You’ve seen them flocking together at every major tourist site: groups of travellers in bright Hawaiian shirts escorted by their tour guides, who lead them around like herds of cattle. They snap photos with their brand-new cameras and are then wrangled back on the bus. One hopes that one day these folk will realise this is no way to see the world, watching the landscapes whirr by instead of savouring the journey.

When we got on top of the hill and were enjoying the surrounding natural scenery, we spotted a local horseman approaching us from a distance. I don’t know why, but initially we felt slightly ill at ease, maybe because we were otherwise alone in a complete wilderness.

Mongolia’s long history owes much to a certain gentle beast of burden – the horse. Contemporary tourism has not been blind to the appeal of horses in Mongolia, which outnumber humans almost seven to one. Cultural activities such as overnight stays with nomadic herdsman are popular among travellers, while horse races capture the imagination of locals and foreigners alike. Of course, the pristine landscape of vast steppes, dunes and mountains is heaven on horseback for anyone looking to get away from it all.

Ger to Ger – the self-styled ‘market-driven social enterprise’ based in Mongolia – is definitely doing something right. Founded in 2005 by Mr Zanjan Fromer, a native Alaskan with extensive experience in tourism and development, Ger to Ger aims to give travellers the ultimate, authentic Mongolian experience.