Ger, Mongolian

Ger, Mongolian traditional dwelling
Ideally suited to Mongolia's harsh terrain and lifestyle, the ger is called a yourt by many foreigners. But, Mongolians don't particularly like this Russian labeling of their national dwelling ...so call it a ger. A round felt tent covered in durable, waterproof, white canvas seems to be the most simple description of this portable home. White modern and expensive houses are being built in UB, many rural Mongolians have retained their traditional lifestyle, of which the ger is an integral part.

 Ancient gers were not collapsible and had to be wheeled from one location to the next sometimes pulled by up to 22 yaks. But nomads need to move across the country in all four seasons. So gers that could be packed onto the back of their livestock were designed and are still used.

The Mongolian ger has to key components: the wooden frame work and the the felt cover, the wooden framework is known as khana, the central support columns as uni, the smoke hole is toono. Eighty - eight separate wooden poles each measuring around 1,5 meters are used for the ger frame, with just to central columns supporting the entire structure. Without its felt and canvas covering the naked frame looks something like an umbrella without its sheath.

Once the framework has been erected it is covered with felt and mounted onto a wooden floor sometimes the ger goes directly on the ground, and then overlaid with felt. The door is always on the southern side facing the sun, providing more light inside windowless home.

Your average ger is divided into three areas. There are male and female sections and khoimor area at the rear of the ger. The male area is on western or left side of the ger. Here are man keeps his bridles, airag and arkhi. Women traditionally have the eastern side of a ger, where they keep kichen utensils, their own and childrens belongings. It is customary for a man entering a ger to step the western side and a women to the east.
The khoimer, which is directly opposite the door, is where valuable objects are stored or displayed, as well as a small Buddhist shine. Most families also keep a collage of photographs of relatives and close friends at the back of the ger. This is the most important part of the ger and guests are often invited to sit at the khoimer. The two central columns are the only things propping up the whole structure and no matter how many people are in ger ( you would be amazed how many can fit in and even sleep in a ger), no one ever leans against either of the support columns. This is considered very bad form.

It's around shape keeps the Ger. resilient to Mongolia 's ferocious winds, while it felt is rapidly drying material for when it rains or snow melts. In UB and more recently, in towns across the country, people are setting into large, faceless apartment blocks. Ger districts usually occupy poor quality land on the outskirts of town. But in summer, urban Mongolians head to the outskirts where they spend as much time as possible in small wooden houses or gers where they can enjoy the beautiful Mongolian summers away from the uncomfortably hot urban apartments.

Tourism in Mongolia

In spring when unpredictable weather creates snowstorms intermixed with spells of wind and sun, keep in mind that the wind-chill factor: a 10-knot wind can make 0°C feel like -5°C. The maximum rainfalls occur in the taiga areas beside the northern border, especially Khentii and Khovsgol. Only in summer does cloud-cover the sky. Humidity is generally zero and sunshine is intense.. Only in summer does cloud-cover the sky.

Right time to travel is in mid-May. Early May can still see snowfall, especially in the north. June weather is good and usually dry throughout the central and southern regions. The mountains and northern areas can be cold. July is the time to see the Naadam Festival. This is also the peak tourist season. It's a decent time to look for travel partners and get out of the city. Gobi temperatures this month can rise up to excruciating 40°C.

In the month of August there will be heavy rainfall in the northern and central areas. This weather fills up rivers and brings the lush green grass creating a picturesque view, but it can also swamp the roads with mud and attract mosquitoes. This is one of the best times to travel in Mongolia. September is another okay month. The cool weather brings respite to the Gobi and the varying colours in the forests in the north are beautiful. October is again cool and sees the occasional or rare snow bustle up north but is still fine for travel, especially in the Gobi desert. Weather patterns at this time are unpredictable. You never know one moment you're walking in a T-shirt, the next you need an overcoat and boots, and then you are back to T-shirts. The cold season is between November and February. Mongolians, especially nomads, contemplate March and April as the worst months. After the long winter, livestock will already be thin and a lack of rain brings about their death, causing financial and psychological adversity. If the spring is a harsh weather, staying with a nomad family at this time is not recommended.

