POST-MTP TRIP 3: Staying with the Mongolian Reindeer Tribes

So you’ve just finished the MTP Summit in Chengdu. You’ve spent a few days surrounded by some of the most travelled people in the world, you’re already in Asia, and now you’re supposed to fly home? Not quite.

After MTP Chengdu finishes, we’re taking another group north to Mongolia, and this is probably the most remote of all my post-conference options. It’a demanding one, and it’s a true adventure. Involving multiple hours on horseback to access the Reindeer tribes! We’ll start in Ulaanbaatar, fly north to Mörön, drive deep into Khövsgöl Province and then continue by horse into the Siberian taiga to stay with Mongolia’s famous Tsaatan reindeer-herding community.

After our time in the taiga, we’ll head south to spectacular Lake Khövsgöl for a couple of nights before flying back to Ulaanbaatar.

This is Mongolia properly. Long drives, horses, ger camps, cold starry nights, huge empty landscapes and one of the most remote communities I’ve ever included on one of my group trips.

TLDR? JUST WANNA BOOK??

If you don’t fancy reading another few thousand words from me, here’s the short version. Finish MTP Chengdu, fly to Ulaanbaatar on 25 October for nine days in Mongolia where you’ll stay with the remote Reindeer tribes of the North.

We’ll explore Ulaanbaatar, watch traditional Mongolian throat singing, fly north to Mörön and then travel deep into the wilderness around Tsagaannuur. From there we switch from cars to horses and ride into the Taiga to spend the night with the Tsaatan, Mongolia’s reindeer-herding people. Then we’ll ride back out, travel to Lake Khövsgöl for two nights and finally fly back to Ulaanbaatar, finishing on 2 November. This one is colder, rougher and more remote than the average group tour. That’s exactly why you probably want to do it.

HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

• Join a group of fellow travellers immediately after MTP Chengdu 2027
• Explore Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia’s chaotic capital
• Experience a traditional Mongolian throat-singing performance
• Road-trip through the wild landscapes of Khövsgöl Province, cross the Darkhad Depression
• Travel into the taiga on horseback and Stay with the Tsaatan/Dukha reindeer-herding community
• See their reindeer and experience life in one of Mongolia’s most remote regions
• Sleep in a traditional teepee or simple wooden dwelling in the taiga
• Spend two nights beside Lake Khövsgöl, Mongolia’s famous “Blue Pearl”
• Stay in a traditional Mongolian ger camp

ULAANBAATAR: WELCOME TO MONGOLIA

Everyone will make their own way from Chengdu to Ulaanbaatar on 25 October. That flight is deliberately not included, because people will have different flight preferences, points, airline statuses and onward plans after MTP. Once everyone has arrived, we’ll get settled into Ulaanbaatar before starting properly the following morning.

Ulaanbaatar is an unusual city, personally I love it (great Jazz bars if you can believe it?!). Nearly half the population of Mongolia lives in and around the capital, yet within a short time of leaving it you can find yourself surrounded by hundreds of kilometres of almost completely empty landscape.

We’ll spend our first proper day exploring the city and getting our first introduction to Mongolian culture. We’ll also catch a traditional performance featuring khöömei, the remarkable style of Mongolian throat singing where performers can produce multiple tones simultaneously.

Then it’s time to leave civilisation behind.

INTO NORTHERN MONGOLIA

The next morning we fly from Ulaanbaatar to Mörön, the provincial capital of Khövsgöl.

This is where Mongolia starts to feel properly remote. We meet our local team, load up the vehicles and begin driving northwest through the Darkhad Depression towards Tsagaannuur. The further north we travel, the emptier the landscape becomes. Towns disappear, roads become rougher and the terrain increasingly resembles Siberia more than the stereotypical rolling grasslands many people picture when they think of Mongolia.

Tsagaannuur is our final proper settlement before entering the taiga. From here, the next stage of the journey is going to require four legs rather than four wheels.

THE TSAATAN REINDEER HERDERS

This is the reason we’re coming all this way.

