Mongolia: Water for All
Journey through Mongolia’s vast steppe and traditions while helping create clean water access where it doesn’t yet exist.
ARKHANGAI, MONGOLIA
Water for All
Next Trip: June 30—July 11, 2026 | 12 Days
Dive into Mongolia’s untouched natural wonders and experience the traditional nomadic lifestyle in the stunning region of Arkhangai, Mongolia.
In 2026, we’re taking our Mongolia program to the next level. After last year’s project of restoring and repairing wells alongside our partners at FARM, we’re now working to build a completely new well from scratch for a community that currently lacks access to clean water. This is one of the most ambitious water infrastructure projects Trek Relief has undertaken in Mongolia — and we’ll be standing shoulder-to-shoulder with local leaders and families the entire way.
*This year’s timing also offers a rare opportunity: the option to remain in Mongolia for Naadam, the country’s most important cultural celebration—a vibrant, once-a-year festival honoring strength, tradition, and identity through wrestling, horse racing, archery, music, and community gatherings. While Naadam is not part of the Trek Relief program, many participants choose to extend their stay to witness this extraordinary moment in Mongolian life.
Partnering with local leaders, Trek Relief supports environmental stewardship, resource development, and long-term sustainability while fostering meaningful cultural exchange. You’ll work alongside local volunteers, stay in traditional yurts, and explore ancient monasteries, hot springs on horseback, and Mongolia’s breathtaking landscapes by all-terrain vehicle.
Join us on this epic journey and make a lasting impact. Whether you participate, donate, or fundraise, your involvement truly matters.
Empower Communities. Restore Life.
Water Resource Development and Sustainability
Mission
This isn’t just a call to travel — it’s a call to stand alongside communities in meaningful action.
Trek Relief partners with local leaders, nonprofits, and community committees to support locally identified water solutions that enhance access, improve drinking water quality, and ensure long-term sustainability. Our role is not to lead from the outside, but to contribute labor, resources, and solidarity to projects shaped and guided by the people who live there.
Working closely with our longtime partners at FARM, participants will collaborate with local volunteers and herding families, live as welcomed guests in traditional yurts, and experience daily life on the Mongolian steppe — all while helping bring a critical water source online for a community in need.
This work supports more than infrastructure. It strengthens community resilience, honors cultural continuity, and invests in a future where both people and land can thrive.
Background
Mongolia is the most sparsely populated nation on Earth — a land of vast horizons, ancient traditions, and deep relationship to place. Nearly one-third of the population continues to live a nomadic lifestyle, moving their yurts and livestock seasonally across the steppe in response to weather, land conditions, and ancestral rhythms.
For generations, nomadic herding families have relied on groundwater to sustain daily life. Today, climate change, desertification, and increasing pressure on natural resources are making access to clean, reliable water more uncertain than ever. As traditional water sources dry up or degrade, entire communities face growing challenges to their health, livelihoods, and long-term resilience.
Clean water isn’t just a resource here — it’s the foundation that allows culture, land stewardship, and nomadic life to endure.
“Our trip was a fully immersive dive into the magic that is Mongolia... It felt so good to contribute to Mongolia’s reforestation efforts and it allowed us to connect a little deeper with the local community and not feel like a tourist just simply passing by.”
— Kylie Z., 2024 Trip Participant
Trip Details
Mongolia × Naadam: Wells of Hope
ARKHANGAI, MONGOLIA
June 30—July 11, 2026 (12 Days)
General Itinerary
June 30 - Arrive to Ulaanbaatar Guesthouse & Welcome Dinner
July 1 - Travel to Guesthouse in Arkhangai Region
July 2 - Project Volunteer Day
July 3 - Project Volunteer Day
July 4 - Project Volunteer Day
July 5 - Horse Trekking with Nomadic Homestay
July 6 - Horse Trekking with Nomadic Homestay
July 7 - Horse Trekking with Nomadic Homestay
July 8 - Rest morning then trip to Hot Springs
July 9 - Optional return to Ulaanbaatar, or stay in Arkhanghai
July 10 - Explore National Park, & Monasteries, and Cultural Sites
July 11 - Departure / Start of Naadam Festival
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ASAP: please let us know your intent to join us by signing up below.
April 30, 2026: Donate/raise the deposit of $500 to reserve your spot.
May 31, 2026: Donate/raise the remaining minimum contribution of $2,700.
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Group size: 8-12
Sign up for Mongolia commitment-free or chat with a trip leader to learn more.
Fundraising Goal for Mongolia: $3,200
Travelers must fundraise or donate a minimum of $3,200 in order to participate in this trip.
