Mongolia Horse Trekking and Steppe Adventures

Updated for 2026 — Accurate as of February 2026.

Mongolia is the most sparsely populated country on Earth. Three million people inhabit a territory twice the size of Texas, and approximately 30 percent of them are still semi-nomadic herders, living in gers (yurts) and moving with their livestock across the steppe as their ancestors have done for thousands of years. The landscape is vast, open, and almost completely undeveloped: rolling grasslands stretching to every horizon, mountains rising from the plains, rivers winding through valleys without a single bridge, and a sky so enormous that the word “big” does not begin to describe it.

Traveling through this landscape on horseback is one of the purest adventure experiences available anywhere in the world. The Mongolian horse is small, tough, semi-wild, and integral to Mongolian culture in a way that no domesticated animal is in the West. When you ride a Mongolian horse across the steppe, you are participating in a tradition that dates back to the Mongol Empire and beyond. Genghis Khan built the largest contiguous land empire in history from the back of a horse not unlike the one beneath you.

I spent two weeks in Mongolia in July 2025, including an eight-day horse trek through the Orkhon Valley and Khangai Mountains. It was one of the most challenging, uncomfortable, beautiful, and transformative travel experiences of my life.

What Horse Trekking in Mongolia Actually Involves

This is not trail riding at a tourist ranch. Mongolian horse trekking is expedition travel on horseback through genuine wilderness, sleeping in gers or tents, eating simple camp food, and riding 20-35 km per day on horses that have their own opinions about pace, direction, and whether they feel like cooperating with their rider.

A typical day on a Mongolian horse trek:

6:00 AM: Wake up in your ger or tent. Temperature inside: maybe 5 degrees Celsius. Breakfast of bread, jam, butter tea (suutei tsai, an acquired taste), and whatever the cook has prepared.

7:30 AM: The wranglers catch and saddle the horses. This can take 30 minutes to an hour. Mongolian horses are semi-wild and are not always enthusiastic about being caught.

8:30 AM - 12:30 PM: Ride. The pace alternates between walking, trotting, and cantering across open grassland, through river valleys, and over mountain passes. The scenery is spectacular and the silence (broken only by hoofbeats, wind, and occasional birdsong) is profound.

12:30 PM: Lunch stop. Dismount (often with difficulty; Mongolian saddles are wooden and your body will be protesting). Eat by a river. Let the horses graze.

2:00 PM - 5:30 PM: Afternoon ride. The landscapes change gradually: grassland to forest to alpine meadow to river valley.

6:00 PM: Arrive at camp. A ger has been set up (or you pitch a tent). Wash in the river. Dinner of mutton, rice, and vegetables.

8:00 PM: Watch the sunset from the steppe. Stars emerge. The Milky Way is more vivid than you have ever seen it. Sleep.

Best Horse Trekking Routes

Orkhon Valley (7-10 Days)

The Orkhon Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage cultural landscape, is Mongolia’s most popular horse trekking route and for good reason. The valley traces the Orkhon River through grasslands dotted with nomadic ger camps, past the ruins of the ancient Mongol capital of Karakorum, and through forests and volcanic formations. The route typically starts near Karakorum (Kharkhorin) and heads south through the valley to the Orkhon Waterfall, then loops through the Khangai Mountains.

Distance: 150-250 km depending on route variation Duration: 7-10 days Difficulty: Moderate (long days in the saddle, basic camping, variable weather) Riding experience required: No prior experience technically required, but basic riding ability (comfortable at walk and trot) makes the experience significantly more enjoyable. Most operators offer a day or two of riding instruction before the trek begins. Cost: Guided treks from 80-150 USD per day per person including horse, guide, cook, support vehicle, food, and camping/ger accommodation. A 10-day trek costs approximately 800-1500 USD. Best season: June through September (warmest, driest months)

Khentii Mountains (10-14 Days)

The Khentii Mountains in northeastern Mongolia are the birthplace of Genghis Khan and remain one of the most remote and pristine wilderness areas in Central Asia. Horse treks here pass through dense forests, across high alpine passes, and through valleys where the only inhabitants are herders with their livestock. Wildlife sightings (deer, wolves, eagles, marmots) are common.

This route is more challenging than the Orkhon Valley: the terrain is rougher, the distances greater, and the remoteness more absolute. There are no roads, no villages, and no cell service for days at a time.