Tourism in Mongolia

Gandan Monastery
Gandan Monastery, the only functioning Buddhist monastery that stood test of time and was allowed to carry out services on a daily basis during the Communist years symbolizing the spiritual past of the Mongols. One of the temples hosts the tallest standing Buddha statue in Central and East Asia – the Megjid Janraisag, the Buddha of Future. The intricate rooftops of the monasteries depict the artistic techniques polished by the ages and that have been passed through generations. The cobblestones of Gandantegchilen, Dashchoilin Khiid, and Choijing Lama monasteries, the latter turned into a museum, whisper the stories of the early settlers that takes you back as early as the 17th century.

ntil the beginning of the 20th century nomadic Mongolia did not have any museums as such. All the beauty of the country was open for both Mongols and foreigners. In 1924, the National Museum of Mongolian History was founded. It contains some of the oldest collections in the country. There are more than 40,000 archaeological, historical and ethnographic objects. Its ten galleries explain Mongolian history and culture from the dawn of humanity to present days. The rare esteemed items on display include the remains from the Hun period (the first Mongolian state) of 3rd century B.C to 1 st A.D. There are also intriguing signs of human remnants from the early Stone and Bronze Ages.

The Museum of Natural History was founded in 1966. It houses large collections of Mongolia's natural history, culture and minerals exhibits. The museum covers five areas: geology, zoology, botany, anthropology and palaeontology. The last section contains the skeletons, fossils and eggs of giant dinosaurs that roamed the present territory of Mongolia some 70 million years ago, and is very informative for the visitor. The largest dinosaur skeleton on show is 5 meters tall and 12 meters long. The museum is undergoing expansion and plans to cover the natural history of the whole world. The fine art museum in Ulaanbaatar is named in honour of the first Mongolian Buddhist leader Zanabazar. It was opened in 1966 and shows Mongolian art work from the Palaeolithic Age to the early 20th century. Three types of prehistoric rock carvings and paintings can be seen: The Palaeolithic (40,GOO-120,000 years ago), Neolithic (8,000-4,000 years ago) and Bronze Age (4000-1000 B.C.)

The exhibits proceed right into the 13th century and exhibit the portraits of the Great Mongolian Khaans: Chinggis, Uguudei and Khubilai. Zanabazar's masterpiece: the White Tara (Sita) and Green Tara (Syama) depicting the spirit of God expressed in the beauty of women. Thanka, a portable icon painting, is made from colours obtained from minerals and precious stones and is a graphic art piece. Silk paintings are yet another popular attraction to art lovers. The Bogd Khaan Museum, originally the winter palace of the last ruler of pre-revolutionary Mongolia, Bogd Javzandamba Agvaanluvsan 8th , was built in the area of the Temple of Mercy, between 1893-1903. Bogd Khaan was born in 1869 in the family of a Dalai Lama's vice-dignitary in a palace called "shodda".

Bogd Khaan was only five years old when he was proclaimed as a supreme religious leader of Mongolia. He died in 1924. The museum consists of two areas: the temple and monasteries and the winter palace. Inside the palace, there is the Khaan's ornate ger covered with snow leopard skins. The main gate was made without a single nail. The Centre of Mongolian Buddhism and largest functioning monastery, Gandantegchilen, was built from 1810 onwards, partly destroyed in the!930s and partly reconstructed in the 1990s. Here one of the largest standing Gods of Buddhism in Central and East Asia, a gilded image of Megjid Janraiseg (Buddha of Compassion and Mercy), is situated. This was initially built in 1911 as a sign of Independence of Mongolia by the decree of Bogd Khaan but the communists destroyed it in 1937. This image of Janraiseg was remade in 1996 and considered to be of better quality than the previous one.

Mongolian National Art Gallery
Founded in 1989, the Mongolian National Art gallery has an impressive collection of paintings representing modern art and traditional fine arts. There are more than 6,000 exhibits in the Gallery include paintings, sculptures, applique and embroidery made both in modern and classical Mongolian styles. In the 1980s, the Theatrical museum was founded as a devotion to the history of Mongolian theatre. There are rare photos of actors and actresses and a wonderful collection of puppets. At the end of the 20th century, the Museum of the people subjected to repression in 1930-1939 was opened.

