After breakfast that included a real cappuccino (yum), we head further west to Karakorum (Locally called Kharakhorin or Harhorin). It’s over 200kms and paved road once we get out of the hills and back into the main highway.
Karakorum is the ancient capital of Mongolia, located on the right bank of Orkhon River and on the northeastern slopes of the Khangai Mountains. Founded by Chinggis Khan in 1220, it was not only the capital of the vast Mongolian Empire, but also the epicenter of trade along the Silk Road. At that time the inhabitants of city were mostly merchant craftsmen who came to Karakorum from all over the world. In 1379 much of the city was badly damaged during an attack by the army of the Min Dynasty.
The drive is long but goes pretty smoothly. There are lots of combo cafe/supermarket/toilets along the way to grab snacks.
The driving is a bit off putting. I can’t get used to the speeds and the passing into oncoming traffic. My need for speed is fading as I get older and travelling with my children. It’s not that they are bad drivers, there are just a lot of factors that need to be on your side to keep you safe.
We make it to town in one piece at around 1pm and stop at a museum which turns out to be fantastic. Very simple and well done and does a great job of really encapsulating the Mongol empire. While we are visiting our guide, Sara, and our drivers head to a store to pick up things for dinner. Tonight we are going out to visit a local nomad family and having a true Mongolian bbq experience with them as a treat from her.
We then head to our camp for lunch and to get settled into our gers. It’s already pretty late so we have a bit of downtown and then head up along the River and into the hills to meet the family.
They first invite us into their more formal ger, being careful which way we enter the ger, where we sit, and which way to accept the tobacco when it’s offered. It’s passed to the man and then to a guest then back to the man and back to another guest in a sort of ritual.
Once the formalities were done, we gave the kids some Canada hats and then went outside to wait until the chores were done and we could go horseback riding.
They had all the foals tied on a rope and we watched as they brought the mares over and unhooked the foals one by one and brought them to the mare. They were allowed to drink briefly to get the mares milk to let down I’m assuming and then the woman milked the mare while someone held the foal up tight against the mare. Our driver clearly had grown up in a similar home as he jumped right into action helping grab the foals and the mares.
Once the mares are milked we are matched with horses and then head off down the valley. Mongolian horses are not big. Some of them are maybe 14 hands, but that would be tall. Watching some of the tall people in our group get up onto one of the small horses and small saddles is pretty hilarious. They need to majorly drop stirrups for most of us. The saddles are hard and mostly wood although the frame that I sat on was actually metal. I found it quite comfortable actually. The pommel and the cantor are both higher and match in height. Mongolians tend to ride standing up or hitched over to one side above a walk. It’s pretty cool to watch them ride at top speeds.
I’m riding a smallish chestnut mare who is quite sweet. Unfortunately the flies are actually horrendous, like I’m talking on you in sheets. If not for that the ride would have been perfect. To get your horse to go it appears to be leg and “tchoo tchoo” and while mine doesn’t seem to be keen to go at first, on the way back we get a good couple gallops in. None of us are used to riding such small horses except for maybe fiona and Avery and the stride is short and choppy. Getting into a canter offers some relief but I feel badly with all these big Canadians on these small horses.
Avery is offered the opportunity to canter down the valley and back with one of our horse guides. I’m pretty sure she has a blast. Fiona got a crazy horse and had to stay tied to one of the guides most of the way and cadences horse was pokey pokey and had to keep getting brought up by the guides. Dave was riding a lovely almost Fjord looking horse.
It was a lovely ride and experience overall and will make some good memories.
When we got back our drivers had been busily cooking up a feast. They had a large pot over a wood stove outside and had layered hot rocks with seasoned lambs meat (2 yr old) and veggies on top. It was served out into two large platters and we simply ate from them with our hands and with knives to cut the meat from the bone. Without a doubt it will be the highlight meal. The meat was particularly delicious.
After we ate, Avery, Fiona, and Erik started a simple game of throwing around a water bottle, the daughter brought over a volleyball and then everyone started to join in, including eventually the three daughters of the family and even the dad for a small portion. Our drivers all got right into it and they must have played for at least an hour. Dave and I and grandma and grandpa cheered from the sidelines.
They were all having a blast and we had music playing from one of the cars. The two young boys from the family wanted desperately to join in but just ran around in circles shrieking. Adorable.
We packed up and headed home just before dusk and relaxed for awhile before heading to bed. It’s our last night in a ger camp. We head back to UB tomorrow where we will spend the last few nights in a hotel before we fly home.
This experience and this evening will be a wonderful memory for everyone I have no doubt.
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