Happy is he whom guests frequent. Joyful is he at whose door guests' horses are always tethered. - Mongolian proverb

Welcome to Lapis Sky Camp, located in the Bunkhan Valley, Arkhangai. Bunkhan means “Valley of the Ancestors” and the valley is rife with ancient Sythian burial mounds possibly 3000 years old. The pass is called Princess Pass, for a Uigyur Princess in her palequin is said to have stopped to picnic enjoying the view. The Tamir river sings to us daily, and the sacred larch covered Bayondur mountain looms above our glacial-created valley. Golden unicorn horse head mounts have been found on horse skull burials in the region.

Elemental. Simple eco camp, we try to leave as little trace on the land as we can. Lapis Sky Camp is simple. A place to return to inner simplicity, a wilderness family style casual camp with a zen luxury of living authentically close to the elements off the grid. A place to truly enjoy the quiet spaces of wilderness. Lapis Camp is a place to shed exccess needs and desires—we have tried to create a simple camp and in the name of adventure with a pioneering spirit we ask you to bear with the ruggedness to discover the treasures of this region. Living very similarily to the nomads we live near and who help us run our camp. Our staff are from the local nomadic community, our meals are simple homemade, but we hope you will discover and appreciate the way of life here in the Bunkhan Valley at Lapis Sky Camp.

Gher - like a ship, the flap cover is pulled closed during rain and open to let sunlight in during the day. Keep flap away from Stove pipe at all times when fire is burning in stove. Mongols are used to snow and rain and living with the elements intimately even in the center of their home- a sacred space where heaven or sky and earth meet.

Drinking Water - Drinking Water is in the big gher. We have two water dispensers and hot water in thermos available at all times. We encourage guests to hydrate well ad take advantage of our steri pens for treating water. We will give a short training on their use. Steri pens help us to reduce the need for plastic. Steri pens are available on request to refill water bottles. Hot water available in the evenings to fill up water bottles- use as hot water bottles then drink the next day. Tea and coffee available all times in the big gher.

Meal times - Meal times will be announced. Coffee & tea are available from 7 A.M. onwards in the dining gher. Days are long here in the north, with the last of the sun disappearing at 10 PM. As a result, breakfasts are late here, beginning at 9:45 Am. Dinner is at 8:30 Pm and lunch varies as per the schedule. Lunch is buffet and dinner is buffet and sit down. We use a large gong to let guests know grub is on the table and mealtime has begun.

Toilets - TP in your gher. In 2 toilet outhouse. I squat toilet (w/handles) healthy Asian style, second American sit down. Simple, pre- Thomas Crapper, no water toilet. Do it as your ancestors did! Kindly put up the blessing scarf stick at the handwashing station before entering, so others know it is occupied.

Showers - While some intrepid guests in the past chose to dip into the Tamir River in the buff for a bracing morning wake up, we do have a shower gher, and camping shower tent in the trees. Bring your towel and toiletries. Solar showers by the river. Here in the wilderness, bathing is a treat. Solar shower bags usually take about 2-4 hours to heat up. We We reccommend mid day washes when the sun is high in the sky. Ask if you need help hanging solar heated water bags up on the high hook overhead. Let the staff know the night before and they can help you with your shower needs. There is a stove; we can heat water with a fire if cool or weather is inclement.. Ask Gerlee or Tenzin if you need help. Kindly consider re-filling solar bags and put by river for next guest. Kindly put up blessing scarf stick when occupying shower gher. Consider bringing laundry essentials down to the river and wash up a few essentials if shower ghers are occupied.

Clothes Washing - There are two washing bins in shower gher with laundry soap if you like to do your own. Always wash and rinse away from river. Staff can do laundry-as long as there is sun for clothes to dry. Fee: 500 T per piece. There are no driers, so clothes will only dry in good weather.

Fire - You will find a stove and kindling in your ghers. We will give a demonstration in how to light your stove. The staff is happy to come around and start evening and morning fires upon request. Most important is to make sure your gher flap is far away from the stove pipe to prevent fire. Firewood, kindling, matches are all found in your gher. Feel free to add kindling to your box while out on a walk—gather dry small sticks. Save burnable trash ideal for helping make a fire. Fires need air oxygen-kindling, candle, paper near back of stove near the pipe shoot is the best with larger pieces of wood nearby. Staff can light fires for those of you unable. Let staff know if you’d like morning fire too. In case of fire out of the stove, do remember you have a bucket under your sink. Call for help immediately.

Lights - We have no electricity in our rustic back- to nature camp. Careful with candles, use bottles, not to close to ceiling, wind can blow over, blow out before you sleep. Working on solar lighting for each gher.

Power - energy for recharging batteries. We have solar batteries, best afternoon and of course on sunny days, Or best assured results ask Gerlee to charge for you. Give them to her before she leaves evening and she will return with them the next day.

Communication - Depends on your carrier. Some phones pick up reception in Bunkhan valley, most do not. Best telephone communication is from top of mountain overlooking camp. We have an emergency SAT phone available at $3.00 per minute.

Security - All ghers have locks which you can choose to use or not—our neighbor nomads keep their doors wide open. Do give us your valuables you are concerned about and we can lock up and store for you until your departure. Store valuables away in bags while we depart on horse trip. Grunting near your headrest at night is most likely a grazing yak, and a drunken lover cowboy can sing his way or thunderhoof home on a late night summer rendez-vous—but these are not evening banditos.

