Mongolia Riding Holidays: Across the Steppe with Nomadic Herders

The hook

Mongolia has more horses than people. A third of the population are still nomadic, moving herds of horses, sheep, goats, yaks and camels across one of the world's last truly empty landscapes. The horses are semi-wild, broken in by family members at three years old, and ridden hard for the rest of their lives. There are no fences for hundreds of miles. A horse is your access pass to a country that hasn't been corrupted by tourism the way most of the world has.

This is the most adventurous riding holiday on Saddl's international list. Multi-day pack trips through the Khövsgöl, Khangai or Altai mountains. Sleeping in gers (felt yurts) with herder families or in canvas camps under brilliant night skies. Riding 25 to 40km a day on small, tough Mongolian horses that look more pony than horse but go all day on grass alone. The Naadam Festival (July 11-13) is the cultural peak: wrestling, archery and horse racing across three days, the same way it's been held since Genghis Khan codified the tradition.

You don't go to Mongolia for the comfort. You go because nowhere else feels this far from your normal life.

Why Mongolia

The horse and the culture are the same thing. In Iceland the horse is a national treasure; in Mongolia the horse is the foundation of national identity. Children ride before they walk. Nine-year-olds compete in the 30km Naadam horse races. Herders judge each other by horsemanship the way other cultures judge by language.

Genuine wilderness. The Khangai mountains, the Khövsgöl lake region, the Gobi fringe and the Altai range in the west are some of the least-touched wild landscapes in Asia. You can ride for a week and not see a fence.

The semi-wild Mongolian horse. Smaller than European horses (12 to 14hh typical), shaggy, tough, surefooted, fast. They've been bred for endurance over a thousand years. The riding style is upright, short stirrups, light hands. It takes a couple of days to adjust.

Distinct sub-destinations. Khangai mountains and central steppe (standard introduction; alpine meadows, rolling grasslands, accessible from Ulaanbaatar). Lake Khövsgöl in the north (second-largest freshwater lake in Asia, ringed by taiga forest, home to Tsaatan reindeer herders). Altai range in the west (Kazakh eagle hunters who use trained golden eagles to hunt fox and wolf in winter). Gobi fringe in the south (desert riding, more demanding, drier).

Cost-effectiveness. A serious 10-day Mongolia trip comes in under £4,500 for most operators, well below comparable African or American adventures.

Who it's for

Advanced riders only on most multi-day trips. The horses are forward, the pace is real, the saddles are wooden traditional or hard military style at smaller operators. You need to canter and gallop confidently on an unfamiliar horse in open country with no warning.

Adventure travellers. This is not a holiday. It's an expedition. If you want comfort, book Argentina or Iceland.

Cultural curiosity travellers. Mongolia rewards the rider who's interested in nomadic culture, not just the horse. The herder family dinner, the Naadam wrestling, the eagle hunting demonstration are the experiences you'll remember most.

Solo travellers who handle remoteness well. Mongolia trips run as small group expeditions. Solo travellers fit naturally; the group dynamic is essential to the trip.

Returners with serious riding background. Plenty of riders take Mongolia as a milestone trip after years out of regular riding, but only if their underlying skill is sound. The horses don't accommodate inexperience.

Less ideal for: novices and intermediates (no operator should accept you on a multi-day trip), travellers wanting hot showers and Wi-Fi every night (rare in Mongolia), anyone who can't sit a fast canter on a small unfamiliar horse with shorter stirrups, those with weight over 90kg (Mongolian horses won't carry it).

When to go

June to September only. The grass needs to be up for the horses; winters drop to minus 30°C and trips stop entirely. July is the peak month. Naadam Festival runs 11 to 13 July. Most operators schedule trips around it; book 9 to 12 months ahead. June is the green steppe at its most lush, foals everywhere, fewer tourists than July. August is warm, dry, accessible, slightly less green than June. September is shoulder: cooler, golden grass, the autumn migration of herder camps to winter pasture.

What to expect

A typical 10 to 14-day Mongolia ride:

• 1 to 2 nights in Ulaanbaatar (UB) at start and end (hotel)
• Internal flight to regional airport (Khövsgöl, Khovd, Bayan-Ölgii) or long jeep transfer
• 7 to 10 days riding, covering 200 to 300km total
• Daily distance: 25 to 40km, 5 to 8 hours in the saddle
• Sleeping in gers (felt yurts) with host families, or in canvas camps with the operator's mobile kitchen
• Riding small Mongolian horses, often a different one each day
• Meals: mutton, dairy products (yak milk, fermented mare's milk), vegetables (limited), bread, tea
• Visit to a herder family for a meal at least once
• Optional: visit to Naadam Festival local races, eagle hunter family, Tsaatan reindeer camp, depending on route

Tack and equipment vary widely by operator. Wooden Mongolian saddles are traditional and notoriously uncomfortable for non-Mongolian riders. Most Western-facing operators bring military-style or English-style saddles. Confirm before booking.

Practical info

• Flights from UK: London to Ulaanbaatar via Istanbul, Beijing, Seoul or Moscow. 12 to 18 hours total with one stop.
• Visa: required for UK passport holders. £55-£75, e-visa available, valid 30 days.
• Currency: Mongolian tögrög (MNT). USD widely accepted at hotels in UB.
• Vaccinations: standard travel set, rabies recommended given horse and dog exposure.
• Pack: own helmet (essential, not optional), riding boots or sturdy walking boots that work for riding, breeches or jeans, layered clothing (cold mornings even in summer), sleeping bag rated to minus 5°C if camping, water purifier, small first aid kit, head torch.
• Travel insurance: must cover horse riding, remote area evacuation, and altitude (some routes go above 3,000m).
• Phone signal: patchy outside UB. Some routes have none for days at a time.

Saddl insider tips

• Book 9 to 12 months ahead for any July trip overlapping Naadam. Operators sell out and you'll lose the festival window.
• Confirm in writing what tack the operator provides. Wooden Mongolian saddles are not negotiable for many travellers; either bring your own English saddle, confirm Western or English tack supplied, or accept it.
• Do not book Mongolia as your first international riding holiday. The horses, tack, conditions and remoteness compound. Build up via Iceland or Argentina first.
• The Naadam Festival in Ulaanbaatar is the version most tourists see. Smaller regional Naadams are often more authentic and less crowded. Ask your operator.
• Spend at least one day in Ulaanbaatar before departing for the steppe. The altitude and time-zone shift hits hard.
• Mongolian hospitality is intense and generous. Saying yes to fermented mare's milk, mutton-on-the-bone and vodka shots is part of the trip.