HIGH MOUNTAIN NOMAD FAMILY
 
UNIQUE EXPERIENCE WITH THE NOMAD FAMILY AMONG THE HIGH MOUNTAIN

A charge of the environment with the Mountain Nomad Family we work with, the young family of Amaraa and Buyanaa, married for 14 years and living in the Ider village, at the heart of the Zavkhan Province, Western Mongolia. They live in a pristine wilderness, with virtually no neighbors, at the heart of a high mountain range, a highly spiritual place where starts the famous Ider river. This entire region is a perfect place to be to remain quiet, enjoy Nature, fresh air, and be active with treks and horse riding. Winter brings heavy snowfalls in the region, forcing them to be more resilient, hardworking people to overcome the difficult conditions and to survive in this impressive landscape. They move about 4 times a year with the seasons and sometimes, even more, depending on the weather conditions. However only distant of about 50km from the nearest village (2 hours drive on a chaotic dirt road down the mountains), the landscapes here turn into an isolated island from the rest of the world.

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OVERVIEW

LOCATED IN THE IDER RIVER VALLEY SURROUNDED BY VERDANT MOUNTAINS

From Uliastai town 3 hours drive / 140 km 
From Sand Mountain Expeditions 5 hours drive / 240km 
From River Nomad Camp 4 hours drive / 170km 

HIGH MOUNTAIN NOMAD FAMILY
 
UNIQUE EXPERIENCE WITH THE NOMAD FAMILY AMONG THE HIGH MOUNTAIN

A charge of the environment with the Mountain Nomad Family we work with, the young family of Amaraa and Buyanaa, married for 14 years and living in the Ider village, at the heart of the Zavkhan Province, Western Mongolia. They live in a pristine wilderness, with virtually no neighbors, at the heart of a high mountain range, a highly spiritual place where starts the famous Ider river. This entire region is a perfect place to be to remain quiet, enjoy Nature, fresh air, and be active with treks and horse riding. Winter brings heavy snowfalls in the region, forcing them to be more resilient, hardworking people to overcome the difficult conditions and to survive in this impressive landscape. They move about 4 times a year with the seasons and sometimes, even more, depending on the weather conditions. However only distant of about 50km from the nearest village (2 hours drive on a chaotic dirt road down the mountains), the landscapes here turn into an isolated island from the rest of the world.

________
OVERVIEW

LOCATED IN THE IDER RIVER VALLEY SURROUNDED BY VERDANT MOUNTAINS

From Uliastai town 3 hours drive / 140 km 
From Sand Mountain Expeditions 5 hours drive / 240km 
From River Nomad Camp 4 hours drive / 170km 

Buyanaa is a beautiful nomad woman and Amaraa a kind horseman, both born and raised in their respective nomadic families, are parents of 4 lovely children. Their first two boys are called Ganaa, in his 8th grade, and Ganochir, in 5th grade. Their youngest two girls are named Lkhamaa, 5 years old, and Shuree, 3 years old, and both love deeply painting. The children have a free spirit and are really social with whoever visits their home. They always get their chance to play with you. The two boys go to school in the village, where they stay in the dormitories during the school year. All the men of the family really love their horses. The two boys started riding from the age of 4, typical of the nomadic lifestyle in the countryside. They already help a lot with the herding tasks when the holidays come. 

The family herds goats, sheep, yaks, and horses. And two fearless guardian dogs are accompanying our guests, excited to join us on our horseback treks around the mountains. You will possibly see, Buyanaa, as busy as engaged to daily duties, milking yak, making aaruul (dried curd), yak butter, cheese, taking care of the children, and many more. She was twice awarded the title of Winner of the Local Herders Dairy Market Exhibition in the past years. Amraa and his strong horses make easy the discovery of the beautiful place on horseback.  

They are the new generation of nomads that carry the knowledge of thousands of years' culture, traditions, and survival techniques the Mongols developed. But they also are modern nomads using portable, and sustainable technologies. They sincerely cherish the nomad culture towards the environment, their animals, and people. They live incredibly simply and are satisfied by living among these wild mountains that generously provide. Also, they have a strong desire to educate well their children whether they will decide to live as nomads or not. They are one of our great pride and partners during our journeys into Western Mongolia. 

Some words about the region:
 Here, we are at the core of the mighty chains known as the Tarbagatai mountains. They are home to centuries-old nomadic traditions, very well kept and preserved from the modern days, and they form a natural border between the sand landscapes of the Gobi and the Alpine and Siberian type of tundra (with permafrost to the North).
 Most of the chain itself is under the protection of the Mongolian State, for its biodiversity, but also important because it is considered the birth of one of the most valuable treasures of the country: the main largest water source. By itself nourishing the Baikal lake located in Russia, through a channel of many important rivers running underground, it ends its run into the North Pole. Therefore these mountains of Central Asia, play a highly significant role in maintaining the ecosystem of the world. Understanding this brings another dimension into seeing where we travel, and how important it is to live with Nature.


 

It is our privilege to discover 4 different riding paradises with different ways of tackling it, along with visiting and learning about the families that your journey will support. All of this made possible with the comfort of our own private Gers welcoming you every evening for a well-deserved rest. 

Develop a new spirit towards Nature, wildlife and a necessary human connection. This land is so wild and beautiful that is both a need and a blessing to be part of it. Walking or riding horses along, you shall appreciate how this piece of land shaped centuries of traditions.