“Witness the wildlife in Mongolia on horseback”
11 Day Khovsgol Lake and Horse Riding Trip to Visit Reindeer People in Mongolia by Overland and Air
Semi-Gobi Desert, Mongolia
Memorable Horse Riding Trip Mongolia
Tsaatan people means reindeer herders. They live in northern Khövsgöl Aimag of Mongolia. However, they don’t live with residents of Khovsgol Aimag. They prefer to live in a remote area or in the thick forest. In this horse riding holiday, you will get in touch with them by horse so you will not miss observing the way they're living. You will live in a teepee in the 21st century, make a tea with the clearest water, untouched nature, and every day your life will have full of joy with Christmas deer. Please get this rare chance to see reindeer people with UB Guesthouse that will give you unforgettable memory in your heart!
Key information
- Rider weight limit: 95 kilograms / 209 pounds
- Tack type: Handmade saddle
- Horse breed: Mongolian horses
Highlights
- 4 days of horse riding
- Trips to the reindeer family and 1-hour camel riding
- Small Sand Dune, Moron Town, and Khovsgol Lake tours
- Erdenezuu Monastery and Kharakhorum Museum visits
- Tsenher hot spring visit and Great White Lake tour and hike
- Free airport or train station transfers
- Breakfasts, lunches, and dinners
- 10 nights' accommodation
Styles
10 days with instruction
Group size: Maximum of 10 participants
Airport transfer included:
Buyant-Ukhaa International Airport
Accommodation
Check-in Time:
10:30
Check-out Time:
10:00
You will be accommodated in various accommodations provided by UB Guesthouse. The accommodations will be in a mixed condition including a nomad family, tourist camp, guesthouse, and tent.
Program
Overview
The trip starts overland, by a Russian-made 4x4 van. The trip goes only by horse from the Khatgal village, Khovsgol region. The horse trip continues for 5 days, which means you stay with the Reindeer family only for 1 night. After the Reindeer trip, you swap the horses into a car and drive back to Moron town, Khovsgol region. Take a flight to Ulaanbaatar. The flight duration is 1.5 hours.PS: But the overland trip from Moron to Ulaanbaatar takes 2 full days by van, including lots of driving. If you want to save your flight fare which is 110 EUR, please note UB Guesthouse before they book your flight ticket. Driver and translator return by car, once you take a flight to Ulaanbaatar.
Day 1: Small sand dune (semi Gobi)
The journey takes 5 hours. Electricity, modern toilet, and shower are not available. Camel riding is available for fun, for short time, for free. Overnight stay in a tent.
Day 2: Visit Erdenezuu Monastery, Kharakhorum Museum and Tsenher hotspring
Temporary stop in Kharkhorin, the ancient capital - 2 hours' journey. Visit Erdenezuu Monastery, the first Buddhist monastery in Mongolia. It was founded in 1586. Surrounded by a quadratic wall (420 meters long on each side) with a total of 108 stupas. Visit to see Kharakhorum Museum.
Continue the trip to Tsenher hot spring, in Arkhangaiaimag, which takes 3 hours' journey. Tsenher is a natural hot spring that flows the whole year from the ground at 85 Celsius degrees. The spring comes out from the far deep part of the ground and its water is not mixed with soil waters because it is hot.
The water has high mineral content and contains everything from simple calcium, sodium to sulphuric. The spring produces water that is good for health and the water is effective for joints, nervous system and is considered good for many other diseases. The surrounding area is home to medicinal herbs. There are separate pools for women and men.
Sleep in a traditional ger, in the tourist camp. Communal shower, modern toilet, electricity, and restaurants are available.
Day 3: Great White lake (Khorgo Volcano lake)
The journey takes 5 hours. Sometimes called as TerkhiinTsagaanNuur, it is a dead volcano and a lake area. Rich with fish and different birds breed here. The beautiful lake is the most attractive place in Mongolia despite being frozen till June. The national park is attractive its lava fields, pine trees, natural fruits, birdlife, mountains and hidden caves and gaps underground. Electricity, modern toilet and shower are not available. Overnight stay in a nomadic family’s ger.
Day 4: Drive to Moron town
The journey takes 8 hours as the road condition is not good. It is an administrative center of Khovsgolaimag Province. Electricity, internet, supermarket, bank, and public shower are available. Overnight stay in a guesthouse.
Day 5: Khovsgollake
The journey takes 3 hours via “Deer stone”, the most preserved rock paintings in the world. The Khovsgollake is called also the “Dark Blue Pearl” of Mongolia. Untouched by industry and urban life. Electricity, mini supermarket and public shower are available. Overnight stay in a guesthouse.
Day 6: Horse riding to the Reindeer family
Start the trip to the Reindeer family by horse (and possibly mix with a car ride, depends on the road and weather condition). You will go through a forest with your translator and a local guide, only. The driver will stay at the guesthouse. Overnights stay in a tent/or nomadic family (depending on how far you could go).
