The Mongols have used bows and arrows for milennia: as a sport between tribes, weapons on the battlefield, or equipment for hunting. Archery remains an integral part of Mongolian cultural identity to this day, being one of the 3 traditional sports of the annual Naadam Festival. We send our traditionally hand- crafted Mongolian bows and arrows on most of our.
Ulaanbaatar Uncovered
Ulaanbaatar, also spelled Ulan Bator – but known affectionately to locals and expats as UB – is Mongolia’s capital city and home to around 1.5million people, which equates to roughly 50% of the entire population. UB is also the main international travel hub, so chances are you’ll start and end any trip in this vibrant metropolis. Needless to say, it.
Downtime Diaries
Mongolia’s borders have been closed for several months now, as part of the world’s most successful and pre-emptive response to the global pandemic, with zero local community transmissions and zero deaths. However, the economic cost of such counter-Covid measures has been high, and this has been felt most of all by the tourism sector. However, every cloud has a silver.
Discover Mongolia – Our Top Picks
Full of wonderful surprises, Mongolia never fails to capture the hearts of its visitors. A country like nowhere else in the world, where European and Russian influences combine with Asian touches. A language like no other, a unique culture, and vast open land home to a range of activities and experiences you wouldn’t find anywhere other than in this landlocked.
Getting to Grips with Mongolian Language
When travelling around the world, something that can always be incredibly handy and well received is knowing some of the local lingo. It’s something that some travellers do better than others, and that may depend on the difficulty of a language or how easy it is to communicate with the locals in your own language. For example, an English speaker.
Driver Spotlight
Driver Spotlight – When you climb into your trusty UAZ Purgon at the start of your trip you will notice a humble-looking gentleman behind the wheel, smiling like they have seen a long lost friend for the first time in a while. This is your driver and it could be Monkhoo, Amaraa or Doyod, who we are bringing on for.
Covid-19 & Ukraine-Russia Conflict
Please see below a summary of current travel situation – to, from and within Mongolia. This page will be updated on a regular basis. Latest Update – November 2022 Current Travel Situation Covid-19 Mongolia is now fully open to travellers with no entry restrictions or requirements, as per the announcement on 13th March 2022, effective 14th March 2022: The.
Mongolia’s Magnificent Wildlife
Mongolia, with its vast array of landscapes from dunes to mountains, is home to a plethora of wonderful wildlife. There are around 140 species of mammals, 450 species of birds, 20 species of reptiles, 6 species of amphibians, and 76 species of fish. The fauna here is plentiful, and includes a mixture of indigenous and migratory species. Within this blog.
Mongolian Cuisine
Whether you’re watching a documentary about the Mongolian countryside or discussing a trip among your friends, you will notice that there is one thing that always turns heads: Mongolian cuisine. It is one of the most unique out there, with a blend of Asian and European flavours and influences. Pastries, noodles and dumplings couple with soups, stews, meat, and veg dishes.
Photo Competition 2019 Winners
Each year Goyo Travel guests take home an abundance of memories to last a lifetime – whether it’s meeting a nomadic family, wildlife spotting, or witnessing the spectacle of one of Mongolia’s unique festivals. As always, many of these moments are captured through the lens of guests’ cameras, and we’ve been spending a lot of time deliberating which three photos.
Guide Spotlight
In this month’s spotlight are the fantastic guides Gantulga, Eric and Sansar, who have all worked for Goyo Travel for several years. Let’s meet them… Gantulga – also known as Tulga – spent much of this childhood in central Mongolia, where he could be found riding horses and herding livestock. His family moved to the capital Ulaanbaatar where he.
Traveller Spotlight
In September last year, Stephen Kasiewicz spent 5 days in Mongolia with us, exploring the two national parks which sit either side of Ulaanbaatar – Khustai and Terelj. As a former journalist for Scotland’s popular ‘The Press and Journal’ newspaper, Stephen was eager to write a piece on his time in Mongolia with Goyo Travel, which he describes as “one.
Mongolian Eagle Hunters
The People Tucked neatly among the hills at the foot of the imposing Altai Tavan Bogd Mountain range lies the peacefully sombre town of Olgii, the capital of Bayan-Olgii province. Famous for amazing food, embroidery, and hospitality, the people of the town live their day to day life in the mystical dwelling of 35,000 strong. The Kazakhs make.
Trekking in Mongolia
About Mongolian Trekking Mongolia is a trekking mecca – wild landscapes & endless horizons stretch before the craggy soles of your walking boots in this sparsely populated nomadic land without boundaries. The vast landscapes of Mongolia provide a diverse range of terrain for trekking, from the Altai Mountains out west, to forests in northern Mongolia, to hills, valleys and.
Family Holidays in Mongolia
Looking for somewhere different to take your family on vacation? Somewhere unique? Somewhere you’ve never been, and not too many others have either? Yet somewhere that is packed full of culture, history, diverse landscapes, hospitable people, once in a lifetime experiences, and a huge range of activities? Look no further. Mongolia is a perfect destination for families, whether it is.
