Mongol Derby
Mongol Derby takes place Approx. early - mid Aug 2026 (roughly a 10-day race window; confirm with the organisers) in Mongolian Steppe, Mongolia. The dress code is Technical endurance riding kit - helmet, half-chaps, breathable layers, waterproof shell and serious sun protection, all within a strict 5kg baggage allowance. Typical cost ranges from 14000 to 20000 EUR per person.
Billed as the longest and toughest horse race on earth: roughly 1,000 kilometres across open Mongolian steppe on semi-wild local horses, ridden over about ten days. Competitors change mounts every 40km at stations modelled on Genghis Khan's messenger relay, navigate by GPS, and sleep where they land, often in herders' gers. Vets check every horse at every station and penalise riders who push them, which makes horsemanship rather than speed the deciding factor.
- When
- Approx. early - mid Aug 2026 (roughly a 10-day race window; confirm with the organisers)
- Where
- Mongolian Steppe, Mongolia
- Dress code
- Technical endurance riding kit - helmet, half-chaps, breathable layers, waterproof shell and serious sun protection, all within a strict 5kg baggage allowance.
- Cost
- Typical cost ranges from 14000 to 20000 EUR per person.
- Weather
- 20 - 30C sunny days on the steppe with sharply cold nights, sudden thunderstorms and hard wind
- When to book
- Apply a full year ahead; places are limited, selective and allocated on riding experience rather than first come.
- Getting there
- UBN (Ulaanbaatar Chinggis Khaan), transfer onward to the steppe start camp
- Where to stay
- Shangri-La Ulaanbaatar, Blue Sky Hotel & Tower, Ulaanbaatar, Terelj Hotel & Spa
- Official site
- https://equestrianists.com/
How to attend
This is a participation challenge, not a spectator event, and there is no public access to the remote course. Applications go through The Equestrianists, the organisation that now runs the Derby after spinning out of The Adventurists. Places are limited and selective, requiring demonstrable long-distance riding experience, and the entry fee runs into five figures in GBP before travel, kit and the required charity fundraising. Apply roughly a year ahead of the August you want to ride.
Insider tip
The entry fee is only part of it - treat the qualification riding, kit and charity fundraising as the real cost, and note the race is now run by The Equestrianists rather than The Adventurists, so apply through the correct organisation.
Get inside Mongol Derby
Booking matters here: apply a full year ahead; places are limited, selective and allocated on riding experience rather than first come. Members track that window, what it really costs, and 573 more events across the season.
Free while in beta. One email when your invitation is ready, nothing else.