Mongolia - Mongolia Express
The Mongolia Express is the shortest ride we offer in the country. If you only have a week or if you want to do more non-riding sightseeing this is the ideal trip.
The route takes you across the steppes hills, through valleys and into larch forested hills. Many nomadic families live in this region with their herds of horses cattle goats and sheep. You will have the opportunity of discovering their traditional way of life and will camp close to a nomadic family at least one night during the ride.
The pace of the ride is quite fast as the support vehicle carries all the luggage and joins the group for lunch and at the end of the day. You do not have to carry anything on your horse which allows long and fast gallops in this very open terrain.
You should be a fit and competent rider capable of riding spirited, forward going horses over varying terrain for up to seven hours a day. The riding includes long trots and canters.
The Mongolian horses are small in stature from 12 hh - 14 hh but strong in character sure-footed and willing.
Mongolians stand in the stirrups at all paces so the horses are not used to riders sitting in the saddle. You should be fit enough to stand in the stirrups at trot and canter for periods of up to twenty minutes.
The saddles used are tailor made adapted to both the Mongolian horse and the European rider.
Hard hats are mandatory.
You will stay in two-person tents. A loo screen and washing tent will be erected each evening but washing facilities are limited and you are asked to bring only biodegradable toiletries. The first night is spent in a semi-permanent ger camp with shower facilities. There is no supplement for a single tent on the trail (except for the nights spent in gers where single accommodation is not possible). A communal tent is erected for meals and evenings should the weather turn bad. The last night is spent in a hotel in Ulaanbaatar. If you are a single traveller there is no single supplement if you are willing to share.
2018 MONGOLIA EXPRESS (7 nights) £881.42 Small group supplement: £168.69 per person (group size 2 to 3)
INCLUDES Interpreter; horses and all riding; full board (except lunch on the first day and dinner on the last night); accommodation; camping equipment (except sleeping bags); local transport; transfers to and from airport at set times.
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT There is no single supplement if you are willing to share. Single hotel rooms in Ulaanbaatar are available at a supplement of £26.71. There is no single supplement for a single tent for the camping nights but you must be willing to share for the nights spent in gers.
PAYABLE LOCALLY Wine beer and canned drinks; 1 lunch; 1 dinner; tips.
NEAREST AIRPORT Ulaanbaatar. Due to flight arrival and departure times you may require additional nights in Ulaanbaatar, we can arrange these for you.
TRANSFERS: Return airport transfers are included on the first and last days of the ride at set times. For the shared transfers flights should arrive before 10:05 and depart after 07:10. For flights arriving/departing outside these set times you will need to make your own way from/to the airport by taxi.
NOT INCLUDED International flights to Ulaanbaatar.
On the steppes south of Ulaanbaatar.
Clear, bright days in the summer. Late June, July and August can see short but heavy rain showers. The weather is variable with hot days and nights that can be very cold.
If you can spend a few more days in Mongolia take time to visit Hustai National Park.
Claire says
If you are on a whirlwind tour of Mongolia then this is the ride for you!