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Other Activity Tours
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As well as mountain biking vacations,
we also organize hiking and horse riding tours in
Mongolia. Even the trips than we call "cultural" all include
optional activities of walking and riding horses,
camels, and even yaks. Conversely, our activity tours
also include cultural aspects. The most fascinating aspect of Mongolian
culture for many foreigners is the nomadic lifestyle. Mongolian
people are very hospitable and in traveling around the country
you are sure to be invited into the homes of local families who
will offer you tea, airag (fermented mare's milk),
clotted cream, yogurt, and whatever other milk products
they have to hand.
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Naadam
Festival Tours
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2008
Group Naadam Festival Holiday |
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Every city, town and village in Mongolia celebrates Naadam as
an opportunity to demonstrate their sporting prowess, meet far-flung
neighbours, do business and enjoy a holiday. Usually the festival
takes place over three days from 11 - 13th July.
The "three sports of men" are horse racing, wrestling
and archery, these being the favourite sports of the Mongolians
and those to which they have historically excelled. The horse
races cover 25 - 35 km in open countryside, and the jockeys are
young children. The wrestling competitions are notable for the
extraordinary costumes of the participants, and the archers are
both men and women using hand-made gear.
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Horse
Riding
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2008
Group Horseback Riding Holidays |
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Mongolia is a nation of horsemen and for many visitors
this is the best way to see the country. To ride across the hills
and open steppe together with the local people is a wonderful experience.
On our horse riding tours and treks we work with local families,
hiring their horses, and the owners themselves travel with us to
look after the animals and saddle them up each day. Mongolian saddles
are made of wood, often highly decorated with big silver engraved
studs, which are most uncomfortable for Western riders. We therefore
use Russian style saddles made of leather on a metal frame, which
are much more acceptable. The ability of group members usually varies
from the novice to the experienced rider, so we would normally divide
the group into two so that everyone can ride at their own pace.
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Hiking & Trekking
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2008
Group Hiking Holidays |
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We organize hiking and trekking vacations to suit people of any
ability. Our Mount Kharkhiraa walking holiday in the Altai Mountains
of Western Mongolia is an 8-day trek in the spectacular glaciated
valleys and snow-capped peaks of the remote Uvs region. Like the
local nomads, we use camels as well as horses to carry the packs.
Later in the summer we have a tour to include the ancient capital
of Kharkhorin in Central Mongolia as well as the fabled Gobi Desert
in the south. This cultural adventure vacation includes hiking
and riding horses and camels in these two beautiful parts of Mongolia.
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