Horse Trekking
Mongolia, at a horse’s pace.
Riding tours on steppe-bred horses, with the herders who train them.
On this page
Horse trekking with us.
We run private horse trekking tours across Mongolia. The flagship is the Eight Lakes horse trek in the Khangai mountains, a nine-day trip whose riding days cross passes and larch valleys no vehicle can reach. In the north, riding is how you reach the Tsaatan reindeer herders in the taiga. Shorter itineraries in Central Mongolia and Terelj fold an afternoon or a full day of riding into a driving route.
The horses are steppe-bred Mongolian horses, small, hardy, and calm, and they come from herder families we have worked with for years. A horseman from the family rides with you the whole way. On trek days you are in the saddle around four to six hours, with the pace set to the least experienced rider, and a support vehicle carries your bags wherever the terrain allows.
The riding season runs from mid-June to early September, when the passes are open and the grass is high. Every trip is private, your group only, typically two to six guests. If you want a route built entirely around riding, tell us and Baska will design it.
Tours with riding.
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9 days · June, September
Central Mongolia · 9 days with Eight Lakes horse trek
A four-day horse trek to the remote Eight Lakes (Naiman Nuur), wedged into the full Central Mongolia loop. Camping by alpine lakes; longer riding days.
See the itinerary -
12 days · June, August
Northern Mongolia · 12 days with the Tsaatan
Twelve days, including a three-day horse trek deep into the Darkhad Valley to live with Tsaatan reindeer-herding families. Khuvsgul Lake, Uushigiin Uvur deer stones, and Khugnu Khan on the return.
See the itinerary -
6 days · May, September
Central Mongolia · 6 days
Six days adding horse riding through the Orkhon Valley and a final morning with the wild horses of Hustai National Park.
See the itinerary
Horse trekking, asked directly.
Do I need riding experience for a Mongolia horse trek?
No. Mongolian horses are small, steady, and used to long days, and the herder guides match each horse to each rider. Beginners ride at a walking pace with instruction on the first day. Confident riders get freer rein on open stretches.
How many hours a day will I be in the saddle?
On dedicated trek days, around four to six hours with breaks. On mixed itineraries that combine driving and riding, a riding day is usually two to four hours. The pace is set to the group, not to a schedule.
When is the best season for horse trekking in Mongolia?
Mid-June to early September. The Khangai passes are open, the rivers are fordable, and the families whose horses you ride are at their summer camps. July and August are the warm heart of the season.
Whose horses will we ride?
Horses belonging to the herder families we work with in each region, ridden with a horseman from that family. This is how riding works here: the horses are working animals that know the routes, not trail horses kept for tourists.
Tell us your dates and your riding level.
Baska replies personally, in writing, and will say honestly which route fits how you ride.