Mongolia is an ideal destination for long and unique horseback treks. Whether you want to be on a trek with a guide or in immersion with a Mongol family, Stone Horse Expeditions & Travel will find the option that suits you best. Keith Swenson and Sabine Schmidt, founders of Stone Horse Expeditions & Travel, will guide through the most amazing places in protected areas in Mongolia, such as the Gorkhi-Terelj National Park and the Khan Khentii Strictly Protected Area.
Horse trekking in Mongolia
Following the principles of ecotourism, Stone Horse Expeditions & Travel keeps the use of a car at its minimum, giving priority to travelling on horseback. On those treks you will meet the nomad populations, learn about their culture and history but also learn about the environment. To lessen the impact on the landscape, expeditions will be guided through different routes. Fields, lakes, mountains and forests will be your daily landscape in the Mongolian wilderness. It is possible to go on a trek all-year long, but you might favor going in the summer.
While in Mongolia, it is important to go to a horse race. Horse races are very famous and popular. They usually are part of festivities gathering archery, wrestling, horse races and sometimes falconry. Those festivities happen every year during the summer. The most famous and largest one is indisputably the annual Naadam Festival, which starts on July 11th. This festival takes place in Ulaanbaatar, the Mongolian capital city. Mongolians compete in the “three games of men”, which are archery, wrestling and horse racing. Originally, only men were allowed to compete in those games, but women are now allowed to take part in horse racing and archery competitions.
With its little horses and magnificent landscapes, Mongolia is an original destination for vacations at the heart of wilderness. A little sense of bravery is recommended in order to enjoy this unique country, its culture and history.
If you would like to know more about ecotourism, read my next week’s blog post.
Photo credit : Horse trekking, cindy-dam. All photos published under a Creative Commons license. Some rights reserved.
Travels to the sound of hooves 