Mongolia Wilderness Conservation Adventure

Itinerary

Itinerary – Wilderness Conservation Adventure

Day 1 – Pick up at the airport and transport to Hotel, orientation and repacking for the ride.

Day 2 – Drive to Baruunbayangol Valley, (about 2 hours), where we meet the horses and saddle up for the day’s ride and ride up to the head of the valley where we’ll camp for the night below a high pass.

Day 3 – we leave the cultural landscape of the Baruunbyangol valley and make our way over a high pass with the horses and pack horses and down into a wild valley that is true wilderness to camp for the night next to a beautiful small river. We take lunch at the top of the pass before descending on foot leading the horses.

Day 4 – We pack up the horses as usual with the materials and camping gear and head over to another small valley leading to the Hongoriin Gol (Honey colored River), where we’ll make a crossing and head up the wild and beautiful Hongoriin Gol valley. We’ll stop for lunch along the way. After lunch, we continue up the valley and to Hagiin Har Nuur (Black Lichen Lake), where we’ll spend a couple of nights and undertake the conservation work around this remote and beautiful lake setting.

Day 5 & 6 – We will rendezvous with the rangers here at the lake and begin with the conservation work for the next two days. This varies from year to year, but could entail placing signs, building a wilderness toilet, trail maintenance and campsite cleanup. We’ll also place wildlife cameras around along the lake to see what wildlife may pass by over the days we’re there. There will be plenty of time for exploring the area, hiking around the lake, photography, swimming (great beaches) and just relaxing.

Day 7  – With the work and exploration done, we say farewell to the lake and ride along the eastern side to the south end, where we will begin a climb over another pass, taking lunch at the top to some great views. We then make our way down an interesting trail and into the upper Tuul River valley, where we’ll camp near the Tuul river in a wide open valley. A favorite of the horses, as there is plenty of great grass to feed on.

Day 8 – Leaving the upper Tuul River camp, we follow the Tuul river valley to the confluence with the Hongoriin Gol, crossing the river a number of times throughout the day. The scenery is spectacular along this route. Before the end of the day, we re-enter the Gorkhi-Terelj National Park and into the wide open Tuul river valley and cultural landscape this park is famous for. We’ll camp next to the river among large poplar trees.

Day 9 – On this day we leave our riverside campsite and continue down the Tuul River valley as it opens up even more. We’ll begin to see herders who may at this time be cutting hay for winter. We’ll take lunch along the river and head further down valley to an ancient campsite used by early nomadic horsemen.

Day 10 – Leaving this ancient campsite on the lower Baruunbayan Gol, we ride up a long valley to cross over two low passes and camp near the Terelj River for the night. These are open valleys with many herder winter camps along the way and we may see the first herders beginning with hay making around their camps.

Day 11 – In the morning, we follow the Terelj River valley upstream for half a day crossing the river several times. Near our last crossing, we’ll take lunch. After our “last lunch”, we’ll head up a small valley, over a pass and down into the Gachuurt River valley and back to our staging area where we’ll finish the trip. We’ll have snacks, drinks (beer, soda, juice, water) waiting for us at trips end. From here you’ll repack from the horse trip into your travel luggage and return to Ulaanbaatar and the hotel for the evening…..unless you want to do it all again.

Day 12 – Departure to airport. If you’re flight is later in the day or evening, you will have time to see some of the city or do some shopping. We will provide a guide to help find your way around.