7-Day Horse Trekking Kharkhorin Nomadic Life Orkhon Valley

A week on horseback through Mongolia's heartland: larch forests, mountain lakes, and nights with nomadic families

A 7-day horse trekking tour departing from Kharkhorin ancient capital city, visiting Orkhon Valley, Eight Lakes and Tuvkhun Monastery with an English-speaking guide. The itinerary includes round-trip local bus transport from Ulaanbaatar, all park entrance fees, lodging in nomadic family gers throughout the countryside, and horse rides across lava fields and alpine meadows. Minimum age is 14.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Explore Kharkhorin ancient capital

• Travel Ulaanbaatar to Kharkhorin by bus
• Pick up from bus station
• Visit Erdene Zuu monastery
• Explore local museum of Kharkhorin
• Stop at phallic rock and Turtle rocks
• Overnight at ger guesthouse
• Dinner prepared for all diets

Day 2: Visit Orkhon valley and waterfall

• Travel Kharkhorin to Orkhon valley
• See Orkhon waterfall
• Ride horse in the valley
• Overnight at nomadic family ger
• Breakfast, lunch, and dinner prepared

Day 3: Horse trekking to Eight Lakes

• Horse ride to Eight Lakes area
• Visit several lakes and larch forest
• Overnight at nomadic family ger or tents
• Breakfast, lunch, and dinner prepared

Day 4: Hike to Shireet Lake

• Hike to Shireet Lake
• Explore lake area
• Return to host family
• Enjoy nomadic life activities
• Overnight in tents
• Breakfast, lunch, and dinner prepared

Day 5: Horse trek back to Bodon Pass

• Horse ride to Bodon Pass
• Drive to waterfall area
• Overnight with nomadic family
• Try Mongolian traditional barbeque
• Breakfast, lunch, and dinner prepared

Day 6: Visit Tuvkhun Monastery

• Drive to Tuvkhun Monastery
• Trek through mountains and forests
• Picnic with view of Orkhon Valley
• Overnight in tents
• Breakfast, lunch, and dinner prepared

Day 7: Return to Ulaanbaatar

• Travel back to Ulaanbaatar
• Breakfast and lunch prepared

The experience

You arrive in Ulaanbaatar and take the local bus to Kharkhorin (365 km, roughly six hours, buses depart at 11am and 2pm daily). A co-worker meets you at the bus station and takes you to explore the ancient capital: Erdene Zuu monastery, built in 1586 on the ruins of the 13th-century imperial city and one of Mongolia's largest Buddhist sites; the local museum, which holds artifacts from Stone Age through the Mongolian Empire; and nearby phallic and turtle rock formations. Your first night is in a ger guesthouse in town.

The next four days center on horse trekking. You ride from Kharkhorin toward Orkhon Valley to see the country's largest waterfall, where the Ulaan and Orkhon rivers meet. Locals call it Ulaan Tsutgalan, the Red Fall. From there, a four- to five-hour horse ride takes you into the remote Eight Lakes area, where larch forest and alpine meadow surround a chain of mountain lakes. The terrain is rough, lava stones make the trail challenging, and the altitude brings cold weather even in late summer. You spend nights in nomadic family gers and tents, eating simple meals and joining in the rhythms of herding life: yak milk tea, games of anklebones, sunsets and stargazing. On day four, you dismount and hike to Shireet Lake, the largest and most scenic of the eight. The return ride takes you back to Bodon Pass, where vans meet you for the drive to the waterfall area and a night with a nomadic family that includes a traditional Mongolian barbecue.

Day six brings a shift to trekking on foot. You drive to Tuvkhun Monastery (70 km from Orkhon Valley) and hike through mountain and forest to reach it at 2,312 meters elevation. This is where Zanabazar, Mongolia's first religious leader, created the Soyombo alphabet. The monastery overlooks the entire Khangai range and the Orkhon Valley below. You picnic in that setting before returning to camp. The final day is the return journey to Ulaanbaatar by local bus.

What’s included

• Horse and camel rides.
• round-trip local bus ticket from Ulaanbaatar to Kharkhorin.
• all park entrance fees.
• lodging in nomadic family gers and tents throughout the countryside.
• transfers to and from the bus station.
• English-speaking guide for the full seven days.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (14 to 65 years) · Under 14: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 14 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Mongolian Vision Tours

Is this one for you?This tour departs from Kharkhorin, reached by local bus from Ulaanbaatar, so you don't need a rental car or private transport to join. If you're staying in the capital or arriving without a vehicle, the included bus ticket and station pickup solve the logistics of getting to the trailhead.

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What's the Orkhon waterfall like when you get there?

Orkhon waterfall, also called Ulaan Tsutgalan or Red Fall, is Mongolia's largest waterfall by height and width, formed where the Ulaan and Orkhon rivers meet. In years of heavy rainfall it becomes especially dramatic, with rainbows forming over the currents.

How do I get from Ulaanbaatar to Kharkhorin at the start?

You take the local bus from Ulaanbaatar to Kharkhorin, a 365 km journey that takes about six hours. Buses leave at 11am and 2pm daily, and a co-worker meets you at the bus station in Kharkhorin to begin the tour.

What are the Eight Lakes and what's the horse ride like?

Eight Lakes is a remote alpine area surrounded by larch forest and green meadow, reached by a four- to five-hour horse ride from Orkhon waterfall. The trail crosses rough lava stone terrain, which makes it challenging but visually striking. The higher altitude means it can snow even in August or September.

Where do you sleep during the horse trekking days?

Throughout the countryside portion of the trek, you stay in nomadic family gers and tents. One night includes a traditional Mongolian barbecue with a nomadic family near Bodon Pass.

What is Tuvkhun Monastery and why visit it?

Tuvkhun Monastery sits at 2,312 meters in the Khangai range, where Zanabazar, Mongolia's first religious leader, created the Soyombo alphabet. From the monastery you have views across the entire range and down into Orkhon Valley, and the tour includes a picnic in that setting.

Do I need horse riding experience to book this trek?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels and has a minimum age of 14. No prior riding experience is mentioned as required, though the itinerary notes the terrain is rough and the rides span several hours across challenging landscape.