[Mongolia] 3 days living with nomads. The good, the bad, I'm writing it all down

The shower I took after three days was the best feeling of my life.

I spent two nights and three days in a nomad's ger and have now returned to my hotel in Ulaanbaatar. The moment I opened the bathroom door, turned the faucet, and the hot water came out, I genuinely thought, 'Civilization is amazing.'

I chased lambs across the grasslands, made noodles with the grandmother, and survived a night that felt like minus 3 degrees. It was an incredibly intense three days. But it wasn't all good. This time, I'll write about the final day of the tour and my honest reflections on the three days.

The last morning, the snow-capped mountains were beautiful

The morning of the third day of the tour. When I stepped outside the ger, the air was crisp and cold, and I could see snow-capped mountains in the distance.

Thinking that I would be leaving this place where I had been taken care of for two nights today made me feel a bit lonely. Even though I had been saying 'I want to take a shower' and 'I want to sleep in a bed' until yesterday, now that it was time to leave, I felt reluctant. Humans are selfish creatures.

International exchange with Kabuki-age and Country Ma'am cookies

Before leaving, I gave the nomad family a gift as a thank you. I brought snacks from Japan: Kabuki-age crackers and Country Ma'am cookies.

They were extremely happy with them.

We didn't speak the same language, but I could tell from their smiles when they received the snacks. As expected of Japanese snacks, they are powerful even across borders. It makes me happy that the soy sauce flavor of Kabuki-age works even on the other side of the grasslands.

The guide translated for me, and apparently they said, 'Thank you, come back again.' I really want to come back.

Let's stop by on the way back

We left the ger and headed back about 270km to Ulaanbaatar. Another four-hour drive.

After driving for a while, the guide said, 'There's a place I'd like to stop by on the way back.'

We arrived at Hustai National Park. Apparently, the 'Takhi,' a primitive Mongolian horse, lives here.

Hustai National Park was like a safari park. It was incredibly vast. We searched for animals while driving through the grounds. Outside the window, there were hills and grasslands that stretched on forever. The scale is on a completely different level from a zoo.

There were horses that were on the verge of extinction

After driving around searching for a while, the guide pointed toward a hill and said, "Over there."

They were there.

The Takhi, Mongolia's native horse. They were once thought to be extinct in the wild, but they were brought back through a project to reintroduce individuals bred in European zoos. That's what the guide told me.

We got out of the car to take a look. They are stockier than regular horses, and their manes are short and stand upright. Their color is also unique—brownish, but white around the belly. They have a wild look that is completely different from the sleekness of a Thoroughbred.

The form of a horse that has been on these grasslands for thousands of years is here now. Humans almost drove them to extinction, and humans brought them back. While I felt a bit conflicted, seeing them walking freely across this vast grassland was undeniably cool.

The guide said, "You don't usually get to see Takhi. You're lucky today." It's true, finding them in that vast park isn't easy. I'm grateful to the guide for suggesting the detour.

From the grasslands to the city. The contrast is intense.

Leaving Hustai National Park, we headed for Ulaanbaatar.

After a four-hour drive through the grasslands, the moment Ulaanbaatar came into view, the contrast was striking.

For three days, there was nothing but grasslands as far as the eye could see. No convenience stores, no traffic lights. The only man-made objects were gers and solar panels. Then suddenly, there were rows of buildings, cars honking their horns, and shopping malls.

"Ah, I'm back in the city." It was a strange feeling, a mix of relief and a little bit of sadness.

My accommodation this time was the Zolo Hotel. It's a different hotel from the Corporate Hotel. I entered the room, put down my luggage, and went straight to the bathroom.

A shower for the first time in three days.

It felt indescribably good. It's wonderful that hot water comes out. It's wonderful to be able to wash your body. Things you don't think twice about in daily life turn into something moving after a three-day break.

After taking a shower and lying down on a clean bed, I fell asleep instantly. I slept soundly. I had woken up several times during the night in the ger on the grasslands, so it was my first deep sleep in a while. Civilization is amazing (for the second time).

An honest reflection on the 3-day tour

Now, I will look back on my 3-day nomadic homestay tour with SHINE ZUUCH TRAVEL and write honestly about the good points and the not-so-good points.

The good points

An experience of 'doing' nomadic life, not just 'watching' it

Harvesting cashmere, herding sheep back to the pen, milking, riding camels, and cooking with the grandmother. Being able to 'experience it myself' was the best part. It is completely different from a trip where you just go around tourist spots and take pictures. Staying in a nomad's home, cooking together, and taking care of livestock together—this is an experience you can only have here.

The peace of mind of having a Japanese-speaking guide

It was truly a relief to have a guide with me for all 3 days who could speak Japanese. They taught me about Mongolian history and nomadic culture while we traveled, and they also acted as an interpreter with the nomadic family. It is entirely thanks to the guide that I didn't feel lonely even though I was in the middle of the steppe by myself. They even suggested visiting Hustai National Park on the way back and gave me an amulet from some ruins. That goes beyond the role of a guide.

The food is actually delicious

I thought Mongolian food was just 'mutton and salt,' but that simplicity is actually delicious. The grandmother's homemade salted fried noodles were truly the best, and I was satisfied with every meal. If you like lamb, you will have no problem at all.

Close proximity to the animals

300 lambs, camels, horses, goats. It's not a zoo; animals are part of daily life. Touching goats during the cashmere harvest, chasing sheep in the evening, and milking in the morning—this sense of closeness was truly special.

The not-so-good points

No shower (for 3 days)

I was prepared for this, but it is still tough. Especially from the second day onwards, the desire to wash my body becomes very strong. I managed with wet wipes, but I think the hurdle is quite high for people who like to be clean.

The nights are cold (feels like -3 degrees even in May)

The inside of the ger is fine because there is a stove. The problem is going to the toilet in the middle of the night. Walking through the steppe in the dark at a perceived temperature of -3 degrees is like ascetic training. Cold-weather gear is essential.

Couldn't see the starry sky (depends on the weather)

This was the most disappointing part. I was looking forward to seeing the starry sky in the Mongolian steppe, but it was cloudy the entire time I was there. There is nothing you can do about the weather, but if it had been clear, it would definitely have been the best starry sky of my life. I want to come back and try again next time.

Long travel time (4 hours one way)

270km from Ulaanbaatar, 4 hours one way. The scenery is amazing, but it is quite long. It might be a bit tough for people who get car sick.

Overall: Still glad I went

I've listed the things that were a bit tricky, but my feeling now that the three days are over is simply, 'I'm glad I went.' That's all there is to it.

The lack of a shower, the cold—those inconveniences were real, but there was an experience here that outweighed them. Touching the nomadic lifestyle, spending time with the animals, making noodles with the grandmother. It was a time I could never experience in my daily life in Tokyo.

When you put yourself in an inconvenient environment, you realize the value of a 'normal life.' Hot water coming out, being able to sleep in a futon, having a toilet nearby. I realized that none of these things were a given.

The fact that the shower I took after three days felt like the best one of my life is proof that these three days were truly fulfilling.

Next time, I'll talk about Gorkhi-Terelj National Park. I joined a day-trip group tour I booked on Expedia. I held an eagle on my arm, climbed Turtle Rock, and talked in Japanese with an elderly Bulgarian man. Even though it's the same Mongolia, the scenery was completely different from Bulgan.

Thank you for reading until the end. If you could press the 'Like' button, it would be motivation for me to write the next article.

For those considering a trip to Mongolia: I've also written a guide note that summarizes everything from honest tour reviews to flights, money, and what to pack. It's the kind of thing I wish I had read before I left.