The Tsaatan, also commonly known as the Dukha, live in the taiga of northern Mongolia and maintain a culture centred around their reindeer herds. Mongolia’s state news agency reported in 2025 that more than 200 Tsaatan people were living in Mongolia with roughly 2,800 reindeer. They live far beyond the normal road network, so simply getting to them is part of the experience.

We’ll leave Tsagaannuur early, drive as far into the wilderness as conditions allow and then meet our horses and local horse guides. From there we ride into the taiga towards the reindeer-herder camp.

The Tsaatan move seasonally with their animals, so their precise camp location and therefore our exact riding time can change. This isn’t somewhere with a permanent tourist lodge and a reception desk waiting for us. Our local team coordinates with the community and finds where they are at the time of the trip. Eventually we’ll arrive at camp, meet our hosts and spend the rest of the day learning about their lives, their reindeer and what it takes to survive in this environment.

And yes, we’ll sleep there. This is going to be basic. Depending on the arrangements at the time, we’ll sleep in a traditional teepee-style dwelling or simple wooden accommodation. No room service, no minibar and probably no complaints department. Perfect.

HORSE RIDING THROUGH THE MONGOLIAN TAIGA

You do not need to be some Mongolian cavalry commander to join this trip, but you do need to be comfortable with the idea of spending several hours on a horse. Even if it’s your first time, it still works.

Horses remain the practical way of reaching the Tsaatan camps once the roads end. We’ll have experienced local guides with us, and the riding is about transportation rather than galloping across the steppe pretending to be Genghis Khan. On our second morning in the taiga we’ll spend more time with the Tsaatan community before saying goodbye after lunch. Then we get back on the horses for roughly three to four hours, riding out of the taiga until we reach our vehicles again.

From there we return to Tsagaannuur for a warm bed and, I suspect, a considerable appreciation for chairs.

LAKE KHÖVSGÖL: MONGOLIA’S BLUE PEARL

After Tsagaannuur we head south towards Lake Khövsgöl, one of Mongolia’s most famous natural sights.

Khövsgöl sits close to the Russian border and is surrounded by mountains, forests and Siberian taiga. Mongolia’s tourism authorities describe the wider Khövsgöl region as one of the country’s major nature destinations, with horse riding, hiking and lake-based activities forming part of the traditional visitor experience.

But we are visiting at the end of October rather than in peak summer.

That means fewer visitors, a much wilder atmosphere and the possibility of snow and serious cold. By late October, temperatures in the Tsagaannuur/Khövsgöl region can regularly fall well below freezing overnight, so everyone will need genuine winter clothing rather than pretending a hoodie is sufficient.

We’ll spend two nights at a ger camp beside the lake, giving us one completely free day to enjoy the area. Walking, horse riding and other local activities may be available depending on conditions. Boating is sometimes offered at Khövsgöl, but given how late in the season we’re visiting, I would treat that as weather and operator dependent rather than something guaranteed in the itinerary.

This day is deliberately slower. After the taiga, the horses and several long road journeys, a day beside one of Mongolia’s most beautiful lakes is going to feel pretty good.

THE FULL 9-DAY ITINERARY

DAY 1 – 25 OCTOBER: CHENGDU → ULAANBAATAR

MTP Chengdu finished yesterday, so today everyone makes their way independently from China to Mongolia.

The flight from Chengdu to Ulaanbaatar is not included in the trip price, giving everyone the flexibility to book whichever routing works best for them.

Once we arrive in Mongolia we’ll head to our hotel, meet the group and get ready for the adventure to start properly tomorrow.

OVERNIGHT: Ulaanbaatar

DAY 2 – 26 OCTOBER: ULAANBAATAR

Our first full day is spent exploring Mongolia’s capital.

We’ll get our introduction to the city, see some of Ulaanbaatar’s main sights and learn a little about the country before disappearing into northern Mongolia for the rest of the trip.

We’ll also experience a traditional Mongolian cultural performance, including the country’s extraordinary throat singing.

Tonight we’re back in a comfortable hotel. Enjoy it. Things become considerably more adventurous tomorrow.

OVERNIGHT: Ulaanbaatar

DAY 3 – 27 OCTOBER: ULAANBAATAR → MÖRÖN → TSAGAANNUUR

Early this morning we transfer to the airport and fly north to Mörön. Our local team will meet us there and then the road trip begins. We drive northwest through the Darkhad Depression towards Tsagaannuur, travelling roughly 170 kilometres through increasingly remote northern Mongolia.

