Gorkhi Terelj National Park Expedition – 10 days

Itinerary

Day 1 – Pick up from the airport and transfer to hotel by a Stone Horse Expedition driver. We will meet you at the hotel, individually or the whole group of guest riders, and over lunch or dinner discuss last minute preparations, ensure you have the right clothing and gear to be fully equipped and ready to start the trip.

Day 2 – Pick up at the hotel and travel by van to the Stone Horse Expeditions staging area NE of the city, a little over an hour drive. After coffee and snacks, you repack your gear into saddle bags carried by your trail horse, and into dry bags that go onto the packhorses. You meet your trail horse and have time to get familiar with him, our Western style trail saddles and tack. After an early lunch, we set out. Today we ride over a pass and into the Terelj valley; we cross the river to reach our campsite for the night.

Day 3 – Today’s ride is over two forest passes and in the afternoon down a valley with a series of winter camps of nomadic livestock herders; reaching the Tuul valley, we turn left into the Baruun Bayn (river) Valley and make camp near the river.

Day 4 – This morning, the riders set out while two horsemen are finalizing breaking camp and packing up. They will take the pack horses on a shorter route to our day’s destination, while the riders take time to explore and take in scenic locations along the route. We ride up the Baruun Bayngol Valley following the broad valley floor. Then we cross the river, and after a break continue upriver, eventually breaking off to the West where we ascend to a scenic high point crowned with rock formations. It’s a gentle slope leading up to there, a great opportunity for an invigorating gallop for those who like. Or you can follow at your own pace, enjoying the views while reaching the height where we gather and stop for a picnic lunch. Depending on the late season weather and forecast, we will ride either to a ger camp where the night can be spent in gers heated in the evening and early morning, or continue to meet our tented camp in the Khukh Chuluutin Gol (Blue Rock River) valley. In the latter case, we take a longer afternoon ride, passing by a Buddhist shrine (Stupa) and taking a ridge ride with great sweeping views of the autumn landscape of the park before arriving in camp, where heated group tent, drinks and snacks are waiting, and guest sleeping tents are set up.

Day 5 – We take a day ride to the ruins of the Princess Temple – a scenic ride leading into higher country with scenic rock formations and on forest trails to the historic site. It’s a round trip of 5- 6 hours including picnic lunch whether we ride from the ger camp or our own tented camp.

Day 6 – We begin our return journey. Again the riders set out earlier, heading to the hills and high ridges East of the Baruun Bayngol Valley. In the afternoon, we ride down a scenic valley leading back the Baruun Bayngol Valley and head to our tented camp that our horsemen have set up. We will spend two nights here.

Day 7 – We take a day ride, riding past bronze age burial sites, over a forest pass and descent into the Tuul valley. We cross the river to have lunch in the park like setting under the cotton wood stands in the river flats. The afternoon ride takes us back over a small saddle into the Baruun Bayngol Valley and find our camp at its sheltered site in the forest.

Day 8 – Leaving our camp site, we cross the Baruun Bayn Gol (river) to emerge onto the grasslands where likely now many herds of livestock graze. After a short ride down the Baruun Bayngol Valley we turn West to ride up the Southside of the Horhyn Gol valley. Again, we are likely to have encounters with herds of free roaming horses here. We have lunch at the forest edge where there is good grazing, and later drop over a forest pass to ride down into the Terelj Valley. In early September, we find still numerous gers of herder families and their herds here. The big open expanse of the Terelj valley invites a trot and its here that we often make good speed, saddle and pack horses trotting fast, knowing a good camp with grass and water is ahead. Reaching the cotton wood groves of the lower Khurkhree Gol (river) near its confluence with the Terelj river, we take a last break for the day. From here its less than thirty minutes to our camp site near the Khurkhree river.

Day 9 – The last day’s ride is easy terrain, in the morning following the upper Terelj valley upstream, crossing the Terelj river several times. We stop for lunch before beginning our ascent to the last pass, Davatiin Davaa, from where it is about an hours ride back to the Stone Horse cabins in the Darkhid Valley. We usually arrive mid to late afternoon. Drinks and snacks await you at the cabin. Our driver has brought your luggage and after snacks and over a beer or other drink you repack your gear; in the meantime the horses are unloaded, checked and let go to run free and graze in their home valley. You can say farewell to your trail horse before he takes off, to have a good role and then galloping off to join the rest of the herd. Our drivers are waiting to take you back to the city when you are ready; arrival at the hotel is usually in time to freshen up and go out for dinner.

Day 10 – Departure day, with transfer to the airport. Or for those who stay another day of two, day tours, a city tour can be arranged or guiding for shopping be provided. And if time permits, opportunity for a farewell dinner with Stone Horse team members.

Note:

October is late season. While it can be pleasantly warm during days, temperatures may be around freezing or below, and it may snow. Nights are below freezing, and can drop down to – 10/-15 Celsius. We are prepared for these temperatures with our camping gear – heated tents, warm and triple layered sleeping bags. But we also manage our routes according the weather/forecast. Therefore there can be changes in the itinerary; we arrange the days to give you the best experience of riding in the late season, while keeping you comfortable and safe. You must bring WARM clothing and footwear for the late season treks. You may want to arrange a call with us before to make sure you pack the right gear. Late season treks in Mongolia however are a great adventure nevertheless with the right equipment and spirit.