Tours to Mongolia – Enjoy the Mongol Nomadic Culture

Mongolia continues to attract a lot of visitors, tourists, and adventurers because of its breathtaking landscapes, the charm of the city, and its culture. One of the most remarkable aspects of the country is its nomadic culture, which you can explore and experience in a specially arranged tour. In fact, a tour in Mongolia is never considered complete without experiencing the Mongol nomadic culture. A classic cultural group tour arranged by a reputable Mongolia travel specialist like Goyo Travel can get you started in some insightful and comfortable trips to Mongolia through varied landscapes while enjoying the Mongol nomadic culture.

Mongol nomadic culture is one of the oldest, dating back to at least a million years. Nomadic families continue to thrive across the steppes of Mongolia, with their herds living off the land, and in return, nomads live off the meat and milk of their animals. The family life is centred around a ger, a large and portable tent that is made of ornate wooden slats, felt, and tarpaulin outer covers. The ger is able to provide shelter and ample protection against the coldest temperatures, and it has everything a nomadic family will need, including a small kitchen, a shrine to holy figures or to their ancestors, a sleeping area, and a central stove.

A tour to Mongolia can let you experience the nomadic lifestyle and culture first-hand. Some tour itineraries include eating and staying over with a nomadic family, too. A homestay is a good chance to have cooking lessons and riding lessons, too. Some of the best Mongolia tour specialists can arrange a stay at a reputable ger camp in the spring or just before summer starts, which is usually the best time to enjoy and experience the Mongol nomadic culture without the crowds. That way, you can enjoy the peace and tranquillity of nature and countryside.

Lake Khuvsgul – One of the Most Beautiful Holiday Trips in Mongolia

Mongolia is one of the top tourist destinations in Asia. Its untouched scenic beauty and rich culture offer something truly unique. No matter which part of the country you wish to explore, you will find pristine lakes, exciting rugged terrain, glacier-clad mountain ranges, and the nomadic population every step of the way.

One of the top holiday destinations in Mongolia is Lake Khuvsgul, also known as Khövsgöl Nuur. It is a freshwater lake, the largest in Mongolia and second-largest by volume and area in the world. This beautiful lake is surrounded by several mountain ranges and its scenic beauty is difficult to describe in mere words. You have to see it to believe it. Since the area receives snowfall, the lake looks indescribably beautiful in December when the mountain peaks are covered in stark white snow.

An adventurous Lake Khövsgöl trek will give you the opportunity to explore the spectacular beauty of the lush countryside. You can also visit the reindeer herding families or do some fishing in the fresh water lake. During your holidays in Mongolia, you will be able to spot many migratory birds from Siberia.

Some of the tours in and around the Khuvsgul Lake area take you to other popular tourist attractions nearby and elsewhere in Mongolia. You might want to visit Uran Togoo Uul and Tulga natural monument and crater, Amarbayasgalant monastery, the hot springs of Tsenkher, and the Gobi desert among others.

The nomadic culture of Mongolia is also something that you must experience by meeting the nomads and living life their way for at least a couple of days. They live a different life than the fast paced life in the modern cities. Music lovers would appreciate listening to Khoomi singing, a unique style of throat singing practiced in Mongolia.

Trekking is one of the best ways to explore the hidden treasures in the land of Genghis Khan. You can also go for horse–treks. Some of them last for several days. If you enjoy camping, the tour operators will be able to make the provisions for you while you are on the Mongolia tour of your life.

Tours to Mongolia: Experience the Rich Culture of Buddhism

Buddhism in Mongolia derives much of its characteristics from Tibetan Buddhism, which arrived in the region in two waves. The first one was during the time of Genghis Khan and later, his grandson Kublai Khan. The second wave occurred in the 16th century when the Dalai Lama school came to Mongolia in the latter part of the century. Both of these had been preceded much earlier in history during the reign of Emperor Ashoka, monarch of the pre-historic Maurya Empire three centuries before Christ.

Mongolia has a rich culture of Buddhism. Ruins of ancient cities and Buddhist temples are still found in the Mongolian countryside. The ruins of remote monasteries located on the towering mountains and evidence of the rich culture of Buddhism can also be witnessed in the Buddhist temples in Mongolia. They are often located on mountainsides.

The local music also reflects a deep love and pride that Mongolians have for their country. Khoomi singing, as the unique style of Mongolian throat singing, is famous all over the world. Khoomi singers produce harmonic tones that can mirror the sounds of waterfalls or the gentle rustle of the wind blowing sand over the steppes. The most recognisable is the deep chanting chorus of the Buddhist monks. It can be quite mysterious and mesmerising at the same time.