We’ll stop for lunch along the way before eventually reaching our guesthouse in Tsagaannuur. The driving distances don’t look enormous on Google Maps, but this is Mongolia. Roads and conditions are very different from Western Europe, and getting somewhere is very often half the adventure.

OVERNIGHT: Tsagaannuur Guesthouse

MEALS: Lunch & dinner

DAY 4 – 28 OCTOBER: TSAGAANNUUR → THE TSAATAN TAIGA

This is the big one. We leave Tsagaannuur early and drive towards our horse-riding starting point. Once the road runs out, we meet our local horse guides, load up and continue into the taiga on horseback. The precise length of the ride will depend partly on where the Tsaatan community has established its seasonal camp. They move with their reindeer, so unlike a hotel, their location isn’t permanently pinned to Google Maps.

By late afternoon we should reach camp.

We’ll meet the Tsaatan community, see the reindeer and spend the evening experiencing a way of life that exists in one of the remotest corners of Mongolia. Tonight’s accommodation will be extremely simple, in a traditional teepee-style dwelling or wooden house. And it will probably be bloody cold.

OVERNIGHT: Tsaatan Taiga – Teepee/Wooden House

MEALS: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

DAY 5 – 29 OCTOBER: TSAATAN TAIGA → TSAGAANNUUR

We wake up deep in Mongolia’s northern taiga with the reindeer herders. There’s no rush this morning. We’ll spend more time with our hosts, learn more about their lives and hopefully get plenty of opportunities for photos before having lunch at camp.

Then it’s time to saddle up again. We’ll ride for approximately three to four hours back towards the edge of the taiga, where our drivers will be waiting for us. From there we continue by vehicle back to Tsagaannuur. A guesthouse has rarely sounded so luxurious.

OVERNIGHT: Tsagaannuur Guesthouse

MEALS: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

DAY 6 – 30 OCTOBER: TSAGAANNUUR → LAKE KHÖVSGÖL

Today is another spectacular road journey through northern Mongolia. We leave Tsagaannuur and drive around 250 kilometres south towards Lake Khövsgöl, passing through forests, mountains and the huge open landscapes that make Mongolia such a ridiculous country to travel through.

Eventually we reach the lake and check into our ger camp. After a couple of pretty intense days getting into and out of the taiga, tonight is all about settling in, having dinner and enjoying the fact that we’ve reached one of Mongolia’s most beautiful places.

OVERNIGHT: Lake Khövsgöl Ger Camp

MEALS: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

DAY 7 – 31 OCTOBER: LAKE KHÖVSGÖL

Today is deliberately free. No airport. No six-hour drive. No horse required to reach your bedroom.

We have a full day beside Lake Khövsgöl to enjoy the landscape and choose from whatever activities are available locally and appropriate for the weather. Hiking and horse riding are possibilities, or you can simply take it easy around the lake. And because this is 31 October in northern Mongolia rather than July, conditions will dictate what we can actually do. It could be crisp and beautiful. It could snow. It could be seriously bloody chilly. That unpredictability is part of travelling here at this time of year.

OVERNIGHT: Lake Khövsgöl Ger Camp

MEALS: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

DAY 8 – 1 NOVEMBER: LAKE KHÖVSGÖL → MÖRÖN → ULAANBAATAR

Time to head back towards civilisation. We leave the lake early and drive approximately two hours back to Mörön, covering around 130 kilometres. From there we fly south to Ulaanbaatar, where we’ll be met at the airport and transferred back to our hotel.

After horses, teepees, dirt roads and reindeer herders, being back in Mongolia’s chaotic capital might actually feel remarkably normal. Tonight is our final night together.

OVERNIGHT: Ulaanbaatar

MEALS: Breakfast & lunch

DAY 9 – 2 NOVEMBER: FINISH

Sadly, every adventure has to end.

