Mongolia: What Nobody Tells You Before You Go
By Timo Eckenfels, Veloura Gems · With Ami (Amarjargalan Gankhuyag), tour guide and Mongolia native
I spent six days in the Gobi Desert in June 2026 with Ami. She was actually our guide but during the tour she became our friend. Ami who was born in a ger in western Mongolia and has spent her life moving between two worlds: the nomadic countryside she came from and the rest of the world she went looking for.
What follows is not a standard travel guide to Mongolia. It is what I learned from six days in the desert and several long evenings of conversation with someone who knows this place from the inside. Much of what is here comes directly from Ami. The livestock prices, the ger life details, the Buddhism, the greetings, the food. These are her words and her knowledge, not something you will find in a standard travel article.
What Mongolia Actually Is
Mongolia is the most sparsely populated country on earth. Three million people in a territory four times the size of Germany. Most of the land has no roads, no fences, and no buildings. Just sky, steppe, desert, mountains, and the occasional family in a white ger on a hillside.
The nomadic way of life that most people associate with Mongolia's distant past is still genuinely present. Around a third of the population lives nomadically or semi-nomadically, moving their homes with the seasons, herding livestock across land that belongs to everyone and no one.
This is not a museum exhibit. It is a living culture, navigating modernity on its own terms.
Daily Life Inside a Ger
The husband and the wife usually wake up racing with the sunrise. The husband goes out to take care of the horses and livestock, while the wife starts with one of the first daily tasks, such as milking the cows. After the mother finishes milking and comes back inside the ger, she prepares tea and gets the clotted cream and boortsog (traditional Mongolian fried biscuits) ready. During this time, the children wake up, and the family has breakfast together.
Throughout the day, everyone carries out their usual tasks. In families that make a lot of airag (fermented mare's milk), the husband prepares it and the children help him. The wife prepares dairy products, does sewing, and takes care of other household tasks. Nearby neighbours and guests often come by, and they spend time catching up and sharing news and stories. During summer, children usually go to the river to swim, play, and enjoy nature. In winter, they often go to school in the soum (district) or aimag (provincial) centre.
Around 5 to 6 in the evening, the wife prepares dinner, and the family eats together. After that, around sunset, they bring the livestock back to the enclosure for the night. Then they relax, talk with each other, and go to sleep. Usually not long after sunset.
Mongolian herders traditionally move their ger and livestock four times a year, following the rhythm of the four seasons. In winter, they move to the southern side of mountains, protected from the wind and cold. In spring, to where fresh grass grows and animals give birth. In summer, to riversides with water and shade. In autumn, to pastures where livestock can graze and gain strength before the cold returns.
The seasonal camp names tell the story: övöljöö (winter settlement), havarjaa (spring settlement), zuslan (summer settlement), namarjaa (autumn settlement). The decision of when and where to move is made by the head of the household, drawing on generations of accumulated knowledge about the land. But moving is always a family effort. Everyone has a role.
The Price of a Nomadic Life
This is information that is genuinely rare to find anywhere. Ami shared the current market values for livestock in Mongolia, which form the economic foundation of nomadic life.
Current livestock prices (2026):
Current Livestock Prices in Mongolia (2026)
Horse
2 to 3 million MNT (~€475 to €715)
Racing Horse
Up to 500 million MNT (~€119,000)
Camel
2 to 3 million MNT (~€475 to €715)
Cow (for meat)
1.5 million MNT and above (~€355+)
Cow (for milk)
Up to 10 million MNT (~€2,380)
Sheep
300,000 MNT (~€71)
Goat
250,000 to 400,000 MNT (~€60 to €95)
Ger
3 to 15 million MNT (~€715 to €3,570)
EUR equivalents based on July 2026 exchange rate (~1 EUR = 4,200 MNT). Verify current rates before travelling.
According to Ami, every Mongolian citizen receives a plot of land by birth as a legal entitlement. But this residential land is separate from the pastureland that nomadic herders graze their livestock on. The steppe is not owned by any individual. It is shared, used under customary rights that have been passed down through generations, and since a new Law on Herders passed in 2024, can be formally registered through pasture use contracts. What nomadic families truly own is not land but the livestock that moves across it, and the ger that moves with them.
This is why the price of livestock carries so much more weight in Mongolia than in most parts of the world. A family's herd is not just income. It is savings, inheritance, identity, and security combined into animals that can walk, breed, and sustain a family across generations. Losing the herd means losing all of that at once.
To put this in context: when Ami's family sold their herd to move to Ulaanbaatar in 2002, they sold approximately 60 animals for a total of 2.2 million MNT. At current prices, the same herd would be worth significantly more. That money covered moving costs and the first winter in the city. The decision was not a transaction. It was a sacrifice that an entire family carried forward for decades.
Visiting a Nomadic Family
When you arrive at a ger, there are things to know.
Enter through the right side. Walk clockwise inside. Do not step on the threshold. Do not lean against the support poles. If you are offered food or drink, accept with both hands or with your right hand supported at the elbow.
