Mongolia: Mountains, Lakes & Shamans Horse Trek
14 days starting on Sun 10 Jun 2012Mongolia, with its vast steppes and open skies, its magnificent mountains and equine tradition, really is the quintessential land of the horse trek....
Group Tours in Mongolia
Starting in June 2012
Starting in July 2012
Mongolia: Alternative Naadam
13 days starting on Sun 1 Jul 2012Join us for the amazing festival of Naadam with a twist - avoiding overcrowded and overwhelming Ulaanbaatar, we will travel instead to the countryside where the real flavour of this epic event can be...
Mongolia Travel Guide
Karakorum
Karakorum was the power centre and capital of Gengis Khan's Mongolian Empire. Karakorum's old city was left to fall, when Kublai Khaan moved the capital to present day Beijing. Today, little remains of the once grand old capital. The Khans who governed showed great tolerance to all religions allowing mosques, Christian churches and Buddhist monasteries to be built almost side by side.
Hongoryn Els
The Mongolian Gobi, a vast zone of desert and semi-desert occupies almost 30% of Mongolia's vast territory. The Gobi is often imagined to be place of unbearable heat and shifting sand dunes, similar to the hostile and uninhabitable Sahara desert, whereas the reality is quite the reverse. The Mongolian Gobi has vast plains, majestic peaks and mountain ranges, sand dunes and sandy valleys. The Gobi is blessed with an eternally clear sky, golden sands, blue mirages, and an endless expanse of steppe lands.
South Gobi
The Guransaikan National Park justly boasts an amazing collection of flora and fauna, some of which are sadly endangered. Renamed the 'Flaming Cliffs' by US palaeontologist Roy Chapman Andrews, the first man to find dinosaur eggs in the area in the 1920's, Bayanzag is a stunning place. A visit here will allow you to see pre historic fossils, ever shifting sand dunes and majestic mountains. Yolyn Am Canyon is truly unique phenomenon. The canyon has thick ice in its shaded parts year round. A protected area, the canyon offers a great chance to see soaring vultures, effortlessly rising on the thermals.
Ulaanbaatar
Built on the banks of the Tuul Gol river, Ulaanbaatar is by far Mongolia's largest city. Its centre is largely dominated by soviet style skyscrapers, under whose shadows couples stroll in traditional dresses. The city is surrounded by picturesque mountains and wide sweeping vistas.
Terelj National Park
The Alpine scenery and fantastical rocks of Terelj National Park formed the homelands of Genghis Khan and his hordes. The rock formations of the park are fascinating, while the 250 plus bird species make it an enchanting place to relax. Many wild animals roam these mountains, including Moose, Brown Bears and Ibexes. Nomadic tribesmen still drive their herds around these pastures, while living in felt Gers just like their forebears. Within the park there is the opportunity to horse ride on the many trails, or just walk amongst and enjoy the flora and fauna.
Lake Hovsgol
Referred to as the 'Blue Pearl', Lake Hovsgol is a 100-mile long pristine alpine lake in the north of Mongolia. Lying at an altitude of 1645 m the lake's water has collected in a rift valley. The water in the lake is some of the purest in the world. The lake has long been sacred to the Mongolian people and they call it 'Dalai Ej', the 'Mother Sea'. Today it is part of a National Park area and in the Hovsgol Region where camels of the Gobi and reindeer of the taiga are often seen. Five Mongolian ethnic groups -the Buriat, Khalk, Darhat, Urianghai and Tsaatan- live in the vicinity and Shamanism has a strong influence on the local culture.
The Mongolian Gobi
The Mongolian Gobi, a vast zone of desert and semi-desert occupies almost 30% of Mongolia's vast territory. The Gobi is often imagined to be place of unbearable heat and shifting sand dunes, whereas the reality is quite the reverse. The Mongolian Gobi has vast plains, majestic peaks and mountain ranges, sand dunes and sandy valleys. The Gobi is blessed with an eternally clear sky, golden sands, blue mirages, and an endless expanse of steppe lands. During your visit you can stay in the small village of Saihan-Ovoo, and see how the locals live in this environment. You can also visit the nearby Ongi Monastery, standing on the majestic banks of the Ongi river and take the chance to walk up the sacred mountain.
