6 Days Hiking, Horse & Reindeer Ride in Tsaatan

You'd better start this trip to west Mongolia to trace reindeers from Ulaanbaatar, the capital of the country which can be reached by international flight from many cities in the world. After, you are recommended to take a long-distance bus from Ulaanbaatar to Moron and then hire a private vehicle to Khatgal, a beautiful small town by Khovsgol Nuur. Every year from July 11th to 13th, a grand Nadam Fair is held here. If you travel during the time period, do not miss it. After, go back to Morton for overnight stay. You may choose a wooden cabin or a Mongolian yurt per your preference.

The long-distance bus ride from Ulaanbaatar Dragon Bus Station to Moron takes about 10 hours and a single trip onward to Khatgal needs about 2 hours.

Tsagaannuur is at the border between Mongolia and Russia and you need a permit to enter the area. We suggest you applying for the permit with the help of a local agency beforehand. You'd better also hire a private car from Moron to Tsagaannuur, which needs about 10 hours on the way and a local experienced driver is a better choice, for it gets lost easily on the endless grassland.

Upon arrival, you will find Tsagaannuur a pure and fairy tale world full of colorful wooden cabins but lack of modern facilities. There is no mobile signal here, either. Tonight, you may stay in a local wooden cabin. Besides, you are advised to make an appointment with a local guide for the next following days' trips.

Accompanied by the local guide, you may ride the horse for about 4 hours west towards the Tsaatan. As the region is between the grassland and forest, the scenery is unique and beautiful. Tonight, you may experience camping in the wildness. It is somehow cold here at night, so you’d better bring some warm clothes.

Continue riding the horse for 8 hours, you will finally arrive in Tsaatan today. Local Tsaatans live in an original lifestyle. You can also camp here tonight, or stay in a local's house.

Tsaatans are good at braising reindeers and make a living on it. Reindeers are their transport means, kids' playmates, food ingredients and clothes sources. They also use the horns of reindeers to make souvenirs and sell them to tourists to make some money. In Tsaatan, there are about 500 reindeers. They are usually driven into the mountain at 06:00 and called back at 21:00. You may follow the reindeers to have a look around and spend an unforgettable day with them. If interested, you may also try reindeer ride with the help of the locals.

It takes 2 days for you to go back to Tsagaannuur the same way as you come, then you may hire a car to Moron. In Moron, it is easy to find long-distance buses, trains or flights to your next destination. Hope you have had a great time during this trip to the far west of Mongolia.