White Ride, Mongolia in Winter

Upon your arrival at the airport, your driver welcomes you warmly before driving you to your hotel. You settle in and enjoy a moment of rest to begin your stay in complete peace of mind.

Meet at noon at your hotel with your guide, who will accompany you to lunch at the restaurant of your choice.

Stroll through the city center of Ulan Bator. You discover the central Genghis Khan square as well as the Parliament. You then head to Naran Tuul market, the large traditional market of the capital where you find many items, including equipment used by Mongols to protect themselves from the cold: fur-lined boots, fur hats and long warm jackets.

Before leaving Ulan Bator, you visit the Gandantegchinlen Monastery. The monks gather there in the morning for prayer and will be able to answer your questions at the Buddhist Centre of Mongolie.

Drive towards the Khustai Reserve, which is home to Przewalski's wild horses (takhi). Dusk is a good time to observe them. You take a walk near their watering point to admire them peacefully, without disturbing them.

In the afternoon, you take your first horseback ride to acclimatize and test your equipment against the cold. You spend your first night in Mongolie with a nomadic family living on the edge of the national park.

You set off on a longer ride that takes you to the banks of the Tuul River.

You then return to the family home to share a warm lunch before heading back out on horseback to explore the surroundings.

Route to Karakorum, the ancient capital of the Mongols. Founded in 1220 by Genghis Khan, this legendary city was one of the stops on the Silk Road. It was from this city that the Mongol empire was administered before Kublai Khan moved the capital to Beijing. Today, only a few remains of the capital survive.

Visit to the famous Erdene Zuu monastery, built in 1586 by a nomadic prince. Its buildings, inspired by Chinese and Tibetan architecture, are surrounded by 108 sacred stupas. You will also discover the Karakorum museum.

Route to the Orkhon Valley. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this valley is a major center of nomadism where many herders set up their summer camps each year. Arrival at a family of nomadic herders in the valley, where you will stay for 4 nights. During this stay, you will discover the way of life of the inhabitants, and will be able to participate in various activities such as milking animals, making traditional dairy products or gathering herds on horseback.

During your stay with the herding family, you will have horses at your disposal to discover the different sites of the Orkhon Valley: the Ulaan Tsutgalan waterfalls, the hot springs of Mogoit or the Tovkhon monastery. Horse rides will be organized according to weather conditions. Each day will begin with a shared moment with the family to discover their way of life, followed by a warm lunch in the yurt before setting off on a horseback trek in the afternoon.

Road to the Orkhon Valley. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, this valley is a major center of nomadism where many herders set up their summer camps each year. Arrival at a nomadic herding family's home in the valley, where you will stay for 4 nights. During your stay, you will discover the inhabitants' way of life and can participate in various activities such as milking animals, making traditional dairy products, or rounding up herds on horseback.

During your stay with the herding family, you will have horses at your disposal to explore the different sites of the Orkhon Valley: the Ulaan Tsutgalan waterfalls, the Mogoit hot springs, or the Tovkhon monastery. Horse rides will be organized according to weather conditions. Each day will begin with a shared moment with the family to discover their way of life, followed by a warm lunch in the yurt before setting off on a horseback trek in the afternoon.

Route to the Orkhon valley. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, this valley is a major centre of nomadism where many herders set up their summer camps each year. Arrival at a family of nomadic herders in the valley, with whom you will stay for 4 nights. During your stay, you will discover the lifestyle of the inhabitants, and will be able to participate in various activities such as milking animals, making traditional dairy products or gathering herds on horseback.

During your stay with the herding family, you will have horses at your disposal to explore the various sites in the Orkhon valley: the Ulaan Tsutgalan waterfalls, the Mogoit hot springs or the Tovkhon monastery. Rides will be organized according to weather conditions.

Each day will begin with a shared moment with the family to discover their lifestyle, followed by a warm lunch in the yurt before heading out on a horseback trek in the afternoon.

Route to the Orkhon Valley. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, this valley is a major center of nomadism where many herders set up their summer camps each year. Arrival at a family of nomadic herders in the valley, where you will stay for 4 nights. During your stay, you will discover the way of life of the inhabitants, and will be able to participate in various activities such as animal milking, the making of traditional dairy products or the gathering of herds on horseback.

During your stay with the herding family, you will have horses at your disposal to explore the different sites of the Orkhon Valley: the Ulaan Tsutgalan waterfalls, the hot springs of Mogoit or the Tovkhon monastery. Horseback rides will be organized according to weather conditions.

Each day will begin with a shared moment with the family to discover their way of life, followed by a warm lunch in the yurt before setting off on horseback trekking in the afternoon.

Departure to the Khogno Khan rock formations. You will discover this park combining semi-desert steppes, taiga, rocky reliefs and a long 80 km sand strip, which gives this arid region the nickname "mini Gobi".

Horse trekking to Erdene Khambiin monastery. The "Monastery of the Monk Erdene", built in the 17th century, was constructed in the mountains by Zanabazar as a tribute to his master, the monk Erdene.

A change of scenery for this final day of horseback riding: you ride this time through a desert landscape, along the sand dunes of Elsen tasarkhai, which can also be snow-covered.

Return to Ulan Bator. On the way, the last herds of wild horses crossing the road and yurts smoking in the distance accompany your final moments in the steppe before entering the city. Arrival in the city center and check-in at your hotel, where you can rest for a few moments.

Immerse yourself in Mongolian history by visiting the National History Museum. Over three floors, you explore a rich and contrasting past, from prehistory to the Soviet period, including the founding of the great Mongol empire by Genghis Khan.

The rest of the day is free. Accompanied by your local guide, you can stroll through the city's shops and markets, an opportunity to do your final shopping and choose some souvenirs: traditional crafts, shamanic objects, felt clothing or Mongolian jewelry. You can also take advantage of this free time to walk around the city center, visit a small gallery or simply enjoy a coffee at one of the local establishments.

This day marks the end of your journey in Mongolie, a trip punctuated by encounters, discoveries and shared moments in the heart of a country where nature and traditions remain preserved.