Nomad Home Stay Hovd-Western Mongolia
About this tour
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
In the western 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 Zakhchin families, which are located 1300 km from Ulaanbaatar. Zakhchin families are Mongolian nomads and they traditionally herd horses, sheep, goats, cows, yaks, and camel. They speak their own dialect of Zakhchin which is a little bit different from the main Khalkha dialect of Mongolia. Zakhchin families usually herd their animals in the big mountain area and most of the time of the year they live up there too. Since western Mongolia is very high from the 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!
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1: Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Arrive in Ulaanbaatar You will land in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. At the airport, you will meet with your translator 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 on a city tour on this day. Your luggage will be dropped off at your hotel before you enjoy 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, original firm the Tumen ekh ensemble (band of folk singers and dancers/). All day our driver will accompany you and show you these places. After the show, the driver will bring you back to your guest house.
Day 2: Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia to Altanteel, Mongolia
On this day, you will start your trip. At 11 am, our driver will take you from your guest house 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-hour drive of 1300 km to the Zereg town of Hovd aimag. Before you leave Ulaanbaatar you can have lunch, dinner which will be from a local restaurant and the bus will stop at a restaurant area on the way, all your meals for the journey will also be provided by a local restaurant
Day 3: Altanteel, Mongolia to Zeregiin gol, Altanteel, Mongolia
From Zereg to the Nomad family You will arrive in Zereg town in the afternoon. A member of the nomad will be staying with will pick you up there. You will have lunch together and travel to the mountain to meet his family. To get there, you will travel by car or motorcycle to the skirts of the mountain and then hike or ride a horse the rest of the way to where the family lives, about 4-6 kilometers away. if you are wondering why you should walk or hike because during the summertime nomads stay at top of Baatar khairkhan mountain. it is impossible to use the car for their summer camping spot. You are going to live with this nomad family for a week at the top of a snowy mountain. In this area, most of the families are living high up in the mountain since the lower area is too warm for the animals. This mountain area is called Baatar khairkhan mountain which is a praying place for locals. All those nomads stay in that mountain area.
Day 4: Zeregiin gol, Altanteel, Mongolia to Baatar Khairkhan Mountain, Khovd, Mongolia
Day 4-9 Staying with the family You will stay with this wonderful nomad family 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 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.
Day 5: Baatar Khairkhan Mountain, Khovd, Mongolia
help to nomad's activities sometimes you can take a rest enjoy yourself, write about day life and shoot good photos.
Day 6: Baatar Khairkhan Mountain, Khovd, Mongolia
same day stay with nomad and if you want you can help to their life; herding animals, enjoy yourself, write or take photos.
Day 7: Baatar Khairkhan Mountain, Khovd, Mongolia
every day will be interesting for you to discover a nomad's life herding animals and meet people from the summer campsite. at the top of the mountain, weather will be nice for you, not too hot and not so cold.
Day 8: Baatar Khairkhan Mountain, Khovd, Mongolia
two more days stay with this nomad family. you can enjoy everything that you wanted. hike to mountains, herd animals, help nomads and enjoy yourself. you are getting more experienced with nomad life.
Day 9: Baatar Khairkhan Mountain, Khovd, Mongolia
Day 9 it is the last full day stay with the first nomads, we hope that you are having a good time with this nomad. must be discovered everything about their life style and herding ways. you must be found some more friends from other families too. we hope you will have a good day with nomad at last full day.
Day 10: Baatar Khairkhan Mountain, Khovd, Mongolia
Nomad to nomad change Today you will leave Munkhbaatar’s family and travel to 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 known to often win the horse racing of the Mongolian traditional festival, Naadam.
Day 11: Baatar Khairkhan Mountain, Khovd, Mongolia
Days 11 to 16 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, and 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 in 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. Every day you will have food with the nomad family and enjoy their company.
Day 12: Baatar Khairkhan Mountain, Khovd, Mongolia
it is your first full day staying with this nomad family. all people are new to you but you are already experienced like a nomad. you can show them what you have learned from the first family. we hope every day will be interesting for you
Day 13: Baatar Khairkhan Mountain, Khovd, Mongolia
it is your second full day with the next nomad we hope already you are friends with everyone in the family. you can help to nomad same with previous. don't forget to enjoy yourself with activities like horse riding, hiking to the mountain areas, and take some good videos or photos.
Day 14: Baatar Khairkhan Mountain, Khovd, Mongolia
what are you learning from this homestay tour? now you have just a few days to stay with them if you are missing something about nomadic life just start it now. you can choose what you are interested in more let's focus on that.
Day 15: Baatar Khairkhan Mountain, Khovd, Mongolia
we hope you are having fun with nomads every day and focused on something that you really want to learn. if you are already focused on something you need to try it before you leave nomad.
Day 16: Baatar Khairkhan Mountain, Khovd, Mongolia
okay, this is your last chance to learn about all nomadic experiences because it is your last full day with a nomadic family. before you leave the nomad family discover again.
Day 17: Baatar Khairkhan Mountain, Khovd, Mongolia to Altanteel, Mongolia
From Nomad to-Zereg-Ulaanbaatar This day is your last day with your nomadic family, you will probably get up early in the morning and prepare your luggage. After breakfast and after saying goodbye to the family you will go to Zereg town which is you were on the first day, about 15km from their home. The husband of the family will accompany you to the center of the village around lunchtime. we hope you are already a good horse rider and you can ride today we guess. 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 the next 24 hours
Day 18: Altanteel, Mongolia to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Ulaanbaatar You arrive in Ulaanbaatar after lunch, there will be a driver ready to pick you up and take you to your guest house. If you still have the energy to go shopping for souvenirs this is an option and our driver will gladly go with you.
Day 19: Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
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 traveling with us, creating an experience you will never forget!
What's included
including a guide on a city tour and will explain the whole tour and it is including all activities for the whole tour. if you need any translation you can call to us from the nomad family we will help you with everything.
no guide
What to know
This tour can be customized. Please get in touch with me.
Route & locations
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia