Winter Hiking, Camel Trekking and Stargazing in Mongolia

A ger is a type of Mongolian yurt. The ger accommodations on this trip are provided by local rural families who use small scale tourism to supplement their income. This gives them extra financial security which means they are one step further away from having to consider urban migration. These are families that your host works with in a long-term local community partnership. Your host will NEVER turn up unannounced or show up at a herding family demanding accommodation.

The type of ger accommodation will change from family to family. Consider them as small rural businesses, not as rustic luxury homestays and be prepared for a variety of standards. Please remember that this is someone’s way of life and home and that they provide what they can in relation to their circumstances. You will have your own private ger to share as a group of 2-4 adventurers which may at times need to be mixed-sex. However, if you prefer privacy, your host can pitch a tent for you next to the family ger. Each ger typically has a number of beds, a central stove, a central table and a few stools. Beds will vary in comfort – most rural family members still traditionally sleep on the floor, so they don’t really understand the concept of double memory foam mattresses!

A majority of Mongolia’s population do not have access to running water so below are the details for showers and toilets at the ger accommodation:

Toilets: Some will be better than expected. Some will be worse than expected. Most will be outside long (or short) drop Asian style and if it is at a family home then the toilet will be shared by you and the family.

Showers: Most Mongolians visit the local town shower house. So this is what you do as well! It gives you an introduction to real daily life for the majority of Mongolians in both urban and rural areas as well as a hot shower. You get your own private cubicle with plenty of hot water. Queue with the locals and enjoy experiencing a little of their daily way of life. On other occasions where a local shower house is not available, you'll be provided with large buckets of hot water to shower with at the ger camp.

A winter camel trek is an adventure true to local traditions as for centuries, up until the 1920s, the Gobi was traversed by camel trains – typically travelling in the winter months – allowing the camels the summer months to recuperate when grazing is best. You’ll travel on Bactrian (two-hump) camels with their traditional camel saddle of just a woollen carpet but their fantastic winter wool coat will also provide you with insulation as well. It’s a slow and steady pace of travel where you explore the diverse landscapes of the sand dunes, sacred granite mountains, rolling hills and wide-open steppe. The camel trek will be vehicle supported.

The camels are chosen specifically by the Davaasuren family who guide the trek - they also own the camels, so the welfare and treatment of the animals are all under the care of this long term rural tourism partnership. The animals are not overworked, the family ensure that the camels only carry people and never luggage, while guests are matched up to camels based on weight. In Mongolia, rural families have a very practical relationship with their animals. These are working animals, and they play an important role in sustaining rural cultures and preventing forced urban migration which can be a disaster for rural Mongolians to succumb to. The Davaasuren family operate a small number of camel treks each year to sustain their income to a level that protects their way of life. This is a long, long way from mass tourism, and the camels are only ridden a certain number of times a year.

Tips are not included in the trip cost. Each member of your host's team receives a fair salary and none have to rely on receiving gratuities to supplement their income. Of course, you are free to tip if you wish, and the amount should be reflective of your perception of service and quality - a tip is not compulsory and should only be given when you receive excellent service. Your guide will help with advice on how much to tip if you wish to do so.

Mongolia has limited infrastructure including access to drinking water. Because of this, Mongolia has a countrywide network of water supply stations that the locals use to access water. Your host uses these same water supply stations. Your expedition vehicle has two 20 litre water containers that are refilled en-route. Your host provides a Steripen Adventurer filter pen so that all guests can filter their drinking water. In rural areas in Mongolia, there is no running water. You will need to bring a reusable water bottle with you.

Yes, excess luggage can be stored at your host's office in Ulaanbaatar at the start of the trip, collected at the end when you return to the capital.

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