyle and friendly local guides
- Enjoy the beautiful high mountains and the crystal clear Khovsgol lake
- Visit the most remote landscapes and be out of civilization
- 3 daily meals are included
- 16 nights accommodation
Skill level
- Intermediate
Styles
11 days with instruction in English
The organizer also speaks: Mongolian
Group size: Maximum of 20 participants
Airport transfer included:
Chinggis Khaan International Airport
Accommodation
Check-in Time:
06:30
Check-out Time:
20:00
Hotels
You are able to stay in 3 to 5-star hotels or guesthouses which share one kitchen and one restroom for a number of rooms. Here are some of the best hotels In Ulaanbaatar:
- Best Western “Tuushin" Hotel
- Shangrilla Hotel
- Kempinski Hotel
- Ramada Hotel
- Bayangol Hotel
- Chinggis Hotel
- Continental Hotel
- Corporate Hotel
- J Hotel
- Flower Hotel
- Khovsgol Hotel
- Blue Sky Hotel
- Soyol Hotel
- Puma Imperial Hotel
Ger camps
Ger camps are the most suitable and comfortable accommodation for travelers on tour, also tour operators usually recommend. Most of the ger camps are located near the natural sights or around it. The gers are specially decorated for tourists, so most tourists love to stay in gers.
Each ger has 2 to 4 beds, a stove, and other furniture. Showers and restrooms for ladies and gentlemen are in separate rooms. The restaurants are usually in one big ger or a house which usually has the capacity to serve 40-100 people at once. The camps have services such as a bar, laundry, sauna, shower, massage, little folk concert, horse or camel riding, etc.
Staff of the camps are very polite and helpful, you can just feel free to ask for help or advice. The high season of tourism in Mongolia is in July, during this period, camps are mostly full, so it’s better to book a ger before you arrive.
Program
Day 1: Arrive in Ulaanbaatar
Transfer to the hotel. City tour in the afternoon, including Chinggis Square, National Historical Museum, Gandan Monastery, Zaisan Hill, and a traditional cultural show. Dinner at a restaurant. Overnight in hotel.
Day 2: Flight from Ulaanbaatar to Murun
Early in the morning, fly to the Moron city of Khovsgol province, here, you can buy sweets and other stuff for the horse trekking. After 1.5 hours of flight, arrive in Moron at lunchtime. Drive to Khovsgol Lake for another 3 hours. Settle into the camp and prepare for the hiking tomorrow. Overnight in camp.
Days 3 to 12: Horse trekking
Today, start your horse trekking through the Khovsgol Lake National Park, Darkhad Valley, and Khoridol Saridag Spa. Along the trip, you’ll have a horse team to carry your luggage. Generally, ride for 15-20 kilometers a day and sleep in tents all night. During the trip, your highly experienced team will take care of your convenience and your professional chef will serve you all types of delicious meals, and, of course, you will have a skillful guide.
On the first three days, ride along the lake, and then the path goes west through the mountains. After a week, arrive in the village of Renchinlhumbe. The village is located in Darkhad Valley. The second half of the ride goes through the mountains of Horidol Saridag, the untouched nature of Horidol Saridag fascinates every traveler.
Day 13: End of horse trekking - Return to camp
This is the last day of the horse trekking tour. Arrive back at the camp and you'd have to say goodbye to your horse guides. In the evening, you can celebrate the end of the trip to make some bonfires and sit and sing around them. Overnight in the camp.
Day 14: Free day at the lake
Today, stay at the camp all day and rest. You can manage your day as you wish. Here are the ideas of things to do: horse trekking, jet boat, hiking, visiting nomad families, swimming, tasting traditional foods, and other activities are available for your interest. Overnight at the camp.
Day 15: Flight from Murun to Ulaanbaatar
Drive to Moron. Fly back to Ulaanbaatar after lunch in the afternoon. When you arrive at the airport, your coach will be waiting for you. Dinner at the restaurant. Overnight in the hotel.
Day 16: Excursion to National Park Terelj
Today, you'll have a short drive to another beautiful national park called Gorkhi Terelj National Park. Here, you will see incredible natural creations like the giant Turtle Rock, 100 monks cave, camel rock, lion rock, three friends cave, and the wonderful Ariyabal monastery. The national park is mostly surrounded by mountains with gigantic rocks and trees.
In the afternoon, continue your trip to Chinggis Khan's Horse Statue Complex. Here, you can take your memorial pictures with Chinggis Khan, the man of the millennium. Arrive in the afternoon and go shopping to buy some cashmere and souvenirs. Mongolian cashmere products are getting very famous in the world market with their best quality and price. Enjoy a traditional cultural show before dinner. Overnight in the hotel.
Day 17: Departure day
Transfer to the airport.
Instructors
Ulamjargal Khenmedekh
Ulamjargal has more than 10 years of experience as a horse trekking guide and instructor and one of Buman Tour's best horse guide.
Location
Mongolia is truly one of the world’s last undiscovered travel destinations. It is a land to experience wide-open spaces, cobalt blue skies, forests, deserts, crystal clear rivers and lakes, and the traditional hospitality of the country’s nomadic herders. Permanent dwellings are few and far between, fences even fewer, and the land is owned by the people like one large national park. A tremendous destination to experience the outdoors and has a unique history dating back to the Mongol empire of Chinggis Khaan.
Khovsgol lake
The province of Khovsgol (Khovsgol Aimag) is particularly characterized by Lake Khovsgol, one of the most beautiful places in Mongolia. Flower meadows stretch along its banks as far as the eye can see. The surrounding area is a real hiking paradise and probably the best place in Mongolia to camp. The lake itself is ideal for swimming, fishing, and canoeing.
