Photos | Horse Trekking in Mongolia

Photos | Horse Trekking in Mongolia

Where else to ride a horse than the very place which invented horse riding. I did 3-day horse trekking at Khovsgol Lake starting from Jankhal where the guide and his horses lived.

The manager of Garage 24, the Guesthouse we stayed in Khatgal, called other families in the region until we found a family who gave us the best deal. It cost 20000 MNT per day for the guide and10000 MTN per day for a horse plus each horse plus one horse to carry our luggage.

Many people had warned me about Mongolian half-wild horse. Some were thrown off. Some couldn’t stop their horse from running. They advised me not to startle the horse by using the camera, removing my jacket or taking out out anything from my backpack while on the horse. I got a bit disappointed because my horse was too well-trained except that he ate and farted too much. He was a perfect tourist horse which always walked in line and followed the pack. I could get him to walk further away from the line but as soon as I went to far, he resisted my rein and forced his way toward the other horse. I could make my horse gallop, but as soon as he caught up with the leading horses, no matter what he stopped and I was not able to move his head ahead of the others. I tried to caress him, whispered into his ears and let him eat while being told not too, but I was unsuccessful in getting him to walk away from the line, so I shouted “Walk differently. Think Steve,” and that was when I named him “Apple” or “iHorse”. Can’t be anymore ironic.

We started at Janchal, where our guide, Narka, and his horses live, headed toward the mountain and rode in the forest.

Having lunch

Visited a Tsaataan family from the west taiga up in the mountain above Tsaagaan Nuur who took their reindeers down to the lake for the tourists as a way to supplement their income. But they sent the reindeers away 3 days before we arrived and would soon return to their winter home where the temperature could drop to -50 C.

Narka showed off his move wrestling a yak. He used to compete in wrestling.

We met Narka’s cousin and his son who were putting up their net at the lake. They stayed with us for the night.

The young boy was an experienced rider. He used to race when he was younger. He helped us gathering and saddling the horse.

More photos

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