The Fine Art Zanabazar
The Fine Arts G. Zanabazar Museum was founded in 1966. The museum is renowned for the works of G. Zanabazar (1635-1724), which include the statues of Sita Tara, the Five Dhayani Buddhas and the Bodhi Stupa. The Fine Arts Museum was named after Gombodorjiin Zanabazar in 1995. It has 12 exhibition galleries covering the arts from ancient civilizations up to the beginning of the 20th Century. Initially opened with over 300 exhibits, the Museum rapidly enriched the number of its objects, with the modern arts becoming a separate division in 1989 as an Arts Gallery. 

The Museum displays the artistic works of Mongolian masters of the 18-20th Centuries, coral masks, thangkas, as well as the famous paintings of B. Sharav entitled “A Day in Mongolia” and “Airag feast”. The Museum contains 13000 objects. The exhibition hall regularly hosts the works of contemporary artists. The G. Zanabazar Museum has been successfully cooperating with UNESCO for the improvement of the preservation of priceless exhibits and for training of the Museum staff.The tour of the museum begins at the 2nd floor, guiding through the following topics.

Tourism in Mongolia

Traditional Mongolian staple is simple yet filling with hearty soups, cooked or broiled meat (beef, mutton), pasta and plenty of dairy products. Traditionally Mon­golians are accustomed to eating non-spicy mild foods largely due to the extreme conti­nental climate that lim­its the growth of spices.

During summer it is customary to eat more of dairy products (yogurt, dried curds, cheese, and cream), pas­tries, and drink tea and airag. Herders tend to eat less meat in order to cleanse their body after long winter months. For meat intake herders use the dried meat or borts that still contain the necessary nutrients. Mongolian tea is made of crushed tea leaves, salt, and milk and is a good thirst quencher especially in hot sum­mer months. Airag, a fermented mare’s milk, is thoroughly enjoyed during summer. It contains more than 12 essential vitamins and, depending on the region where it is produced, the alcoholic content can reach 6-12%.

When you travel to Mongolia try to experience the taste of Mon­golian cuisine such as khorhog (various kinds of meat cooked through heating stones), boodog (meat cooked in the own skin of the animal, usually mutton), buuz (steamed dumplings), huushuur (fried dumpings), lapsha (noodle soup), and tsuivan (stir-fried noo­dles), etc.

Nowadays, Mongolians diet has come very close to interna­tional ones with plenty of veg­etables and salads. A variety of international dishes and cuisines can be enjoyed in Mongolia but mostly in Ulaanbaatar and other major settlements. The interna­tional cuisine r spans from Thai, Japanese, Brazilian, Russian, French, Indian, and Italian to Ger­man just to name a few.

Tourism in Mongolia

Mongolia is a unique and relatively unexplored travel destination that offers a great combination of scenic natural features, a wide variety of untouched landscapes including vast open spaces, pale ontologi-cal and historical heritage areas, and nomadic life style and culture. Accordingly, the Government of Mongolia has recognized tourism as a priority sector with great potential to contribute to the socio-economic development of the country. One of these steps was the approval of the "Basic Guidelines for the Development of Tourism in Mongolia for the period of 1995-2005" and the "Implementation plan from 1995 to 1996" both adopted by Government Resolution No. 167 with the aim of developing the tourism sector based on state planning and regulation. The implementation of "Development of Tourism in Mongolia" Project during 1998-1999 within the framework of the EU supported TACIS program has resulted in initiation of restructuring efforts of the sector and the establishment of the Tourism Board as a government implementing agency. Moreover, it facilitated the formation of a legal framework for the development of tourism industry in Mongolia. Additionally, the development vision and strategies of the tourism sector up to the year 2015 were formulated, and the specific priority programs and projects were identified based on the "Master Plan on National Tourism Development in Mongolia", which was developed with assistance of Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA). As MPRP, a ruling political party in Mongolia, has declared the tourism sector a priority sector of the economy, the Government initiates a broader range of measures and promises to provide a sufficient support to promote the tourism industry in Mongolia. Therefore, the Government Action Plan for 2000-2004 and Basic Guidelines for Socio-economic Development have included a specific set of measures to promote tourism and to implement the Tourism Law.

