Across Mongolia on Horseback
By Kyle McCarthy
There are few adventures that match the magnitude and exoticism of exploring Mongolia on
horseback while living among authentic nomadic tribes. Once an impossible bucket list dream
for fans of “The Eagle Huntress,” a two-week immersion in this rugged mountain wilderness is
now available.
Thomas Kelly and Carroll Dunham, Americans who lived overseas for more than 40 years,
organize these Mongolia on horseback tours with their sons for adventure tour operator
Mountain Travel Sobek. For 2023, there are four scheduled departures between June and
August.
The family spent many winters in Nepal and Goa, India in between busy summers running a
horse tent eco-camp in Mongolia. Although activities were curtailed during the 2020-21
pandemic era, Kelly and Dunham’s company, Wild Earth Journeys. com. remains committed to
“pilgrimages to wild and sacred places of the earth.”
How Mongolia Found a Place in their Hearts
Carroll finds it very humanizing to connect with different cultures in a region that was at the
heart of the Silk Road, connecting Asia to Europe for millennia. For Tom, the appeal of his
family’s own nomadic lifestyle lies in Asia’s strong traditions and the bonds of extended
families. Guests on their tours are guaranteed to encounter local traditions and rituals, as well
as Asia’s remarkable food.
During summer, the family moves out to the Mongolian steppes to work with nomadic tribes.
Mongolia on horseback means the vastness of the terrain, simplicity of nature and the
challenge of living as one with animals. This interview with National Geographic provides a
better understanding of the lifelong impact the Mongolian nomads and their traditional
lifestyle have had on Kelly’s own sons.
Your Summer in Mongolia on Horseback
During summer, join them to live among three million people and 70 million animals in
Mongolia.
Kelly and Dunham founded the Lapis Sky Camp in the Bhukhan Valley (20) years ago. The camp
is totally off the grid, using solar-power and fresh water from local sources within Mongolia’s
Hustai Nuur National Park. * not Hustai Nuur insert: ( Arhanghai District, Bunkhaan, Land of
the ancestors. Guests experience the Mongolian lifestyle in comfortable yurts – gher housing –
while exploring local culture.
All ages are challenged with brand new activities such as foraging for medicinal herbs, learning
to ride bareback and spending four days on a horseback trek. Hike out to watch red-footed
falcons and visit the 16th-century Kharkhorin Erdene Zhu monastery. This area is said to be the
legendary capital established by Genghis Khan and his son in the 13th century.
Expect to be introduced to fishing in the Tamar River, bird watching, archery and daily yoga
sessions. In camp, your family can also try milking a yak.
Most two-week trips provide opportunities to join the tribes in age-old shamanic rituals to
connect with ancestors. Additionally, indulge in high-tech photography lessons with a true
professional, Tom Kelly.
Fishing and Festivals Among Mongolia Adventures
During 2023, their company Wild_ Earth_ Journeys.com will offer other exclusive guided
adventures in Mongolia. Add them on to your horseback trip or sign up for these alone. From
mid-June to end of August, join Kelly on Dunham on a Mongolian Altai Horse Trekking
Adventure. This rigorous ride is centered on an even more remote part of Mongolia in the Altai
Tavan Bogd National Park.
Fishers will go for the two-week King Taimen Fly Fishing trip with three departures between July
1 to Sept. 1, 2023. From Sept.6-19, the Wild Earth itinerary includes the famous Mongolian
Eagle Festival.
Organizing Your Mongolia Horseback Trek
Through Kelly and Dunham’s relationship with Mountain Travel Sobek, foreigners can spend
two weeks in Mongolia on horseback to unplug, connect with nature and learn to live with
animals.
May to September is the best season to visit. They’re planning four Mongolia on horseback tour
departures between June 14 and August 10 for adventurous groups from six to 16 people.
Participant’s minimum age is 9 years. The Ulaanbaatar airport is the main gateway to the
country.
Tours begin in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia and after an orientation and sightseeing in the capital,
proceed to the national park and gher camp. There are days of exploration, discovery, visits to
holy places, feasting and sharing the ways of local nomadic people. After a week, take off on a
four-day trek of Mongolia on horseback, stopping at night to make camp along the way.
The trip culminates at the annual Nadam Festival in which Mongolian men and boys challenge
each other in physical contests such as bareback horse racing, wrestling, and archery.
Trip Planning Details for a Mongolia on Horseback Adventure
On an escorted tour, everything is organized for you. They factor in the current COVID safety
protocols prevalent in China at the time of your visit. You get a packing list. It’s useful because
you’ll need clothes you can easily layer, from loose cotton wear to fleeces, waterproof
outerwear, hiking shoes and personal items such as sunblock and insect repellent.
Trip costs, excluding international airfare, include airport transfers, accommodations, most
meals and all activities, entrance fees, horseback riding and other specialized equipment and
most gratuities.
