No, Mongolia is a sovereign state and a country in its own right - its capital is Ulaanbaatar. There is a region in China called Inner Mongolia, but it is a separate place.

Australians no longer need visas if they are staying in Mongolia 30 days or less.

No, you have to get your own return ticket to Ulaanbaatar, but once you are there we take care of everything else including in-country flights, meals, accommodation, transport, all activities and material for activities and us 24/7 at your service.

Mongolia is generally a very safe country and this region is especially safe.

this is a sparsely populated area, as a result, crime is also not an issue.

We are walking through remote wilderness and mountains - and we respect that.

We take precautions during any river crossings and make sure the horses are easy to ride and we are accompanied all the time by a local guide and local horse guides.

The terrain we walk is generally grassy and visible trails and remote dirt roads. It is even and firm as we make our way into the conifer forest. There are several occasional crossings of streams ankle height.

We walk over a dry river bed where the rocks and pebbles make the ground uneven and sometimes the path is overgrown in parts.

Some uphill hiking up to the passes but there is not significant altitude issues - a steep descent on day 5 into the valley.

We often wear our sandals during the boggier terrain to keep our boots dry.

The terrain we ride over to the Taiga Forest is rugged and muddy, with plenty of boulders and rocky ground.

The hike up to Chochu Peak is only 700 m ascent (2440 m summit) and is mostly on a well trodden trail that winds up the mountain overlooking the lake. There are some loose rocks and gravel, but it is generally even, sometimes steep, but easy to walk on.

We cannot accommodate a late arrival - our domestic travel will be organised to get us on flights to Murun the second day and then we are transported by 4WD to the start of the trail. We have to travel together.

You need to be self-sufficient and carry your own portable power source for the time we are walking - 3 days at a time. There will be opportunities to charge devices on the evening of day 5 and day 8 at the Taiga Camp. There will be no electricity at all in the reindeer herders’ camp. Once we are back in a ger camp by the lake there will be normal charging on electrical power points.

Not really.

There will be WIFI (don’t count on it being strong) at the ger camps and some connectivity when we drive past some settlements, but not much at all.

No - the highest height we walk up to is 2,440 m. That’s not considered high altitude.

We are travelling on a boat at the end of the walk, so motion sickness could be an issue for some.

Build up your walking stamina and strength by walking regularly. Build up slowly from what you are used to until you can walk for 6 or more hours in one go. Make sure you incorporate hills, beach walking and definitely carry some weight. A more detailed training plan will come your way as soon as you book.

You will receive a list of suggested items to bring when you book into the tour. You DO NOT need a tent.

While walking we will be carrying only a day pack, so a small pack that will carry our food for the day and snacks, water and whatever items you want to carry on you while walking, like your camera or your sunscreen.

You can make them as light as you like.

You don’t have to, but it is always quicker when many hands are involved.

Our support crew usually helps us, but in my experience everyone gets involved and helps put tents up and take them down. The local team will be walking ahead of us on horses and setting up camp before we arrive every afternoon - however they start with the kitchen, toilet and mess tents and our sleeping tents are usually not yet up when we get there.

While we are walking, in nature.

There will be a campsite toilet tent set up every evening with a toilet seat (western style) in a spot a bit away from the campsite for privacy.

We require everyone to have fully comprehensive travel insurance for this reason. It is an extremely remote region of the country and we have sat phones and all the first aid equipment necessary to treat minor injuries or temporary ailments. If any serious injuries occur, we will get the injured person out of the National Park on horse and then by car and take them to the nearest town to be flown back to Ulaanbaatar.

We typically pair up solo female travelers in a shared room or tent. Alternatively, you have the option to pay for a single supplement if you prefer not to share.

It will take us most of the day to get there from the edge of the forest - approximately 5 - 7 hours. We will be riding at a slow walking pace and stopping regularly to stretch legs and body.
The return trip from the forest is shorter - less than 5 hours.

No, we will be shown a few techniques for staying comfortable on the horses, but we will be accompanied by experienced horse guides who will make sure everyone is riding as comfortably as possible. No experience is needed.