After breakfast, our Mongolia post-MTP trip officially finishes and everyone is free to fly home, continue travelling or, knowing the MTP crowd, probably head directly to yet another country. Over the last nine days we’ve gone from the traffic of Ulaanbaatar to the Darkhad Depression, ridden horses into the Siberian taiga, stayed with Mongolia’s reindeer herders and finished beside Lake Khövsgöl. Not a bad way to spend the week after a conference.

TRIP ENDS: Ulaanbaatar, 2 November 2027

WHAT KIND OF TRIP IS THIS?

This is an adventure trip, and it’s noticeably rougher than the other option pre and post MTP Summit trips. IT’S REAL ADVENTURE.

You don’t need to be super fit and there’s no technical climbing or serious trekking, but you do need to be able to ride a horse for several hours (if it’s your first time, that’s ok, but be ready to work hard!), deal with long drives on rough roads and accept very basic accommodation for the night in the taiga.

The other major factor is the cold. This is northern Mongolia at the end of October and beginning of November. Average temperatures are already falling rapidly at this point in the year and sub-zero nights should be expected, particularly once we reach Tsagaannuur and the taiga.

So bring proper winter equipment. Warm insulated jacket, thermal layers, gloves, hat, good boots and proper socks. This is not the trip to test whether the €12 jacket you bought in Decathlon is secretly expedition grade. The reward is that we’re travelling outside Mongolia’s busy summer season and experiencing the far north when it feels properly wild.

TRIP DATES, PRICE & WHAT’S INCLUDED

25 October to 2 November 2027, beginning and ending in Ulaanbaatar.

DURATION: 9 DAYS / 8 NIGHTS

PRICE: $3,699

The trip will include eight nights’ accommodation, including hotels in Ulaanbaatar, guesthouses in Tsagaannuur, our night with the Tsaatan community and two nights at Lake Khövsgöl.

It also includes the return domestic flights between Ulaanbaatar and Mörön, all ground transport in northern Mongolia, local guides and drivers, horses and horse guides for the taiga section, sightseeing included in the itinerary and meals where specified.

The international flight from Chengdu to Ulaanbaatar on 25 October is not included. Flights home from Mongolia are also not included.

Travel insurance, Mongolian visa costs where applicable, meals not specifically included, tips and personal expenses are also excluded.

Domestic flight schedules for October 2027 are not yet final, so the precise flight times and potentially minor timings within the itinerary may move once airlines publish their schedules.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WHAT ABOUT MONGOLIAN VISAS?

Easy. Visa free, or e-visa, for almost everyone. Of course, Mongolian entry requirements depend on the passport you travel on and the visa rules in force in 2027.

A number of nationalities currently benefit from visa-free arrangements, while others require a visa or electronic visa. Because our trip is more than a year away, I’m not going to pretend today’s rules are guaranteed to be identical in October 2027. We’ll confirm the current requirements for everyone joining well before departure and tell you exactly what you need to do.

DO I NEED TO KNOW HOW TO RIDE A HORSE?

You don’t need to be an expert rider, but this probably shouldn’t be your first encounter with a horse. But if you’re brave, and fit (ish) it can work as your first time. Expect a painful behind the next day though!

The ride into and out of the taiga involves several hours in the saddle, so I strongly recommend getting at least some basic riding practice before the trip if you haven’t ridden before. Our local horse guides will be with us throughout the riding sections.

HOW COLD WILL IT BE?

Cold. We’re entering northern Mongolia at the very end of October. Historical climate data for Tsagaannuur shows temperatures dropping rapidly throughout the month, with freezing conditions entirely normal by late October and much colder weather possible. Expect sub-zero temperatures, particularly overnight, and pack accordingly.

WHERE EXACTLY DO THE TSAATAN LIVE?

In the taiga around northern Khövsgöl Province near the Russian border. Their camps are seasonal rather than permanent, so the exact location changes as families move with their reindeer. That’s why our itinerary refers to travelling from Tsagaannuur into the taiga rather than promising one fixed GPS coordinate.

Our local team coordinates the visit with the community before we arrive.

ARE THE TSAATAN AND DUKHA THE SAME PEOPLE?