Buddhism in Mongolia
The History of Mongolian Buddhism In a bygone time when khagans and lords ruled over the rolling steppe, Buddhism had a significant role in people’s lives and in the culture of Mongolia. Originally introduced all the way back in the Xiongnu era from the modern day Nepal, Mongolian Buddhism developed to its current stage with a strong influence.
Horses & Riding In Mongolia
For people who like to be in the saddle, Mongolia has to be one of the top destinations on their wish list. Renowned worldwide for its vast plains, beautiful steppe, forests, and the Altai Mountains, Mongolia is the perfect country for keen riders, and we have a variety of both private and group horse trekking tours. Horses are an intrinsic.
Tsagaan Sar | Mongolian Lunar New Year
“This year’s Tsagaan Sar is going to be one of the most special for me” said Batu from our Mongolia office as he looked ahead to the 2024 Tsagaan Sar celebrations which fell on 10th of February this year. Tsagaan Sar marks the end of winter and the official beginning of spring and is celebrated over the first 3-days of.
Mongolian Nomadic Drinks
Among the vast, dramatic landscapes of Mongolia, lie gers belonging to some of the most hospitable people on earth, who live simply off of the land around them. During a tour of Mongolia, you will likely be here, there and everywhere, visiting various natural wonders, cultural and historical highlights, and gazing out at the beautiful yet varying scenery. There will.
Photo Competition 2018 Winners
As another year draws to an end, here in the Goyo Travel offices we have been busy sifting through hundreds of photos our clients have sent in from their trips with us in 2018. It is never easy picking the best, but after much deliberation we have this year’s lucky winners. Thank you to everyone who sent in their fantastic.
Festival Fever
As football fever sweeps the globe, a very different sporting event kicks off in Mongolia next week. Rather than 22 men and a ball, this line up includes up to 1024 of the strongest of wrestlers, 1000s of the fastest horses and marksmen that hit the spot at 75 metres – let alone the 12 yard line. This is Naadam..
Our 5 Favourite Ger Homestays
Travelling to Mongolia? Say goodbye to your apartment or house and hello to the open steppe. You also need to prepare to say goodbye to sleeping inside four solid walls. At Goyo Travel we believe that swapping a generic bedroom for a cosy ger is one of the very best things about travel in this unique country. It is in.
5 Most Characterful Ger Camps in Mongolia
The Mongolian countryside is not all about basics when it comes to accommodation. Besides simple homestays at nomadic families or staying in the gers of tourist camps with more or less the same standards, you can also embark in unique and charaterful stays at several spots across Mongolia. Here are our 5 favourite ger camps in the land of the.
Gobi Oasis – Tree Planting Project
In the town of Mandalgobi, in Dundgobi province of Mongolia, around 300km south of Ulaanbaatar, for almost 40 years Byamba Tseyen has been running a nature conservation project called Gobi Oasis. Together with her husband Radnaa they have been growing small seeds and branches, and nurturing them in harsh conditions, before replanting them in areas in desperate need for defence against.
Photo Competition 2017 Winners
Thanks to all our guests who travelled with us to Mongolia this year, and for all those who submitted their best trip shots for our inaugural 2017 Photo Competition. Now our team of over 50 have voted for their favourites and the winners have been chosen. 3rd Prize: Children of the Steppe by Megan Godek Megan, an expat teacher.
See Goyo Travel at London’s Travel Shows
Yes, it’s almost time again to dust off the deel, as we escape the Mongolian winter and embark on a tour of West London’s finest exhibition centres to ply our wares. You can catch us at the Adventure Travel Show at Olympia on January 20th & 21st (Stand B16), and at Destinations Travel Show from February 1st-4th (Stand AP95). We’ll.
What to pack for winter in Mongolia
Conquer Mongolia’s bitter cold with this packing checklist by: Simon Lam Some of you might know that I ventured to Mongolia last winter and have now moved to Mongolia for good. Because the weather here is quite different from most places, you need to make sure you are prepared for your trip. People literally freeze up here! You have to.
7 Things To Do In The Khovsgol Lake Area
Khovsgol Lake area is among the most beautiful travel destinations in Mongolia, famous for it’s wildlife and nomadic tribes that inhabit it. You can simply find a comfortable place, seat and enjoy the pristine nature, but if you want to do more than that, follow our 7 picks for things to do in the Khovsgol Lake area. 1. Sailing &.
Mongolia’s Magical Monasteries
Mongolia’s Buddhist monasteries form a key part of the country’s national identity. For Mongolians they hold great religious and cultural significance and for outsiders they offer a spiritual experience combining the smell of incense, the sounds of monks chanting and scenic mountaintop settings. Here are our picks of the most enigmatic monasteries in Mongolia you can visit with Goyo Travel..
Reasons to Opt for Group Tours in Mongolia
Mongolia is a country with exquisite natural beauty. It can be described as being full of lush green landscapes, crystal blue lakes, gorgeous mountains, and deserts. The locals are friendly and take pride in their cultural identity. A group tour of Mongolia provides ample opportunities to explore this lesser-known paradise. Travelling with a group offers you the chance to share.