14 things to experience in Mongolia

After our stay in Mongolia, we thought it unavoidable to list our best memories of this fabulous country. It left a lasting impression on us, and we hope to return one day to discover new places both in summer and winter.

I invite you to read all our other articles on Mongolia to help you prepare for your trip:

Please note that as an accredited creator of tailor-made trips, I can help you create your own personalized itinerary for your stay in Mongolia. Please send me an email at : contact@mademoiselle-voyage.fr

WHAT ARE THE 14 BEST EXPERIENCES TO HAVE IN MONGOLIA?

TABLE OF CONTENTS :

| MEETING NOMADS

Our encounter with the nomads is one of our best memories, as we spent a few days with an extraordinary family. Tchouka and our guide Baastra received us humbly and with great generosity. Leaving was difficult and emotional because we loved them so much! We know we’ll never forget them!

| TASTING THE LOCAL SPECIALITIES

Mongolian cuisine holds no secrets for anyone: very strong meat, mainly mutton, hard, acidic cheeses, mare’s milk(airag), yak cream, yak or mare’s milk tea(Suutei tsai), here’s a small selection of what awaits you! But don’t panic, the advantage is that you’ll lose weight!

| THE TOILET

A moment of great solitude! The Mongolian toilet consists of two planks of wood over a huge hole, in the middle of nature or in confined spaces with strong smells, that’s what awaits you! That’s what a change of scenery is all about! Rest assured, you’ll also be able to relieve yourself in the middle of wide open spaces and animals, which are much more friendly and poetic! And do you know what else? You’ll soon get used to it, because the view is pretty cool!

| MILKING A YAK AND MAKING CHEESE

So get up early, roll up your sleeves and get to work! That’s Mongolia too: milking sheep and yaks at 6.30am with a smile on your face! An authentic change of scenery guaranteed.

| SLEEPING IN A YURT WITH THE LOCALS

It’s an unforgettable experience! Today’s traditional tents are made of felt, but once you’ve gone through the door, the inside is different! They can be gypsy-coloured and furnished with lots of furniture (beds, wardrobes, coffee tables, stools, etc.) and modern equipment (TV, satellite dishes outside). It’s the place to be for the locals. Everyone is welcome and there’s no need to knock on the door.

| WATCHING NATURE RUN RIOT

Taking time out in Mongolia also means having the chance to witness a thunderstorm in the valley or experience a sandstorm in the Gobi Desert. Quite simply impressive and magnificent, I have no words to add!

| TAKE A CAMEL RIDE

Of course, your bottom will remember it! But the experience is quite exotic and worth it just for the view! We feel like we’re in the film‘Lawrence of Arabia‘, so why not try a camel ride through the sand dunes of Khongor, in the middle of the Gobi Desert?

| ATTEND THE NAADAM

NAADAM, which means “games” in Mongolian, is the main traditional Mongolian festival in July, and is very popular with the locals. Over the course of a few days, fierce horse races, archers’ competitions and wrestling matches are organised. It’s a chance to have fun, get together with family and friends, drink Airag (fermented mare’s milk) and taste khuushuur (sheep’s slippers), and put on your best traditional costume. It’s an event that’s celebrated around the big cities and not to be missed if you’re in the country. We even got a photo with the winner of the wrestling competition!

| GALLOPING ACROSS THE MONGOLIAN STEPPES

Finally, if you’re not an experienced rider like me, you need to be able to gallop after 3 days on horseback! You also have to know how to take photos on the backs of these little beasts, because they’re not always easy to tame! But the feeling of freedom that runs through your body is just indescribable!

| TREAT YOURSELF TO A NIGHT IN A MORE LUXURIOUS CAMP

The charm of camping, of Mongolian meals, of yurts in the homes of local people, of sleeping on mattresses so thin you can feel the wood underneath, is all very well, but it’s also great when it stops for a while! Now’s the time to take a luxury break in places where you’re alone in the world! Try the luxury yurt camps, where you’ll find more fully equipped yurts.

| TAKE A LOCAL BUS

Take a local bus to cover long distances, pass through villages lost in the middle of nowhere and watch their music videos over and over again, all with the unmistakable smell of mutton!

| TAKE THE LOCAL TRAIN AND THE TRANS-MONGOLIAN RAILWAY

A rail-lover’s dream: the Trans-Mongolian is a section of the line linking Moscow and Beijing, the longest railway in the world. After Ulan Bator, the Trans-Mongolian joins the Trans-Siberian Railway, which runs between Moscow and Vladivostok in Siberia. We saw the film“Transsiberian“, which got us into the swing of things straight away and made me want to take it again, but in winter! And have you ever taken it?

| TOURING THE COUNTRY IN AN OLD VW COMBO VAN

How classy is that? It must be my bohemian side, but if you want to live your Mongolian adventure to the full, nothing could be simpler: hire a Russian combo van with driver. You’ll explore the country in conditions that may be a bit ‘rough’ but you’ll make some great memories.

| BE LUCKY ENOUGH TO COME ACROSS A GIANT VULTURE

But not just any vulture, the one of the open steppe that easily weighs 20kg. Yes, Mongolia has an abundance of wildlife that attracts travellers in both winter and summer: gazelles, 469 species of birds, reindeer, camels, yaks, elks, wolves, bears, lynx and wild horses. Mongolia is the ideal place to observe animals in the wild.

Which experience would you find most appealing, or least frightening? Come on, let’s have it all!

Please note that as an accredited tailor-made travel designer, I can help you create your own tailor-made trip to Mongolia and put together a personalised itinerary tailored to your wishes. To do so, please send me an email at contact@mademoiselle-voyage.fr

Before you leave, don’t forget to read all our other articles on Mongolia to help you prepare for your trip:

Don’t forget to pin the article on Pinterest to find it more easily

14 experiences in Mongolia