Karakorum was the capital of the Mongol empire in the middle of the 13th century. It has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Erdene Zuu monastery of Saskyapa is one of the earliest in the country and houses 108 stupas. The boundary of the temple complex is unique with carved stone turtles along the periphery. The Saskyapa School, located in the Ovorkhangai province of Karakorum tries to maintain equilibrium between erudition and meditation. After lying ruins for many years, the monastery was reconstructed at the end of the last century and is now maintained by the democratic government of Mongolia.

Plan Holidays In Mongolia For A Unique Experience

Mongolia offers visitors a unique landscape of rolling hills, towering mountains and glaciers, undulating deserts and wide-open steppes. There are also pristine coniferous forest and river and lake valleys that take you to a time when nature was relatively untouched by man. Mongolia also offers some exceptional cultural experiences.

The country offers a host of holiday tours, and you can choose ones that focus on adventure to those that show you Mongolia’s rich cultural heritage. Each of them will give you a unique holiday experience that you would not have had before. You can also opt for holidays in Mongolia that combine both experiences or choose the ones that interest you.

Here is a quick look at some of these options so you can pick the ones that interest you:

Adventure Trips:

•    Tsambagarav Trek: A 7 days riding or walking trip that takes you to the craggy hills and deep cut gorges of the Khatu Valley and the open plains at the foot of Tsambagarav Mountain. You can also enjoy the Tsambagarav national park and see the Hovd River. The trip gives you the best of mountains, valleys, rivers and plains in the space of a week.

•    Terelj Trek: Explore the lesser-known and visited areas of the Terelj National Park. The horse riding trip combines the best of nature with authentic homestays in gers near the Tuul River. You can also enjoy kayaking and visit the famous Chinggis Statue

•    Khangai Hills: You get to enjoy the open steppes, the rugged hills and stunning landscapes of Central Mongolia in this trip. You also get to experience a unique hike to Mt. Bogd and see the 8-lake NaimanNuur in addition to the Orkhon Valley

Cultural Trips:

Winter Festivals: Not many people know that Mongolia has some of the most distinctive winter festivals in the world. You can also enjoy the Ice Festival on the frozen surface of Lake Khovsgol in North Mongolia and take in the Eagle Festival on the steppes outside Ulaanbaatar, and the Camel Festival in the Gobi Desert.

Nomadic Elements: This trip gives you unique nomad stay experiences. You get to enjoy homestays with the Mongolian nomads and see interesting cultural events such as tree planting project in addition to varied landscapes and historical sites. You also enjoy a countryside cooking lesson and learn how to put up a ger just the nomads have done for centuries.

Different Types of Mongolia Travel Packages Available Online

The most exciting Mongolia travel itineraries are prepared by tour operators who know Mongolia inside out and have an extensive personal knowledge of the country’s best tourist draws. To truly enjoy your holiday, buy an online travel package that allows for some degree of flexibility, taking into consideration individual interests and preferences. The best Mongolia tour groups are small—between 6 to 12 people. Anything bigger and the personal touch is often lost.

Ready to go on that Mongolia holiday? Here are just some of the many itineraries offered online by reputable tour operators:

Culture Tours

See what it’s like to live the Mongolian lifestyle first hand. You may get to stay with both city and rural locals, learn how to cook traditional food, take care of animals, ride, and even put up a ger. You may also be taken to Mongolia’s most popular palaeontology sites, sand dunes, rivers, ancient rock arts, monasteries, and stunning hilltop temples.

Adventure Tours

Are you the outdoorsy type? Why not try dog sledding on Mongolia’s frozen landscapes? You will get your own sled and dog team and cover around 50 kilometres of wilderness terrain every day, sleep with nomadic families, and enjoy Mongolia’s national parks at their rawest. You can also try a nine-day cycling adventure through the famous Khangai Hills as well as the Orkhon Valley, or explore Terelj and Khan-Khentii the old fashioned way—on foot. If you ride horses, you might enjoy an eight-day horse trek through the Lake Hovsgol area’s varied scenery, or ride alongside the best eagle hunters of Western Mongolia while learning about how they train birds. These adventure tours let you live the life of a Kazakh nomad.

Mix of Both

Contact your online Mongolia tour operator if you are interested in an itinerary that mixes culture and adventure. You can choose to skip certain activities in favour of another until you get the perfect blend. 

Discover the Traditional Mongolian Way of Life with Mongolia Tours

A guided Mongolia tour can allow you to go beyond the beaten path and experience how it’s like to live in a traditional Mongolian way. You can live like the nomads do, sleep in a traditional ger, cook your own camp food, and even live with a nomadic family for a few days if you wish. The success of your travel experience will really depend on your choice of travel agency. The key is to find one that can provide a local and authentic flavour while keeping the itinerary respectful of the locals.

Tourists impact the local rural communities in many ways—sometimes negatively. Choose a travel agency that is committed to ensuring that your interaction with the locals remains mutually beneficial, never over-bearing or intrusive.

