Horses of Mongolia 🐎

Flying in from Japan, the view from the plane gave the first taste of how vast and raw Mongolia really is. Below, the endless sands of the Gobi Desert met the sky in soft waves of color. The taxi ride from the airport into Ulaanbaatar only added to the first impressions.

With the weather on our side, the journey properly began with a horseback ride through the Mongolian steppe. Together with our local guide, Bilgun, we left the city and drove just about an hour before reaching Terelj National Park. The park is known for its rocky formations, open landscapes and nomadic camps scattered across the valleys. At the edge of the park, we met the horse owner. The horses were already saddled—small, sturdy, and calm.

The route took us through tiny villages, past wooden houses and gers, along a river just beginning to thaw. By late afternoon, we reached our overnight stop—a traditional ger, the round felt-covered dwelling used by nomads. Inside, wooden furniture painted in bright colors, a central stove, and thick blankets. First task: light the fire. Then dinner, tea, and silence, broken only by the wind and the occasional sound from nearby yaks. When the sun disappeared, the temperature dropped fast. Even the yaks looked tired.

We stayed up talking with Bilgun under a large, silver moon. At some point I dozed off, and when Maciek was ready to sleep too, the fire had already died. No draft, no heat—but eventually the fire came back to life. We slept, wrapped in sleeping bags, heavy with the cold and the stars outside.

Morning brought a short walk and some unexpected encounters—an adorable Mongolian girl, falcons hunting small animals in the grass, and horses roaming free with yaks, everywhere. It was peaceful and simple. The way back was slow, almost meditative, though the short stirrups and stiff saddles made the knees ache.

We ended the day with a stop at the massive Chinggis Khaan Statue Complex. The statue is the tallest equestrian monument in the world—40 meters of steel, with Chinggis staring into the east from horseback. Beneath it, a small museum (visited without electricity—no lights, just echoes). A strange but fitting finish to the day.Read more