thecircumference.org catalogs the best life experiences around the world; country results for Mongolia

Taste Airag in the Mongolian Steppe

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 02:00:19 +0000

The horse has always been the most important animal for the Mongolian people, from the days when Genghis Khan led his horse warriors on a mission of conquest to today's nomadic families traveling across the rolling green steppe. In addition to providing a means of transportation, horses are a primary source of food. While families occasionally eat horse meat, the milk of the Mongolian horse is practically a food group all on its own. Airag, the traditional beverage of Mongolia, is made by fermenting the milk of mares in an open leather sack or plastic container. After the milk has been left out, it gradually transforms from a basic yogurt-like beverage to an acidic and very sour beverage with an alcohol content comparable to wine. The fat and protein content of airag make it the perfect beverage for nomads living in a harsh climate where average winter temperatures dip well below freezing. Mongolians are known for their warm hospitality, and as soon as you step into the white circular ger, or traditional Mongolian tent, you'll probably be offered a cup of airag in welcome. Despite the language and cultural barriers between a westerner and a Mongolian nomad, you quickly build a sense of camaraderie while sipping the sour liquid while sitting around the floor of the ger. Depending on the season, visitors in a nomad's home may get to sample the variety of snacks also made from the same mare's milk, including cheese and fried milk curds. Airag is particularly popular come festival time, especially during the summer Nadaam festival. Downing a cup of airag when it's presented to you will not only impress your Mongolian hosts, but will assure you get poured another cup. Whether during a festival or out in the steppe, it's common to spend an evening passing around a cup of airag and swapping stories.

Jeep Safari to Spot Wild Horses in Mongolia's Hustai National Park

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 03:47:47 +0000

It's summertime in the Mongolian steppe, and at such a northern latitude, we must wake early to beat the sunrise. Even in mid-July, the predawn air is crisp and cool in Mongolia's Hustai National Park, home of the last surviving wild ancestor to the domestic horse. We begin emerging from out traditional Mongolian gers, bleary eyed with cups of steaming milk tea in hand. As the horizon begins to brighten, we caravan out of camp on a jeep safari to spot the world's last wild horses. The takhi horse, native to the rolling green steppe of central Mongolia, went extinct in the wild in the 1960s. In 1992, the Mongolian Association for Conservation of Nature and the Environment and the Foundation Reserves for the Przewalski Horse, a private Dutch organization, reintroduced 16 takhi horses to the wild, and in 2005, the species' classification changed from extinct to endangered. Today, almost 20 years after their first reintroduction, the second generation of takhi horses born in the wild is reproducing. The dirt paths winding through the park make for a bumpy ride, and a blue sky can fill with ominous storm clouds in a matter of minutes, but all this just adds to the charged excitement in the air. The first driver spots the first pack of the dun-colored, black-maned horses grazing at the top of a nearby hill. As we climb out, the horses begin running down the hill and across the road, passing within 30 feet of where we stand, cameras poised and ready to capture these majestic animals. A visit to Hustai National Park mid-summer gives visitors the opportunity to catch glimpses of the adult horses along with their young born earlier in the year. While the horses are wild, they don't fear humans and sometimes run past the park's camp. While the best way to spot the horses is via jeep, the area's gentle hills are perfect for hiking or horseback riding. As the sun goes down and the temperature drops, the Hustai National Park camp plays host to a traditional Mongolian musical performance featuring a horse hair guitar and throat singing. Smoke billows from the pipes emerging from each white ger as we light up the wood stoves to fend of the cold. After a long day, sleep comes quickly as we anxiously await another trip into the wild tomorrow.

