To recreate the legendary 13th century Genghis Khan's postal system, riders are to overcome a 1,000 km course, stopping only every 40 km for a break under the stars. Strong will and determination to ride a semi-wild Mongolian horse is a must for the riders, who amount to around 40 professionals. The horses are small, but so sturdy and enduring that to survive they need no more than 5 kg of essentials. Before the Derby, these horses are independent and beasty due to the specifics of Mongolian herding. About 1,400 best horses from local herders get selected and then trained for the Derby. The extremely demanding course includes 25 horse stations. While it is a very dangerous and demanding adventure to uptake, it is also one of the most spectacular,—only the fearless dare to conquer the Mongolian Steppe!
The Derby usually follows such a pattern: a few days before the start participants join a training in Ulaanbaatar, followed by a two-day training at the start camp, then the actual Mongol Derby, and at the very end—return to Ulaanbaatar and a farewell party.
