Crossing the nomadic nation of Mongolia off your list soon, and seeking some life changing experiences? There are many unforgettable adventures in Mongolia that will deliver on that desire … below we profile three of them that we think that you should seriously consider if you are undecided on what you want to do during your time in this vastly underrated country.
1) Trek out to and camp with reindeer herders
Well removed from urban amenities in Ulaanbaatar, the reindeer herders of the empty but mindblowingly beautiful taiga inhabit a world about as far removed from your daily life as you possibly imagine.
Tourist services here are nil, and you may have to bring certain goods in from civilization, but that’s really the point of this adventure – to leave behind everything that you think you need and to adapt yourself to the world that the nomadic Tsaatan live in everyday.
That world might be defined by living conditions that are rough and spartan by your personal measuring stick, but it also a world of rolling plains, impossibly blue lakes, and by a simple but sublime mix of evergreen forest and low mountain peaks.
Your trip here may have its rough patches, but the memories created on it will endure within your soul until the day that you draw your last breath.
2) Paddle down one of Mongolia’s rushing rivers
Prefer to spend much of your time in Asia’s last frontier on the water instead on the back of a horse? Fortunately for you, there are many rivers in Mongolia waiting for a hopeless paddling addict like you to ride down their exciting lengths. Experiences range from serene days spent paddling on the flatwater of one of the many lakes to dot the Mongolian landscape to adrenaline-pumping traverses of Class IV to V rapids.
Between the athletic challenge of this voyage, the friendliness of your Mongolian guides and locals, and the undisturbed nature that will unfold around you through the entire trip, you’ll have all the makings of one of the most epic journeys that you will do in your lifetime.
3) Go on a camel trek in the Gobi Desert
Craving the solitude of the desert? The Gobi has plenty of dunes where you can contemplate life as you cross it with trained guides on the back of your trusty camel steed. One of those thoughts will surely be how life can thrive in even the most inhospitable of circumstances, a topic that will be readily answered by the knowledgeable locals that will accompanying you on your adventure.
Indeed, life has adapted to this cruel place, as you will see when your guides will show you the fauna that ekes out a life here, as well as ruins of a former monastery. The latter will show you the power of the human spirit, as life as managed to exist here well before the days of modern technology have made such a task easier than it has been in the past.