Dreaming of an Immersive, Authentic Travel Experience Off-the-Beaten-Path? Why a Homestay with Mongolian Nomads is Worth It. Mongolia is one of the last places on Earth where a truly…
Dreaming of an Immersive, Authentic Travel Experience Off-the-Beaten-Path? Why a Homestay with Mongolian Nomads is Worth It.
Mongolia is one of the last places on Earth where a truly nomadic lifestyle still thrives. Scattered across its vast steppes, about one-third of the population continues to live as their ancestors did – moving with the seasons, herding livestock, and residing in traditional gers (yurts). While many travellers visit Mongolia for its dramatic landscapes and rich history, one of the best ways to experience its culture is through a homestay with a nomadic family.
During my journey through Mongolia, I had the incredible opportunity to spend two nights with a nomadic family in the beautiful Orkhon Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site recognised for its stunning scenery, deep historical significance, and vibrant culture. This homestay offered an intimate glimpse into a way of life that has remained unchanged for centuries. From learning how to milk yaks, make vodka, and erect a ger to riding horses across the rolling steppe and sharing meals, every moment was a lesson in resilience, simplicity, and hospitality.
In this blog post, I’ll share my unforgettable adventure – from the journey to the homestay, daily life with my host family, and the cultural traditions that made this experience truly unique. If you’ve ever dreamed of stepping into the world of Mongolian nomads, read on to discover what it’s really like!
My daughter and I were visiting Mongolia on a photography holiday with Frui Creative Holidays. Our itinerary, arranged by Goyo Travel, included a homestay with a nomad family in the scenic Orkhon Valley. By the time we arrived at our homestay, we had been travelling through Mongolia for over a week, enhancing our photographic techniques through various experiences with a professional photographer.
Our trip included many highlights – a day spent captivated by the skills of Mongolian horsemen at a traditional horse festival, discovering dinosaur bones, climbing massive sand dunes that sang in the wind, interacting with monks, riding camels, and practising archery – all leaving lasting memories. However, the homestay with a nomadic family in the Orkhon Valley was the ultimate highlight of this trip.
Throughout my extensive travels, I have experienced numerous homestays in different countries, but I have always felt like an intruder and a tourist in my host family’s home. However, my homestay in Mongolia was the first time I felt accepted and welcomed by the host family, which allowed me to engage with their lifestyle and traditions.
10 powerful reasons to do a homestay with a nomadic family in Mongolia
If you’re dreaming of an immersive, authentic travel experience far from the usual tourist path, a homestay with a Mongolian nomadic family might be exactly what you’re looking for. Here’s why this unforgettable cultural encounter should be on your travel radar:
- Authentic Cultural Immersion: There’s no better way to learn about Mongolia’s heritage than by living alongside those who carry it forward every day. A nomadic homestay offers a window into age-old customs, daily routines, and values that remain largely unchanged for centuries.
- Learn Centuries-Old Traditions: From milking yaks and herding animals to playing traditional games and drinking airag (fermented mare’s milk), a homestay lets you engage with practices that have been passed down through generations.
- Experience Life in a Ger (Yurt): Spending the night in a traditional ger is a unique cultural experience. These portable round tents are ingeniously designed for the nomadic lifestyle – warm in winter, cool in summer, and surprisingly comfortable. You’ll gain an appreciation for the practical beauty of this centuries-old dwelling.
- Witness Mongolia’s Natural Beauty Up Close: Most nomadic families live in stunning remote areas like the UNESCO-listed Orkhon Valley. Picture rolling grasslands, distant mountains, grazing herds, and skies so clear you can see the Milky Way. It’s a peaceful, breathtaking setting you’ll never forget.
- Slow, Mindful Travel: Homestays encourage you to slow down and fully engage with your surroundings. With limited distractions and no tight schedules, you’ll connect more deeply with people, nature, and yourself.
- Support Local Communities: Your stay directly benefits the host family and contributes to preserving Mongolia’s nomadic culture. It’s a powerful way to travel responsibly and ensure your visit has a positive impact.
- Make Heartfelt Human Connections: Even with language differences, you’ll find the warmth of Mongolian hospitality unmistakable. Shared meals, laughter, and kind gestures create lasting connections that transcend words.
- A True Off-the-Beaten-Path Experience: Mongolia remains one of the world’s most untouched travel destinations. A nomadic homestay is the perfect way to venture off the grid and have a truly unique adventure far from the typical travel trail.
- Great Stories and Memories: Every part of your stay – whether horseback riding across the steppe, sharing tea in a ger, or helping herd sheep – becomes a story worth telling. These are the moments that turn trips into lifelong memories.
- It’s Life-Changing: Mongolia’s nomadic lifestyle, which involves living simply, close to nature, and in harmony with the seasons, can shift your perspective and inspire you to reconsider what truly matters.
A nomadic homestay in Mongolia isn’t just accommodation – it’s an experience that touches the heart, broadens the mind, and reminds you of the benefit of human connection.
