Reviews

‘What a ride! This was my fourth ride with Globetrotting, and I wasn’t disappointed. The horses were so much fun, and I loved galloping across the Steppe of Mongolia. Our guides and wranglers took great care of us and ensured we had a good time. The best part was how the ride combined culture and horses. Our guide, Byamba, was phenomenal and so enthusiastic to educate us – I learnt so much about Mongolia. The Nadaam Festival was the real highlight, where ten tourists were almost as interesting to the locals as the festival was to us! We got to speak to countless beautiful kids practicing their English while watching the wrestling matches. But what amazed us were the young children who galloped their horses across the vast open plains for over 30kms in the races and often bareback. Wow. What a place! What an experience!’

‘This was my first Globetrotting ride, and Mongolia was everything and much, much more than what I imagined! It was one of my best holidays ever. It made me realise how much I truly love horse riding. I had never met a Mongol pony before, but I believe they are just the best, safest horses. I named my horse Cisco, and he was the most surefooted, super easy-to-control horse I have ever met. I’m not a camping person normally but LOVED this experience so much. Having a chef cook us the most delicious food made all the difference.
Thank you so much to everyone involved for this unforgettable experience. Mongolia is beautiful!’

‘Mongolia was definitely a trip to remember, and one I would repeat in a heartbeat!
Your saddle might not always be comfortable and your stirrups might never be even, but those trusty little Mongol horses will carry you across any terrain, getting you safely to your destination. There definitely won’t be a hot shower at the end of the day, but you’ll always be guaranteed a hearty meal. We were expecting to live off mutton and potatoes, but the food exceeded our expectations. I hoped to lose a few kilos on the trip, but I definitely didn’t! There was also a vegetarian on the trip and the cooks tailored to her needs fantastically. The guides, wranglers, and cooks were all amazing. They were all very knowledgeable in their own areas and very accommodating.
I loved my little Mongol pony! I so badly wanted to take him home. He was such a trooper. And the reindeer valley was such a surreal experience! I was in no way expecting to ride down into the valley and find all the reindeer roaming free, and they were so friendly!’

‘My favourite day on the Khovsgol Ride in Mongolia was the day we experienced a thunderstorm and crossed a wooden barge river crossing. Due to poor weather, the guides made impromptu arrangements and took us to a family house to stay for the night. Our guide, Shuree, and her team went above and beyond to keep us safe and comfortable. The horses were all very quiet and well trained. The tack was surprisingly comfortable considering the rustic and homemade nature of it all. We never had any doubts that we were safe and well cared for. Our guides were so thoughtful and attentive. Shuree was well known and respected by every Mongolian person we came into contact with. She showed at all times that we were her priority. She was very knowledgeable and we wanted for nothing.’

‘Mongolia was as remote and untouched by tourism as I had hoped. It was a real adventure. The scenery was breathtaking and the people were the kindest, most hospitable I have ever met. The horses were so fast, so determined and so sweet. Any concerns about their responsiveness, the tack or the terrain melted away with the first canter across the steppe – and there were so many more opportunities to canter and gallop. Our guide, Shureh, and our whole crew made me feel safe and well looked after. They were all a lot of fun. So much positivity! The food was also excellent, and much more varied than I was expecting. There were some long tough days and you’ve got to be prepared to rough it a bit, but it was all so worth it. This ride changed my life!’

‘This was a trip of a lifetime and I loved every second of it! Mongolia is more beautiful than I ever expected. Mongolian horses don’t have names – I gave mine the nickname Boobob, as he looked like one of my horses but behaved like another of my horses. He was a 15 year old grey gelding who was just perfect for me! He was forward and surefooted and we just clicked – he responded to the slightest rein aids and didn’t need any leg. The guides, in fact everyone – cooks, wranglers, drivers – were just brilliant. Nothing was too much for them, they were all just the most kind, wonderful, accommodating, knowledgeable people. And OMG – the food! I had prepared myself for mutton, mutton and more mutton, but our cook was absolutely incredible and the food she prepared – 3 hot meals a day – was spectacular. If you love adventure and have a flexible attitude, then this trip is for you!’

‘I read the itinerary for the Khovsgol Ride once and booked it straight away. I didn’t bother to read it again, I didn’t need to. I was going for the adventure of a lifetime and didn’t want to create any expectations of what it would be like. Mongolia was incredible! Each day I woke up not knowing what the day would bring, and each day something new and astounding was presented to me. From riding through beautiful fields of wildflowers to sitting amongst a herd of reindeer to watching traditional wrestling ringside to sleeping in traditional gurs, I found my happy place in Mongolia with my sweet grey gelding.’

