In this article, I will recount my experience living with nomads in Mongolia on a Ger to Ger tour and how you can go about doing the same.
Update November 2021: Mongolia is now open again for tourism for fully vaccinated travellers or those who have recovered from Covid-19 (proof required). A valid PCR test taken within 72 hours of travel is also required, and another test may be asked for at the border.
What is Ger to Ger?
Ger to Ger is a company that offers authentic experiences living with nomads in Mongolia as well as other related tours. A proportion of the money goes directly to the nomadic families. They specialise in community development, conservation and more.
A ger is the Mongolian word for a yurt or large tent that nomads set up at each new grazing ground. The ger can be disassembled, packed on horseback and moved to the next grazing ground.
You will find gers and yurts across Mongolia, northern and far western China and Central Asia. This form of living has been used by nomads of the steppe for centuries.
In 2016 I spent a week in Mongolia staying with three different nomadic families and travelling from ger to ger by horseback.
What Sort of Tours are available?
- Nomadic homestays in gers
- Horse trekking
- Visiting eagle hunters
- Hiking
- Cycling
- Rafting
- 4×4 tours
- Camping on the steppe
- Gobi Desert tours
About my experience living with Nomads in Mongolia with Ger to Ger
Check out my ultimate hiking packing list, perfect for trips to the wilds of Mongolia!
Induction/Orientation
Before heading out into the steppe, travellers are first required to spend a few hours at the Ger to Ger offices for a briefing on safety, etiquette and customs as well as finalising any paperwork and payments.
To say that this induction was utterly bizarre and often confrontational would be an understatement, but I will discuss that at the end of the article so as not to taint the experience initially.
You can read about how to travel from China to Mongolia in my Beijing to Ulaanbaatar article.
I was on the 4 day/3 night Arkhangai Province Highland Nomadic Ranchers tour.
Travelling to the first Camp
I travelled by bus from Ulaanbaatar to Tsetserleg in Arkhangai Province which is around 500km west of the capital Ulaanbaatar. The journey was once of the most scenic I have ever taken (see the world’s highest railway for more scenic journeys) and took around 8 hours.
The scenery consisted of steppe interspersed with hills and forest. It was amazing how utterly empty the landscape was. We didn’t pass a single town the entire time, barely more than a few mall settlements.
Upon arrival in Arkangai I was met at the bus station by a driver and 4×4. The scenery was incredible, with undulating hills dotted with ger camps and horses. The road just went on for miles until it reached the sky.
It wasn’t long before the road deteriorated and we got a flat tyre. This was all part of the adventure as far as I was concerned and I happily drank in my surroundings as the driver quickly changed the wheel.
After we got going again, we left the last of the paved road and went off-road. The vehicle was bouncing across the steppe, through streams and small rivers and I was enjoying every second of it!
Living with Nomads – Batochir’s Camp
We reached camp in the late afternoon. The camp was made up of four or five gers. There was a motorcycle, a cow and a pack of horses down by a river a few metres from the camp. I was introduced to the head of the family, Mr Batochir. He was a short, scruffy-looking guy in his sixties with a weather-beaten face but a friendly smile.
Some young kids were running around the gers and a couple of fierce dogs were chained up on the edge of the camp. I had been warned about the dogs at orientation; these fierce animals were no pets, rather there to protect the family’s herd from wolves.
Above the camp, several black kites soared on the thermals looking for prey down below.
I was shown my bed in one of the gers and set my belongings down. Inside was warm and smelled of burning wood from the stove in the middle. A large pot sat atop the stove with traditional yaks milk tea which I was offered. It tasted faintly of milky tea from home in England with a faint cheese aftertaste and was not altogether unpleasant.
Our driver joined us and I noticed the custom of passing a snuff box between each of the men. As it is passed, one pretends to take a snort and passes it back with a look that says “that’s some good sh*t right there”.
After the driver left, I was introduced to Batochir’s son, a younger, chubbier version of his father with a broad grin and white teeth. He motioned for me to follow him outside and proceeded to show off his skills at archery with a wooden bow and arrows. I hadn’t fired a bow since I was a boy, but soon got into it again. The youngsters joined us and displayed their abilities with eager fervour.
Before dinner, I went to explore the area around the camp which included a river and some mountains farther in the distance. Many more birds of prey flew around the rocky outcrops.
Dinner consisted of a large pot of noodles with an undisclosed meat that I couldn’t recall tasting before. I’d hazard a guess that it was goat. The meal reminded a little of Central Asian plov (pilov) with noodles instead of rice.
