Staying with Nomad Families
What it's like
The door opens to the south, the stove crackles at the centre and tea is poured before you have finished sitting down. A night in a herding family's ger is hospitality offered without fuss, and an honest window onto life lived with the seasons.
Around a quarter of Mongolians still live a mobile or semi-mobile herding life, moving between summer and winter pastures with their sheep, goats, horses, yaks or camels. We work with families who choose to host travellers, staying either in a guest ger beside theirs or, by invitation, sharing their own.
Days follow the animals. You might help milk mares or goats, bring the herds in at dusk, collect dried dung for the stove or simply sit and talk through your guide. Nothing is staged, so the pace depends on the season and what needs doing.
Comfort is simple: felt walls, painted beds, a wood or dung stove and a pit toilet a short walk away. Bring a sleeping bag liner, a head torch and a small gift for the family; your guide will help with ideas that are useful rather than showy.
Families are paid fairly and directly for hosting, and we rotate visits so no single camp carries the weight of guests through the summer.
Adventures with this
More experiences
Horse Riding
Ride sturdy Mongolian horses across open steppe, river valleys and forested hills with local horsemen.
Camel Trekking
Travel the Gobi on the back of a two-humped Bactrian camel, guided by the herders who raise them.
Eagle Hunting Traditions
Meet the Kazakh burkitshi of Bayan-Ölgii, who raise and train golden eagles to hunt in winter.
The Naadam Games
Wrestling, horse racing and archery: the three manly games at the heart of Mongolia's summer festival.
Throat Singing and the Morin Khuur
Hear khöömei, the overtone singing of the steppe, and the morin khuur horsehead fiddle, both UNESCO-listed traditions.
Dinosaur Fossil Sites
Walk the Flaming Cliffs of Bayanzag, where the first recognised dinosaur eggs were found in the 1920s.
Ready when you are
Tell us your dates and dreams. One specialist plans everything and replies within two working days.