Land of the Blue Sky

“A landlocked country perched between the hot Gobi Desert in the south and cold mountains in the north and west, Mongolia is unquestionably the quintessential travel destination for those who dare to stray off the beaten path.”

Mongolia is a magical country. Its vast expanses of untouched landscapes, clear rivers and spectacular valleys offer wanderers a world of adventures, unexpected encounters and unique experiences. Renowned for being the Land of the Blue Sky, it is one of the last patches of unspoiled beauty left on this planet. A landlocked country perched between the hot Gobi Desert in the south and cold mountains in the north and west, Mongolia is unquestionably the quintessential travel destination for those who dare to stray off the beaten path.

Mongolia is sparsely populated with more horses than people. Its landscape is dominated by cold windy steppes and high-altitude desert. Almost 40% of the population lives in the capital Ulaanbaatar the coldest capital in the world (−36 to −40 °C) while the rest lead a nomadic life herding livestock over the vast meadows of the country. 

Western Mongolia, more commonly known as the Altai region is home to one of the world’s last surviving nomadic cultures (the Ethnic Kazakhs),the true nomads on the Eurasian Steppe. Their culture and way of life is preserved, by modern standards of living, are extremely challenging and not as romantic as one would think it to be, and mostly unchanged since the time of Genghis Khan. The Kazakhs, who till this day, live in traditional tents known as gers, move with their families and flocks from one location to another in accordance to the seasons. These (gers) are round and lined with animal fur and felt to retain heat from the harsh nights all year round. Their daily routine involves herding their animals, milking them, cooking, and making the quintessential yoghurt drink, tea and bread. This living and survival routine is repeated day in and day out . When visitors come, which are far and few in between, the host will normally offer you a bowl of hot milk tea, depending on the animals that they have at the time, and some traditional food which consists of some dough with butter or cheese, and is usually made from the same animals’ milk. They will add some salt and butter to the milk and brew it with tea leaves. It is a very unique style of drinking tea and very much suited to their way of living.

One of the highlights of this region is the Golden Eagle festival. This is a Festival arranged by locals that are committed to preserving traditional Kazakh heritage. People from across the globe flock to this extraordinary annual event. The sole purpose of this event is to showcase the talent of the eagle breeders and their birds of prey that have been tamed and domesticated for at least a decade. Kazakhs on horseback, dressed in their traditional costumes complete with fur coats made of marmot, fox or wolf skins, caught by their prized birds, with their Golden Eagles hovering on their arms, showcase their talents of years of training. You will see these Golden eagles soaring through the air at speeds of up to 200mph at the vocal commands of their proud owners. Truly a sight to behold! In addition to that, the Kazahks enjoy traditional horse racing and archery and a unique sport called Bushkashi, which is a goatskin tug of war on horseback.

While the benefits of eagle hunting have decreased in the ever-modernising world, the Kazakhs living in Western Mongolia have preserved the tradition and still opt to use eagles instead of rifles to hunt as it is seen as the highest form of art and dedication.

Moving to the south of Mongolia means moving across from the craggy snow covered peaks of the Altai mountains to the surreal smooth sandiness of the Khongor Sand Dunes. It is one of the largest and most breath-taking sand dunes zones in the world and stretching over 120km. These majestic sand dunes are also known as the singing dunes due to the movement of the fine sand as the wind blows across the desert bringing beautiful music of grains of sand sliding down the magnificent landscape. If you think climbing a mountain is challenging, wait till you try climbing a sand dune. The sand is so soft and fine that your shoes sink entirely into it with every step that you take. You can only step back in awe and wonder at the inhabitants who survive and thrive in this challenging environment.

A camel trek in Mongolia is all the more special since the type of camels found here are rare: while one-hump camels are all over Africa, the Middle East, Australia, and North America, the two-hump variety Bactrian camels, are native to Mongolia and aren’t found en masse anywhere else. Needless to say ,one can comprehend the importance of the camels whose large footpads, thick and are filled with fat, help them walk easily over this rigorous terrain. Moreover, the Bactrian camel sometimes travels over the snows found in Siberia and the physiology of its feet are useful in this terrain.

To catch the sunrise or a sunset, one has to trek up to the higher points of the dunes which can reach to heights of up to 800 meters (2624 feet). However, most areas will be around 300-400 meters in height and those are high enough to allow the visitor to Mongolia to see the famed natural beauty at sunrise or sunset. A Mongolian sunrise or sunset shows off a spectacular display of Alpen glows and vibrant colours across the horizons, unique to the area, and not seen anywhere else in the world. These glows and colours linger and continue well into the night are aided by the fact that light pollution in this area of the world is nearly non-existent. This truly lends itself to another out worldly experience that the Gobi Desert is so famous form that of star gazing The dark Desert is a haven for astro photographers with the Milky Way and all-star constellations lighting up the sky in a spectacular light show with stunning landscapes in the background.

All in all, Mongolia is a fascinating country that offers a lot for the explorer in you. One can hire the services of adventure companies that offer visitors a chance to be part of the Mongolian way of life which includes traveling on horsebacks, sleeping in gers, sharing camel curd with the locals and much more. Mongolian people have a simple, friendly disposition and are wonderful hosts. So the next time you are looking for a spot on the map with pristine beauty, crystal clear lakes, tall mountains and undulating grasslands, remember Mongolia!