You will be offered milk tea. Drink it. You will be offered fermented mare's milk (airag) if the family has it. Try it. You will be offered dried curds (aaruul) and traditional cookies. Eat them. Everything on that low wooden table has been made by hand and offered with genuine hospitality.
"When nomadic families have guests, they always offer what they have," Ami says. "It is important to show respect for their offerings. Even if it is unfamiliar, trying it is the most respectful thing you can do."
Buddhism in Daily Life
Around 70% of Mongolia is Buddhist. But the way Buddhism is practiced here is different from what most visitors expect.
"Although Buddhism is the majority religion in Mongolia, we do not practice it daily by learning from scriptures or visiting monasteries every week," Ami explains. "Normally, we visit temples and consult monks a few times a year."
One of the most important times for monastery visits is during Tsagaan Sar, the Lunar New Year. During this period, many Mongolians visit monasteries, meet with monks, and receive religious guidance about the coming year. Mongolians also commonly consult lamas or monks when choosing auspicious dates for major life events such as moving into a new home, getting married, naming a child, or performing funeral rites.
Buddhism in Mongolia is distinctive because it has been shaped by pre-Buddhist beliefs, especially Tengrism and Shamanism. So Buddhist practice is not only focused on religious teachings but also reflects a strong connection between spirituality, nature, and everyday life. When travelling in the countryside, Mongolians make offerings to sacred mountains, rivers, and the land as a sign of respect and gratitude toward nature.
Many Mongolian families have a dedicated altar at home featuring statues of Buddha, images of the Dalai Lama, or protective deities. Families burn incense, make offerings to the shrines, turn prayer wheels, and light butter lamps.
Before entering a temple: Be respectful and silent. Do not speak loudly or laugh in monastery halls. Walk clockwise around sacred objects. Dress modestly, with shoulders and knees covered. Remove hats inside. Do not touch statues or religious items without permission. Ask before taking photographs of monks or inside prayer halls.
The Snuff Bottle Greeting
This is one of the most distinctive Mongolian customs and one that most visitors never hear about before they arrive.
"The snuff bottle greeting is a long-standing tradition and treasured culture among Mongolians," Ami explains. "The snuff bottle is a small precious stone bottle which contains powdered tobacco. We greet each other by offering snuff bottles, exchanging wishes, and showing respect by sharing a pinch of snuff and smelling together with the spoons."
The culture is daily practiced in the countryside. When visiting a nomadic family, the host offers a snuff bottle to greet and welcome guests. In the city, it is less common on ordinary days, but during major traditional events such as Tsagaan Sar, Naadam, or celebrations like weddings, people greet with snuff bottles.
The snuff bottle is also a symbol of friendship and honour. From ancient times, if two people had a disagreement, they would exchange snuff bottles as a way of reconciling and restoring their friendship.
When exchanging snuff bottles, people always begin by greeting the oldest or most respected person first. Before handing over the bottle, the owner slightly loosens the stopper, which symbolises harmony and goodwill. The other person takes a pinch, gently turns the stopper a little, and returns it without tightening it too much. This gesture symbolises mutual understanding and friendship.
Seasonal Greetings
Mongolian greetings are tied to the nomadic lifestyle and the seasons. Instead of simply asking "How are you?", Mongolians often ask how someone is getting through the current season. These greetings show care not only for the person's health and family but also for the wellbeing of their livestock.
In spring you might hear "Saihan khavarjij baina uu?" which asks whether you are having a good spring. In summer, "Saihan zusaj baina uu?" In autumn, "Saihan namarjij baina uu?" And in winter, the most loaded of all: "Önötei saikhan övöljij baina uu?" asking whether you are having a good and prosperous winter.
These are not pleasantries. They are genuine enquiries about how a family and their animals are surviving the season.
What to Eat
Mongolian food is built for the cold and for endurance. The most typical dishes are different types of dumplings: buuz (steamed), khuushuur (fried), and banshtai tsai (milk tea with dumplings). Tsuivan is stir-fried handmade noodles with meat and vegetables. Khorkhog is a traditional barbecue cooked using heated stones, and boodog is an entire goat cooked from the inside using the same method.
What makes Mongolian food distinctive is the use of simple seasonings: salt, onion, garlic, pepper, and local herbs. Since livestock graze naturally on open pastures rather than being farmed, the meat has a rich flavour that does not need heavy spicing.
Dairy products are equally central. Suutei tsai, a salty milk tea made with black or green tea, is consumed by nomadic families throughout the day and always offered to guests. Aaruul (dried curds) are a common traditional snack. Airag (fermented mare's milk) is the summer drink of the steppe.
Fermented mare's milk (airag): Airag is made by fermenting fresh mare's milk in a traditional leather container called a khokhuur. It has both sweet and sour tastes, and its flavour can range from mild to more sour depending on the region. It has been described as a mix of plain yogurt, buttermilk, and a little dry champagne. It is slightly alcoholic. It is also, as Ami puts it simply, "our beer."
