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Trip rating details
Demanding: Significant expedition style camping or family stays. May include full-day hikes (up to 6 hours) or rides over challenging terrain, long driving distances over rough unpaved roads, or challenging weather conditions, including extremes of temperature.
Packing list
This is a suggested packing list, which you should feel free to adjust to suit your needs. Please refer to our travel guide for more detailed information.
- backpack or soft bag
- sleeping bag (-5C)
- waterproof bag cover
- day pack
- head lamp/flashlight
- spare batteries/bulb
- personal medications
- towel
- riding boots
- rain jacket or poncho (see info)
- waterproof pants
- fleece jacket
- chaps
- riding helmet
- cotton t-shirts
- long sleeve shirts
- lightweight trousers
- shorts
- warm hat
- long underwear
- socks
- underwear
- sun hat
- gloves
- sandals
- sun glasses
- sun cream
- spare glasses
- walking shoes
- insect repellent
- resealing (ziploc) plastic bags
- binoculars/camera
- water bottle
- wet tissues
- watch/ alarm clock
- money belt/ pouch
- insurance confirmation copy
- emergency contact number
See our packing tips for detailed information.
Home > Trip Index > Horseback Riding at the 8 Lakes National Park
Trip information- Riding the 8 Lakes National Park
Day 1. 27JUL09 Arrival (D)
Arrival to Ulaanbaatar and transfer to hotel. Depending on time of arrival, we may have a short city sight-seeing tour. Evening welcome dinner. Overnight in a 4* hotel.
Day 2. 28JUL09 Ulaanbaatar/ Elsiin Tasarhai (B,L,D)
We begin the day with a few hours exploring the Black Market. This huge market contains every single item a Mongolian might need, whether they are nomads or urban apartment dwellers. Goods brought from all corners of Mongolia are here for sale. A visit to the market is a colorful experience which gives the visitor an insight to the everyday life of the people of Ulaanbaatar.
Leaving for a 6-7 hours drive Westwards. Marking the northern edge of the great Gobi Desert, Elsiin Tasarhai is a sand dune that stretches over 130 km north into the heart of Central Mongolia. After having lunch at the ger camp, we will go for a visit at a family that herds Bactrian (two humped) Camels for living. At the afternoon we will go for a hike along the sand dune, and if the weather will permit we will enjoy a beautiful sunset over the dune. Overnight in ger camp
Day 3. 29JUL09 Elsiin Tasarhai/ Tuvhon/ Red Waterfall (B,L,D)
Leaving the Gobi, we reach the Mongolian steppes. Here there is a great variety of birds of prey, including eagles and falcons, constantly on the watch for a meal. Our first stop will be at Tuvhon Monastery, established during the 1650’s by Zanabazar, one of Mongolia’s most respected religious leaders. The monastery’s wooden buildings are integrated with a natural system of caves perched hear a hilltop, from which you have beautiful views of the Orhon Valley and the surrounding pine forests. With its unique natural features, it was a perfect location for the great religious leader to meditate. We will then proceed south into an area dominated by volcanic scenery, which takes us along the Orhon River to the Red Waterfall. Overnight in a ger camp.
Day 4. 30JUL09 Red Waterfall/ Bodingiin Mountain Pass (B,L,D)
This morning we will make an acquaintance with the horses that we will be riding in the next few days. After a short session of letting us knowing our horses, we will embark on the horse riding part of our trip, riding out of the Orkhon Valley and on to the easter slopes of the Khangai Mountain. The Khangai, Mongolia’s second biggest mountain range, dividing the country between the arid Gobi Desert, and the prosperous north. We will be riding through a thick pine forest, all the way to the Eight Lakes National Park. We will camp the night at the Bodingiin Mountain Pass.
Day 5. 31JUL09 Bodingiin Mountain Pass/ Shiret Lake (B,L,D)
Today we will cross the beautiful Eight Lakes National Park, riding among its beautiful lakes, all the way to Shiret Lake, which can be entitled as the highlight of the park. The lake, situated at some 2800 m’ above sea level, offers great landscapes, and due to its remote location, a very peaceful, untouched environment. We will camp the night at the shores of the lake.
