On the day this photo was taken in August 2007, our tour group was travelling from Ulaanbaatar, the capital city of Mongolia, to Dadal County through the whole of Khentii Province via Bereeven Monastery, Rashaan Khad Stones and the town of Binder.

Khentii province is located in eastern Mongolia and covers 80,000 square kilometres. It has a total population of over 60,000 people and Undurkhaan is its capital. In a country famous for its flat landscape, the western part of this province is notable for its Khentii Mountain ranges, which continue as hills across the northern part of the province all the way to the eastern Mongolian steppe, one of the largest plains in the world. The northern hills are thick with Siberian pine forests.

Khentii province is most famously known as the birth land of Chinggis Khaan (also known as Genghis Khan). Not surprisingly, many sites have historical links with his life and the wars he fought, such as the Deluun Boldog, the junction of Onon and Balj rivers, where he is said to have been born; Khukh Nuur Lake, where the young Temuujin was crowned as ‘Chinggis Khaan’; and Burkhan Khaldun Mountain, where it is said he was buried.

How the Picture Happened

Our tour group consisted of several Italians. En route in the county of Binder, they had stopped to pay a visit to a nomadic family. The idea of a visit came to us initially because we saw a solar panel, a satellite antenna and a motorbike on or near the family’s ger. The Italian travellers had never imagined that they would see such ‘technological advance’ in one of the remotest, wildest, underdeveloped areas of Mongolia.

We had a nice time conversing with the family, although it was a short visit. We were offered tsai (traditional tea) and some dairy products, including airag (fermented mare’s milk). Most of the Italians were curious about the taste of airag, which is bitter and alcoholic. They were fascinated when they saw one of the family members drink all of a big cup of airag without taking a single breath.

The boy in this picture is around three years old and lives with this family. As we were strangers, he initially kept his distance. Gradually, though, he got used to us, until he finally started playing with one of us and allowed us to take a few pictures.

Mongolian Nomadic Life

Mongols place a strong emphasis on family because their nomadic way of life requires collective labour. To keep a family happy and stable, everyone must be respectful, supportive, caring and loving. They must also develop strong long-lasting friendships to help survive in their land’s harsh conditions. Parents love their children and children are very accustomed to the warmth and kinship of family life. A few unfortunate incidents have been recorded of very homesick pupils leaving their school dormitories alone and without any notice and dying from exposure to the steppe’s cold weather and fierce winds as they try to make their way back to their parents.

Mongolian children in nomadic families learn to ride horses from as early as the age of four. They help their families with cattle breeding and learn to hunt by accompanying their fathers. Girls learn to sew clothes, milk cows, cook meals and produce dairy products. Children often go to school at the age of seven in their county’s central town or village; many live in dormitories as their homes are far away.

When you travel to Mongolia, you must experience the warmth and hospitality of nomads living in the countryside. If your time is short, hire a guide who can drive you out of the city to a place where you can meet a nomadic family. Several tourist destinations outside Ulaanbaatar city are popular for their natural beauty and a location where you can visit a nomadic family.

There’s no denying that you, the traveller from a modern developing country will get a sense of the most important elements on which a happy, stable family life is built and has existed for ages in Mongolia.

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Visit the whl.travel Flickr photostream for a set of more pictures of Mongolia.

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