Most nations have experienced a usually steady but occasionally dramatic change as time progresses, with some electing to preserve certain sections for historical value. But in others, the combination of Poverty and intensely isolationist political will combines to leave an entire country largely unchanged for decades. Mongolian tours allow outsiders to see a nation that has changed little since the days of Genghis Kahn.
With Russia as a northern neighbor and China to its south, the history of the region is long and filled with a back and forth tug of war of challenge and occupation. At some periods China ruled Mongolia, and at least once, during the Yuan dynasty, Mongolia ruled China. In 1924 the country was occupied by the Soviet Union, and when the Soviet Union collapsed and they departed they decades of brutality, they left very little in the way of infrastructure or wealth.
The traditional lifestyle of the Mongol people is nomadic, and still fully half its people live this way. They travel the vast and beautiful steppes with their portable houses, circular tents called Gers, and their animals who must travel widely to graze on the high altitude grasses. The nation has the highest per capita animal population on earth, and they survive almost exclusively from what they can get from the herd.
Over a third of the population have crowded together in the capital city of Ulaan Baatar, which has all the trappings of a metropolis. There are shops, banks restaurants and hotels just like in any other country, which also includes the concomitant seedy nightlife, for those inclined. But the real beauty of the nation is to be observed outside the city limits of the capital.
The national religion is primarily Tibetan Buddhism, but more than a third of this population does not practice any religion at all. Ancient Mongolia practiced complete religious tolerance. During the Russian occupation, all religion was harshly repressed, with thousands of people killed in purges, but upon their departure, Buddhism returned in force.
The nation and its culture have rebounded since the soviet breakup, and with freedom of religion in place, Tibetan Buddhism returned as the majority practice. Festivals are held throughout the year, with the largest in Summer. Archery, horse racing and wrestling competitions are held with the national title at stake.
The Mongolian diet is dominated by meat and milk, as the nomadic lifestyle and extreme continental climate make growing vegetables extremely problematic. It is a mystery to most foreign visitors how they can survive almost literally without vegetables throughout their lives. The mystery deepens with the knowledge this third world nation has a life expectancy near 70 years, and that is with a high infant mortality rate.
If one is to make a trip, one could hardly do better than taking Mongolian tours and witnessing one of the remaining unadulterated cultures. The colorful costumes exciting festivals, and fascinating Gers, make for a lot to see. Once one has gone beyond the borders of the capital, out into the country and looked back the only question is why did they build that city?
With Russia as a northern neighbor and China to its south, the history of the region is long and filled with a back and forth tug of war of challenge and occupation. At some periods China ruled Mongolia, and at least once, during the Yuan dynasty, Mongolia ruled China. In 1924 the country was occupied by the Soviet Union, and when the Soviet Union collapsed and they departed they decades of brutality, they left very little in the way of infrastructure or wealth.
The traditional lifestyle of the Mongol people is nomadic, and still fully half its people live this way. They travel the vast and beautiful steppes with their portable houses, circular tents called Gers, and their animals who must travel widely to graze on the high altitude grasses. The nation has the highest per capita animal population on earth, and they survive almost exclusively from what they can get from the herd.
Over a third of the population have crowded together in the capital city of Ulaan Baatar, which has all the trappings of a metropolis. There are shops, banks restaurants and hotels just like in any other country, which also includes the concomitant seedy nightlife, for those inclined. But the real beauty of the nation is to be observed outside the city limits of the capital.
The national religion is primarily Tibetan Buddhism, but more than a third of this population does not practice any religion at all. Ancient Mongolia practiced complete religious tolerance. During the Russian occupation, all religion was harshly repressed, with thousands of people killed in purges, but upon their departure, Buddhism returned in force.
The nation and its culture have rebounded since the soviet breakup, and with freedom of religion in place, Tibetan Buddhism returned as the majority practice. Festivals are held throughout the year, with the largest in Summer. Archery, horse racing and wrestling competitions are held with the national title at stake.
The Mongolian diet is dominated by meat and milk, as the nomadic lifestyle and extreme continental climate make growing vegetables extremely problematic. It is a mystery to most foreign visitors how they can survive almost literally without vegetables throughout their lives. The mystery deepens with the knowledge this third world nation has a life expectancy near 70 years, and that is with a high infant mortality rate.
If one is to make a trip, one could hardly do better than taking Mongolian tours and witnessing one of the remaining unadulterated cultures. The colorful costumes exciting festivals, and fascinating Gers, make for a lot to see. Once one has gone beyond the borders of the capital, out into the country and looked back the only question is why did they build that city?
About the Author:
Search for the best Mongolian tours by going to the related homepage here on www.nomadstours.com. Travelers should visit this useful website http://www.nomadstours.com at their earliest convenience.