Join Zasuul's in Encouraging Wrestlers at Mongolia's Naadam Festival

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:58:39 +0000

One strong personality comes to mind when thinking of Mongolia, Genghis Khan. The rule of Khan was legendary. He conquered almost half the globe and united the then fighting Mongols into a powerful army. On a softer side, Mongolia is a wonderful mixture of cultures from all over Asia, particularly China. Its vast regions team with Buddhist temples, and its snow capped mountains seem to graze the sky with splashes of green. Still maintaining its legendary power and culture, Mongolia's wild mixture of life old and new, is nowhere better embodied then at the Naadam Festival. Mongolia is a country of traditions. Its celebrations are historic and they are proud of their heritage. Naadam Festival or "Eriin Gurvan Naadam" as it is known locally, is a traditional Mongolian celebration which means “the three games of men”. The annual national holiday showcases three famous sports, Mongolian wrestling, horse racing and archery. The Naadam Festival is so culturally rich, that in 2010 it was added to UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Before, only men were allowed to participate in all three events at the Naadam Festival. Today though, women are now allowed to participate in the horse racing and archery competitions. This new rule added to the confidence and spirit of Mongolian women to truly be a part of the celebrations. The three games showcased at the Naadam Festival are all very exciting because the rules are authentic to Mongolia. For example the Archery competition, instead of having only one target, there are hundreds of beadrs or surs on a massive wall, and the first team to hit 33 targets is given the title of National Marksman or Markswoman. Even the Mongolian wrestling competition at the Naadam Festival is quite different, as participants wear a tight shoulder vest called a "zodog" and small shorts called "shuudag". 512 wrestlers go head to head in a ten round single elimination tournament. Each wrestler has his own encourager or motivator called a zasuul, who sings a song of praise to the wrestler. A colourful parade of hundreds of participants is one of the highlights of the Naadam Festival. They wear traditional Mongolian warrior costumes that add to the excitement of Naadam. Men and women alike, even children play their part in transforming modern Mongolia into that of the past. The largest Naadam Festival celebrated in Ulan Bator, but other cities hold smaller festivals on the outskirts of town.

Get Into the Groove of a Gobi Desert Camel Trek

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 18:44:28 +0000

The Gobi desert is the third largest, and one of the most famous deserts in the world. One of the best ways to experience the vast expanses of rolling sand dunes and spans of open desert is on a camel trek. These unusually regal animals are perfectly adapted to the harsh desert climate. They can go days without water, and their soft padded feet expand over the surface of the sand as they walk. In the chilly early morning hours just before sunrise, we bid farewell to our ger (Mongolian tent) and prepare to mount our desert beasts of burden. Getting on a camel is somewhat like riding your favourite thrill ride at an amusement park. You climb onto the saddle of stacked blankets while the camel is sitting on its feet, and suddenly you're being thrust into the air as the animal finds its feet. Hold on tight, because the ground is a long way down. Camels are an integral part of nomadic life in the Gobi desert, and nearly all nomadic families in the region make a living herding camels. In addition to carrying about 30 percent of cargo traffic through the Mongolian desert, camels provide wool to cover the traditional gers and milk for tea, butter and yogurt. In tough times, families may use older camels for their meat. After several days of bumping around in the back of a Russian jeep as we made our way from the capital city of Ulaanbaatar into the Gobi desert, it was time for a change in transportation. I expected riding atop a camel to be similar to horseback riding, so I was pleasantly surprised by the smooth gliding sensation of the camel's easy gait. You feel like you're floating above the dunes instead of trudging through them on Gobi desert camel trek. The first couple of days ended with sore legs and limping around to set up camp, but the more you ride, the easier it becomes. There's something therapeutic about the daily routine on a camel trek: the early morning cup of instant coffee as you packed up camp, the feel of the hot desert sun during the hours of almost hypnotic silence wandering through the changing landscapes, and the growing sense of community with fellow travellers and guides as you sip camel milk tea or vodka around the evening fire. Taking a camel desert tour isn't just about seeing the sights, but about experiencing a way of life in one of the world's harshest climates.

Travel Off the Beaten Path in the Mongol Rally

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 02:32:51 +0000

Not for those faint of heart the Mongol Rally is a choose your own adventure of sorts, where participants set out of London, England and travel to Ulan Bator, Mongolia . The organizers of this race do not believe in providing you with a route, and actually encourage you to travel off the safe path and get into some trouble. Not only does this journey entail complete self reliance in terrain that is unknown to most, one of the most important rules of the Mongol Rally states that the drive must be done in a crap car with an engine that has no more than 1 litre of power. The race holds no recognition for the first one to complete the trek, that traditionally entails about 12,800km - 16,000km of driving over three - four weeks. Portions of the proceeds go towards charities and cars are left were laid and donated to local charities. In 2006 of the 167 teams that set out only 117 made it to the finish point. If looking to forge on the front less traveled this is a must do!