Kazakh gentleman

The Altai Mountains form the border with China, in the far west of Mongolia. Local people are predominantly Kazakh, and the culture is distinctly different from the rest of the country, although still nomadic. Making the most of contacts in the area, in 2007 we organised a trip into the remote southern part of Altai Tavan Bogd National Park. There have been virtually no foreign visitors to this area, according to the locals.

For the first time we used a camel to carry luggage which was very successful. Able to carry 200kg comfortably over rocky terrain, they are ideal pack animals. Except for their temperament of course. You may have heard about camels spitting – that isn’t true, it’s more like a foul smelling projectile vomit!

Autumn in the forested valley

At this time of year the lush mountain pastures will be carpeted in wildflowers, making a wonderful contrast to the barren terrain surrounding this oasis.

This is a remote and mountainous region, with demanding riding conditions. Therefore it is essential that you are fit and active and willing to take on a challenge.

Riding through Zavkhan's forests

Although we are running trips to other parts of Mongolia in 2008, Zavkhan is still our number one spot, and there is a lot of beautiful country left to explore. We will be running one vehicle supported trip and a pack horse trip (and one tailored trip). Vehicle support allows us to ride with a degree of comfort that is not practical when using pack horses (unfortunately this is not an area where camels are used). A glass of wine at the end of a hard day's riding is always welcome!

Our exploratory pack horse trip in 2007 was a great success, so we will be running another one in 2008. Being independent of the support vehicle allows us to push further into the mountains of Tarvagatai Uul National Park, where even Mongolian drivers can’t go (and that’s really saying something!).

After riding, we head out to Khar Nuur, a beautiful and isolated desert lake fringed by sand dunes. Perfect for swimming, hiking or just relaxing.

Crossing the Balj gol

In 2007 we visited the north-east corner of Khentii, a protected area one and a half day’s drive from Ulaanbaatar. Our friends amongst the local Buriat ethnic group had told us how beautiful it is, and they were not wrong.  The Balj gol (river) meanders through lush forest and pastures as it comes down from the mountains in Russian.

Riding through grass up to your horse’s shoulder is certainly not usual in Mongolia – and these horses are bigger than those in Zavkhan due to cross-breeding with Russian stallions.

On this trip we will be assessing the potential of the rivers for future combined riding-paddling trips. They are not the sort of river to excite an adrenaline junky, more the grade that allows you to enjoy the scenery as you meander along.

Jenya and Ogi posing by the Balj gol

In 2007 we only managed to see a small part of this area, with local friends, so there is a lot of country still to explore. We plan to ride up the Balj gol to reach an area of hot springs near the border, and then travel further into the Onon-Balj National Park.

 Most of this trip will be vehicle-supported, but we may need to use pack-horses in order to reach some more remote areas. Jenya and Ogi will be leading this trip.

One of the reasons this area’s wildlife has not suffered the same fate as the rest of Mongolia is its remoteness. It is currently unpopulated. Unfortunately a bridge and major highway coming through from China have almost been completed which is likely to be disastrous for the environment. The siting of the bridge and road west has been the subject of much debate in recent years. It was originally proposed to push straight through Nomrog and the Eastern Steppe strictly protected areas.

Happy trekkers, grumpy child

It is unclear now whether it has been re-routed to the north, but it will undoubtedly still end up impacting negatively on this pristine environment.

We would like to get there and see it before it all changes. As always, we will travel the most sensible way – by horse. There is the possibility that we may be able to assist with flora and fauna surveys in the area through a friend currently working with a conservation agency in Mongolia, but this is just an idea at this stage. This will REALLY be an exploratory trip, as we don’t quite know what we will find out there, and whether we will even be able to gain permission to enter the area. We will be working on finding out more over the coming months, so if you think you might be interested please get in touch.

Our trip in 2007 was the first time we had been to the festival, and I have to say it was a fantastic two days. A handful of foreigners were in attendance, but mainly it was just several hundred local participants and spectators, having a great old time. Everyone dresses up in their best outfits, which are spectacular. When the riotous crowd of people, horses, camels and eagles gets too much, you can always pop into a ger for a cup of tea and a khuurshuur (mutton pancake).

Traditional race between a man and a woman

A crowd favourite (amongst the women at least) is the 'race between a man and a woman', in which the woman pursues the man, giving him a good whipping as they gallop across the steppe.

The tug of war over a dead goat involves two riders holding each end of the goat and trying to pull each other out of the saddle as they gallop randomly about - including into the crowd. Brutal certainly, but great fun to watch, and very fiercely contested. It's quite incredible how far out of the saddle a rider can be pulled without actually falling.

For a real test of horsemanship, riders lean down out of the saddle at speed to pick up small targets off the ground. Very useful when you drop your hat.

The skills of the eagles and their masters are tested firstly by the ability of the hunter to call his eagle to him, and then by the ability of the eagle to swoop down on a skin dragged behind a horse. Up close these birds are enormous and very beautiful. Only female birds are used - apparently they are the most aggressive. In 2008 we will combine the eagle festival with a trek into the Altai mountains (see the description of the Altai exploratory trip). Jenya and Ogi will lead this trip.