Travelling to Camp 2, Ger to Ger
After a sound sleep in my ger and a breakfast of tea and hard cheese biscuits, it was time to set off for the next camp over the hillside. I was supposed to go by horseback but in the end for reasons I couldn’t discern, Batochir took me by jeep. I was a little put out by this as was looking forward to the trek across the steppe, but it was out of my hands.
Batdelger’s Camp
The camp of the Batdelgers was much larger than Batochir’s. Ten or so large white gers were perched on a bank along the Hanuy Gol River. The river was about 20 metres across and flowing rapidly along the valley.
Batdelger’s camp was at the bottom of a large valley flanked on one side by the river and mountain, and on the other by large forested hills. It was interesting to note that all of the tallest trees on the ridges were completely charred from lightning strikes, another thing we had been warned about being careful of.
After being shown to my ger, past another pair of rabid-looking dogs that barked any time anyone went near, I set about exploring my new home for the night.
The scenery here was more dramatic with the imposing mountains towering around us. More black kites sailed on the thermals above and cattle grazed along the valley and splashed through the river.
That night’s sleep was a little more disturbed than the night before. I was in a large ger, almost empty save for a bed on a slightly raised, wooden platform.
It started when I found a beetle in my sleeping bag (and I’m not talking about Paul McCartney or Ringo Star). After this startling meeting, things got a little more intense. Some cattle came to have a nose around outside the ger and I could hear them trying to push their way in.
After the cattle got bored, the dogs, which were off the chains at night, now decided they wanted a piece and I could hear them barking and scratching at the floor around the side of the ger. This went on seemingly all night and I was happy to see the sun break and these fearful events fade into the night.
Travelling to Camp 3, Ger to Ger
After resting a little, I did some more exploring and was pleased to see both a marmot and spoonbill on my adventures. A black kite swooped down and perched on a log next to the river a few metres away.
Now today, I would be riding to the final camp by horse. One of Batdelger’s sons, dressed in traditional attire of flowing blue robes and bright yellow belt, saddled up two horses for the journey.
The saddles were wooden and rock hard, not the soft leather I was used to as a child riding horses. It didn’t take very long at all for the pain and blisters to start as we cantered across the steppe. It must have been near twenty years since I’d last ridden, but soon got into the swing of it again, albeit with a very sore bum as every bump I would land hard on the wooden saddle!
Nerguibaatar’s Camp
We arrived at the final camp, and followed the same customs as before, with tea and snuff boxes being passed around, however this time we sat outside in the grass. I noticed Nerguibaatar looking for a light for his cigarette and I threw my lighter over to him as I’d done a thousand times before when sitting in the park with friends.
Only this time the second the lighter left my hand I remembered back to the customs we were taught and that if giving something you should always present it with both hands and NEVER throw anything as it is deeply disrespectful.
I felt a wave of shame wash over me, but if it did offend, my host was polite enough not to let it show (he was the youngest of the three only four years older than myself, and possibly was more liberal when it came to such customs).
Again, after the formalities, I went off to explore. Now we were in open pasture farther along the river, which was shallower here and could easily be crossed. I set off for a hike into the forest nearby drinking in the wild surroundings. Thoughts of wolves were never far from my mind, especially given the many carcases littering the step…
After dinner, we went to play basketball and drink beer with some local lads. Someone had erected a basketball hoop in a field and the local youngsters seemed to be pretty good.
I had my own ger again and this time was thankfully left alone with nothing but thoughts of wolves and dogs and cattle….
Journey back to Ulaanbaatar
The next day I was picked up by the same driver who took me to the first camp. The going was much tougher and we skidded and slid across the steppe and through rivers. Every bump was excruciating as I now had many blisters from the wooden saddle the day before and it would be over a week again until I could sit down without pain, but it was worth it!
I was taken back to Tsetserleg where I went for the long bus ride back to Ulaanbaatar and the end of my short time living a nomad on the steppe.
A word of caution when booking a Tour with Ger to Ger
I attended the induction alongside maybe ten to fifteen other travellers who were all on differing tours with Ger to Ger across Mongolia. The person in charge of our orientation was an American with a serious attitude problem. If anyone had any (legitimate) questions they would be met with hostility and derision, which I found utterly bizarre.
As if to confirm suspicions, the owner finished with a threatening speech about giving negative reviews and said that anyone leaving one would be sued. For a company to start off by warning against leaving reviews is a rather large red flag and it confirms that we weren’t the only ones appalled at the service/his behaviour.
The literature which I was given goes into great detail about leaving negative reviews and even goes so far as to say that the company will contact Interpol which is the craziest thing I’ve ever heard of. It’s a real shame that they have such an attitude and I don’t understand why.
I am not saying to avoid using Ger to Ger, as overall I had an incredible experience that I will always remember, however just be aware of the lack of customer service. In the end, living with nomads in Mongolia was an experience I will never forget!
