Odontuya.

Mongolia is probably the only place where horses outnumber the human population. They were and are the very center of all nomadic existence and have been instrumental in the history and culture of the Mongols. It is thanks to these strong, yet undemanding horses, the armies of Chinggis Khaan conquered half of the known world in the 13th century, and, thanks to them, mongols are still able to roam vast steppes of Inner Asia practically the same way their ancestors lived for millennia. Join us on this trek and find yourself living and riding with the sons of Chinggis khan himself. There are many horseback riding opportunities in Mongolia. What makes this adventure unique is it cuts down the driving time and takes places in an unusually pristine ecosystem just north east of Ulaanbaatar, an area neighboring the birthplace of Genghis Khan. It was most likely one of the hunting grounds of the early 13th century.

Every year, over 100 hunter Kazakhs, who train Golden Eagles for hunting, gather around in a valley of Altai Mountains and celebrate the Golden Eagle Festival. There’s no age and gender restriction and both men and women compete. Passed down to generations, the skill of hunting with eagles was only preserved among the Mongolian Kazakh community in Mongolia. Thanks to the festival in the past 15 years, this unique tradition is coming back. This trip is one of the best examples of sustainable tourism supporting the local community. Our journey begins in the Gobi Desert, a diverse ecosystem of Mongolia where high mountains, dry basins and grasslands all co-exist together. Spend two full days at the Gobi’s tallest sand dunes, the magnificent Hongoryn Els for various photo opportunities. Next, fly over the high mountains to the western most part of Mongolia, to participate in the annual Golden Eagle Festival . For two days, experienced hunters will compete with their eagles to test the eagles’ agility and hunting skills. Enjoy spending a private time with hunters for a close up interaction with the hunters and their raptor birds.