Want a True Travel Experience? Visit Mongolia
From the 13th century and into the 14th century, the Mongolian Empire ruled by Genghis Khan once covered an area larger than the whole of Russia at present day in land mass. It was the single largest empire in existence that still remains through history up to today. A reign that lasted over 150 years. Today, travelers have the opportunity to travel back in time while in Mongolia. It's such a fascinating country….
I can recall crossing the border from Russia into Mongolia. We were essentially stranded on the border more than five hours. Looking back on it now, it was by far the longest border crossing I'd yet experienced. However, further we pressed along into Mongolia's one and only city…the capital city of Ulan Bator, with a population of more than 1.3 million.
They had said that you could find people still living in traditional Mongolian ger tents at the base of a skyscraper.
Did I believe it? Could it be true? It turns out, yes, it was entirely true. In fact, there were small villages on hillsides, collective amongst each other yet many many get tents sparsely populating the rest of the city in a very sporadic isolated manner. It was so unreal, so different, so Mongolian.
But we couldn't wait to hit the countryside and to get the 'real heart' of Mongolia. And that is exactly what we did. Within a couple days, we were headed out to the Terjl National Park. Our destination? To live amongst a Mongolian family and actually spend a few days living in a Ger tent and experiencing first hand what it is like to eat as they do and to travel as they do (on horseback). Sure there are cars, trucks and vans throughout the country…however, believe it or not, many Mongoians still live off the land, use horses to travel where no roads may exist and live much the same now as they did since the days of Genghis Khan.
But was this city boy from Charlotte, NC, in the Southeastern part of the US ready to live out a Mongolian lifestyle? Oh no…well at least not on horseback. All was well on our first day out. However, after this three day Mongolian adventure I realized: this here city boy was not cut out for horse riding! Not only did I end up with a horse (and on a horse) with a mind of its own (and a complete and utter disrespect for its rider -- me) but I also ended up not being able to walk very well after spending nearly four hours on that horse galloping across the Mongolian countryside for miles on end!
But…was it a good trip? A unique experience? An amazing memory I'll never forget? Hell yes it was! The entire trip was awesome as were the people we met, the food we ate and the amazing landscape that is Mongolia. We even got to see "Turtle Rock."
I encourage everyone to go and to experience this amazing country. It is extremely unique, very cheap to travel within and will leave you with some unforgettable memories and experiences! For the full Mongolian adventure, check out my post "Living in a Ger Tent in Mongolia."
In August of 2011, Rory left home to fulfill a dream of world travel. The trip started in Southern Europe and has taken him as far as Iceland, Mongolia, India, China and Tibet as well as over twenty other countries in between. After more than a year's worth of travel, he continues to write on his experiences and crazy times on the road along with helpful tips and travel advice for readers. Everything from how to budget and save money, how to plan for a gap year and even how to pack! You can find him at his website, Planet and Go.
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