- Travel to the only place where you can experience REAL adventure in Mongolia. To the great ChinggisKhaan’s birth land, Khan Khentii province.

- Horseback riding trip through deep forested valleys, and a remote lake hidden in the deep interior forests of the Khan Khentii Strictly Protected Area. Bears, wolves, red deer, moose and other wild animals are the only inhabitants of this strictly protected area.

- Experience nomadic life in Mongolia

Description

HagiinHarNuur (Hagiin Black Lake) is a Mongolia’s only true wilderness in the sense that it is completely devoid of people and domestic animals. It is a realm of wolves, moose, red deer, gazelle, wild boar, lynx and brown bear. We will not meet any people for most of the journey. The Tuul River originates close to HagiinHarNuur, eventually winds its way through Ulaanbaatar and finally drains out to the north into the Selenge River. In turn feeds two-thirds of its water into Lake Baikal, which ultimately empties into the Arctic Ocean. A couple of kilometers away the Herlen River originates. It belongs to the separate Pacific drainage basin. HagiinHarNuur is located within the taiga lifezone at 1800 meters above see level. It is near the starting point of a number of Asian rivers, some of which drain north to the Arctic Ocean and others east to the Pacific Ocean

Brief Outline Itinerary

The support structure for our expedition will be local herdsmen with their riding horses and packhorses, which will carry tents, luggage and equipment. We ride cross-terrain and camp in the wild. Our trailfinder is a local herdsman who spends the winters with his herd and family at Bugant Meadows, an 8-hour horseback ride short of HagiinHarNuur. Bugant Meadows GerCamp is also located there, from where our expedition will start. It has double occupancy gers. A cook and interpreter will follow.

Day 1. Bugant Meadows

After breakfast, we will start our tour to the Khan Khentii Strictly Protected Area, which includes Terelj National Park within its boundaries. For an hour we will drive through a steppe valley that is summer pasture for numerous herdsmen and their cattle.

Upon arrival in the evening, we will meet the trail finder and horsemen. Trial ride around the area and cross the Tuul river to enjoy the view over Bugant Meadows, rich in wildflowers and berries during the summer season, located just below the Bugant Mountain (2051 meters above sea level).
Overnight stay in camp. (B,L,D)

Day 2-3. Hagiin Har Lake

Our route will be decided according to river levels and climatic conditions at the time. There are three barely visible trails, known only to the local people, which make their way towards Hagiin Har Nuur. We will load the packhorses with the equipment. There is a saddlebag for each rider. We will ride further up the Tuul River Valley or the Zuunbayan River Valley and make our way into this fascinating area of rivers and small lakes via the Hongoriin and Hagiin River, setting up a base camp by the lake. We will remain here for two nights. The area is rich in wildlife, although it is difficult to see. The lake itself and the rivers are rich in fish such as grayling, lenok trout and taimen, which can grow quite large here.These days, we will travel by boat on the lake. And fishing boats. If you want you will fishing full day.

Today we also make Mongolian traditional Barbecue
Overnight stay in tent (B,L,D).

Day 4. HiydiynSardag & HöhNuur

We will make a day ride, first in a northeasterly direction to the small and abandoned Sardag Monastery. Built by Zanabazar, the first of the Mongol BogdoGegens (Living Buddhas like the Dalai Lama) in the 17th century. It was destroyed during the purges in the Stalinist 1930s. Then to the northwest to HöhNuur (Blue Lake) which is considerably smaller than HagiinHarNuur. There are several small lakes connected to it. Return to the same campsite.
Overnight stay in tent (B,L,D)

Day 5. AltanOlgii Mountain

This day we will ride to one of the perpetual snow covered and highest peaks mountain in the Khentiii, AltanOlgii Mountain ( meaning Golden Cradle, 2000m high).
Overnight stay in tent (B,L,D)

Day 6.

We will now again load our packhorses and ride back to bugant Meadows Ger Camp, via an alternative route, which will also provide an equally nice experience of the Siberian taiga lifezone.
Overnight stay in tent. (B,L,D)

Day 7.Erdene-Dalai Sum(county seat)

Today we drive to Erdene-Dalai Sum (county seat) and spend the last day with nomadic family.

You will have plenty of possibilities to explore nomad way of life as talking with people, learning and sharing their culture, and get involved with the nomadic family’s daily works. The hostess of the family will show and teach you how to produce tasty and nutritious dairy products of "aaruul" and "byaslag", a Mongolian cheese and dried milk.
Overnight stay with the nomadic family ger. (B,L,D)

Day 8. Drive to UB

Today we will drive to UB. This is a spare day to spend for shopping and self-exploration. You may refer to our recommendations in order to make most out of it.
We can organize farewell dinner (hotel/B).

Day 9. Departure

Transfer to airport for your return flight home. (B)