Nomad homestay in Hovd
- DURATION : 19 days
- GROUP SIZE: 2-4
- HIGHLIGHTS: West of Mongolia, Nomad family, Herd animals
- COVERED DISTANCE : Apx:2700km
- TRANSPORTATION: 4WD Japanese jeep, Russian mini Van or Local Bus
| Participant | 1 pax | 2 pax |
| Price per person | 1000$ | 800$ |
In the west part of Mongolia, there are many ethnic groups of people who have lived there for a very long time. During this trip, you will have the amazing opportunity to stay with the Zakhchin families, which are located 1300 km from Ulaanbaatar. Zakhchin families are Mongolian nomads and they traditionally herd horses, sheep, goat, cow, yak, and camel. They speak their own dialect of Zakhchin which is a little bit different from the main Khalkha dialect of Mongolian. Zakhchin families usually herd their animals in the big mountain area and most of the time of the year they live up there too. Western Mongolia is very high from sea level, you can see snow there in July too!
On this trip, you will get to know the famous Mongolian nomads, and learn about the Zakhchin people. You will have the unique opportunity of living with two different nomad families for two weeks and get a first-hand insight into their lifestyles. Both of the families are Zakhchin families who herd their own animals; this will provide you with many highlights, herding animals and helping the nomad families with their everyday life. Also, this is an astonishing area where you can hike around the mountain area and befriend all the baby animals you meet around the place!
Tour Itinerary
Day 1-9
Arrive in Ulaanbaatar
You will land in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. At the airport, you will meet with a guide who will take you to the city center, and on the way there you will be shown where to change currency if you wish to. If your flight arrives early, you will be taken for a city tour on this day. Your luggage will be dropped at your hotel before the city tour.
During the city tour, you will see the central square of Ulaanbaatar city, called Chinggis Khaan square. Then you will visit the Mongolian national historical museum and the Gandantegchinlen Monastery, the center of Mongolian Buddhism. After that, you will have the chance to watch a Mongolian traditional concert, dancing, throat singing, and religious culture, the original band the Tumen-ekh ensemble (band of folk singers and dancers/). All-day our driver and guide will accompany you and show you these places. After the show, the driver will bring you to your hotel.
.png)
From Ulaanbaatar to Zereg sum by local bus
On this day you will start your wonderful Mongolian trip. At 11 am, our driver will take you from your hotel to the local bus terminal. At 1 pm you will board the local bus for the long drive to the west of Mongolia. This is almost a 24-hours drive of 1350 km to the Zereg town of Hovd province. Before you leave Ulaanbaatar you can have lunch. Your dinner will be from a local restaurant and the bus will stop at a restaurant on the way.
From Zereg to the Nomad family
You will arrive at Zereg town in the afternoon. A member of the nomad family will pick you up there. You will have lunch together and travel to the mountain to meet with his family. You are going to live with this nomad family for a week. During the summer, most of the families are living high up in the mountain since the lower area is too warm for the animals. If you are coming to this place in summer, you will travel by car or motorcycle to the skirts of the mountain and then hike the rest of the way to where the family lives, about 5 kilometers away. if it is not summertime you will go by car to the family.
Staying with the family
You will stay with this wonderful nomad family witout any translation guide guide from agency for a week and get familiar with them and their way of life. The husband of the family is Munkhbaatar BATKHUYAG, he lives with his wife and 2 children. You will be given the chance to participate in a lot of the nomadic activities such as milking cows and goats, making dairy products and fetching water and looking after the cattle where you will go out to the cattle pasture with the children to monitor and count the herd. All of the meals will be prepared by the family and you will eat with them.
Nomad to nomad change
Today you will depart from Munkhbaatar’s family and travel to meet the next family. After having breakfast, the husband of the family will accompany you to your destination where you will spend another week. There will be a 10km hike or horse riding from mountain to mountain and will arrive at Bayanmunkh's home after lunch. He lives with his wife and 4 children. Bayanmunkh is one of the best breeders in the village and he keeps race horses which are know to often win the horse racing of the Mongolian traditional festival, Naadam.
Day 10-18
Living with the second nomadic family
During these days you will submerge into the nomadic life with them, participating in nomadic activities such as milking cows and goats, looking after cattle, making dairy products. The nomads do a lot of activities without predicting the date, they follow the climate and the Buddhist calendar. You could also assist shearing sheep, training horses, making yurts and tanning lamb skins. You will have the opportunity to visit places around this wonderful place. Around this area, between the mountains, lay not to be missed lakes which you can access with a hike. Everyday you will have food with the nomad family and enjoy their company.
From Nomad to-Zereg-Ulaanbaatar
This day is your last day with your nomadic family and you will probably raise early in the morning and prepare your luggage and have a last look at the amazing scenery. After breakfast and after saying goodbye to the family you will go to the Zereg town, about 15km from their home. The husband of the family will accompany you to the centre of the village around lunch time . You will take the bus in the afternoon at around 4 pm from Zereg town and set off for the long drive back to Ulaanbaatar for next 24 hours.
Ulaanbaatar
This day is your last day in Mongolia. Breakfast at your guest house and the transfer to the airport, which can be organized at the time you want, according to the schedule of your flight. Thank you for travelling with us, creating an experience you will never forget!
This day is your last day in Mongolia. Breakfast at your guest house and the transfer to the airport, which can be organized at the time you want, according to the schedule of your flight. Thank you for travelling with us, creating an experience you will never forget!
What's included?
Included
- Transfers airport / hotel / airport
- 2 nights hotel in Ulan Bator, breakfast included
- Bus tickets /round trip/
- Water
- two weeks with nomad families
- Food from nomads
- Local guides for the treks
- Entrance fees for the parks and museums indicated in the program
- City tour tickets
- Equipments for horse riding (saddles, bridles etc…)
Not included
International flightPassport and visa feesTravel insuranceEnglish or French speaking guideExtra drinks / alcohols/ some special coffee etc…Food on the wayMeals in Ulan BatorPhone callsAny excursion that is not indicated in the program