Getting to Mongolia
Aside from the usual international flights, it is possible (and easy) to reach Mongolia from both Russia and China via the Trans-Mongolian Express (a branch line of the Trans-Siberian).
Looking for more sustainable holiday ideas?
The Great Baikal Trail is a hiking trail being built around the world’s largest freshwater lake, Lake Baikal in Siberia. Each year you can join a community of volunteers to help construct and maintain this trail while camping in the pristine wilderness of the Siberian taiga. Read my guide to volunteering on the Great Baikal Trail for more information.
About the author:
Steve Rohan is a writer from Essex, England. He has traveled to over 60 countries, lived in Armenia, China and Hong Kong, and is now living the digital nomad life on the road.
Steve prefers “slow travel” and has covered much of the world by train, bus and boat. He has been interviewed multiple times by the BBC and recently featured in the documentary Scariest Places in the World. See the About page for more info.
Where I am now: Yerevan, Armenia 🇦🇲
Hello Mr. Rohan,
I came across your Blog when I was conducting my regular review of GER to GER – thank you for your support of our nomadic communities – greatly appreciated. I pulled up your information and I see that you did have some issues along your trip back in 2016 and that Mrs. Bayarsuren Yalalt had been assisting you with the nomadic family – I hope that all was sorted.
I wanted to reach out as I noticed your “caution” at the end of your blog… If I came across seeming “to have a serious attitude problem” – I am sure it wasn’t intentional (please do accept my apologies) – kindly note that as I am also “human”, I am also influenced by “life” and many other external factors (we all have our good and bad days)… But in all honesty – via my very long timeline of humanitarian endeavors – I’m one of the “good guys”.
Please kindly imagine for a moment, every time that I have to give those trainings I am also “greatly concerned” as I know, via years of experience, that from 100s of successful trips per year – a small handful of unruly folks per year target folks like me as I’m the guy who has to deal with the handful issues per year (average between 5 to 10; incidents, scams, etc.)… which makes my job VERY unpleasant – yet I still have to give the trainings and do the works as its part of our “legal liabilities”. Every year I have a small % of issues that become “major headlines” owing to a handful exaggerated commentaries and blogs… that brings a great amount of pain to me – I’ve been stalked, harassed, my life has been threatened numerous times, loss of business and opportunities, etc.; this is “the reality” when folks target people like me via online abuse.
It’s not a fair situation for me and our team at all. I wanted personally convey to you, owing to this, that my team and I had seriously considered closing down all of our humanitarian operations across Mongolia permanently. Only after some reconsideration, we’ve decided to give the Travel Community another chance… hence from 2022 we will be greatly reducing the amount of international travelers on GER to GER and will be, over time, refocusing our endeavors. We’ll gradually be, on a permanent basis, no longer accepting “random independent travelers” onto GER to GER’s community based tourism routes with nomadic families across Mongolia.
I’m not sure if you can imagine how difficult it is to continue trying to assist Mongolia’s nomadic families and their children while being so publicly attacked by a handful of people. Hence, as “we are service providers”… we are opting to start reducing what services we provide and to whom.
Please kindly note that folks like me do not make any $ via humanitarian initiatives like GER to GER – I only founded/operating it for “love of the people and the country”… So thank you, for re-opening my eyes to the reality of working with “random Independent travelers” – and the reason why GER to GER will stop working with “random Independent travelers” completely.
I know it’s easy to hate someone, especially if it’s seems fashionable. However, I invite you to contemplate how we are made to publicly suffer (social economic damages/oppression/etc within Mongolia and abroad) – for only desiring to assist Mongolia and its nomadic families via alternative income generation within the tourism industry.
Anyhow, I wanted to thank you both personally and professionally – as owing to your blog that I came across today – it has solidified our desire as well as reasoning to gradually end any/all GER to GER services for “random independent travelers” along any/all nomad-centered community based tourism routes across Mongolia.
Wishing you the best.
Kindest regards,
Fromer (“The American”)
Hello Mr. Rohan,
As some time has passed since my last reaction post to your blog… I have spent many days trying to remember this particular training and what you referred to as:
“The person in charge of our orientation was an American with a serious attitude problem. If anyone had any (legitimate) questions they would be met with hostility and derision, which I found utterly bizarre.
As if to confirm suspicions, the owner finished with a threatening speech about giving negative reviews and said that anyone leaving one would be sued. For a company to start off by warning against leaving reviews is a rather large red flag and it confirms that we weren’t the only ones appalled at the service/his behaviour.”