Day 7: This is the second day for the Reindeers
Overnights stay in a tent/or nomadic family (depending on how far you could go).
Day 8:This is the third day trip to Reindeer people
Arrive in the late evening to the Reindeers. Actually, the horse trip depends on how well the tourist can ride the horse. Overnights stay in a tent (or maybe you will be offered to stay in a tipi)
Day 9: Return to the lake
Overnights stay in a tent / or nomadic family’s ger.
Day 10. Back to the lake late evening
Overnight stay in the guesthouse.
Day 11: Drive to Moron, take a flight to Ulaanbaatar
The journey takes 1.5 hours. Arrive in Ulaanbaatar, transfer to the hotel. Your driver and translator will return to Ulaanbaatar by overland, it takes 2 days.
Included excursions
Until you reach the Reindeer people, you will be seen many different landscapes and national parks:
- The longest stretched sand dunes
- Ride a camel for fun
- Ride a horse during the trip
- Visit Erdenezuu Monastery, Kharakhorum the old capital, built up in the 15th century
- Visit UNESCO protected area - the Orkhon Valley (to see on the way)
- Stay at a natural hot spring
- Stay at a natural cold spring
- Visit the biggest canyon in Mongolia
- Visit volcano lake and caves, lava rocks, rivers, wild animals, forest and wildflowers
- See the most preserved deer stones in the world
- Enjoy millions of stars watching at night
Location
This horse riding trip will cover several places in Mongolia such as Small Sand Dunes, Kharkorin, Great White Lake, Moron Town, Khovsgol Lake, and Khövsgöl Aimag of Mongolia. The journey will be about 1,400 kilometers to the west north of Ulaanbaatar city. Mongolia is rich in minerals, famous for many hot and cold springs. Nomads are generally healthy people because they widely use minerals and spring water for their daily drinks with herbal plants.
Until you reach to the reindeer people, Ub Guesthouse will show you many different landscapes and national parks such as the longest stretched sand dunes, Erdenezuu Monastery, Kharakhorum the old capital, built up in 15th century, UNESCO protected area - the Orkhon Valley, hot spring, canyon, volcano lake and caves, lava rocks, and the most preserved deer stones.
As the reindeer populations shrink, only about 300 people continue the tradition today. Their tradition is very simple. Reindeers provide Tsaatan with milk, cheese, meat, and transportation. They also sew their clothes with reindeer hair. Reindeer dung fuels, their stoves, and antlers are used to make tools. They do not use their animals for meat.
Food
All types of food will be available including breakfast, lunch, and dinner. However, please do not expect seafood during the trip. Mongolia has no sea or ocean. UB Guesthouse does not provide preserved seafood due to your health safety. Please be responsible for your own drinking water and snacks.
The following meals are included:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Drinks
The following drinks are included:
- Water
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)
- Beautiful star watching at night
- Canyon visit
- Hot spring visit
- UNESCO protected area - the Orkhon Valley tour
What's included
- 4-day horse riding sessions
- Horse trips to the reindeer family
- 1-hour camel riding
- Small Sand dune tour
- Erdenezuu Monastery visit
- “Kharakhorum” Museum visit
- “Tsenher” hot spring tour
- Great White Lake tour and hike
- Moron Town visit
- Khovsgol Lake visit
- 10 nights accommodation
- All meals
- Car, driver, and petrol
- Road tax
- National park entrance fees
- Border permit
- 1-way flight ticket from Moron to Ulaanbaatar (flight booking is necessary to be confirmed in 1-month advance)
- Pick up service from domestic airport to your hotel
- A translator
- Horse, horse guide, and pack horses (to carry your camping and cooking equipment)
- Use of handmade saddle
- Drinking water
- Sleeping bags and camping gears
- Pick up from Chinggis Khaan International Airport (UBN), the domestic airport or international train station at the beginning of the tour
What's not included
- Special riding clothes and helmets
- Toilet papers and favorite snacks
- Shower payments during the trip
How to get there
Recommended Airports
ULN
Buyant-Ukhaa International Airport
577 km
Transfer included
Arrival by train
UB Guesthouse also provides free pick up and free drop off services from the train station. If you come from the following cities, you may arrive on the following days:
- Train from Moscow arrives in Ulaanbaatar on Sunday and Monday,
- Train from Irkutsk arrives in Ulaanbaatar on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.
- Train from Beijing arrives Ulaanbaatar on Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday.
Airport: Buyant-Ukhaa International Airport
Airport transfer included: Buyant-Ukhaa International Airport
No additional charges. You can request this in the next step.
Cancellation Policy
- A reservation requires a deposit of 30% of the total price.
- The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
- The rest of the payment should be paid on arrival.
For this organizer you can guarantee your booking through BookHorseRidingHolidays.com. All major credit cards supported.
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