 

 
The Tourism Law of Mongolia was enacted in May 5, 2000 for the first time, since Mongolia shifted to the market oriented economy. Its purpose is to regulate all relationships between state, private citizens and economic entities engaged in tourism business. The law outlines a definition for tourism, responsibilities and obligations of the state, tourism organizations, special permission requirements, structure, rights and responsibilities of state administrative and overseeing organizations for the tourism sector, arrangements for the development of tourism related infrastructure and penalties in case of violation of the law. The tourism Law was then amended in November 30, 2001 by enacting the classifications and grading of tour guides, operators and hotels as mandatory. The Government explains that these regulations are necessary to improve the quality of services provided by tourism and related entities. In connection with this law, several regulations were adopted including the following: "State Monitoring Regulation for Tourism" by the Government Resolution dated November 8, 2000. "Regulation of Classification and Grading of Tour Guides" by the Order No. 149 of Minister of Infrastructure dated on May 15, 2002. "Regulation of Classification and Grading of Hotels and Tourist Camps" by the Order No. 150 of Minister of Infrastructure dated May 15, 2002. "Temporary Regulation of Classification of Tour Operators" by the Order No.229 of Minister of Infrastructure dated July 31, 2002.

  The attractions and activities for tourists in Mongolia relate to the natural environment, historic features and cultural heritage. Mongolia has diverse and distinctive vegetation and fauna including some rare species such as the Argali Sheep, Przewalski Horse, Asiatic wild ass, wild Bactrian camels, snow leopard and ibex. The remains of dinosaurs have been found in the Gobi desert. The historic heritage of Mongolia is mainly related to Chinggis Khaan, the warrior-statesman, who in the 13th century, united the Mongolian people into a strong nation that controlled much of Asia. The traditional nomadic way of life, based on livestock raising and living in traditional gers, is of great interest to overseas visitors. The two major public holidays are Naadam, a traditional festival celebrated each summer and displays three types of traditional games: horse racing, wrestling and archery, and the Tsagaan Sar, the Mongolian Lunar New Year, which marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring. These two festivals are the most visited events by tourists.

Tourism in Mongolia

Distinctive and original culture, the old-time hospitality of Mongols, a remarkable variety of scenery, and the rich animal and plant kingdoms of Mongolia exert a fascination for tourists. Since Mongolia's transfer to the market economy in 1990, the tourism sector has evolved into a critical part of the country's development. It has been a major factor in Mongolia's union with the world trend of globalization. Prior to 1990 there were arrivals mainly from the Russian Federation and Eastern and Central Europe. After 1990 the number of leisure tourist arrivals has grown due to the increase of tourists predominantly from Japan, France, UK, Germany and USA. Their number is steadily increasing over the years. 2003 was declared "Visit Mongolia" year by the Government. Notwithstanding SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) disease in Asia, the number of tourists increased 2.8 times compared to 1999 reaching 200,000.

Around US$ 150 million are collected each year from travel and tourism, equal to 10% of the country's GDR The construction of more hotels, tourist camps, restaurants and reliable transportation networks which are up to international standards will draw more tourists to Mongolia and increase the profits of companies operating in the tourism sector. At the same time, Mongolia's transition to the market economy has resulted in the emergence of private sectors that have started to operate in the tourism industry. The number of private tourist companies has mushroomed nationwide, there are 495 tourism companies, 140 tourist camps and over 200 hotels. In accordance with the declaration of 2004 as the Discover Mongolia Year, the numbers of foreign tourists have been increasing. As of the first six months of 2004, a total of 107,977 tourists visited Mongolia. At the same time of last year, 74,365 tourists were welcomed to the country.

Mongolian Culture and Traditions

Mongolian wrestling

The Mongolian national wrestling, known as Bökh, is a most popular event of Naadam – national independence celebration. This is one of the oldest sporting events in Mongolia...

Taste of Mongolia

Traditional Mongolian staple is simple yet filling with hearty soups, cooked or broiled meat (beef, mutton), pasta and plenty of dairy products.