www.equineadventures.co.uk This summer in Mongolia, the descendants of Genghis Khan will be living up to their wild reputation during the annual festival of Naadam (Jul 11-13), where wrestling bouts, horse racing and archery are the order of the day. Specially timed to coincide with the festivities, Equine Adventures offer a 14-day ‘Ride Mongolia’ horseback exploration of one of the most spectacular regions of the globe, a rare chance to enter an ancient, nomadic world.
After an overnight stay in Ulaan Bataar the horseback safari begins with a gallop across the vast Mongolian plains towards Karakorum, the country’s ancient capital.
There is time to explore the 16th Century temples before continuing along the mighty Orkhan River. An exhilarating ride follows, into the Urt Bulag Valley and later to the top of Tuvshin Mountain, where the first religious King of Mongolia, the Ondor Gegeen Zanabazar ruled his mighty empire.
Many of Mongolia’s ancient monuments are in the heart of the Orkhan Valley - the Cradle of Mongolian civilisation where visitors are greeted with a refreshing cup of fermented mare’s milk (‘airag’), the local speciality! Next is the best scenery Mongolia has to offer and a long strip of sand that originates in the Gobi Desert and stretches all the way into the central regions of the country. An afternoon hike takes in the remains of an ancient monastery. The camp is in the foothills of the Khogno Khan Mountain. Accommodation throughout the safari is provided in dome tents. Finally guests get to witness Mongolian prowess at its best in the ‘three manly sports’ of wrestling, archery and horsemanship at the annual Naadam Festival in Ulaanbataar, a fascinating and colourful conclusion to a most memorable tour.
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