Horse Trekking in the Orkhon and Khangai vs Altai Tavan Bogd Trekking
The shapes a Mongolia trip comes in, compared on days, driving, season and price band. For specific products, use Find a tour.
Typical length
7–14 days
6–17 days
Difficulty
moderate
demanding
Driving per day
minimal on riding days; the support vehicle handles transfers, with one or two long road days at each end
up to 7 hours on the Olgii-park transfer days; short local moves in between
Total distance
Riding stages of roughly 25-30 km per full day; an 8-day trip covers about 100-120 km on horseback, a 14-day Orkhon trek considerably more
Roughly 400 km of 4WD driving around Olgii on a 6-day version, plus about 1,700 km each way by air; trekking distance depends on whether you walk to the glacier or ride
Best months
Jun–Sep
- Jan: not a best month
- Feb: not a best month
- Mar: not a best month
- Apr: not a best month
- May: not a best month
- Jun: a best month
- Jul: a best month
- Aug: a best month
- Sep: a best month
- Oct: not a best month
- Nov: not a best month
- Dec: not a best month
Jun–Sep
- Jan: not a best month
- Feb: not a best month
- Mar: not a best month
- Apr: not a best month
- May: not a best month
- Jun: a best month
- Jul: a best month
- Aug: a best month
- Sep: a best month
- Oct: not a best month
- Nov: not a best month
- Dec: not a best month
Per person, per day
181-193 USDPrices as published for 2026
265 USDPrices as published for 2026
Stops
7
4
Good for
- riders of any level who are physically fit
- people who want to move through landscape rather than drive past it
- travellers happy to camp
- anyone who wants long days outdoors without technical skills
- experienced trekkers
- mountain and glacier photographers
- travellers who want the least-visited corner of the country
- people combining it with the autumn eagle festivals
Not for
- people with back or knee problems
- travellers who need a daily shower
- anyone expecting Western saddles and stirrup comfort
- travellers with under a week
- first-time visitors on a short trip
- anyone unwilling to camp or to spend two 7-hour days on rough road
- travellers who cannot get a border-zone permit arranged in advance
- people sensitive to altitude
Vehicle
Horses are the transport; a support van or 4WD carries luggage, food and camp gear and meets the riders each evening. This is why beginners can join — you are not carrying anything and the vehicle can take anyone who has had enough for the day.
4WD only for the park approach — this is one route where a van will not do. A domestic flight to Olgii is effectively mandatory given the distance from Ulaanbaatar. Camels or pack horses commonly carry gear on the glacier approach, and a border-zone permit is required.
Accommodation
Roughly half tented camps and half ger camps, with a hotel night at each end. The 14-day Orkhon trek uses 7 tent nights, 4 ger camp nights and 2 nights in a 3-star Ulaanbaatar hotel. Tent nights mean no shower and an outdoor toilet.
A mix: local family gers, tourist camps and tents. Longer western circuits use tents for three or more nights. Shower and toilet facilities are minimal to absent once inside the park, and sleeping bags are usually supplied by the operator.
Typical length
- Horse Trekking in the Orkhon and Khangai
- 7–14 days
- Altai Tavan Bogd Trekking
- 6–17 days
Difficulty
- Horse Trekking in the Orkhon and Khangai
- moderate
- Altai Tavan Bogd Trekking
- demanding
Driving per day
- Horse Trekking in the Orkhon and Khangai
- minimal on riding days; the support vehicle handles transfers, with one or two long road days at each end
- Altai Tavan Bogd Trekking
- up to 7 hours on the Olgii-park transfer days; short local moves in between
Total distance
- Horse Trekking in the Orkhon and Khangai
- Riding stages of roughly 25-30 km per full day; an 8-day trip covers about 100-120 km on horseback, a 14-day Orkhon trek considerably more
- Altai Tavan Bogd Trekking
- Roughly 400 km of 4WD driving around Olgii on a 6-day version, plus about 1,700 km each way by air; trekking distance depends on whether you walk to the glacier or ride
Best months
- Horse Trekking in the Orkhon and Khangai
- Jun–Sep
- Jan: not a best month
- Feb: not a best month
- Mar: not a best month
- Apr: not a best month
- May: not a best month
- Jun: a best month
- Jul: a best month
- Aug: a best month
- Sep: a best month
- Oct: not a best month
- Nov: not a best month
- Dec: not a best month
- Altai Tavan Bogd Trekking
- Jun–Sep
- Jan: not a best month
- Feb: not a best month
- Mar: not a best month
- Apr: not a best month
- May: not a best month
- Jun: a best month
- Jul: a best month
- Aug: a best month
- Sep: a best month
- Oct: not a best month
- Nov: not a best month
- Dec: not a best month
Per person, per day
- Horse Trekking in the Orkhon and Khangai
- 181-193 USDPrices as published for 2026
- Altai Tavan Bogd Trekking
- 265 USDPrices as published for 2026
Stops
- Horse Trekking in the Orkhon and Khangai
- 7
- Altai Tavan Bogd Trekking
- 4
Good for
- Horse Trekking in the Orkhon and Khangai
- riders of any level who are physically fit
- people who want to move through landscape rather than drive past it
- travellers happy to camp
- anyone who wants long days outdoors without technical skills
- Altai Tavan Bogd Trekking
- experienced trekkers
- mountain and glacier photographers
- travellers who want the least-visited corner of the country
- people combining it with the autumn eagle festivals
Not for
- Horse Trekking in the Orkhon and Khangai
- people with back or knee problems
- travellers who need a daily shower
- anyone expecting Western saddles and stirrup comfort
- travellers with under a week
- Altai Tavan Bogd Trekking
- first-time visitors on a short trip
- anyone unwilling to camp or to spend two 7-hour days on rough road
- travellers who cannot get a border-zone permit arranged in advance
- people sensitive to altitude
Vehicle
- Horse Trekking in the Orkhon and Khangai
- Horses are the transport; a support van or 4WD carries luggage, food and camp gear and meets the riders each evening. This is why beginners can join — you are not carrying anything and the vehicle can take anyone who has had enough for the day.
- Altai Tavan Bogd Trekking
- 4WD only for the park approach — this is one route where a van will not do. A domestic flight to Olgii is effectively mandatory given the distance from Ulaanbaatar. Camels or pack horses commonly carry gear on the glacier approach, and a border-zone permit is required.
Accommodation
- Horse Trekking in the Orkhon and Khangai
- Roughly half tented camps and half ger camps, with a hotel night at each end. The 14-day Orkhon trek uses 7 tent nights, 4 ger camp nights and 2 nights in a 3-star Ulaanbaatar hotel. Tent nights mean no shower and an outdoor toilet.
- Altai Tavan Bogd Trekking
- A mix: local family gers, tourist camps and tents. Longer western circuits use tents for three or more nights. Shower and toilet facilities are minimal to absent once inside the park, and sleeping bags are usually supplied by the operator.
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