The minimum donation is split to cover funding for the project and your trip fees in Mongolia.
Charitable Donation: $1,400
Covers the charitable project and Trek Relief operations, including materials, logistics, and volunteer support.
Trip Fees: $1,800
Covers all logistics, food, and accommodation required to make your adventure and trek comfortable, safe, and enjoyable.
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Tax-deductible donations to support Trek Relief’s programs
Volunteer work and donation to local Mongolian charities
Coverage for local homestays with nomadic families
An embodied experience of what we mean to travel consciously
Food, accommodations, and land transportation within trip dates (starting from orientation dinner to final checkout)
Premier tour services with quality guides; comfortable accommodations including beds, blankets, heating, as well as necessary permits and equipment for trekking.
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International airfare to/from Ulaanbaatar (UBN)
Airport transportation
Travel/health insurance
Gratuities for our driver(s) and horse guide(s)
How to Fundraise & Earn Credit Towards Your Trip
We offer several ways for you to offset the cost of your trip in order to make it more accessible and achievable.
Create a Fundraiser
Start a personalized fundraiser to spread the word and raise funds towards your trip, boost the impact of our programs, and empower others to get involved and contribute.
Double Your Impact
Find out if your employer or those in your network offer corporate matching programs that double your donation. Maximize your effort and reach your fundraising goals faster.
Earn Trip Credit
Earn your way to your next adventure through programs that offer trip credit toward your trip cost such as work trade, friend referrals, alumni discounts, and more.
Project Scope
Access to clean, reliable water is becoming increasingly uncertain for many nomadic communities in Mongolia. This year’s project focuses on building a brand-new community well from the ground up—including drilling, protective housing, and water distribution infrastructure—in a location identified by local leaders as a critical need.
Funds raised will directly support the full lifecycle of this project: materials, skilled labor, local workers, and on-the-ground coordination led by our longtime partner FARM. Volunteers will contribute labor alongside local teams, supporting construction and infrastructure development that will provide clean water for hundreds of herding families and their livestock.
Beyond physical infrastructure, the project also invests in long-term sustainability. Contributions help support community-led training around water sanitation and hygiene, as well as the formation and empowerment of local oversight committees that work in coordination with municipal government. This cooperative approach ensures that the well is not only built, but maintained, protected, and managed by the community it serves—today and for generations to come.
Water for All - Fundraising Goal
Charitable Partner
Farm NGO is committed to improving the living standards for low-income households in Mongolia through agricultural training, sustainable practices, and food security initiatives, empowering communities to adapt to environmental and climate challenges.
U.N. Sustainable Development Goals
The Mongolia project is aligned with the following goals:
Join this extraordinary journey through Mongolia’s wilderness and join local communities on the land they’ve called home for generations.
Our Impact in Mongolia
Past Funds Raised
6K+
Litres of Trash Collected
116
Native Trees Planted
4
Trips
20
Trekkers
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![Volunteers planting native trees with the local community in Mongolia]()
2024 | Volunteers plant native trees with the local community in Mongolia
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![National Park rangers pose with new trash bins installed at National Park in Mongolia.jpg]()
2018 | National Park rangers pose with new trash bins installed at National Park in Mongolia.jpg
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![Trek Relief donates to the Rotary Club in Mongolia]()
2019 | Trek Relief donates to the Rotary Club in Mongolia
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![Volunteers and locals collect trash Mongolia]()
2018 | Volunteers and locals collect trash Mongolia
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![Aerial view of trees being planted by volunteers in Mongolia]()
2024 | Aerial view of trees being planted by volunteers in Mongolia
Join the Trip
Reserve your spot on this transformative journey and contribute to sustaining a healthy landscape and population in Mongolia.
Mongolia × Naadam: Wells of Hope 🚰
June 30-July 11, 2026
ARKHANGAI, MONGOLIA
12 Days
Support Mongolia from Afar
If you’re unable to join us in Mongolia but still want to support this meaningful cause, you can contribute directly to our campaign to boost our impact for this project. Every donation, big or small, brings us closer preserving Mongolia’s cultural heritage, its people, and its land.
Meet the Team
We carefully select trip leaders and team members based on their expertise, passion, and dedication to providing a safe, enriching experience. Our team ensures that every detail of your adventure is thoughtfully planned, so you can focus on making a lasting impact while exploring with confidence.
Julia Roca
PROGRAM DIRECTOR & TRIP LEADER
Murray Benn
PROJECT FACILITATOR & TOUR OPERATOR
Stories & Updates from Mongolia
Read more about the impact from past treks and updates to the projects in Mongolia.
