TOP 5 REASONS TO TRAVEL IN MONGOLIA
I. Sleep under thousands of stars in a ger
A ger or yurt, as it is sometimes called outside Mongolia, is a simple round dwelling used by many ethnic groups in Central Asia. The ger has existed for more than three thousand years; its design makes it both easy to carry and easy to build—perfect for the migratory lives of nomads. Layers of felt and canvas create a structure that is well insulated against cold or rain and yet surprisingly cool on hot summer days. Since the time of Chinggis Khan, the ger has become a symbol of the Mongolian people. Now you can experience the coziness and comfort of a contemporary ger under the bright stars of the Milky Way. Nomadic Journeys’ excursions to Jalman Meadows and Ikhnart Rocks both offer you the chance to enjoy the incomparable wilderness of Mongolia and the unique adaptability of the Mongolian ger.
Jalman Meadows Ger Camp, located in the uppermost part of the Tuul River Valley, is set in a beautiful meadow teeming with summer wildflowers and fringed by scenic forests of larch and birch.
Ikhnart Rocks, in the eastern portion of the Gobi Desert, is an arid upland with dramatic rock formations. The region’s full name, Ikh Nartiin Chuluu, means “rocks with plenty of sunshine.”
II. Travel like a Nomad
Nomadic life does not mean wandering lost in an empty wasteland. Although Mongolia’s landscape can be harsh, it is also highly varied and occasionally abundant. Mongolian nomads are pastoral herders, moving their livestock to fresh grazing land or winter shelter, as the season requires. During the height of the Mongolian empire, it was often the tribal queens who assumed the arduous task of leading tens of thousands of people and animals to new pastures. Nomadic herding is a complicated process, requiring intimate knowledge of both topography and climate. This ancient way of life continues to be practiced by many Mongolian families, with skills and knowledge passed from one generation to the next.
By participating in a Nomadic Journeys trek, you too can experience the nomadic tradition, following local nomads either on foot or by horse. On these authentic excursions, all equipment and luggage is loaded onto traditional carts or trained pack animals. In the arid Gobi region as well as on the true steppe, the carts are usually pulled by camels (Camel Trek). In northern areas, yaks provide the pulling power (Yak Trek). At higher elevations, such as the remote Altai Mountains or Naiman Nuur (Eight Lakes), where the slopes are too steep for carts, camels and yaks typically carry the loads on their backs instead (Naimun Nuur Trek).
III. Enjoy solitude in a wild and beautiful place
The top reason many people travel to Mongolia is because it offers both a unique nomadic culture and a rich history, it is also one of the least crowded countries on the planet. The overall population density is only two people per square kilometer, with nearly one-half of the nation’s three million people living in or near the capital, Ulaanbaatar. To many visitors, the countryside seems empty, unspoiled by the advances of the modern world. Here you can enjoy the feeling of being alone in the vastness of the Mongolian landscape, and imagine what the explorers felt as they discovered new lands.
360 degrees Mongolia offers a bespoke experience with small mobile camps. You can choose to visit the varying Mongolian countryside, Siberian-taiga in the north, Gobi Desert in the south, Altai Mountain Range in West Mongolia to the vast Eastern Steppe or all four places. On these intimate and private excursions, you will find yourself far from telephone wires and power poles, tour groups and traffic jams.
IV. Experience the ancient history of the Great Mongol Empire
The Central Asian steppes produced numerous distinct cultures over many thousands of years. Mongolia’s Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape, a UNESCO site, is considered the cradle of many of these civilizations. Among the ruins found here are capitals of the Gok-Turk empire, the Uyghur empire, and the Khitan empire.
Most importantly, the Orkhon Valley also includes the former capital of the Mongol Empire, Karakorum, as well as Mongolia’s oldest surviving Buddhist monastery, Erdene Zuu. Built in the sixteenth century, this was the center of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism in Mongolia.
Nomadic Journeys’ Mongolian Odyssey visits all of these historic places, along with the Gobi’s famed Bayanzag, the “Flaming Cliffs” described by American explorer Roy Chapman Andrews, whose expedition first discovered fossilized dinosaur eggs there in 1920. Important thing to do is visit Dinosaur museum in Ulaanbaatar before heading to Bayanzag.
V. Go on a natural adventure
Mongolia is a superb, Birding destination, home to more than 440 species of birds. These include globally scarce species such as Swan Goose, Pallas’s Sandgrouse, White-naped Crane, Altai Snowcock, Oriental Plover, Henderson’s Ground Jay, and Saxaul Sparrow. Raptors are especially plentiful in this vast country, with healthy populations of Lammergeier, Black Vulture, Upland Buzzard, and Saker Falcon.
Anglers will appreciate the opportunity to experience one of the world’s finest Fly fishing adventures, in pursuit of the legendary Taimen as well as Amur Trout, Lenok, Grayling, and other species. Taimen are the largest members of the salmon family. Once common from the Pacific Ocean to the Balkans, the taimen’s range has been sadly reduced by habitat destruction. Mongolia is its last, best stronghold and one of the top reasons why fishermen want to come to Mongolia.
The Golden Eagle Festival in Mongolia’s far west is one of the world’s most compelling events. Since ancient times, the Kazakh nomads of this region have hunted foxes and other small mammals with domesticated Golden Eagles. This autumn gathering in Bayan-Ölgii provides a spectacular setting for the Kazakhs, an ethnic minority in Mongolia, to maintain their hunting traditions. Visiting Eagle hunters family should be in your things to do list.
What our guests say
We appreciate your feedback about our tours and services.
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Great place to stay and experience mongolian way of living, no tv, wifi, phone. Just nature and great company of the staff and livestocks of mongolia. The toilet is a hole in the ground covered by a shed. It is clean, but can be smelly to those used to city life. Not hot water supply, inform the staff that you like to hot water half an hour earlier so that they can boil it over camel dung 🙂
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Spend some days in a Ger!This trip was much more than I expected
This trip was much more than I expected. Our horses and guides were absolutely fantastic. They made us feel welcome, well taken care of, safe and secure. The scenery, the horses and our guides were all delightful. The quality of the tents and meals were above what I expected. All of the elements were there -- people, horses, scenery.
