Mongolia is a vast land occupying much of the Asain steppe. It is a land that has fascinated so many of us for a very long time and there are many reasons why one should visit Mongolia. It was from here that the Mongols under Gengis Khan burst out of the steppe and conquered so much of the world.
Today, Mongolia is a stunning part of the world to visit and a land packed with so many adventures just waiting to be had. Inhabitants of this land have long been nomadic for thousands of years. A lifestyle that was greatly aided by the domestication of the horse. It is believed that the horse was domesticated somewhere in this vast Eurasian steppe. After it was, the Mongolian-style nomadic and pastoral way of life could really get going. Today most people in Mongolia are Buddhist and the culture remains quite traditional.
History And Background Of Mongolia
While in the West (and much of the other parts of the world) people remember Gengis Khan as a blood-thirsty conqueror, it is important to be sensitive on this topic while in Mongolia. For them, Gengis Khan is a national hero and a great figure from the past and he is much revered. After all, it was him who put Mongolia on the map - before and after the Mongolian empire, the world has taken little note of Mongolia. When the Mongolian Empire reached its height it was the largest contiguous empire in history (the British Empire was the largest, but it was not contiguous).
For much of its history, Mongolia was under the rule or suzerainty of China including under the last dynasty of China, the Qing dynasty. But as the empire imploded in the early 1900s, Mongolia managed to become independent with Russian help.
Mongolia: The Facts
- Population: 3.3 Million
- Capital And Largest City: Ulaanbaatar
- Independence: 1911 (Declared From The Qing Dynasty)
- Size: 1.56 million sq Km or 600,000 Sq Miles
Today Mongolia is a large country with a small population, in fact, it is the world's 18th largest country by land area. Today the nomadic past remains very strong in the country and around 30% of the population remain nomadic or semi-nomadic. Despite a rapidly growing population, Mongolia is still the world's most sparsely populated country. So expect to travel for miles without seeing a single soul. Of the country's 3.3 or so million inhabitants around half live in the capital Ulaanbaatar.
- Fun Fact: Mongolia Was Alined With The Soviet Union During The Cold War And Even Asked To Be Annexed By The Soviets - But The Soviets Refused
When To Go And What To Do
Mongolia is normally warm or hot in the summer and you can go in the later spring, summer, or early fall (though summer is best). But avoid going in the winter. The winters here can be extremely bitterly cold and temperatures can drop to as low as −30 °C or −22 °F. Mongolia as a whole is high in altitude and cold and of course, it is steppe so there is nothing to break the winds that sweep over the land. Ulaanbaatar holds the record as the world's coldest capital city with temperatures averaging −1.3 °C or 29.7 °F.
Mongolian Tours
Traveling to Mongolia is all about exploring the great outdoors and the steppe. So things to do include visiting local people and villages and sleeping in their traditional yurts (the traditional mobile home/tents). Of course, you should go horse riding! There's nothing more Mongolian than horse riding.
- Visa Requirements: Americans 90 Days Visa-Free; Canadians And Germans 30 Days Visa-Free; For Most Other Western Passports Visa Required
There are a variety of tours for you to choose from. Here's one for example:
Overland Tour
- Duration: 15 Days
- Where: Around Mongolia
- Cost: From $3,155
- Note: You Will Be Very Remote And See Much Of Traditional Mongolian Culture
Another very popular experience is traveling overland from St. Petersburg or Moscow via the Trans-Siberian railway to Mongolia and then through Mongolia and finishing at Bejing in China. This trip is stunning but it is a vast distance to cover so you are on the move for much of the time and unable to see anything in depth.
Mongolian Cuisine
The traditional cuisine is mostly meat-based and so vegetarians may struggle to find meat-free food - especially once outside of the capital. Additionally, the horse is very central to the traditional Mongolian way of life and the horse is common meat and part of their regular cuisine. It is also very common to eat camel here. The main meat sources are sheep, goats, cattle, horses, yak, and camels. While here be sure to try horse and camel milk - caution though, it has a strong taste!
Most travelers coming to Mongolia are not coming here to see monumental buildings nor to enjoy the great nightlife. Much of the draw of Mongolia is the vast steppe, the openness and emptiness of the region as well as to see the culture of the people who do live here. Traveling in Mongolia involves a lot of horse riding, camping (in large comfortable yurts), and exploring a culture immeasurably different from that of the West.