WILD EARTH JOURNEYS
CLIENT'S FEEDBACK
Kate: - A blog of appreciation (https://katedernocoeur.com/home/mongolia-sketch-the-eagles)
Penelope: - "photographing Naadam, rafting down the Tamir in an inner tube, jumping with Mitga on our horses (she is a horse jumper) fishing with Timmy and John Booker, enjoying star gazing at 2 AM with Boyna"
Simran: "The peace."
Barbara: "This trip restored confidence in my riding after my accident last month. I loved the hammock, nutella, my birthday celebrations, and time spent in a no wifi zone."
Maiya: "Riding, the open landscape, the day to day experiences."
Bryna: "The awesome scenery, being in the middle of nowhere, living in a yurt, camping, riding, all the farm animals living amongst us, being a purple ninja when I tumbled off my horse and stood up (like an Olympic gymnast!)"
Steph: "Riding horses, Lapis Sky Camp. A herd of horses running free beside us on the pass."
Rose: "There was something new and interesting everyday. Great staff, great clients, it was a lot of fun. Trip of a lifetime."
Karen- "Of course—the horses. Gher visit to Tarva and Jhargal’s. Mongolian hospitality. Special people. And the van adventure- truly!"
Ron-"Breathtaking. I really didn’t think it would be as beautiful as it is. Beauty is special. The professionalism of the staff. Their eagerness to help. I appreciated John Booker’s fly fishing lessons."
Heather- "Teaching Boyna to swim in the Tamir, yoga with Carroll with buttercups stuck in our toes, cowboys playing and tossing cowpies at the winter settlement, fishing."
C.K.- "I have over 100 highlights. My horse- I named “Little Arrow”-riding him bareback. When Tina sang Mongolian song with Boyna to the staff."
Bill- "I have dozens of highlights. I genuinely appreciated the rich commentary on our experience- the anthropology and photography, I enjoyed the animals in the nighttime- crunching as they ate near our heads at night, their eyes glowing in the dark on the way to take a pee, walking into yaks and cows."
Chauncy- "You guys did a tremendous job. I feel I got to really know Mongolian country life and people. I enjoyed making sausage and was very impressed with the shaman. I liked my horse- a good fit."
Susan- "Mandal mountain pilgrimage was very important to me. I will never forget peoples faces- their faces here are so filled with character. I loved the cowboys singing filling the vast spaces, I enjoyed riding. Tom and Carroll, you helped us access a special place and culture."
Tina- "It is an amazing country and people. Like an onion, peel back stories, and more stories beneath. I remember when that huge herd of 500 sheep came and surrounded Zan. I of course loved singing with Chauncy and really loved being on top of Mandal mountain with Susan and who won’t forget (Bryna) purple Ninja (she rode in a purple jump suit)."
Adrienne Shulman - “It's difficult to sum up the Mongolian Horse Trek in mere words. The gorgeous untouched landscape, rich cultural experiences, rugged adventure, the luxury of a warm and friendly staff. The days at Lapis Sky were as close to perfection as possible - waking up in a ger to a cozy fire, pranayama by the river, yoga, hiking, horse back riding, amazing people, great food, all under a beautiful blue sky. It was a true spiritual awakening and ever since I've been back home I've been plotting my return.”
Tim Lopez - “My wife Ronda and I had a trip of a lifetime! She told me it that for her, it was one of the best trips we have taken. Neither of us are “horse people” so to build up enough skill and to ride at a full gallop by the end of the trip was a thrill for both of us! I could not have imagines the “steppes” were so beautiful.. what a great experience it was to traverse them on horseback, to see herds of horses, yaks and sheep living naturally, to see eagles and vultures and other birds of prey soaring around us, to listen to mongolians sing around the bonfire and to camp out under the stars. It was meaningful to immerse ourselves in the nomad lifestyle/culture. The visit to a nomad’s Ger was special as was the Nadam we attended. We also appreciated the spirituality of the visits to the Buddhist temples, the meeting with the Lama, and the climb to Mandel mountain to make an offering. For me, the fly fishing experience was incredible! I’m glad I brought my rod so I could sneak out any time to catch abundant grayling and Lenok. Yogi was also a great guide."
Howard Putter : “I had a wonderful Horse Trek in Mongolia with Tom and Carroll. It was a special opportunity to experience Mongolia, a place frozen in time, with people living as they have for generations before the country is tainted by civilization. We got to share their joy with the Nadaam festival - a festival that has gone on since Ghengis Khan. We got to explore Ulan Bataar and Khartoum and learn about the people and the history. We got to ride horses through the beautiful countryside on Mongolian horses led by and assisted by Mongolian horsemen. Our yurts were basic but comfortable. We even had showers! It was nice to be off the grid! No cell phones or computers! The food was great! We were constructively occupied from awakening until night time. We could chose our experiences and our pace. It was very special to spend time with Tom and Carroll, who have had unique and amazing lives and are happy to share with all of us! This is a unique trip. It is enjoyable and will add to you appreciation of life! All were changed and glad they went!”
Laura Forest - “PICTURE THIS- Trotting, or galloping, your beautiful and mighty Mongolian horse between two Mongolian Nomadic horseman while listening to them sing songs and laugh together. You are riding across some of the most spectacular scenery imaginable - wide open valleys with mountains surrounding you, beautiful forested hills with herds of wild horses galloping in the distance. Eagles soaring above a landscape speckled with livestock roaming the Steppes. Every view is absolutely spectacular and breathtaking and all you can do is pinch yourself and say "it doesn't get better than this. And, that was just the horseback riding parts! Back at camp you feel like a little kid at your first summer camp with endless opportunities to try activities you've never tried (for me it was fly fishing with Yogi and photography with Thomas). The rest of the staff was kind and inviting, informative and eager to share their knowledge. Everyone was generally delightful to be around, right down to the lovely young Mongolian man who prepared the hot water for our showers and had the voice of an angel when he sang at the bonfires. Other highlights were my first gallop with Chase and Jaaghi at my side (life changing), visiting neighboring Gers and being treated with such sweet hospitality and kindness by our hosts. I milked a Yak, learned about the history and many traditions of the Mongolian people thanks to Thomas, Chase and the rest of the Mongolian staff. We sat with the Lama at Kharkhorin and silently hiked to the top of Mt. Mandal, and woke to the sounds of Yaks around our Ger. The joy of watching your horse grazing nearby and knowing that the day was going to be magical. I have never experienced a trip that was so culturally sensitive, well organized, well staffed, packed with adventure and had a variety of activities for any skill level at any time. Mongolia will forever hold a very special place in my heart.”
Angela Hunter- “My adventure in Mongolia was a once in a lifetime experience. Nothing like living the life of a nomad, meeting so many wonderful Mongolian people, bonding with my Mongolian horse, and all of this in a pristine setting with hosts who were supportive, friendly and incredibly knowledgeable. I would highly recommend this adventure and the chance to experience a unique culture, away from the stresses of our busy lives.”
Dan Angelelli- “My trip to Mongolia with Carroll and Thomas was incredible! I appreciated their detailed knowledge of the history and culture, which supplemented the perspective I got from the local guides they work with. The trip easily exceeded my high expectations - one of the reasons is that Carroll and Thomas are very cool. Talking to them was always interesting, whether about the trip/local culture or about yoga, anthropology, photography, or many other topics. The trip was packed with experiences I never would have done on my own like extensive horseback riding, taking in the view from an ovoo atop a sacred mountain, and meeting a real shaman.”