Name: Mongolian Steppe Adventure
Brand: SpiceRoads Cycling
SKU: N/A
Price: 2300 USD
Availability: LimitedAvailability
Rating: 4.9 (1 reviews)

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Mongolia Cycling Tours & Packages

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Wide open spaces in an isolated country
The "undulating" countryside made for some exhilarating downhills! &nbsp;Hearty food in often beautiful countryside, friendly people and a great group!
&nbsp;The Nadaam festival was a really interesting insight into the juxtaposition of old and new in this changing country. &nbsp;I'm very glad we got to go. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Gana was a difficult customer. &nbsp;He did not seem interested in the group and was not a great "leader" in that he didn't warn us when it was time to leave-he just took off! &nbsp;He did not seem fit enough to be leading a bike trip and it seemed that he was maybe a bit burnt out. &nbsp;He told us that he is leaving soon to start his own company and maybe he was just treading water until this could happen. &nbsp;
&nbsp;The rest of the team, however, were excellent, kind and extremely good at their jobs! &nbsp;After an emergency trip in the van (nicknamed Boris), I realised just how much skill is involved in driving in Mongolia. &nbsp;We may be cycling on jeep tracks but these are also the main roads for the traffic! &nbsp;&nbsp;

Go! &nbsp;Get some off road experience and be prepared to rough it a bit! &nbsp;

I have written to Exodus separately due to some safety concerns on this trip, which in part may relate to the tour leader and not be generalisable the the trip as a whole. &nbsp;A client had a fairly serious accident and although I do not think there was anything avoidable with this, there were some aspects of the trip which were not as safety conscious as they could have been. &nbsp;
Make sure if you go during July to see the Nadaam festival that Exodus know this is why you were going. &nbsp;Our guide initially seemed surprised that this was part of the Exodus trip notes. &nbsp;It started the holiday off on a sour note and is another example of the trip notes being inaccurate as has been mentioned in previous reviews. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Exodus Adventure Travels

Cycling in Mongolia

SpiceRoads Cycling

This was simply a magnificent holiday in a wonderful country. Cycling eleven 
days in a row is a bit tough and the terrain can be challenging, but it is 
worth the effort. The landscape is vast and photographs cannot do it justice. 
I never tired of seeing herds of horses, running free in this never ending 
scenery.
On the practical side, the tents were of top quality, the bikes were of 
equally good quality, the crew of 8 were brilliant and the group of cyclists 
were great company. The meals were well balanced and a credit to our cook. NK 
our leader was probably the best group leader I have experienced in my many 
Exodus adventures. We even had a shower tent with warm water when possible.
September brought us varied weather conditions, with cold mornings, some 
rain, snow on the mountains, hail, high winds and plenty of sunshine.
I would recommend this holiday especially if you want to get away from busy 
cities and experience real peace and quiet.
I never tired of the horses running alongside us. The herds of yaks and cows 
and enormous flocks of sheep and goats are equally impressive. Large birds of 
prey can be seen regularly.
The night skies are incredible.


NK was magnificent. His organisational skills, his pleasant manner and his 
love of Mongolia is inspirational. My luggage failed to arrive when we landed 
at Ulaan Baataar, but NK assured me that the luggage would arrive before we 
boarded the overnight train. He arranged this and my luggage arrived.
The excellent Gala Dinner on our last night was a very pleasant surprise.
Our team consisted of NK, two other cyclist guides, three drivers,  a cook 
and cook's assistant.


Take a good quality sleeping bag.
The camping is very good and nothing to fear.
We all became very slick at erecting our tents and taking them down.


When wild camping, toilets can be a bit of a worry. In Mongolia we had a 
western style toilet in a tent.

The organisation and support from the entirely local team running the trip 
was absolutely exceptional. NK, the group leader, was faultless - calm, fun, 
supportive, organised, knowledgeable, entertaining. He led an exceptional 
team of drivers, cooks, mountain bikers/mechanics/guides, who all made the 
trip utterly fantastic. Breathtaking scenery, well maintained bikes, a good 
variety of routes - grassy Steppes, mountains, lakes and rivers. Gorgeous 
camp locations. Fascinating visits to a nomadic family, the capital and the 
ancient capital. It was a wonderful trip.
It is really difficult to choose one - the most inspirational moment was 
often every single morning, setting off after a hearty breakfast to 
(usually!) crisp blue skies, early morning sun, herds of animals across the 
Steppes, distant ger tents. Just magical. Staying up late one night to see 
the stars on a very clear night was very special. The lamb roasted in the 
traditional way with hot stones from a fire one evening was very special too.


NK was himself an inspiration. He truly was mindblowing - great fun, 
extremely knowledgeable. methodical, efficient, well organised. I was in awe 
of him! Can’t thank him enough for making the trip so amazing.


It got very cold at night on this last tour of the season... down to -5 on 
occasions. But still up to 20 degrees sometimes in the day. So being equipped 
for the temperature change and range is critical for your enjoyment of the 
trip - I was pretty cold at night, and setting off in the morning I was 
dressed up like for skiing, and then rapidly had to strip off layers as the 
temperature shoots up in the mornings.

An incredible, stunning, strange and wonderful experience

I can not recommend this adventure enough: Mongolia is a special country and 
Exodus provided the ideal adventure to highlight all aspects of Mongolia and 
Mongolian life.  We aren’t really mountain bikers but the biking was superb 
- not particularly easy - but truly enjoyable in terms of terrain, scenery 
and fun riding.  We aren’t really campers - but have to admit it was kinda 
enjoyable in the end

For me this has been without doubt the most amazing cycling trip I have done.  Mongolia is unlike anywhere else. Wide open rolling countryside and skies.  Truly felt away from 'it all.'
I took my bivvy bag and took the opportunity to sleep under the stars, I'd open my eyes at night to be in awe of the night sky - I've not seen the milky way for years.
The variety of the landscape took my breath away and I never tired of riding through the grasslands and forests.