Distance: 200-350 km Duration: 10-14 days Difficulty: Challenging (remote, rough terrain, river crossings) Cost: Guided treks from 100-180 USD per day Best season: July through August (shortest window due to later snowmelt)

Altai Mountains (10-14 Days)

The Altai Mountains in western Mongolia border Russia, China, and Kazakhstan, and they are home to the Kazakh eagle hunters, the last practitioners of an ancient tradition of hunting with trained golden eagles. Horse treks in the Altai combine mountain scenery (glaciated peaks over 4,000m), cultural encounters with Kazakh nomads, and the possibility of witnessing eagle hunting demonstrations.

The Golden Eagle Festival, held annually in early October in Olgii, is a competition of eagle hunting skills that draws Kazakh hunters from across the region. Attending the festival and combining it with a horse trek through the Altai is one of the great adventure travel experiences in Central Asia.

Distance: 150-300 km Duration: 10-14 days Difficulty: Challenging (altitude, remote terrain, cold temperatures) Cost: Guided treks from 120-200 USD per day Best season: July through September for horse trekking. Early October for the Golden Eagle Festival.

Photo credit on Pexels

What to Know Before You Go

Fitness and Riding Ability

You do not need to be an experienced rider, but you do need to be physically resilient. Spending 6-8 hours per day on a wooden saddle on a horse with a rough gait is genuinely demanding. Your legs, back, core, and shoulders will all hurt for the first three days. After that, your body adapts. Some preparation helps:

• Ride before you go. Even a few riding lessons at home will help you develop basic balance and control.
• Core and leg strength. Squats, lunges, and core exercises for 4-6 weeks before the trip.
• Stretching. Your hip flexors and inner thighs will be the first muscles to scream. Stretch them daily in the weeks before your trip.

Mongolian Horses

Mongolian horses are small (13-14 hands, roughly pony-sized), stocky, tough, and semi-wild. They are not trained to respond to subtle leg aids or rein cues like Western riding school horses. They respond to a combination of rein pulling, leg kicking, and the Mongolian verbal command “choo” (go). They can be stubborn, spooky, and willful. They can also be incredibly surefooted, tireless, and willing over terrain that would stop a larger horse.

Do not expect to choose your horse. Your guide will assign you a horse based on your size and ability. Trust their judgment. They know these horses.

Accommodation and Food

On most treks, you stay in a combination of gers (at nomadic family camps) and tents (in wilderness areas). Ger accommodation is basic but comfortable: a warm stove, mattresses on the floor, and the hospitality of the nomadic family. Tent camping is more exposed but the scenery is usually worth it.

Food is simple and meat-heavy. Mutton is the staple, prepared boiled, fried, or in dumplings (buuz). Rice, noodles, and bread are common accompaniments. Vegetables are limited. If you have dietary restrictions, communicate them clearly to your operator well in advance. Vegetarian treks are possible but require planning.

Weather

Mongolia’s continental climate produces extreme temperature variations. In July and August (peak season), daytime temperatures can reach 30 degrees Celsius on the steppe, but nights can drop to 5 degrees or lower, especially at altitude. Rain is possible at any time. Bring layers for every condition: sun protection, rain gear, warm fleece, and a warm sleeping bag.

Beyond Horse Trekking: Other Mongolia Adventures

Gobi Desert

The Gobi Desert in southern Mongolia is a vast, austere landscape of sand dunes, dinosaur fossil sites, and mountain oases. The Khongoriin Els (Singing Dunes) are Mongolia’s largest sand dunes, stretching 100 km across the desert. You can ride camels to the base of the dunes, climb to the ridgeline (a strenuous 2-hour scramble in soft sand), and listen to the eerie humming sound the sand makes in the wind.

Activities: Camel riding, dune climbing, visiting the Flaming Cliffs (Bayanzag, a major dinosaur fossil site), visiting ice canyon Yolyn Am Cost: Guided Gobi tours from 80-120 USD per day per person (3-5 day tours) Best season: May through October

Hiking and Trekking (No Horse)

Mongolia offers excellent hiking for those who prefer to walk. The Khangai Mountains, the Altai, and the Terelj National Park near Ulaanbaatar all offer multi-day trekking routes through wilderness landscapes. Trails are often unmarked, so a guide or GPS navigation skills are essential.

Kayaking and Rafting

The Tuul, Hovd, and Chuluut rivers offer kayaking and rafting through remote canyons and steppe landscapes. Multi-day river trips (3-7 days) are organized by a handful of specialist operators.