A good itinerary includes the 'must see' attractions and ‘must-do’ activities, but goes beyond that. To truly experience the traditional Mongolian way of life, your guide should introduce unexpected additions that can set your holiday apart. For example, your travel agency may arrange for you to receive a cooking lesson from a local. You might also be taught how to put up a ger. Do you want a backstage tour of the famous State Opera House? That’s also possible. If you are tired of staying in hotels, the agency can arrange ger camp accommodation as well as homestays, so you get to truly live with a local family. You may also get to visit a traditional Mongolian school or even help the Gobi anti-desertification project by planting a tree. The best Mongolia travel agency let you get under Mongolia’s skin and to provide a variety of experiences.

The itinerary, while well planned, should remain flexible. You don’t want to be forced to do a rigid set of defined activities at specified times. The guides should be friendly, approachable, honest, and enthusiastic. Most of all, they should be organised and efficient. The best itineraries let you experience local life while making full use of your time and money, so that nothing is wasted. 

Experience Mongolia Horse Riding Adventures

Mongolia is a paradise for riders, with its endless horizons and vast, wild landscapes that you can explore with your trusty steed. The sparsely populated land with almost no boundaries provides a lot of room for horse riding. You will also have plenty of opportunity to explore hidden trails, remote terrains in the wilderness, and learn about the local culture and the nomadic tradition.

Horse riding in Mongolia is an adventure of a lifetime. Mongolian horses are different from other breeds because of their stocky build, large head, and shorter yet strong legs. Their sizes range from 12 to 14 hands high, but despite being small, they are strong, agile, and have a lot of stamina. With their robust hooves, horseshoes are almost not required.

The horses involved in high-quality Mongolia horse treks were carefully selected by tour providers to make sure that they have the right size, speed, temperament, and stamina for your trip. The wranglers were carefully selected from local nomadic herdsmen, too, so you can be sure of their professionalism and skill and knowledge in animal welfare, horsemanship, riding, and taking care of you, the client.

A horse riding adventure in Mongolia can last for days, and this could be a great time to experience the great outdoors. Choose a horse riding adventure from a reputable Mongolia adventure and tour company that provides high-quality tents and mats. One of the best Mongolia travel agencies can arrange a cook to accompany you during your trip, so you can be sure that you are fed three meals a day.

Mobile communication with a satellite phone must be provided in your horse riding adventure, so you can easily contact the authorities in case of an emergency. The phone will be in the care of your guide. Topographic maps are provided, too, as well as a GPS handset. All of these are provided for a safe and convenient Mongolia horse riding adventure.

Tour Mongolia: A Trip Full of Adventure and Magnificent Culture

If it is culture, history, and nature you are looking for, choose Mongolia as your next destination. While modern travelers often search for sun, vast forests, and extreme adventures during their wanderings, many still long for culture and history—with a side of everything that's beautiful about nature. Mongolia is home to many impressive scenic destinations like the Hulun Buir Grasslands and the Aershan National Forest Park, but it's the ancient temples and the well preserved culture and traditions many people keep raving about and coming back for.

Finding a tour group and service to assist you throughout your tour of the country is the best way to enjoy Mongolia at its fullest. It can be quite hard to navigate through the country without knowledge of the local transport system and more importantly, the Mongolian language. To avoid risks of getting lost in translation, finding a reliable tour group is the most practical way to explore and experience Mongolia.

Culture and history are two of the best draw cards of the country. But Mongolia is more than just its Ming Dynasty temples and prehistoric mountain rock paintings. The Hexigten Global Geopark is a perfect representation of the rich geological landscape of the country, with its awe-inspiring volcanic landforms, glacier landforms, grasslands, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. Apart from the Gobi desert, a stretch of stunning sand gorge also stretches in Inner Mongolia, known as the Xiangshawan or the Resonant Sand Gorge. Here, you will hear the sound of your footsteps echo through the vast gorge, thus its name. It is also one of the best places to enjoy activities like camel riding and sand surfing. Even more interestingly, the area is close to Zhaojun's Tomb, and the Mausoleum of Genghis Khan. 

Experience Great Adventure During Mongolia Tours

You may be an experienced traveler who can navigate through strange lands without hassle, but it is always nice to experience new places with good company. Mongolia is best toured with a travel group, guided by professionals who know everything there is to know about the country. The best tour companies will take you to the most interesting sites and attractive locations in the country and even tailor-make an entire trip to your exact specifications. When traveling to Mongolia, you should always keep in mind the vast language and cultural differences that your home nation and the country has—unless you speak fluent Mongolian, it is often not advisable to travel the country alone, or you would end up lost in a countryside somewhere, with no means of transport whatsoever. This is why it is always better to find a tour group or service to join when visiting Gobi desert and other must-see places in the country.