‘My ride in Mongolia was a chance to have my childhood dream come true. I loved being able to ride like a 16 year old, standing up with your arms out, going for miles. My horse, Buddy, was great. He behaved like a gentleman and was very responsive, especially once I watched how his owner rode his horse and adapted my riding to suit. Just a champ. I would have brought him home if I could.
Tumee was a very pleasant guy to be around and entertaining as well, plus willing to share his knowledge and listen to ours. Guree, Bolormaa, Odhuu, Tumee and Saruul really made the ride for me; their company and just who they were made it very special. Each day was great – I just wish there was more riding and it didn’t have to end!’

‘Wow. What a trip.
Completely immersed in Mongolian culture, incredible landscapes, and beautiful, friendly, welcoming people. The horses were magnificent. They coped with all levels of terrain. It was the best way to see such a vast country, with horses, yaks, sheep, cows, birds and loads of wildflowers. The group of people on the trip were great to travel with, lots of laughs and great conversations. Our guides were very knowledgeable and their translation to English was very good. They kept us well informed of all the plans and timings and were always ready to help us with anything we needed. Nothing was a problem for them.
The fifth day was my favourite, riding up into the mountains. It was a hard slog for the horses and their stamina was inspiring. Coming down into the valley with all of the reindeer below was beautiful. We met the family who was hosting our visit and were surrounded by kids, dogs and reindeer. The scenery was stunning and the experience magical.’

‘The Arhangay Ride was amazing! Riding through stunning meadows filled with wildflowers, galloping across the seemingly endless steppe in front of sudden storms, swimming across the rivers and stopping to visit local families in their gers – every second was incredible. Our guides were fantastic and so dedicated to making sure we all had a fabulous time, and the wranglers did a great job of matching horses to the varying riding abilities in the group.’

‘This ride was the realisation of a dream. I am now 69 but the desire to fulfill my dream to see Mongolia was overwhelming, so I signed up. My intention was to get lots of riding in before I left, but I only managed two very sedate rides. I chose to go regardless and the first couple of days were quite challenging, but by the end of day two it all came back to me – it was like I’d never stopped riding.
The whole experience was more than I could have ever imagined. The joy was the entire journey, everything was amazing. I liked to think it was the perfect triple ‘P’: the People, the Places and the Ponies.
A huge thank you to Globetrotting for helping this nan fulfill a dream.’

“An amazing journey across the steppe where I just was totally relaxed and stress free. I would go back in a heartbeat.”

“Our epic Mongolian adventure lived up to all my dreams and then some.”

‘Riding across the awesomeness of the steppe, through a gorge with running water below, through larch forests, through a narrow pass through a dell of shrubs, trees, grasses and rocks. Galloping easily without reins and flinging my arms wide – flying like an eagle. Playing cards Mongolian style with members of the crew. Crossing the 2,700m pass to get to the Tsaatan people. Giving their reindeer salt and having them gather round – they were so gentle. Helping wipe up the dishes with the chef and her offsider. Camping beside crystal clear streams and sipping the pure water. Laughing with the Mongolian crew and our team of riders. This was truly a remarkable journey and one I will be forever grateful to have had the opportunity to experience. In tough times I will simply put my mind back to the open steppe and up there where the Mongolian mountains touch the clouds.’

“Our guides were fantastic and gave us the feeling of being part of the Mongolian families we met along the way.”

“Mongolia is certainly the destination of the future. We both loved the culture, horses, landscape and the very friendly beautiful people.”

“Mongolia completely blew me away…the experiences, the people and the landscapes are indelibly etched on my memory.”

“The horse I rode was amazing. If I could have fitted him into my suitcase I would have brought him home!”

“My favourite experience of the trip was the camaraderie between all the people in our crew – travellers and outfitter employees alike.”

“It was a fantastic trip. I loved my horse, I called him Red Socks, tough and a good mover. All in all it was a great ride.”

“The trip was wonderful! I’ve absolutely no complaints about the food or the wrangler, Davaa, who was terrific fun and very engaging, nor the horses, which were well cared for, willing and well behaved.”

“Globetrotting made booking my riding trip in Mongolia an easy and stress free experience. Kate kept in touch every step of the way to ensure that everything went smoothly.”

“If you love horses and love horse riding, put Mongolia on your list. It’s the best place to explore from the back of a horse.”

“The ride was absolutely amazing, as was Mongolia itself.  My horse, Bob, was a treasure, very responsive and so tough – makes our horses look a little precious I have to admit.”