Mongolian cultural tour

Besides from Mongolian beautiful landscapes, the main attraction of our country lies in its nomadic tradition and unique lifestyle. Today, about 850.000 nomads live in traditional lifestyle and understanding this gradually extinction culture is one of the main goal of tourists. This tour gives good chance to stay few days with nomads and feel yourself as nomad. During these days you’ll spend time with them from morning till evening, learn their etiquette and engage in the daily chores, such as participating in cooking, making different kinds of dairy products, milking cows and sheep, herding the livestock with lasso on horseback. For centuries, Mongolians have been developing pastoral way of life- living in the ger and moving in the search of best pastures for their livestock. Mongolian nomads has been keeping and bringing their ancestors’ cultural heritage to 21st century with no changes. Visiting and staying with nomadic family is one part of the way to understand their culture deeply. They are very warm and friendly after entering their ger they offer milk tea with whatever they have-this is the first experience to know their hospitality.Mongolia is a country of cultural diversity and the true travel destination for culture lovers, offering you wide selection of cultural tours. We are so sure, also happy to introduce to you our list of an amazing nomadic cultural heritage tours, that packages are includes: Mongolian historical and cultural sites, monuments, religious all attracting places, Mongolian hospitality, nomad family visit tours when travel to countryside anywhere around Mongolia.

WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU STAY WITH THE NOMADS?

On nomadic steppes, nobody asks permission or inform about their visit in advance. Both the visitors and people in the community. Therefore, there could be some visitors including children visit the families while you are there and they will just see you and stay around if possible to hear some news from the strangers. Expect a lot of meat for meals, mostly mutton, beef (sometimes camel, horse and goat), flour products and the dairy products such as milk, yogurt, milk butter, very hard and sour dried curds, salty milk tea (black tea is available as well), sour fermented mares’ milk and sometimes vodka. And we travel with our bottled water in case you do not like the milk tea and Mongolian black tea. Please inform us in advance if you have dietary. We will arrange the meals accordingly either you are staying with the nomads. Not expect much privacy and comfort including WC, shower, tape water to wash, comfort pillows and soft beds etc. when staying with the nomads. The nomads do not have electricity. Even though, some families have solar panels or car aqua to lit a light for a while in the evening and watch TV. Only a few of our tours included nomad family overnight stays and we can include it according to your request. During any of our tours, you visit a nomad family at least once, and you can visit the nomads as many times as you wish considering your guide and driver during your journey.

Detailed tour itinerary

Day – 1
Arrive in Ulaanbaatar

Transfer to the hotel. Unpacking and rest. After lunch, visit to the Natural History Museum and Gandantegchinlen Monastery, “Great place of complete joy”, this encloses several sumptuous temples decorated with gold and precious stones. 

Day – 2
Flight to Khovd province and drive Tsambagarav National Park

You will be picked up by your guide and driver from your location at 8 am. An hour drive towards south west of Ulgii brings you to the mountain valley where the nomad family. They will welcome you with their unique traditional hospitality.. Have lunch with the family, familiarize yourself with the area and receive a basic introduction to the nomadic way of life. Overnight stay in your own ger (Mongolian traditional dwelling) next to the host nomadic family. 

Day – 3
Day with Eagle hunters Nomad family

They offer unconventional home-made special dairy products, Mongolian salty milk tea-Suuteitsai and Mongolian biscuit-Boortsog and so on. You can interact with nomad people and get more intimate with their nature hugging lifestyle. Horseback riding as optional. Explore the neighborhood by trekking. You will enjoy the Mongolian traditional cuisine. In the evening you will be mentored with a lesson on “Shagai”, traditional game. You will enjoy the game of “Horse racing” by Shagai (ankle bone) with the family members. Stay overnight in tent nearby the nomad family or with family.

Day – 4
Drive to Surgaali area, stay with Kazak family

Full  day driving day Sirgaali area Activity and km: 200 km drive(Please note: With western Mongolian road conditions 200 km can take up to four or five hours driving) . Sirgaali is part of the Altai Tavan Bogd national park where many Khazak nomads spend their summer. Lakes are crystal clear with fantastic views of Altai Mountains and fascinating Nomadic lifestyle. Visit Kazakh nomadic family, and camp just next to the families. Khurgan and Khoton lakes and surrounding area. The system of these lakes, connected by a wide channel, is the source of the Hovd River which drains the whole Mongolian Altai. Khoton Lake is located in an intermountain tectonic depression in the northern portion of the Mongolian Altai.

Day – 5
Stay with Kazak family

Wake up early in the morning just like Mongolians and experience everyday life of nomads. The activities will include cow milking, herding sheep on horseback, admiring and taking in the beauty of nature and learning the terms for various ages and colors of sheep and goats. Get involved in making lunch and enjoy your first Mongolian dish prepared by your very own hands. Learn to make dairy products such as yoghurt, dried curds etc. Stay at the same place.

Day – 6
Drive back to Ulgii.

On the way we will stop at deer stone and man stones which is an part of the history of the area. Along the way, you’ll enjoy the frequently changing views of the mountain colors.   We drive through Tsengel soum, Ulaankhus soum. With the rest of your day, it will be possible to walk into town to visit the local museum or wool and felt craft shops.  Some of the most beautiful pieces of Kazakh handicraft are the wall hangings made by Kazakh women for the walls of gers. Overnight at the hotel.

Day – 7
Fly to Ulaanbaatar.

After breakfast, transfer to the airport fly back to Ulaanbaatar.

Day – 8
Departure

Departure from Ulaanbatar. 

  • Mongolian nomads

TOUR INCLUDES

  • Accommodation: Hotel**, ger camp, tented camp
  • Guiding and interpreting service
  • Full board meals
  • Entrance fees to protected areas and national parks
  • Transport: vehicle 4×4 or minivan
  • Camping equipments

TOUR EXCLUDES

  • Travel insurance
  • International airfare
  • Personal equipments
  • Optional activity cost
  • Excess baggage charges
  • Single room supplement

PLEASE NOTE

We can include domestic airline tickets and other expenses in Ulaanbaatar according to your wishes and manage theme for you. Please do not hesitate to ask if you will have more questions about the tour and we will be very happy to help!

fLEXIBLE

Flexibility in choosing itinerary, destinations and accommodation. We personalize each trip to meet your needs.

EXPERIENCED TEAM

We strive to have the best of both worlds, understanding the need of the foreign traveler while being firmly rooted in the local culture.

wE LOVE WHAT WE DO

We love what we do. We will do everything to make your wishes, ideas, dreams happen.

JOURNEY HIGHLIGHTS

  • Trek and hike in Mongolia’s highest mountain will give you a deeper sense of connection to mother nature
  • Meet Kazak and Khalkh nomads, learn about their life, play traditional games with the locals and party with them.
  • Meet Eagle Hunters, see and hold Golden Eagle
  • Witness a throat singer performance.
  • Immerse yourself in the history and culture of this unknown wonderland
  • Attend Mongolia’s traditional festival, Naadam, in a small village (circumstances permitting)
  • Participate in a Tuvan Shamanic ceremony (circumstances permitting)
  • Gather around the bonfire and exchange stories with your friendly fellow travellers
  • Camp by alpine lakes and a glacier
  • Find petroglyphs and Turkic stones If you want an adventure that goes far beyond what most tourist experiences can offer, this is the tour for you!