Typical Mongolian tours consist of 4 to 14 people or more. Whether you want to join a small or a large group is totally up to you, but you will surely have an exciting time discovering Mongolia with a mix of nationalities from around the world, all eager to know more about this stunning desert and temple-filled destination.

You will enjoy a wide range of activities while on tour, depending on the types of adventures that you like best. The most comprehensive Mongolia tour packages would often include exciting activities like horse riding and camel trekking (perfect when exploring the desert and the countryside), bird watching, fishing, hiking, rafting, hunting, and mountaineering. History buffs may also request visits to some of the most popular temples and archaeological sites throughout the country, while more adventurous souls can experience authentic tent-living with nomadic tribes.

What To Do During Mongolia Holidays

Mongolia’s main tourist draws are its spectacular landscapes, endless horizons, and nomadic culture. To many westerners, a trip to Mongolia is eye-opening and life-changing; here you will see how locals embrace a pastoral lifestyle, away from the chaos of the modern world. If you plan to visit this fascinating country and have no idea what to do, we suggest these activities:

1. Sleep in a ger
There’s nothing quite like leaving your home comforts and sleeping in a Mongolian ger. While you’re at it, you might as well share fermented airag with some locals and eat some traditional Mongolian dumplings. 

2. Take a Mongolian shower. 
Bathe in fresh waters from cascades and rivers to refresh yourself after days of climbing and walking in the summer heat.

3. Go camping. 
Camping in Mongolia is combines the essence of wilderness adventure: unbeatable stargazing, campfires, and drinking the local tipple - Mongolian vodka! 

4. Ride a camel.
It might sound cliché, but riding a camel really is a wonderful way to see Khongoryn Els (the largest sand dunes in the country). Afterwards climb to the top to enjoy amazing views of the surrounding desert. 

5. Meet a local family.
Be amazed at the legendary hospitality of nomadic families. If you happen to visit during a celebration (such as the Mongolian New Year), you might be able to take part in the festivities. 

6. Enjoy local food. 
A traditional Mongolian feast is never without an abundance of dairy products, horsemeat and mutton, rice with curds, buuz dumplings, airag, and ‘cookie mountains’ stacked high.

To get the best from your holiday, sign up with a tour operator with expertise in Mongolian heritage and real local knowledge. You also want a tour operator that can provide cross-cultural perspectives and insights so you can better appreciate all the new experiences Mongolia has to offer. 

Why spend holidays in Mongolia

When choosing a holiday destination, there are a number of significant factors that you first need to take into consideration. The first of these factors is the kind of experience that you are looking for. Do you want to have fun and excitement or are you looking for peace and tranquility in a place where you can lay back and relax? The answers to these questions can lead you to some very different destinations since it is hardly likely that you will find any location that offers both. Only a place like Mongolia offers both fun and excitement.

Mongolia holidays are great solutions for both people looking for fun and adventure, as well as those looking for relaxation in a quiet and serene environment. For the first group, the tours include a number of manual activities that arouse a sense of adventure and intrigue among tourists. For instance, camel and horse riding in Mongolia are a lot of fun and is one of the most popular tourist activities in the country. Trekking is another such activity that has proved to be very popular among fun loving tourists. As for the latter group of tourists looking for peace and relaxation, Mongolia has one of the few unspoilt landscapes in the world. You can choose to go for a holiday at a quiet resort in the countryside, far away from the hustles of modern urban life and relax while enjoying nature at its best.

Wonderful trips to Mongolia

Tourists make trips to Mongolia every year to visit the rugged peaks of the Altai Mountains and the vast plains and canyons of the Gobi desert. These two are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to all the fun outdoor activities and the wonderful places you can go to while you are there. Just in case these areas were making you take an adventurous trip to Mongolia, you might want to add the following to your to-do list so that you experience this Asian beauty in its entire splendor.

Horse Riding

Mongolian horses are like the European pony in many ways. Their sizes range from average to petite, though what they miss in height they sufficiently make up for in strength and stamina. Mongolia horse riding is an irrevocable part of the Mongolia holidays culture, and this is evident in the numerous activities such as the annual horse racing at Naadam Festivals that are held throughout the country mainly in July and August. The population is also low, making it possible for horse riding to be as fun as it should be since you get exposed to wide expanses of land.

HovsgolNuur

This is the largest fresh water lake in Mongolia, and it is a wonderful sight to behold. Its surreal beauty and clear waters make the area look like a haven of peace. Ride horsesalong the lakeshore and trek inland through pristine larch forests – camping overnight under starry skies in the wilderness. Enjoy the comfort of gers at a lakeside eco-camp at the start and end of your Mongolian journey.

In addition to horseback riding and viewing the serene beauty of HovsgolNuur, you can also go walking amongst the hills ofKhentiNuruu.