Eight Lakes Horse Trek
Horse trek through the beautiful Khangai Mountains during this 12-day adventure (includes 6 days of horse riding). Live with nomadic herding families, stay in simple camps under open skies, and experience daily life shaped by nature, animals, and tradition. One of the coolest trips you can book in Mongolia!
Solo Traveler: $4,500 USD
2 – 3 People: $3,500 USD/person 4 – 5 People: $2,500 USD/person
6 – 8 People: $2,000 USD/person
- Tour Type: Horse Riding
- Book Now (Private Itinerary)
- No Reviews
Dates: Available June 1 – September 15, 2026 (12 Days, 11 Nights)
Book For: 1 –8 People
Languages Available: English
Stay: Homestays with a Local Herder Families, Basic Ger Camps, Tent Camping, and Hotels
Tour Type: Horseback Riding, Adventure, Homestay
Included: Local Mongolian Guide, Full Horse Trekking Support Team (including horses, horsemen, pack animals, chef, and logistics during trekking days), Meals, Accommodation (including two nights in Ulaanbaatar), Airport Transfers
Price to Book:
3 – 4 People: $3,600 USD/person
5 – 7 People: $3,000 USD/person
8 – 10 People: $2,500 USD/person
This 12-day journey is about experiencing Mongolia the way it has been traveled for centuries, on horseback. It’s an adventure shaped by wide-open landscapes, meaningful connections, and the steady rhythm of life on the steppe.
Spend 6 days (of the trip’s 12 days) riding through the Khangai Mountains and the remote Eight Lakes region, crossing high passes, forested valleys, rivers, and open grasslands. Along the way, you’ll share meals with nomadic herder families, stay in simple camps under open skies, and experience daily life shaped by nature, animals, and tradition.
After days in the saddle, the journey slows again with a well-deserved rest in natural hot springs, allowing body and mind to fully unwind. The experience is then rounded out with time in Kharkhorin, the ancient capital of the Mongol Empire, where visits to the local museum and Erdene Zuu Monastery provide cultural and historical context to the landscapes you’ve traveled through.
This trip is not only about ticking off sights. It’s about immersion and connecting with people, land, and history and discovering Mongolia in its most original form – traveling by horse, guided by those who still live this way today.
Let our trusted and professional local horse guides take you on this horse trekking adventure of a lifetime.
Highlights of this 12-day Eight Lakes Horse Trek include:
- Travel 6 days on horseback through the Khangai Mountains, one of Mongolia’s most diverse and scenic regions.
- Explore the remote Huisiin Naiman Nuur (Eight Lakes), accessible only by horse, foot, or pack animals.
- Ride across high mountain passes, forested valleys, volcanic landscapes, and open alpine meadows. It’s a good idea to get some time in the saddle before you come!
- Travel with a full Horse Trekking Support Team that includes horses, horsemen (in addition to your English-speaking guide), pack animals (yaks), and a private chef for the journey).
- Spend nights in shared gers and tent camps, including stays with nomadic herder families.
- Experience daily life on the steppe, shaped by weather, animals, and shared routines.
- Conclude the trek at Ulaan Tsutgalan (Orkhon Waterfall), a natural landmark of the Orkhon Valley.
- Enjoy time to rest and recover in natural hot springs after days in the saddle.
- Follow a thoughtfully paced route that balances immersion, comfort, and meaningful travel.
Table of Contents
Want to extend your trip? Add-on these Experiences
🐴 Mongolian History and Chinggis Khaan Equestrian Statue (Book for any day, it’s the perfect day trip to get into the spirit of Mongolia)
🤝 Check out the Black Market with a Local (Book for any day except Tuesdays (closed), great for gear shopping, souvenir browsing, and feeling like a local)
🚙 Visit Khustai National Park + Mongol Nomadic Camp (search for wile Przewalksi’s horses before learning about ancient Mongolian traditions, available for booking 365 days a year)
12-day Itinerary: Eight Lakes Horse Trek Tour
Calling all thrill-seekers, equestrianists, and anyone who wants to experience the real Mongolia! This tour is specially designed for you.
As our premier horse trekking itinerary, this journey to the Eight Lakes is meant to challenge you. Not just on horseback, but in adapting to a new, unfamiliar way of living. During this experience you’ll slow down, disconnect from the outside world, and immerse fully in the nature around you.
For this reason, we are only offering this tour as a private experience. Available dates for this Eight Lakes Horse Trek itinerary are from June 1 to September 15, 2026.
