Mongolia

Riding: 4-7 hours a day.

Horses: Mongolian Horses.

Pace: moderate and varied.

Riding ability: all abilities if reasonably fit; Mongolian horses are small and the local riding style is different from ours and easy to learn, but hours can be long and the area is very remote, so a reasonable level of fitness and some previous riding experience are required; the Khentii Ride is for intermediate riders and above.

Weight limit: about 90kg (14st 2lbs) but if you are over 83kg (13 stone) please contact us to discuss

Accommodation: 3* local hotels, 3∆camping (2∆ camping on parts of the Khentii and Lake Hovsgol Rides when pack horses move equipment)

Group size: max 12.

For Mongolia testimonials click here

Mongolian horses are small - around 13 hands - but strong, extremely agile and used to long hours of hard work. Their stamina and dexterity are outstanding and they are tough and extremely sure footed over rocky, even snow covered mountains. They are generally unshod and are trained in a different style to horses in the UK, although they are easy and fun to ride. Groups are usually a maximum of 12 guests.

Hours: There is usually 4 to 7 hours riding a day, moving from camp to camp, broken with rests and for lunch.

Pace and experience required: These rides suit riders of various abilities. The horses are small, easy and fun to ride so riders of all experience levels can take part although a reasonable level of experience and riding fitness means you will enjoy the rides all the more and will cope better with the long hours in the saddle. There is good open country on most rides and long canters are possible, with the Khovsgol and Karakorum itineraries probably allowing the fastest going. The going on the Khentii Ride is the most challenging and can be boggy or rough so this itinerary is for more experienced riders only.

Accommodation is in good quality hotels when in the capital Ulaan Baatar, and in camps when in the countryside. In Ulaan Baatar, the Ulaan Baatar Hotel or Genghis Khan Hotel are usually used, both of which are about equivalent to our 3* standard. They are clean, quite comfortable and have bars, restaurants and currency exchange facilities. When in the countryside, accommodation is in camps, either using small lightweight two man dome tents in mobile tented camps or in 'ger' camps. When mobile tented camps are used, a back up vehicle transports tents and equipment where possible (if vehicle access is limited, pack horses will be used) and the camp will be set up ahead of you by staff. A large mess tent is used for meals and there is a tent with a 'long drop' loo. There are no showers at mobile camps, although camps are usually set up by a river where there is clean water for washing. 'Ger' camps are the traditional home of the nomadic people. Basic but comfortable accommodation is in dome like, rounded 'gers', with latticed walls covered by felt and canvas. Gers are generally shared (everyone sleeps in the ger) and there are usually wooden framed beds, with a dresser and a wood burning stove in the centre to take the chill out of cool nights. There are basic shower and washing facilities at ger camps with hot water sometimes available.

The meeting point for the rides is Ulaan Baatar ('UB'), capital of Mongolia. You can fly to UB via Moscow, Frankfurt or Beijing. There are flights to Moscow or Beijing from London with British Airways (and various other airlines) and then from Moscow onto UB with Aeroflot or MIAT, the Mongolian airline. From China, MIAT and Air China fly to UB. Aeroflot generally have one flight a week from London, which connects straight through Moscow to UB. Or, you can spend a night in Moscow on the way. If you fly via Beijing, you usually have to overnight before flying on to UB. For flights from London budget around £700 with Aeroflot; £850 with British Airways / Air China economy return (varies with the season and availability).