Comparison: Mongolia Horse Trekking Routes

Route	Duration	Difficulty	Cultural Encounters	Scenery	Cost/Day
Orkhon Valley	7-10 days	Moderate	High (nomadic families)	Grassland, river valley	80-150 USD
Khentii Mountains	10-14 days	Challenging	Low (very remote)	Forest, alpine	100-180 USD
Altai Mountains	10-14 days	Challenging	High (Kazakh eagle hunters)	Mountain, glacier	120-200 USD

Practical Information

Visa: Most nationalities can enter Mongolia visa-free for 30 days. US citizens can stay up to 90 days without a visa. Check the latest entry requirements at the US State Department’s Mongolia page.

Getting there: Fly to Ulaanbaatar (UBN) from Seoul, Beijing, Moscow, Istanbul, or via connecting flights from European hubs. Direct flights from Seoul are often the cheapest option.

Health: No mandatory vaccinations, though the WHO recommends ensuring routine immunizations are up to date. Bring a comprehensive first-aid kit as medical facilities outside Ulaanbaatar are limited to nonexistent. Travel insurance with medical evacuation coverage is essential.

Communication: Cell service exists in Ulaanbaatar and major towns but is nonexistent in the countryside. Bring a satellite communicator (Garmin inReach or similar) for emergency communication during horse treks.

Currency: Mongolian tugrik (MNT). ATMs available in Ulaanbaatar. Bring US dollars or euros as backup (easily exchanged). Outside UB, cash is the only option.

Budget: Mongolia is affordable once you arrive. The main cost is the guided trek. In Ulaanbaatar, hostels from 10-15 USD per night, meals from 3-5 USD. The guided trek cost (80-200 USD per day all-inclusive) is the dominant expense.

Best time to visit: July through August for the warmest weather and the Naadam Festival (July 11-13 in Ulaanbaatar, a celebration of the “three manly sports”: wrestling, horse racing, and archery). June and September are cooler but less crowded.

The Naadam Festival: Mongolia’s Adventure Spectacle

If your travel dates are flexible, plan your trip around the Naadam Festival (July 11-13). Naadam is Mongolia’s most important cultural celebration, a festival of the “three manly sports” (despite women now competing in two of the three):

Wrestling: Hundreds of wrestlers compete in an elimination tournament using traditional Mongolian wrestling rules (no time limit, no weight classes, first to touch the ground with anything other than a foot or hand loses). The wrestlers wear tiny costumes (origin story: allegedly to ensure no women compete) and perform eagle dances before and after each bout.

Horse racing: Not like Western horse racing. Mongolian horse races cover 15-30 km across the open steppe, ridden by children aged 5-12 (lighter riders mean faster horses). The finish is chaotic and thrilling, with hundreds of horses galloping across the grassland toward the crowd.

Archery: Competitors shoot at rows of small leather cylinders from 75 meters (men) or 65 meters (women), using traditional Mongolian composite bows. The judges announce hits with a distinctive singing chant.

The main Naadam takes place in Ulaanbaatar’s national stadium, but smaller, more intimate local Naadams are held throughout the countryside and provide a more authentic experience. If your horse trek coincides with a local Naadam, you may find yourself drinking airag (fermented mare’s milk) with nomadic families while watching wrestling matches on the steppe, one of the most genuine cultural exchanges available to a traveler anywhere in the world.

Choosing a Tour Operator

Mongolia’s tourism industry is developing rapidly, and the quality of operators varies significantly. Here is how to choose well:

1. Use operators with their own horses and equipment. Some operators subcontract to local families, which is fine for cultural immersion but can result in inconsistent quality. The best operators maintain their own herd and equipment.
2. Check reviews on independent platforms (TripAdvisor, Google, iOverlander forums). Pay attention to reviews that mention the horses’ condition, the food quality, and the guide’s English and knowledge.
3. Ask about the guide-to-guest ratio. You want at least one guide per 4-5 guests, plus a cook and a wrangler. Larger groups without sufficient staff create safety and quality issues.
4. Confirm what is included. A good all-inclusive quote covers horses, guide, cook, camp setup, food, drinking water, and emergency communication. Transport to and from Ulaanbaatar may or may not be included.
5. Recommended operators: Stone Horse Expeditions, Sunpath Mongolia, Nomadic Journeys, Stepperiders.

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