You’ll see both names used. “Tsaatan” is the name most travellers encounter and is associated with their reindeer-herding lifestyle, while “Dukha” is also widely used for the community. Mongolian official sources continue to use the term Tsaatan when discussing the reindeer herders of the East and West Taiga

WHERE DO WE SLEEP IN THE TAIGA?

Very simply. The planned accommodation is a traditional teepee-style dwelling or a basic wooden house at the reindeer-herder camp. There will be no en-suite bathroom, no luxury facilities and none of the comforts of the hotels in Ulaanbaatar. It’s one night. You’ll survive.

IS THERE MUCH HIKING?

No major hiking is required. This adventure is much more about road travel and horse riding. There may be some walking around the camps, lake and cities, but there is no multi-day trek.

IS THE CHENGDU TO ULAANBAATAR FLIGHT INCLUDED?

No. Everyone is responsible for getting themselves from Chengdu to Ulaanbaatar on 25 October 2027. The Mongolia package begins in Ulaanbaatar.

ARE THE DOMESTIC FLIGHTS INCLUDED?

Yes. The planned domestic flights between Ulaanbaatar and Mörön are included.

Exact 2027 schedules are not yet published, so flight times will be confirmed closer to departure.

DO I NEED TRAVEL INSURANCE?

Yes. Travel insurance is mandatory. Make sure your policy covers horse riding and the type of remote travel involved in this itinerary rather than buying the cheapest possible policy and discovering afterwards that half the trip is excluded.

WHO AM I?

My name is Johnny Ward, the first Irish person to visit every country. And recently the first person to complete the Ultimate Explorer’s Grand Slam (every country, 7 summits, both poles). I’ve down a few other things like rowed unsupported across the Atlantic, I created a yearly ultra marathon in the Eye of the Sahara in Mauritania, and a yearly ultra cycle from Ashgabat to the Gates of Hell in Turkmenistan.

I’m a full-time professional blogger who runs a lot of group trips (so no excuse for the endless spelling mistakes I make, sorry!) and I’m most happy when I’m running those group trips with like minded people to weird places, from the connections I made doing my 10 year ‘every country’ quest!

I’ve taken thousands of people on group trips to some of the weirdest places on earth – from South Sudan to Niue. And now Luis and I are going to try to focus more on helping MTP have more options to go with friends to far flung destinations. So here we are!

I should also probably add, I’m not your usual ‘tour company’ or ‘tour guide’. I do this because I love it! It’s my passion. So expect a bit of chaos, a lot of laughs, a healthy dose of unpredictability and a trip to tell your grandkids about.

• I will be guiding the Pakistan overland to China, via the Karakoram Highway before the MTP conference. Josh, my co-founder at MuditaAdventures.com will be guiding this tour, along with our local team too of course. This is Josh at me in Nepal recently:

HOW THIS TRIP CONNECTS WITH MTP CHENGDU 2027

This is one of my official post-MTP adventures following the MTP Chengdu Summit from 21–24 October 2027.

Unlike my Tibet trip, this one doesn’t depart overland directly from Chengdu. Everyone joining will need to fly from Chengdu to Ulaanbaatar on 25 October, and that flight is not included in the package. Once you reach Mongolia, however, we take care of the trip from there.

So you can attend the MTP Summit, spend a few days surrounded by some of the most travelled people on Earth and then swap conference rooms and Chengdu skyscrapers for horses, reindeer and a teepee in the Mongolian taiga. Pretty decent transition.

OTHER MTP CHENGDU 2027 TRIPS WITH ME

PPRE-MTP TRIP 1: Pakistan to China Overland (via Karakoram Highway and Khunjerab Pass)

PRE-MTP TRIP 2: Kazakhstan + Kyrgyzstan Overland

PRE-MTP TRIP 3: Mini-trip: Guilin + Yangshou

• MTP SUMMIT, CHENGDU 2027

POST-MTP TRIP 1: China to Tibet to Nepal overland (via Everest Base Camp)

POST-MTP TRIP 2: Bangladesh and the Sundarbans

POST-MTP TRIP 3: Staying with the Mongolian Reindeer Tribes

POST-MTP TRIP 4: Mini-trip: Chengdu + Chongqing

POST-MTP TRIP 5: Mini-trip: Shangri-La + Tiger Leaping Gorge