Day 6. 01AUG09 Shiret Lake/ The White Stallion Valley (B,L,D)
Once again on the horses, we will ride to Duruu Lake, where we will stop for lunch, before riding off the ridge, and into the White Stallion Valley. The valley, characterized by beautiful rock formations on the surroundings cliffs, inhabits several nomadic families. We will stop along the way for a traditional milk tea with these families, and will spend the night at the opening of the valley.
Day 7. 02AUG09 The White Stallion Valley/ Naim’s Pasture (B,L,D)
Today we will be riding to Naim’s family. Naim, our long time horseman, lives with his extended family at the heart of the Khangai Mountains, nearby a small lake where he grazes his herds. We will join the family to their everyday activities, experiencing the Mongolian nomadic way of living, that has been preserved ever since Chinggis Khan’s times. We will camp the night nearby Naim’s family’s gers.
Day 8. 03AUG09 Naim’s Pasture/ Uliastay River (B,L,D)
We will leave Naim’s pasture’s, heading towards the Uliasty River. We will stop at an Ovoo, a Mongolian worship site, to honor the Mongolian religious practices, and enjoy a magnificent overview of the surroundings. We will them ride into the river’s valley, where we will enjoy a beautiful riding day. We will then camp along the river beds.
Day 9. 04AUG09 Uliastay River/ Tsenher Hot Springs (B,L,D)
After a farewell breakfast with our team of local horseman, tat has been riding with us over the last 5 days, we will board our 4X4, Today we arrive in the region the Mongolians call the ‘paradise of the horse herders’ for its lush grasses and open valleys. We drive through thick pine forests to the Tsenher hot springs, where water flows out of the ground at 82° C, and where we can enjoy a relaxing soak. Overnight in ger camp.
Day 10. 05AUG09 Hiking Around Tsenher (B,L,D)
Today we will take a short drive to the trailhead where we begin our day hike – a truly enchanting walk up a stream where we hop from one stone to another, to the top of the hill for an amazing view of the surrounding valleys. In this part of Arkhangai the wildflowers are plentiful, and it is likely you will see families cutting hay for winter fodder for their animals. From here we will hike back down through a thick pine forest to the hot springs. Overnight in a ger camp.
Day 11. 06AUG09 Tsenher Hot Springs/ Kharkhorin (B,L,D)
Built by Chinggis Khan about 800 years ago, Kharkhorin, better known as Karakorum, was famed throughout Asia as the capital of the Mongol Empire. Within the walls of this spectacular city kings were chosen, laws made and the fate of the next city to be conquered were determined. We will visit the ruins of the old city, the Erden Zuu monastery and other historical monuments in the area. Overnight in a ger camp by the Orhon River.
Day 12. 07AUG09 Kharkhorin/ Hustaiin Nuruu (B,L,D)
Today we arrive at Hustaiin Nuruu National Park. The park was established as part of a unique project to reintroduce the world’s last surviving wild horses back to their natural environment. On the brink of extinction during the last century, only a very few Takhi or Przewalski’s horse were left in zoos around Europe. This graceful steppe horse was returned to Mongolia, and today, thanks to this special project, two herds again roam the Mongolian steppes. Overnight in a ger camp.
Day 13. 08AUG09 Hustaiin Nuruu/ Ulaanbaatar (B,L,D)
After breakfast at the ger camp, we will embark on the 2 hours drive back to Ulaanbaatar.Upon arrival, we will go to explore the Black Market. This huge market contains every single item a Mongolian might need, whether they are nomads or urban apartment dwellers. Goods brought from all corners of Mongolia are here for sale. A visit to the market is a colorful experience which gives the visitor an insight to the everyday life of the people of Ulaanbaatar. After lunch we will visit the Bogd Khan Palace museum, the palace of the last Mongolian king, who was considered a living god. Free shopping time in the afternoon. Mongolia is world renowned for its fine cashmere and you will find this and many other souvenir items in the city. Overnight in 4 star hotel.
Day 14. 09AUG09 Ulaanbaatar departure (B)
After breakfast at the hotel, transfer to the airport for the international departing
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