Preparation and briefing
Before arriving at our homestay, our travel guide and translator gave us an invaluable briefing on Mongolian customs, particularly regarding proper etiquette when visiting a nomadic family. For example, do not step on the threshold of the ger, always walk to the left when entering, accept food with your right hand while supporting your elbow with your left, and never throw a tissue into the fire. This latter advice was timely as we were coming down with colds.
These customs reflect deep-rooted values of respect, hospitality, and symbolism in Mongolian culture.
Interested in learning more? I’ve compiled a comprehensive guide on Mongolian cultural norms and traditions, covering everything you need to know to feel prepared and confident during your visit.
Getting to the Orkhon Valley
The Orkhon Valley, one of Mongolia’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites (2004), is celebrated as a cultural site – the Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape, representing the development of nomadic pastoral traditions spanning more than two thousand years. Often referred to as the cradle of Mongolian civilisation, the Orkhon Valley is a testament to the region’s profound historical and cultural heritage. Mongolian nomadic pastoralists still graze the grassland.
The Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape lies in central Mongolia, about 360 kilometres southwest of the capital, Ulaanbaatar. It encompasses an extensive area of pastureland on both banks of the Orkhon River and includes numerous archeological remains dating back to the sixth century. This beautiful landscape was the land of our homestay host family.
The Orkhon Valley – our home for two nights with a view we could never get enough of.
Our travel group comprised two Australians – my daughter and me – along with our English photography tutor and two Mongolians – our tour guide/translator and driver.
We travelled to our homestay in the Orkhon Valley from Talbiun Ger Camp on the edge of the Orkhon Valley National Park. According to Google Maps, the distance was 45 kilometres, taking about 1.5 hours to drive.
I hadn’t timed the journey because we made several photo stops along the way. However, travelling anywhere in Mongolia takes an inordinate amount of time to cover small distances. I put this down to the roads, if you can call them that! The ‘roads’ were indiscernible dirt tracks (and that’s a generous description) in terrible condition – eroded, potholed, marshy, waterlogged, and, at times, flooded. It was like driving an obstacle course! A 4WD vehicle is essential! And there were no landmarks to guide the way, especially in the Gobi Desert. At one point, I asked our driver (via our translator) how he found the way from A to B. He shrugged his shoulders and said (as translated), he just did. Beats me!
About half an hour before we arrived at the homestay, we stopped in the village of Bat-Ulzii for bread, eggs, tea, and other supplies to bring to the host family.
Arrival and Welcome
We arrived at the place where our host family had established their gers for the summer in the Orkhon Valley in time for lunch and a welcome drink of traditional milk tea, also known as suutei tsai, salt tea, or Mongolian salty tea. It is typically made with water, milk, tea leaves, and salt. I found it drinkable but would never order it.
Our hosts were Galaa and Oyunaa (pronounced Iona) – yak herders by trade. Together with their sons, daughters-in-law, and grandchildren, this extended family’s small cluster of gers stood proudly in the middle of the vast steppe, surrounded by free-roaming animals and distant mountains. It was an idyllic place to connect with Mongolia’s nomadic culture.
My daughter and I shared a ger, where we stayed for two nights. The circular, felt-covered structure was spacious, comfortable, and traditionally decorated, with a centrally placed wood stove for heating and wooden furniture, including beds, small chests, and chairs. The toilet was located some distance from the gers and similar in style (a deep pit) to the long drops we have at home, but at least it was private, enclosed by wooden walls and a door.
My daughter inside our homestay ger.
A toilet with a view! Our host family’s toilet in the Orkhon Valley.
In the afternoon, we drove to the Orkhon Waterfall (Ulaan Tsutgalan), about two kilometres from our homestay, capturing photos at the top of the falls in the rain. After all, this was a photography holiday! The homestay experience was an added bonus.
Remote worker! My daughter editing trip photos outside our homestay ger.
Immersion in Nomadic Culture
Our immersion into the daily life of a Mongolian nomad began in the late afternoon after returning from the waterfall, where we photographed Galaa milking the horses.
Mare’s milk is fermented into a traditional beverage called airag. It is known for its slightly sour and mildly alcoholic flavour and its potential health benefits due to the natural richness of mare’s milk in vitamins, minerals, and protein. Mongolians enjoy drinking airag, with both men and women and even children consuming it in bowlfuls from morning to night.
Galaa milking one of the mares. The family ferment the milk into a traditional beverage known as airag.
The next morning, I woke early to join Galaa and Oyunaa’s daughter-in-law before breakfast to photograph her milking the yaks. The process was the same as milking horses:
- The calves were tied to a rope running along the ground, ensuring that the mothers stayed close to their babies and did not have to be located and rounded up for milking, as the yaks roam free.
- The calves were put to their mothers to feed, stimulating their milk production and making it easier to hand-milk the yaks.
- Once milking was completed, the calves were put back on their mothers to finish feeding.
Yak calves are tethered to a rope to ensure their mothers stay nearby, preventing the need to round them up for milking.
Galaa and Oyunaa’s daughter-in-law milking one of the yaks.