Our group leader was kind, courteous, knowledgeable and kept us all safe.

Be aware this includes wild camping and that means pit loos, lots of bugs especially grasshoppers and crickets.  If you are offered fermented mares milk - try it as it's an original. Particularly good if you like picked cabbage. Expect a lack of washing although cold showers are available some nights. Be prepared for all sorts of weather - we had hot and sunny with mornings you could see your breath and rainy days and when it rains it really does rain and maybe for a few days at a time which in turn means think before you enter you tent! Get strong insect repellent unless you don't mind being eaten by horse flies.  Mongolian vodka is tasty.  Altitude takes a few days to get used to as this is riding at 1600 plus metres above sea level.  Gers get very home when the fire is lit.  Burning horse poo really does keep the flies away.  Don't do this holiday unless you are prepared to eat alot - you need it.  Go with an open mind/heart and soul and embrace.

This was my 50th Birthday Present to myself (February) and timed my trip to co-inside with my husbands 52nd Birthday and the team gave a surprise cake to my husband, this really touched both of us.  This trip really blew my socks off (despite wearing the same pair for the trip).  The countryside was wide-sweeping along with the endless skies.  The people hospitable especially the herders we met, we felt welcomed.  Mongolia is unique with it's history and culture which is worn as a warm knowing smile that they will gently share with you.  I really don't think this trip could have been bettered and the echo of which will live with me for many many years and I am extremely grateful to Samba and his team for giving me such a gift.

An amazing country, "Big Sky" steppe, and excellent mt biking on mostly super smooth dirt with just enough steep and rocky and stream crossings to keep one on ones toes but the logistics needs some upgrades
The Nadaam festival and the countless herds of horses

Quentin did a great job and the crew was alway super helpful

Bring a headnet -- the flies can be really bad

The food needs to be upgraded in quantity and quality.  About 2000 calories/day (not including the candy on the trail) isnt enough and protein was sparse.  Porridge and a small yoghurt for breakfast doesnt cut it.  Add a significant snack upon arrival in camp and expand dinner portions.  That said the cooks did some very tasty local specialties.  I lost weight on a pretty lean frame.
Upgrade camping with sunshowers vice busket and camp chairs with backs vice stools.

This was an amazing way to experience Mongolia -- the landscapes, countryside, the people. From scaling mountain passes, coasting through the Mongolian Steppe, camping by picturesque rivers and lakes, to visiting ancient ruins, seeing enough goats, sheep, yaks and horses to last a lifetime, and experiencing the hospitality and generosity of the Mongolian herders in their gers, this is a great way to spend a holiday.
The most inspirational moment of the trip was visiting the various herders in the countryside. Rolling up to an unsuspecting ger with 14 dirty, often cold and muddy western tourists didn't phase the generous nomads in the wilds of Mongolia. They opened up their homes, offered us food and drink and really showed us the heart of Mongolia. Experiencing the culture and traditions of the Mongolian people was incredible.

Our group leaders were exceptional. They were knowledgable, friendly, fun and flexible. Due to some extreme weather on the trip, they went out of their way to ensure we had warm dry places to eat lunch and dinner as well as rest our weary heads. The drivers, cooks and staff in general were remarkable -- cooking delicious and filling food in the worst of conditions, driving us safely through mud, sleet, snow and more, and making up routes on the fly when we got off course. They became more than just group leaders, but felt also like fellow travelers and friends by the end of the trip.

Don't expect high quality equipment on this trip. The bikes are old and need new parts and lots of love -- I went through 2 different bikes on this trip and three seats -- due to gears breaking and slipping, brakes malfunctioning and seat posts braking in half. The bike mechanic on the trip was amazing -- worked hard every night and morning to fix the bikes as best he could, but the real problem is that the bikes are too old and worn and need to be replaces. The tents are also in need of a serious upgrade. Most of them were threadbare in spots and leaked horribly during rain storms (which are inevitable in August in Mongolia). Our tents were unusable for two nights of the trip, as they filled up with inches of water due to bad patches and threadbare spots. The trip needs to invest in new tents if they expect people to camp during the rainy season in Mongolia. If you're really into mountain biking, I suggest you skip the bike hire option and bring your own bike on this trip. If they'll let you bring your own tent, I highly recommend you do that as well.

This trip was amazing. But it's expensive, and I expected better quality bikes and tents for the price I paid. I know that Mongolia is a developing country and is still recovering from years of oppression under Communist rule and it is hard to get high quality equipment into the country, but Exodus needs to do what it can to support the companies it contracts out for the tents and bikes. They were in such bad disrepair that it really affected the enjoyment of the trip and ended up costing the group time and extra money (working on the bikes to get them ridable every morning, and finding and paying for sketchy hotel rooms in small towns in the middle of nowhere when the tents were so soaked they were inhabitable). The state of my bike for some days of the trip actually caused me concern for my safety at times. The terrain is challenging and can be pretty unstable, and having a bike that constantly skips gears or seizes up is a liability for Exodus. It really affected the enjoyment of the trip for me. Also, the difficulty rating for this trip should be adjusted -- it is more challenging than moderate, and many people on the trip felt that the difficulty level was undersold a bit.

Mongolia Cycling Tours & Packages Tour & Trip Reviews

CYCLING THE EMPIRE OF GENGHIS KHAN