The Khovsgol Lake is the second largest lake in Mongolia with a length of 136 kilometers and a width of about 30 kilometers (it is the largest freshwater lake) and the deepest in the country at 262 meters. The drinking water reserves stored in it amount to 317.5 cubic kilometers. In good light, you can look deep down.
Seen geologically, Lake Khovsgol, 1645 meters above sea level, is the younger brother of Lake Baikal in Russia, which is only 192 kilometers northeast. 96 rivers flow into the lake, while one river, the Egijn Gol, flows out of the Selenge River and finally into Lake Baikal.
Since 1992, Khovsgol Lake has been part of the national park of the same name, which covers 838,000 hectares, 251,000 of which are forested. Forestry, tourism, and fishing are the main sources of income for the region’s inhabitants. In Ulaanbaatar, you will find a supermarket, berries, jam, and canned fish from Khovsgol.
Only in the Khovsgol province did shamanism survive and is still practiced there. If you are lucky, you will meet locals who will tell you where the shamans meet in summer on Lake Khovsgol.
Darkhad Depression/Darkhad Valley
The Darkhad Depression is located to the west of the Khordol Saridag mountain range in the Khovsgol province. There are 248 rivers, 377 lakes, and 24 springs in the Darkhad Depression which provides 95% of the total freshwater in Mongolia. Darkhad Depression is the source of the Selenge River and other rivers such as Enisei and Delgermoron.
Lakes and rivers in the Darkhad Depression are the home for many species of fish. Almost 70% of the great Taiga of Khovsgol is in the Darkhad Depression and the tallest larch of Mongolia grows in the place named Ereg Hash. White moss the only food for reindeer grows in the Darkhad Depression, so it becomes the only homeland for reindeer and moose.
There are 13 ovoos on the mountain pass called Ul Khalzan on the way to Ulaan Mountain. Ul Khalzan is 2110 meters above sea level. Darkhad people are living spread across Mongolia and their history began in the 12th or 13th century.
Khoridol Saridag Spa
Khoridol Saridag mountain range is located in Renchilhumbe soum of Khovsgol province. The Delgerkhaan mountain the highest peak is 3130 meters above sea level. Other peaks which are over 2200 meters are Bituu, Nart, and Khanjid. Many rivers and springs come from each side of the Khoridol Saridag mountains. The highest waterfall in Mongolia which drops from 70 meters in the Arsai river is here.
It is surrounded and covered by larch tree forest usually. Khoridol Saridag mountain range region was strictly protected by the government with 188634 kilometers square of land in 1997. Roads around the mountain are extremely difficult with mud, large boulders, and steep slopes. So, the horse is the best transportation for locals and tourists here.
Horse trekking around Khoridol Saridag Spa is the most recommended and well-developed. Horse guides in Khatgal and Renchinlhumbe soum have many good horses and are experienced.
Food
During the horse riding excursions, you will be provided with a diverse array of cuisine options. The menu typically features meals composed of beef and mutton, accompanied by a selection of vegetables. Additionally, chicken and pork are offered on select days. The highly experienced chef is adept at preparing meals to perfection, regardless of the weather conditions.
The following meals are included:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
The following drinks are included:
- Water
- Coffee
- Tea
- Detox juices
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- Regular (typically includes meat and fish)
If you have special dietary requirements it's a good idea to communicate it to the organiser when making a reservation
Things to do (optional)
- Jet boat
- Jet ski
- Traditional foods
- Folk concert
What's included
- 11 days with horse riding
- 16 nights accommodation
- Use of horses
- Services of horse guides and a translator
- 3 meals a day
- Roundtrip airport transfers and all other land transportation
- Roundtrip domestic flights
- Use of tents
What's not included
- International airfare
- Other private activities
- Alcoholic drinks
- Snacks
- Travel insurance
How to get there
Recommended Airports
UBN
Chinggis Khaan International Airport
26 km
Transfer included
Arrival by train
There is an international railway of Trans Siberian Railway that arrives at the Central Railway Station of Ulaanbaatar. Also, you are able to cross any border with your own vehicle. For more information, please send an inquiry.
Arrival by airplane
- Domestic flights in Mongolia
Basically, there are two domestic airway companies, Aero Mongolia and Hunnu Air. Both serve by Fokker 50 airplane with the capacity of 24 passengers. Allowed baggage volume is 20 kilograms including hand luggage and extra volume costs 3000T. Children between 5-16 pay half of the fare and under 5 are free.
The airfare of domestic flights is not fixed and always changing, because there are only two air companies that run operations and can’t supply its demand in the summertime. So, they raise airfare as summer comes and gets cheaper in winter. The ticket reservation is valid for only 48 hours, so it is required to buy it as early as possible. Sometimes, flight time is delayed or changed because of weather conditions.
Aero Mongolia constant flight destinations:
- Ulgii, Bayan-Ulgii
- Khovd, Khovd
- Dalanzadgad, Umnugobi
Aero Mongolia summer flights destinations:
- Khovsgol
- Altai, Gobi-Altai
- Dalanzadgad, Umnugobi
Hunnu Air constant flight destinations:
- Khovd, Khovd
- Ulaangom, Uvs
- Ulgii, Bayan-Ulgii
- Uliastai, Zawkhan
- Choibalsan, Gobisumber
Hunnu Air summer flight destinations:
- Moron, Khovsgol
- Dalanzadgad, Umnugobi
Airport: Chinggis Khaan International Airport
Airport transfer included: Chinggis Khaan International Airport
No additional charges. You can request this in the next step.
Cancellation Policy
- A reservation requires a deposit of 100% of the total price.
- The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
For this organizer you can guarantee your booking through BookHorseRidingHolidays.com. All major credit cards supported.
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