In the footsteps of Genghis Khan

Once arrived in Ulan-Ude we quickly visited the city center which remained very Soviet and as proof contains an enormous statue of Lenin's head. Yet the Ulan-Ude population is predominantly Buddhist so we also visited the two main Buddhist monasteries called "Datzan": Rinpoche Bagsha Datsan and Ivolginsky datsan. It offers a striking illustration of the cultural and religious diversity of Russia.

Then we took a small bus - called "marshrutka" - to go to the eastern shore of Lake Baikal. We spent a night in one of its many concrete, oversized and soulless resorts located on the shores of the lake. Then we decided to walk and camp directly on the sandy beaches bordering the lake on this portion. It is beautiful and wild. In the evening we witness magnificent sunsets, perhaps the most beautiful that I have ever seen. We are woken up in the morning by cows hanging out on the beach.. After two nights of wild camping, an old Buryat fisherman warned us of a storm and invited us to stay in a barn adjoining his house in a small coastal village. We spent wonderful days with him, his family and other villagers, drinking vodka, eating raw or wood-fired fish and listening to him talk about his sweet life of yesteryear, ie before the end of the USSR. 

From Ulan Ude we took a bus for a 14 hours trip to Ulan Bator. We spent like 4 hours crossing the border because of long and unorganized border controls. We had to fill out a questionnaire written only in Russian and Mongolian. Once in Ulan Bator we went to the Government Palace, an imposing square in the center of the city. The next day we went to Narantuul Market - also called “black market” to get an ax, knives, and large soviet waterproof coats. WTerelj National Park e also ordered tailor-made saddles, bought reins and stirrups. In the afternoon we booked a tour organized by the hostel to visit the which contains beautiful rock formations. On the way back we stopped at the Genghis Khan Equestrian Statue, a very tall statue erected in honor of the founder of the Mongol nation.

We took a small soviet van (UAZ) to get to  Khatgal near the Khovsgol Lake. We were 17 people in the 9 places UAZ for a 20 hours journey. It was uncomfortable but also very fun. We regularly had to leave the road which was in very bad condition. Once we got stuck crossing a river, everyone had to get out to push the van. Finally arrived, we hired horses - one per person plus 2 for the food and equipment - and 2 young guides (teenagers). Then we started our journey on horseback in search of the "Tsaatan" people, who are shamanic nomadic reindeer herders living in the forests near the lake. The adventure lasted 10 absolutely extraordinary days. We spent whole days without meeting other people, sometimes we crossed a yurt with around a herd of horses at most we saw a yurt or two on the horizon. The landscapes are varied, wild and breathtakingly beautiful: Taiga, endless stepps, mountains and lakes. In this region the main belief is animism so our route was marked out by animist places of worship, tipis to which are attached ribbons of multicolored fabrics and yak skulls. We stopped every three days in villages to get supplies. We also feed on our hunting and fishing. We slept under the stars or in tents near water points. We used tablets to purify river water for drinking. When we passed Mongolian nomads the welcome was always very warm, they offered us smoked fish, dried cheese, bread spread with mare's milk butter and - as a drink - tea and fermented horse milk called " ayrag ". The nomads speak neither Russian nor English, so we communicated by gestures and drawings on the ground, it generally worked well. By chance on July 11 we camped near a small village so we could attend the festivities of the Naadam, a big annual traditional festival which includes three moments : the traditional Mongolian wrestling fights, the archery competitions and - the most popular - the horse race between children aged 7 to 10 who ride bareback. The winner won a horse and money for the family. More than a trip it was a real wild adventure and culturally very exotic. Unforgettable.