The Reindeer Trail

Early in the morning, we head to the airport to take a one-hour flight to Mörön, the capital of Khövsgöl Province. From there, we continue north by car to Khatgal. It’s a settlement on the southern shore of Lake Khövsgöl, known for its distinctive architecture: Siberian wooden cottages stand side by side with yurts. We mount our horses and begin our adventure. That day we have around 15 km in the saddle to cover, with the route leading through the nearby villages. In the evening, we set up camp for the first time.

After breakfast out in the open, we’ll hop on our horses. Our today’s ride is about 35 km, the first long day in the saddle. We’ll follow a scenic route running along the shoreline. According to Mongolian stories, Khövsgöl and Baikal were once one. In reality, the two lakes are more like “twins”: they lie in the same tectonic rift, which makes them both long and very deep. They are connected by the outflow of the Egijn Gol and the Selenga – like an umbilical cord. We’ll stop for lunch along the way, and in the evening we’ll set up our second camp.

We continue riding north. We say goodbye to Lake Khövsgöl and enter the depths of the larch forests. To the west, the majestic Choridol Saridag mountain range looms in the distance. At its foot, we’ll come across our first ovoo – a place of animist worship. It is a mound made of stones, wood, and offerings to the local spirits. In keeping with local custom, we’ll ride around the ovoo three times as a sign of respect. You can also leave an offering of your own. In the evening, we’ll reach the area near the Jigleg Pass, where we’ll set up our next camp.

After breakfast, we’ll take down our camp, hop into the saddle, and head briskly onwards towards the Arsai River. The terrain is easy, mostly forests and open plains. It’s worth listening out for the cuckoos singing around us and keeping an eye out for ground squirrels. We’ll be galloping, a lot, but we have to be careful, the vast, open ground is dotted with burrows and holes in the earth – the work of ground squirrels and other small animals. In the evening, we’ll reach the Eult area, where we’ll spend the night.

We enter the Darkhad Basin. It is considered one of the hardest places in the country to reach, even by Mongolian standards. Our trail first runs through forest, but later we’ll come across settlements. In the afternoon, we’ll reach the village of Renchinlkhümbe, where we’ll restock our supplies and spend the night in a guesthouse. We’ll also make use of the local bathhouse.

In the morning, we leave the village behind. Ahead of us lies the gateway to the Land of Lakes. Around 300 lakes are hidden among the green hills, and we’ll get to see some of them on the way. Plenty of galloping awaits us across the last stretches of steppe this far north. As usual, we’ll stop for lunch along the way, and in the evening we’ll set up camp and spend the evening around a fire.

After breakfast, we hop on our horses and continue further north-west. We’ll cross two bridges on local rivers flowing into the majestic Lake Tsagaan Nuur. We’ll also visit a local family. It will be a chance for us to try Mongolian tea and other local treats. After lunch, we continue on our way, and spend the night camping near the Khogorgo River.

This is where the hardest part of the ride begins – we enter the taiga. The vegetation here is made up of shrubs, low conifers, and birch trees. These lands are completely uninhabited and form a natural barrier separating the Dukha tribe from the rest of the world. The trail is rarely used and sometimes disappears altogether. The terrain is harsh, often marshy and slippery. In the middle of the day, we’ll spot the first reindeer herds and… tipis. Unlike the other peoples of the Great Steppe, the Dukha do not live in gers, but build triangular shelters from wood and reindeer hides. We’ll spend the night in tipis belonging to one of the Dukha families.

This day is all about getting to know the life, traditions, and beliefs of the Dukha. The horses rest after the long and demanding journey, while we immerse ourselves in a world of legends, songs, games, and tribal traditions. There’ll be a chance to join the families in their daily activities, learn more about the reindeer, and listen to stories told by the tribal elders. We’ll spend the night in tipis once again.

We say goodbye to the reindeer herders and set off on the return journey. The vast taiga lies ahead of us once again. We head south, towards the already familiar Lake Tsagaan Nuur and the settlement nestled against its shore. It’s a long day in the saddle, around 40 km through difficult terrain. It’s also our final day on horseback. We’ll spend the night in tents.

We say goodbye to our amazing horses and horsemen. We’ll switch to cars and continue south carried by mechanical horses Our destination for today is a bend of the Beltes River. We have 160 km to cover, but the terrain is very difficult, so the drive will take around 6–7 hours. We’ll spend the night camping in a picturesque canyon.

We’ll spend that day on the road. First, we head towards Mörön, where we’ll stop for lunch. Then we turn south-east. The landscape gradually changes as we approach the extinct volcano Uran Togoo. In the afternoon, we reach our campsite. We pitch our tents for the last time and admire the night sky over wild Mongolia.

After breakfast, we set off towards Ulaanbaatar. The distance is around 370 km, but by Mongolian standards the road is good. In the afternoon, we arrive at a charming camp near the capital. We’ll be able to have a proper wash and warm up, and then our final dinner together awaits us. We’ll spend the night in gers.

We set off for the airport, where our journey back home begins.