Genghis Khan Retreat: An unforgettable week glamping and horse riding in Mongolia's Orkhon Valley

Guests at Genghis Khan Retreat stay in traditional Mongolian gers, often referred to as yurts in the west, constructed by hand from bright orange beams—the colour orange represents prosperity, we are told. They're held together by sturdy rope made from horse hair, and lined with thick layers of sheep wool to insulate against the elements, which can be unpredictable on the steppe. Two solar-powered lamps provide a soft glow in the evenings, while a wood-burning fire provides extra warmth when needed.

The beds are lined with soft Mongolian cashmere, produced in Giercke’s factory in Kathmandu, Nepal. Dedicated to bettering the lives of nomads, in 1997, Giercke’s parents became what he calls “precious-wool hunters”, sourcing wool from goats in the Orkhon Valley which is then  hand-spun, hand-woven and hand-dyed in Kathmandu. The finished products, which include scarves, blankets and coats, are delivered to its principal client—Hermès.

There’s a story there, too. One night in Paris, Christopher Giercke boldly told Hermès designer Henri d’Origny that his product was quite boring, and that he could produce something better. He was right. 

D’Artagnan—known as Dart by those close to him—currently splits his time between Kathmandu and the Orkhon Valley, managing the factory throughout the winter and running the retreat in the summer.

“Why I enjoy coming here is that I feel little again. It makes you realise there’s so much else to think about in the world. Life here is just ... better,” he says. “I work with my childhood friends, with staff who helped raise me. It’s a passionate and fun time when we celebrate the summer months. We have warm weather, ride horses, play polo, mountain bike, swim in the river. It’s a great way to decompress.”

Days at Genghis Khan Retreat begin with breakfast in the kitchen ger which is helmed by Nepalese chef Mingma Sherpa—I highly recommend the garam masala omelette, and dough balls served with creamy, locally churned butter. His repertoire spans from delicious lamb-filled dumplings to pasta with wild morel mushrooms foraged in Nepal, which he hand-carries to Mongolia by the bagful each summer.

Breakfast is usually followed by horse riding through the valley, led by skilled Mongol horsemen who grew up in these parts and know the best vantage points. The landscape, which stretches some 100 kilometres east to west along the river, is a Unesco World Heritage Site revered by locals as the gateway to heaven.

“When you sit on the hill, there are horizons where you can see as far as 60, 80, even 100 kilometres,” says Giercke. “It looks like it’s very close, but once you’re on a horse and you start moving, you realise how vast and far everything is.”

On these rides, we saw so much life. We came across sacred trees adorned in blessings and offerings, packs of hundreds of horses, baby yaks enjoying their first summer on the steppe, vultures polishing off their prey and ancient tombs dating back to the Neolithic period (3000 to 2000 BC).

Situated on a hill 25 kilometres upriver, the retreat’s location has a remarkable history. There’s even a mysterious menhir, or standing stone, placed at a cosmically significant spot by an ancient culture that has been long forgotten since. We were told that the kitchen ger is always positioned to face the menhir because Giercke Senior likes to begin his day observing it and contemplating the valley’s history.

One aspect of the valley’s history that’s close to the elder Giercke’s heart is polo. In 1996, he established The Genghis Khan Polo Club to create a base for the international equestrian community, and to revive the sport of polo in Mongolia—once a training method for the fierce Mongol cavalry during the Middle Ages. Through its Young Riders of the World programme, the club provides training, education and support to a young generation of Mongol riders from local herder families, providing them with an opportunity to develop lifelong connections and broaden their opportunities. Some have travelled as far as New Zealand to play professionally. 

Beyond polo and horse riding, the retreat offers activities like kayaking down the Orkhon River, mountain biking, rock climbing, archery and visits to nearby monasteries, as well as to Kharkhorin, one of the most historically important stops along the ancient Silk Road.

The retreat has expanded its on-site offerings over the years. There are yoga classes in the mornings, a massage ger and a resident shaman, Shiva, who tends to the aftermath of horse-riding accidents with his bone-setting skills. Giercke swears by Shiva’s healing prowess, claiming he’s fixed multiple dislocated shoulders and other injuries. This year, a sauna with incredible views was also introduced.

Step by step—or should we say, steppe by steppe—modern luxuries are being added where possible. This includes ensuite camping toilets in each ger, and it wasn’t until last year that Genghis Khan Retreat installed hot showers—there are two in total, located outdoors and strategically placed for privacy, with sweeping vistas of the valley.

“To have running hot water was one of the things that took me the longest to ‘sell out’ to,” Giercke says, laughing. “I just thought, you’re in the countryside, embrace the wildness of it. But when we added the hot showers last year, I thought ... ‘OK, this is nice’.”

But if you really want to go old-school, there’s a bathing ger with two large Japanese soaking tubs, filled on request with water heated over a stove.

Thankfully, none of these additions have come at the cost of the environment. The retreat is entirely self-sufficient, using solar power and natural resources for its daily operations. 

During sunset, guests gather to enjoy sundowners, where locally made charcuterie and cheeses are served with cocktails before moving into the candlelit dining ger. As guests settle down for dinner service, they enjoy a performance by world-class pianist Ogderel Sampilnorov. On some nights, she’s joined by other musical performances, including traditional Mongolian throat singing and morin khuur, also known as the horsehead fiddle.

On our final night at Genghis Khan Retreat, we were treated to a series of sporting events, including a friendly match between The Genghis Khan Polo Club and the Hong Kong Polo Development; Mongolian wrestling; and perhaps most exciting of all, horse racing—where dozens of children, all under the age of ten, raced for 11 kilometres at eye-watering speeds.

We rode alongside the children in cars, watching in awe as they hollered and whipped through the valley, some riding bareback. If this isn’t the definition of freedom, I’m not sure what is.

At the finish line, the children’s families and trainers gathered to tend to their horses, wiping off sweat and brushing their manes. “Zaa, zaa,” they would mutter, a sound used by horsemen in the valley to calm overly excited horses.

That night, the guests and staff gathered together for one final feast of khorkhog, where a whole lamb or goat is cooked using hot stones. Airag, an alcoholic drink made from fermented mare’s milk, was served by the ladleful. After dinner, another pot of airag was passed around the room. Whoever received it had to take a sip, then stand up and sing a well-known song, with others joining in. The whole ger erupted—shifting between English and Mongolian, ancient songs of the Orkhon Valley and Wannabe by The Spice Girls.

There were no white tablecloths or fine china, no fussing over wine, no grumbling about politics, just people coming together over food and music in what must be one of the most beautiful and enchanting places in the world.

In moments like these, it was easy to see why they call Mongolia the “Land of the Eternal Blue Sky”; not only because its vastness appears to expand into forever, but because when you’re here, everything seems simple and uncomplicated.

Here, it is just open sky and open mind. Dart was right. Life is better on the steppe.

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