Mongolia Travel Information
Visa Information
UK Passport holders require a visa to visit Mongolia.
Visas should be applied for NO SOONER than 3 weeks before departure as when issued are valid from issue date. The visa should only take 2-5 days to obtain.
Your passport must be valid for at least six months after the end of your trip, and it must have at least one blank page for each visa required. Please ensure the passport details we hold for you are correct.
Please note it is your responsibility to ensure you have the correct visa documentation when starting your trip. Country entry regulations can alter daily and it is always best to check with the relevant embassies for any changes.
If you would prefer not to go to the embassy yourself then another option is the use of a visa company such as:
Travcour (UK)
Tempo House
15 Falcon Road Battersea
London
SW11 2PJ
Tel: 020 7223 5295
Fax: 020 7738 2617
Email: info@travcour.com
Website: www.travcour.com
If you are travelling on a non-UK passport, please contact your nearest consulate/embassy for up to date visa information.
Insurance:
Insurance that provides cover for emergency repatriation in case of a medical emergency is compulsory for all tours.
You should be aware that many standard insurance policies may not cover you adequately for all aspects of a Wild Frontiers trip and so we strongly recommend that you purchase a suitably designed insurance policy.
One such policy is the "Wild Frontiers" policy underwritten by Ace European Group Limited (ACE " firm reference 202803), which is available to EU residents (which excludes Norway & Switzerland) through our website or via the insurance company direct on 0845 345 3456. Under this policy there are two different levels of cover available.
Standard policy: a comprehensive travel insurance policy that provides cover for all Wild Frontiers activities, including trekking up to 6,000m. This policy does not provide cover for travel to areas where the FCO is advising against all or all but essential travel.
Elite policy: provides the same comprehensive level of cover as the standard policy. In addition the Elite policy also provides cover for travel to areas where the FCO is advising against all or all but essential travel. The policy will not provide cover for any claims arising from or relating to the reasons why the FCO is advising against travel.
If purchasing the Elite policy you also have the option to extend the cover provided by the policy to include cover for claims arising from a terrorist act in an area where the FCO is advising against travel. You can add this cover to your policy when purchasing online or over the telephone.
These policies are only available to those travelling on a Wild Frontiers holiday.
For more information and to purchase your policy online please visit the Insurance section of our website.
The cover is underwritten by Ace European Group Limited (ACE), and is arranged by Travel & General Insurance Service Limited. Both companies are authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA). Wild Frontiers Limited is an Introducer Appointed Representative of Travel & General Insurance Company plc, details of which can be found at the FSA's website www.fsa.gov.uk.
To contact them please visit their website at www.t
Health and Vaccinations:
There are no mandatory immunisations for travellers to Mongolia, although you should be up-to-date with Typhoid, Tetanus, Polio and Hepatitis A. We recommend protection that you seek advice from your local GP or travel centre as to the correct immunisations and preventative treatments.
We also recommend:
• A dental check-up prior to travelling.
• You inform us of any pre-existing medical conditions or medication.
To be on the safe side you can also check on [http://www.fitfortravel.scot.nhs.uk | www.fitfortravel.scot.nhs.uk
Tour Leaders
Richard Dunwoody
Richard Dunwoody was 12 when he started riding racehorses and rode in his first race as an amateur in 1982. He turned professional two years later and won... Read More
Louise Worsley
Louise has always had a passion for travelling and has been lucky enough to indulge this throughout her career.
Highlights include trekking to... Read More
Mark Steadman
Mark's adventurous parents had swapped the crowded streets of South London for the sandy beaches of South Australia, before his fifth birthday.
By... Read More
Tulga Otgonbaatar
From the soul of steppe nomads, Tulga grew up in the Gobi area where giant sand dunes, camels and the most hospitable people in the world live! Tulga likes... Read More
Marc Leaderman
Narrowly escaping the "lawyer, doctor or accountant" stereotype career that is the fate of many London sons, Marc taught English in Romania & Japan... Read More
Tom Skipwith
As a baby being taken around India on the back of a motorbike by his travel-crazed parents, the adventure bug was firmly embedded and a nomadic soul was... Read More
Kat Hart
Travel is the only thing Kat ever wanted to do. As soon as she was physically able she ran away to India, where she continued her martial arts studies, fell... Read More