As the person booking this experience, you are responsible for finding your group to travel with, if you don’t want to take on this challenge (and costs) alone.
This tour is expensive as a solo traveler, so we recommend finding friends to travel with you before booking. The more people in your group, the more cost-friendly the per person price becomes!
Day 1 begins when you land in Ulaanbaatar, where the tour officially starts and ends.
The price for this itinerary includes all costs once you’re on the ground from day 1 to day 10. If you’d like to add additional days to this itinerary, that’s not a problem! Just let us know and we can help arrange extra nights at the hotel or point you to other locally-owned hotels we approve of. We also offer great Ulaanbaatar day tours, to help you learn more about this often-overlooked capital city.
Day 1: Welcome to Mongolia
Welcome to Mongolia. Upon arrival, airport transportation will be arranged for your transfer to a centrally located hotel near Sukhbaatar Square, the heart of the city. The surrounding area is filled with historic buildings, museums, cafés, and restaurants, making it an ideal base to settle in.
In the evening, meet your guide for a welcome dinner and an introduction to the journey ahead. You’ll go over the plan for the coming days, including what to expect from the horse trekking experience, before settling in for a restful night after your travels.
- Stay: Hotel in Ulaanbaatar
- Meals: Welcome Dinner
Day 2: Drive to Camel Herder Family in the Mini Gobi
Start early and leave the city behind as you drive west toward the Mini Gobi, where sand dunes rise unexpectedly from the open steppe. Upon arrival, slow the pace and take time to experience this unique landscape before heading out for a camel ride across the dunes with a local camel herder family.
In the evening, climb the dunes to enjoy the sunset as the light shifts across sand and grassland. As night falls, settle in with your host family, sharing a meal and experiencing life in the desert at a quiet, unhurried pace.
- Stay: Camel Herder Family (shared ger accommodation)
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3: Journey into the Khangai Mountains & Begin Trek Prep (Riding Day 1)
After breakfast, depart from the Mini Gobi and continue by road toward the eastern slopes of the Khangai Mountains. The drive gradually transitions from open steppe into forested valleys, volcanic rock formations, and higher-altitude landscapes.
Along the way, stop at scenic points before arriving at a remote mountain eco camp near the Huisiin Naiman Nuur region. This afternoon is dedicated to preparation for the horse trek ahead.
Meet the local horsemen, yak handlers, cook, and support team who will accompany the journey. You’ll be introduced to your horse, fitted with safety gear, and briefed on riding basics and the days ahead.
Spend the evening settling into the rhythm of the mountains and enjoying a shared meal with your horse trek family.
- Stay: Mountain Eco Camp (shared ger accommodation)
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4: Test Ride to the Waterfall & Volcanic Crater (Riding Day 2)
After breakfast, begin your first day on horseback. Take time to saddle the horses and get comfortable before riding out with local guides toward a small waterfall hidden inside an ancient volcanic crater.
This introductory ride allows you to ease into the pace of horse trekking while experiencing the region’s varied terrain, including lava rock, forest, and alpine meadow. Wildlife sightings are possible along the way, and the route offers wide views of the surrounding highlands. The goal for today is to get comfortable in the saddle before the big adventure begins.
Return to the eco camp by early afternoon for lunch, followed by time to rest or visit a nearby herder family to learn about dairy production and daily life in the mountains.
- Stay: Mountain Eco Camp (shared ger accommodation)
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5: Pack the Horses and Trek to Shireet Lake (Riding Day 3)
Today the journey moves deeper into the Huisiin Naiman Nuur region. After breakfast, load supplies onto pack yaks and begin riding toward the first of the Eight Lakes.
The trail climbs steadily to high mountain passes, offering expansive views over forested valleys and volcanic landscapes. Pause for lunch at a scenic pass before descending toward Shireet Lake.
Arrive in the afternoon and set up camp along the northern shore, surrounded by silence, open sky, and untouched nature.
- Stay: Tent Camp near Shireet Lake (shared tents)
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6: Ride Through the Heart of the Eight Lakes (Riding Day 4)
Today is a full immersion into the Eight Lakes region. Ride past several interconnected lakes (Khaliut, Bugat, Khayaa, and Shanaa) linked by underground water systems and framed by forest and open meadow.
Stop for lunch near Huisiin Lake before continuing onward to Duroo and Bayan Lakes. Each lake has its own character and atmosphere, making this one of the most visually striking days of the journey.