Waste - We like to sort our garbage-burnable, biodegradable, plastic and metal. We appreciate your cooperation and support of this ethos and encourage your help in trying to leave as little trace as possible on this landscape. Small waste bins are in you gher, and we ask you to sort waste in large gher and behind dining gher.

Sky Cloud Blessing Bar - Wine, Beer, Vodka, Coca Cola, Ssoda water, Tonic, and snacks available Keep a tab and settle up at the end of the trip.

Guest Chef - We always welcome guest chefs in our challenge of simple, one pot meals. Come visit, teach our staff, the love to learn new dishes or supervise with spices and flavoring.

Horse riding - Ask Gerlee the day before. Most horses are out in the pastures in the morning. Best time to to ride is 2 onwards. Recommend 5-7. Western saddles, Chinese leather saddles.

Library - Small eclectic, love contributions but write who you are and what you thought of the book…

Fishing - We have 3 rods. Galen, Toro and Thomad can show you the best holes and give a lesson. Catch and release below X inches for greyling and lenok, deliscious fish and hopefully we will be abel to eat some on our horse trip!

Photography - Thomas Kelly, and Tenzin Paljor are both award-winning photographers. Thomas has made over 12 photo books, and Tenzin was recognized as the Galen Rowell Photographer of the year for the second year in a row. Talk to them about their shoots in Africa, South America, Burma and throughout the Himalayas or better yet, sign up and head out for a class.

Yoga - Weather permitting, yoga is most mornings except on the horse trip. Times to be announced. 8:15-9:15 optional yoga every morning.

Rafting - We have a big raft which holds 4. If the river is high you can be dropped off near Mukh Dalai’s and picked up near Red Rock. Our kids Liam and Galen have rafted down on the bed rests!

Bugs - Yup, we are far north. While we don’t have mosquitos the size of helicoptors like in Alaska, we do have black flies and horseflies and well, Mongolia has over 15,000 insects- a true entomologist’s paradise. When the grasses exploed for the brief time called summer, the flowers are a buzz with flies. Cool ghers in the middle of the day, down near the river, are good ways to avoid pesky critters. At night, moths may be attracted to the light. We have bug spray if you need it or like to use on your horse.

MONGOL HORSE RIDING TIPS

-Always mount on the left side of the horse

-Keep away from the rear to avoid getting kicked

-Mounting: If a beginner, ask horsemen to help you mount, holding the horse. One of the tricks to mountain is putting your left foot in the sittup, bending the knee, really putting your weight on the stirrup and bounce up swinging the back leg up and around as if pole vaulting. It is a spring action- not climbing up a horse clutching on to it and hoisting yourself up, but rather, using your legs, the stirrup as a step, and swinging over, making sure you or the horseman have the reins secure. Some horses are eager to start even if you are not!

Stirrups: stirrups should be at the balls of your feet so you can get out quickly if need be.
Best to hold the reins close to the neck—short-but loose—not tight for control without hurting the horses mouth. English style is to hold the reins with two hands, Western and Mongolian 1 hand with lead rope. Lead rope can be curled up or used for “rear starting” tapping horse on back butt. Some horses respond best with a dashur- a horse whip gently but firmly on the butt to convey a desire to go faster.

How to start: Cho is what Mongols say, and kick or jiggle, and shake with determination to go forward. Loosen reins a bit. 4 gears in Mongol horses: walk, slow trot, unique fast trot, canter or lope, and gallop. Watch terrain at all times, look out for marmot holes, don’t try to go fast over stones, be wary of sudden drop offs, gulleys. Good to try to practice going faster uphill.

Stopping: Zokch. Pull reins tightly. If horse runs away, emergency brake: pull hard one rein all your might pull down tightly as hard as you can it will make a galloping horse turn in circles, slowing it down.

Mongol horses can be spooked by bags blowing in the wind, garbage, something shiny, or unknown. They can move suddenly sidewise.

You can get an idea what horses are thinking by looking at their ears: are they forward, backward, one forward, one backward? Forward is ready to go, backward, is not comfortable, one back and one forward is not sure of the situation.

Never gallop near ghers—there are often dogs nearby and they will run out and scare a galloping horse.

Seat- some like to stand Mongol style when riding, some like to sit with butt up, others, English style erect back, others with a cowboy slouch, notice how Mongols will shift their bums from side to side, riding like Cool Hand Luke.

Some like to ride with their knees bent up high (Mongol style-so they can stand and this protects their precious family jewels. We won’t go into Mongol horseriding jokes right now.

Try not to clamp your knees or thighs to hold on to the horse-better to find your balance in the pit of your stomach—sort of like skiing. Relax, you can rub and chafe and the horse can feel your fear. Don’t be shy to let your feet out of the stirrups on long rides momentarily let your legs hang, give your knees a break.

Good to ride with bike pants, yoga pants, beneath to avoid rubbing or chafing.

Sunglasses, hat, helmet on head, try to carry as little as possible. I like to use fanny bags over backpacks so my shoulders don’t hurt.

Never take off or put on clothes on a horse. They can frighten easily by the sound of the zippers, nylon synthetics, swoosh of colorful cloth. Always get off to adjust jacket.

Horseman can lead you.