We later learned how Mongolian nomads make vodka from yak milk.
After breakfast, we saddled up for a horse ride led by Galaa to the small Orkhon River waterfall before continuing to the main waterfall. My daughter and our photography tutor galloped across the steppe while I remained with Galaa, realising I was not as confident on horseback as I had thought. I firmly believe Galaa secretly wanted to gallop across the steppe with the others but was too concerned for my safety to do so.
This time, we photographed Orkhon Waterfall from the base of the falls, which required a precarious climb down the escarpment. The Orkhon Waterfall, fed by the Orkhon River yet located on the Ulaan River, is the largest waterfall in Mongolia. At ten metres wide and 27 metres high, water thunders down the gorge into a pool below. We set up our tripods and cameras on the rocks surrounding the plunge pool and spent an enjoyable couple of hours capturing images of the waterfall.
Galaa and our horses were patiently waiting for us to return for the ride back to our homestay.
In the afternoon, we watched Galaa and his sons disassemble and reassemble a ger. I was amazed at how quickly both processes were completed, with just three (and sometimes four) men undertaking the task – approximately 30 minutes!
Steps to erecting a ger:
In the evening, we watched Oyunaa make vodka from yak’s milk. The process was simple but steeped in tradition. A bowl of yak milk was placed over a wood-burning stove. A wooden drum with no bottom or top was positioned on top of the bowl. Then, another bowl was placed on top of the wooden drum. A cloth was wrapped around the drum and the top bowl to prevent air from escaping, and the top bowl was filled with (and topped up with) cold water. The condensation from the boiling milk and cold water caused liquid (vodka) to run down a wooden tube connected to the wooden drum, which dripped into a tea kettle.
Distilled milk vodka has a high alcohol content, typically ranging from 12% to 15% or higher. It is often served warm and plays a significant role in Mongolian culture, frequently used in toasts and rituals during festive occasions. It symbolises hospitality, friendship, and community bonding.
Everyone enjoyed the vodka!
Our homestay wasn’t just about learning nomadic customs and traditions; it also provided an opportunity to reciprocate – to share cultural insights. For example, Australians are raised on vegemite, while wrestling is Mongolia’s national sport. Galaa and our driver gave a wrestling demonstration, and my daughter, who had brought vegemite from Australia, offered them vegemite to taste.
Galaa and our driver demonstrated their wrestling skills.
Galaa said he liked the vegemite. This was a first for my daughter (who is also well-travelled) and me, as we had never encountered anyone who liked vegemite outside of Australia. Perhaps, when you have grown up on salted tea, vegemite is not such a huge stretch for the taste buds! Or was he just being polite? Unlike my daughter’s ungracious reaction to fermented mare’s milk, who also said she liked it before being sick.
Farewell and Reflection
Our homestay in the Orkhon Valley was in one of the most beautiful areas of Mongolia – a remote but peaceful and breathtaking setting that I will never forget.
The Orkhon Valley – our Mongolian host family’s summer backyard.
Our host family’s hospitality was unparalleled. I felt genuinely welcomed and appreciated, and for two nights, I experienced a true sense of belonging – something rarely experienced as a traveller.
Spending time with Galaa, Oyunaa, and other family members offered a genuine introduction to the nomadic culture and life in the Orkhon Valley. It was one of the most authentic travel experiences I’ve ever had, and it made me appreciate the resilience, simplicity, and deep connection Mongolian nomads have with nature.
Practical Information
You can book a homestay with Goyo Travel, which offers the itinerary Among Nomads – Heartland. This itinerary includes a stay with Galaa and his family and additional homestays.
We visited Mongolia in the summer, late July and early August. The weather was warm at that time of year, and the landscapes were lush. Traditional festivals were also on the calendar. If you want to experience extreme nomadic life, then the Mongolian winter (November to February) is the time to visit.
Spending two nights with a Mongolian family in the Orkhon Valley deeply enriched my understanding and appreciation of the resilient spirit of Mongolian nomads. It wasn’t just about witnessing a different way of life but immersing myself in it.
This homestay reminded me that true adventure lies in stepping beyond our comfort zones and embracing the unknown. The Mongolian nomads live a life of simplicity, yet their connection to nature, family, and tradition is truly profound. While modern conveniences were few, the richness of their culture was abundant.
This wasn’t just a homestay; it was a glimpse into the soul of Mongolia, a soul that will forever hold a special place in my travel memories.
If you ever have a chance to visit Mongolia, I highly recommend seeking out an authentic nomadic homestay. It’s a journey back in time, a lesson in adaptability, and an experience that will stay with you long after you leave the steppe.
Disclaimer: This post contains no affiliate links. All views and opinions are my own and non-sponsored. All photos, except the feature photo, are my own and remain the copyright of Joanna Rath/Just Me Travel.
© Just Me Travel 2018-2025.
I thank and acknowledge Meg Speak for allowing me to use her photo as the feature image for this blog post.
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Author’s Note: Please check the latest travel restrictions before planning any trip and follow government advice.
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