Settle into camp near Huisiin or Bayan Lake for the night.
- Stay: Guest Ger or Tent Camp (shared accommodation)
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7: Cross High Passes, Valleys, & Forest Landscapes (Riding Day 5)
After breakfast, continue riding deeper into the Khangai Mountains. Cross the scenic Khökh Pass before descending into the wide, open Tsagaan Azarga Valley.
By this time in your journey, you should be comfortable on your horse and ready to take on the challenges ahead. Today is a long riding day, and you’ll start to feel the strain of the riding days before, but it’s all a part of the challenge. You got this!
Lunch is enjoyed picnic-style in nature before the journey continues through forests, river crossings, lakes, and volcanic lava stone terrain. By late afternoon, arrive near the headwaters of the Boorog area and settle in with a local herder family for the night.
- Stay: Nomadic Herder Family (shared ger accommodation)
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8: Ulaan Tsutgalan Waterfall (Riding Day 6)
Your horse riding adventure ends when you arrive at Ulaan Tsutgalan (Orkhon Waterfall), one of the most iconic natural landmarks in central Mongolia. Spend time walking around the waterfall and observing the Orkhon River as it flows through the valley.
The afternoon is unhurried, allowing space to rest and transition out of trekking mode. Settle in nearby and enjoy a quiet evening.
- Stay: Ger Camp or Lodge near Ulaan Tsutgalan (shared accommodation)
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 9: Hot Springs & Rest
After breakfast, begin the drive toward the natural hot springs of the region. Following several days in the saddle, today is dedicated to rest and recovery.
Arrive by midday and enjoy time soaking in the mineral-rich hot springs. The rest of the day is at leisure, allowing your body to fully unwind after the journey.
- Stay: Ger Camp or Lodge near the Hot Springs (shared accommodation)
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 10: Ancient Capital of Chinggis Khaan, Kharkhorin
Leave the hot springs behind and drive toward Kharkhorin, the former capital of the Mongol Empire. Visit the local museum to understand the significance of this location, followed by Erdene Zuu Monastery, the oldest surviving Buddhist monastery in Mongolia.
In the evening, settle into a nearby ger camp and enjoy a relaxed night on the steppe.
- Stay: Ger Camp near Kharkhorin (shared ger accommodation)
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 11: Return to Ulaanbaatar
After breakfast, begin the overland journey back to Ulaanbaatar. Arrive by late afternoon and check into your centrally located hotel.
- Stay: Hotel in Ulaanbaatar
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 12: Goodbye Mongolia
Airport transfers will be arranged according to your departure schedule.
- Meals: Breakfast
What's Included
- Airport transfers on arrival and departure
- All ground transportation during the trip, including support vehicles during the horse trek
- Certified English-speaking guide
- Full horse trekking support, including horses, horsemen, pack animals, private chef, and logistics during trekking days
- All accommodation as outlined in the itinerary, including:
- Central city hotels
- Nomadic homestays
- Ger camps and tent camps
- All meals as specified in the itinerary
- All horseback riding activities and equipment required for the trek
- Entrance fees to national parks, natural sites, and cultural landmarks listed in the itinerary
*Please let us know of any dietary restrictions before booking.
What's Not Included
- International flights.
- Visa costs and fees.
- Travel Insurance that covers medical evacuation and cost of participation (required).
- Personal expenses such as laundry, alcoholic beverages, telephone calls, optional activities, and meals which are not included in the trip itinerary.
- A sleeping bag and sleeping pad are required for this adventure. We will send you a complete packing list after signing up for this private tour.
- Tips and additional gratuities.
Visit our tour cancellation policy page if you have any additional questions.
Book Now
The price to book this Eight Lakes Trek adventure with our professional local team is:
Solo Traveler: $4,500 USD
2 – 3 People: $3,500 USD/person
4 – 5 People: $2,500 USD/person
6 – 8 People: $2,000 USD/person
Highlights of this 12-day Eight Lakes Horse Trek include:
- Travel 6 days on horseback through the Khangai Mountains, one of Mongolia’s most diverse and scenic regions.
- Explore the remote Huisiin Naiman Nuur (Eight Lakes), accessible only by horse, foot, or pack animals.
- Travel with a full Horse Trekking Support Team that includes horses, horsemen (in addition to your English-speaking guide), pack animals (yaks), and a private chef for the journey).
- Spend nights in shared gers and tent camps, including stays with nomadic herder families.
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