Mongol Derby or The Great Nomad Challenge.
Chloe Phillips-Harris riding the Mongol Derby in 2013
Great Nomad Challenge or the Mongol Derby?
It's a question I get asked all the time.
Having completed the Mongol Derby and now having ridden well over 10,000 km across Mongolia, I can honestly say they are two very different adventures—and both are among the hardest and longest horseback rides on the planet.
The Mongol Derby is the world's longest horse race. Covering around 1,000 km over approximately 10 days, it's an incredible endurance event where speed, navigation and strategy are everything. Entry fees are typically around US$17,000–20,000, and for many riders it represents the ultimate competitive challenge.
The Great Nomad Challenge covers an even greater distance—approximately 1,200 km in 3 weeks—and while it is not a race, don't mistake that for meaning it's easy. Long days in the saddle, changing horses, riding camels, yaks and reindeer, remote wilderness, unpredictable weather and immense physical and mental endurance make it one of the most demanding equestrian expeditions in the world. At around US$15,000, it also offers a very different type of adventure.
The biggest difference isn't the kilometres—it's the purpose.
The Great Nomad Challenge is far more than simply riding across Mongolia. It's about understanding one of the last great nomadic cultures on Earth. It's about sitting in family gers, sharing meals, learning traditions that have survived for centuries, and seeing a side of Mongolia that very few outsiders ever experience.
You'll still enjoy exhilarating gallops across the endless steppe, the challenge of adapting to different horses and terrains, and the satisfaction of pushing yourself far beyond what you thought possible. But you'll also ride alongside camel herders, yak herders and the Dukha reindeer people, gaining a deeper appreciation of the extraordinary relationship between Mongolia's people, animals and landscapes.
For some riders, the Great Nomad Challenge is the perfect stepping stone before taking on the Mongol Derby. It teaches you how to ride Mongolian horses over long distances, cope with remote conditions, develop endurance and confidence, and become comfortable living and travelling as the nomads do.
For others, it's exactly what they're looking for—a journey where the greatest reward isn't crossing a finish line, but returning home with a completely different perspective on the world.
Both adventures will challenge you.
Both will change you.
But if you're looking for an expedition that combines world-class endurance riding with authentic cultural immersion, extraordinary wildlife, lifelong friendships and the chance to leave a positive impact on the communities you visit, then the Great Nomad Challenge may just be the adventure you've been searching for.
If you're ready to discover what you're really capable of, we'd love to welcome you to Mongolia.
-Chloe Phillips-Harris
Riding the Great Nomad Challenge in tradtional Mongolian gear 2025