If you do not eat meat, Mongolia is genuinely challenging. Most traditional dishes centre on animal protein. Urban restaurants in Ulaanbaatar have more options, but in the countryside and in the Gobi, the menu is largely what the land and the herds provide.
Surviving the Extremes
The temperature range in Mongolia is among the most extreme of any inhabited place on earth. Minus 40 in winter. Plus 35 in summer. The Gobi adds wind to both.
"When I studied in Europe, one of the most common questions was what we do in winter when it is unbearably cold like that," Ami says. "But everything operates and works normally. We have heavy snowfall sometimes and windstorms. Only provincial roads may close, but people go to work and kids go to school. Even kindergarten does not close."
The ger is better adapted to these conditions than most modern buildings. Its circular shape sheds wind. Its low ceiling retains heat from the central stove. In summer, the felt walls breathe and release warmth. In winter, extra felt layers are added. Nomads also position their winter camps on the southern side of mountains, protected from the cold and wind.
For diet, nomads eat more meat in winter, especially horse meat, which provides more protein and helps maintain a strong immune system. Horse and cattle fat and inner organs are also eaten in winter as fuel for warmth. In summer, the balance shifts toward dairy products to detoxify and stay lighter.
Useful Mongolian Phrases
Attempting even basic Mongolian creates an immediate and genuine connection with locals, especially in the countryside where English is rare.
Useful Mongolian Phrases
Sain baina uu?
How are you? (formal, for elders)
Sain uu?
Hi (casual)
Bayarlalaa
Thank you
Bayartai
Goodbye
Uuchlaarai
Excuse me or Sorry
Yu baina daa?
What is new?
Taivan daa
Nothing much, I am well
Saikhan khoollooroi
Bon appetit
Tuluu
Cheers
Sain yvaarai
Have a good journey
Sain suuj baigaarai
Stay well (reply to bon voyage)
Zugeer
You are welcome, it is fine
"When a visitor tries to speak Mongolian, it shows respect and a genuine willingness to connect," Ami says. "Nomads get surprised a lot. If you speak even a few words, you will make more friends."
The Gobi Desert: What It Is Actually Like
Most people imagine the Gobi as an ocean of sand dunes. The reality is more complex and, in many ways, more interesting. The Gobi is a cold desert. In June, daytime temperatures reach 35 degrees and drop sharply at night. In winter it falls to minus 40.
The landscape shifts constantly. Rocky plains give way to saxaul forest. Red and orange canyon walls appear without warning. The famous Singing Dunes, Khongoryn Els, are a wall of sand 180 kilometres long that hums and roars in the wind. But they are one feature among many. The Gobi is an entire world, not a single image.
Wildlife is present and sometimes unexpected. Bactrian camels move across the plains. Mongolian gazelles cross the road in herds. Eagles are everywhere. At night, with no light pollution for hundreds of kilometres, the sky is something genuinely difficult to describe to someone who has not seen it.
The Gobi is also one of the most important paleontological sites on earth, globally recognised for its dinosaur fossils and eggs. But most visitors come for the landscape and leave talking about the sky.
Practical Notes
When to go: June was perfect. Not too hot, a little windy and occasionally rainy, with cool evenings that never got uncomfortably cold. July brings Naadam, Mongolia's national festival of horse racing, wrestling, and archery, which is worth planning around if the dates align. The shoulder months of May and September are quieter and still manageable. Winter travel is for experienced cold-weather travellers only.
Getting there: There are no direct flights from Bangkok to Ulaanbaatar. I flew via Beijing, which is worth doing if you have a day or two to explore the city on the way. Seoul is another strong connection point with multiple flights. Direct flights to Ulaanbaatar's Chinggis Khaan International Airport also operate from Tokyo, Frankfurt, Moscow, and Istanbul. From most of Southeast Asia, Beijing or Seoul are the most practical connections.
Getting around: Outside Ulaanbaatar, travel requires a 4WD vehicle and a guide. Roads in the countryside and desert are largely unpaved tracks. A reliable guide is not a luxury. It is a necessity.
Where to stay in Ulaanbaatar: The Novotel Ulaanbaatar is a solid choice, comfortable and reliable. Dschingis Khan Hotel is another good option, though both sit at the higher end of the price range. Budget options exist but vary significantly in quality.
Where to stay in the countryside: Skip the tourist ger camps. They are convenient but they insulate you from the actual experience. Stay with a nomadic family instead. It takes more flexibility and a good guide to arrange, but it is the reason to go. The food is real, the hospitality is genuine, and the mornings are unlike anything you will find at a camp.
Our guide: Book Ami through IndyGuide. She is based in Ulaanbaatar and guides across the country. Go with an open mind and be ready for an adventure. That is the whole point.
Timo Eckenfels travelled through the Gobi Desert in June 2026. This guide was written with the direct knowledge and assistance of Ami, Mongolian tour guide and native of Zavkhan Province.
Beyond is a Veloura series for places outside our usual Bangkok and Koh Phangan coverage. Read more at veloura-gems.com/guide.