After some serious contemplation – I believe that I clearly remember this training – for some reason it was indeed a bizarre setting (I’ll agree with you on that)…. but not as how you are describing via your blog – in fact you are leaving out a lot of details which is creatively changing the entire narrative into a dishonest “ransomware-like blog”:
1. I was asked repetitive questions that were considered to be “contractual privacy violations” e.g. exact salary amounts of individuals, etc…
I clearly remember that I tried to respond kindly:
A) I stated that just like in the USA/EU/UK – in relation to privacy policies and laws – GER to GER maintains the same standards internally and honors them.
B) I also showed how GER to GER received a Certificate from the Mongolian Tax Authority for being financially transparent and responsible – another words “zero issues” with our tax payments, “zero issues” with our financial audits, etc….
C) Without violating any privacy laws – I carefully explained how GER to GER: 1. have annual meetings with the locals/nomadic families 2. transparently consult financials with all locals/nomads via proper line items and 3. all locals/nomads with GER to GER mutually sign the financial document ONLY WHEN the locals/nomads “equally agree” to the financials as it’s 100% a “social enterprise”; the locals/nomads ultimately control the itinerary prices via line items (proper financial budgeting), it’s our open approach with all CBT itineraries when developing them with locals/nomadic families across Mongolia.
2. Regardless of my respectful attention to the above, your group’s line of questioning and style of questioning was more towards an “interrogation” than what you stated as being “legitimate questions”. I clearly remember it was like an interrogation during the pre-travel ‘meet & greet workshop’… which was indeed 100% bizarre and shocking – I was very uncomfortable with your small group (just a few people).
3. Hence, it would be completely understandable if I came across to you as being “annoyed” – who would feel comfortable with strangers conducting a ‘shock and awe interrogation’ into matters that would be contractual privacy violations if I shared the information with your group (not as “legitimate” as you stated and conveyed in your blog)? Yes, I’ll 100% admit that I was very uncomfortable with your group – I remember that I was almost ready to cancel your group (thinking about it to myself).
However, I never threatened that GER to GER would take any inappropriate actions nor do I remember stating that GER to GER would “sue” anyone – I may have reminded them of the importance of being ethical and honest as well as compassionate and flexible… but not threatening. I’m sorry but I have to respectfully disagree with the truthfulness of your reporting – the contextual narrative is not accurate… and the timing of your public reporting now (recently) – a few years after your trip – is also bizarre – it does raise some questions, or as you state “large red flags”, as to the purpose, aims and goals.
Hence, from 2022 onwards, per my previous private correspondences with you (which I maintain your “ransomeware-like statement” that you would provide me a better review if I “conditionally” met your demands – to which I clearly stated that I don’t participate in such conflicts of interest concerning your personal opinion(s) of me, etc.)… GER to GER has formally decided to discontinue any and all budget travel services (services that you enjoyed) on any/all GER to GER’s Community Based Tourism homestays, routes and trails.
This is VERY unfortunate, as this style of travel is not offered by any other tour operator in Mongolia and it’s exactly what most travelers really desire; an ethical value-for-money option, where up-to 80% of the trip finances are returned to Nomadic Families who share their extra nomadic ger, great out door adventures, food/drinks, hospitality, horses, camels, ox carts, guides, routes/trails, etc… with you.
Analytically, as 99.9% of all our issues are being generated by a handful of people in your market (including by you via your inaccurate reporting) – “budget travelers/budget bloggers” – hence we’ve decided to retain our Nomadic CBT’s homestays, routes and trails for different markets and activities from 2022 onwards.
From 1000s of successful travelers, I wanted to properly and publicly communicate that it’s indeed owing to you and a handful of unruly budget travelers’ inaccurate narratives – that GER to GER has formally and publicly decided to discontinue any/all budget travel services permanently.
So if you are planning future trips to Mongolia (and/or write about Mongolia) – you’ll either have to settle with much lesser quality and very questionable hostel operations (irresponsible exploitation travel) or properly budget for Mongolia as GER to GER’s ethical budget services are no longer available.
As I previously stated, I thank you for reminding me why we need to make this change and to formally discontinue any/all budget travel services. I kindly invite you and anyone who reads this to visit our site (www.GERtoGER.org) and review our official decision on this matter. Though it’s still being decided, we may refer to your blog as an official case study/one of the variables in our decision making process – in relation to discontinuing budget services… I’ve already screen captured and PDF-d your entire blog with my last response for future potential reference.
Again thank you – and happy & safe travels!
Kindest regards,
Fromer
Founder of GER to GER Mongolia
PS – if you and/or others have any questions and/or require further clarification in relation to the above, please feel free to contact me (contact info is on our site)… I’d hate to be misunderstood.
What a bizarre response. Are you trying to make Steve feel responsible for the “loss” of your services to the budget travel community?? lol You sound like a nutcase to be fair.