8-day winter Mongolia tour with the Tsaatan reindeer herders, Lake Khuvsgul, husky and horse sleigh rides and the Genghis Khan statue.
Trip highlights
- Cross the ice to meet the Tsaatan, the last reindeer-herding people in the world, and (optionally) ride a reindeer in the snow
- Visit Lake Khuvsgul, which turns into a vast sheet of ice in winter
- Ride a horse-drawn sleigh and a Siberian husky sled across the frozen landscape
- Learn about the way of life of the Shaman priests of an ancient religion
Highlight places
Led by historiansEvery trip travels with an expert history lecturer who brings each site to life in plain language.
Off the beaten pathCentral Asia, the Middle East, the Himalayas — places most tour companies never go.
Private groups, no rushingRight-sized groups and unhurried time at the places that matter most.
Beyond ordinary travelEvery tour is designed by writers and professional travellers to create experiences that reflect who you are — for travellers who want more than an ordinary holiday.
About this tour
This 8-day winter tour of Mongolia, led by The Wild Chronicles, drives across frozen ground to the Darkhad Valley to live with the Tsaatan, the last reindeer herders in the world, of whom only about 500 remain. Guests stay in their traditional wooden huts and may ride a reindeer through the snow.
The route also covers Terelj National Park with a 5 km Siberian husky sled ride, the Genghis Khan Statue Complex, frozen Lake Khuvsgul with a night in a Mongolian ger, the Jargant River that never freezes, the Deer Stones of Uushigiin Uvur, and the Gandandarjaalin Monastery in Murun.
The trip is led by historian and Wild Chronicles founder Pongsorn Phumiwat (Khun Pap), who explains the history of each stop in plain language. The most recent departure ran 26 February – 5 March 2025.
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1Bangkok – Ulaanbaatar
Meet at Suvarnabhumi Airport at 12:00 at the MIAT Mongolian Airlines counter. Flight OM762 departs at 15:15 and lands at Chinggis Khaan International Airport, Ulaanbaatar, at 22:25 (Mongolia is one hour ahead of Thailand). Overnight in Ulaanbaatar.
Day 2Genghis Khan Statue – Terelj National Park – Dog Sledding
Visit the Genghis Khan Statue Complex (built in 2008 for the 800th anniversary of the Mongol Empire, the largest stainless steel equestrian statue in the world), then Terelj National Park, where granite peaks and the Tuul River are covered in snow. Ride a Siberian husky sled for 5 km (two people per sled) and learn how to drive it. Return to Ulaanbaatar.
Day 3Ulaanbaatar – Murun – Lake Khuvsgul
Transfer to the airport and fly to Murun (MXV), then drive about 1.5 hours to Lake Khuvsgul, nicknamed the Blue Pearl of Mongolia. It is the country's largest and deepest freshwater lake and freezes into a vast sheet of ice in winter that guests can explore. Overnight in a Mongolian ger on the lakeshore.
Day 4Jargant River – Darkhad Valley – Meeting the Tsaatan
Optionally ride a Mongolian horse sleigh over the ice (USD 10 per person, not included). Visit the Jargant River, which never freezes even in extreme cold and is known locally as the River of Life. Drive about 3 hours to the Darkhad Valley (about 1,600 m), which is muddy and hard to reach in summer but accessible over the ice in winter. Meet the Tsaatan reindeer herders, about 500 in number, and stay in their traditional wooden huts.
Day 5A Day with the Tsaatan and Reindeer Riding
Enjoy the snowy pine forest and golden morning light, and spend the whole day with the Tsaatan. Meet the tribe's shaman, who communicates with the spirits of nature and offers spiritual guidance, and optionally ride a reindeer with the Tsaatan (USD 10 per person, not included).
Day 6Darkhad Valley – Murun
Drive 317 km (about 7 hours) to Murun, the main city of northern Mongolia, with photo stops along the way. Check in and relax in a ger again.
Day 7Deer Stones – Gandandarjaalin Monastery – Back to Ulaanbaatar
Visit the Deer Stones at Uushigiin Uvur Valley, carved stones dating back to about 1,000 BC and thought to have been raised by Bronze Age nomads for rituals (UNESCO World Heritage). Then tour Murun, capital of Khuvsgul Province, and the Gandandarjaalin Monastery, destroyed in 1937 and since restored, with about 40 monks and a collection of thangka paintings. Fly back to Ulaanbaatar.
Day 8Ulaanbaatar – Bangkok
Transfer to Chinggis Khaan International Airport. Flight OM701 departs at 08:10 and arrives at Suvarnabhumi Airport at 13:45.
Included
- Domestic round-trip flights (UBN – MXV – UBN), economy class
- Transfers and sightseeing by vehicle with an experienced driver
- Accommodation as per the program, two guests per room (more per ger is possible)
- Entrance fees as per the program
- Meals as per the program
- Experienced local guide
- Thai lecturer and tour leader
- Travel accident insurance, coverage up to THB 1,000,000 per person (per policy terms)
- Siberian husky sled ride
Not included
- International round-trip flights (BKK – UBN – BKK), economy or business class
- Single room supplement (Ulaanbaatar nights only)
- Personal expenses such as phone, internet, laundry, minibar, food and drinks outside the program, excess baggage, medical costs for pre-existing conditions
- Tips for tour leader, local guide and driver (recommended USD 70 per person)
- Horse sleigh ride, USD 10 per person
- Reindeer riding, USD 10 per person
- SIM card
- 7% VAT, 3% withholding tax and other taxes
- Fuel surcharges and airport taxes if the airline raises them
About this tour
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Winter Mongolia: Reindeer Herders and Frozen Lake Khuvsgul
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