Author Sarah Gillespie discovers how travellers will get the prospect to reside among the many itinerant Tsaatan individuals as a part of a brand new Intrepid expedition for 2026.
Wherever they roam, a nomadic Tsaatan reindeer-herding household sometimes begins the day early within the morning. The spouse wakes first to make the fireplace and tea. Later, the husband will get as much as test the reindeer.
After breakfast, they milk the reindeer if it’s milking season; then, collectively they attend to odd jobs, corresponding to carpentry, slicing bushes for firewood and dealing reindeer hides into harnesses, bridles, belts and saddles. The ladies sew garments and make reindeer milk into cheese, yoghurt and curds, whereas the lads restore tools corresponding to reindeer sleds and weapons for looking. In winter, they butcher reindeer meat for meals.
On Intrepid’s new journey, Mongolia Expedition: Reindeer Herders, you’ll get the prospect to share on this easy, sustainable lifestyle, by following within the footsteps of the Tsaatan individuals whereas staying with them for 2 nights to eat, sleep and higher perceive their lifestyle.
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In regards to the Tsaatan lifestyle
The Tsaatan, who name themselves Dukha, reside in Mongolia‘s northern taiga: dense, coniferous forest on the sting of Siberia. This taiga blankets the land, stretching to the excessive, jagged mountains the place the reindeer graze on their favorite meals: moss.
The Tsaatan are Turkic individuals; the title ‘Tsaatan’ means ‘those that have reindeer’ in Mongolian. They’re a sub-group of the Tuvan individuals of nomadic, tent-dwelling tribes, who largely reside in what’s now the Tuvan Republic of Russian Siberia. When borders had been redrawn in 1944, just a few thousand Tuvans – from a complete of 264,000 – ended up in Mongolia.
Of the Mongolian Tuvans, solely a tiny fraction – round 300 – are Tsaatan following the standard way of life. In contrast to different Mongolian Tuvans, who reside in gers (yurts) and apply Buddhism, the Tsaatan are a shamanistic individuals who reside in ortz – much like teepees. They converse each the Dukhan language and Mongolian.
The taiga’s unforgiving panorama has formed the Tsaatans’ way of life. ‘Within the thick forest, it’s nearly unimaginable to have another animals,’ says Timur Yadamsuren, the Intrepid chief who’ll be main the primary Mongolia Expedition. ‘So, their solely choice is to boost reindeer.’
In accordance with Timur, the reindeer’s primary makes use of are, in descending order of precedence: meat, milk and leather-based. ‘They used to make use of the hides for making teepees, however today the hides are costly, so additionally they promote them and use canvas to cowl the teepees as a substitute,’ he says. ‘Generally, child reindeer die at a younger age. Their hides are very costly, so they create in money.’
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What to anticipate from the homestay
The Tsaatan transfer 4 occasions a 12 months, based on the seasons. In summer season, they transfer to the good, highest mountains to keep away from the warmth. ‘Reindeer don’t sweat,’ says Timur. ‘They cool themselves down like canines, with their tongues hanging out.’ Within the winter, the Tsaatan transfer nearer to fastened settlements, which makes it simpler for schoolchildren to journey between faculty and the camps.
On the Mongolia Expedition, you’ll spend three days off grid, residing with the Tsaatan and sleeping of their ortz. You’ll assist with every day camp actions, together with milking, herding, getting ready firewood, fetching water and singing conventional songs.
‘Travellers ought to anticipate a spontaneous, easy, nomadic lifestyle – reindeer herding in essentially the most distant, hard-to-get-to nook of Mongolia,’ says Timur. ‘The Tsaatan are very good individuals. Their way of life is superb; at the same time as a Mongolian, I used to be amazed. And the Tsaatan individuals will prepare dinner us meals; primarily beef. They make their very own bread and prepare dinner some greens, too.’
Greater than something, these three days are an opportunity to floor your self within the Tsaatans’ nature-first, sustainable way of life. ‘The bottom of any nomadic philosophy is, “Don’t contact the land,”’ says Timur. ‘The land is the holy temple. They let solely the animals contact the land they usually make a residing from the animals.’
The expertise of residing with the Tsaatan contrasts considerably with extra manufactured vacationer actions within the space. Across the fashionable magnificence spot of Khovsgol Lake, it’s frequent for teams to convey reindeer for photograph alternatives – a apply that, in addition to being inauthentic, is dangerous to the animals.
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How the Tsaatan reside within the trendy age
The Tsaatan, in the meantime, have stayed true to their roots at the same time as know-how and globalisation march on. That is thanks partially to the Mongolian authorities, which pays a month-to-month allowance to every Tsaatan to encourage them to take care of their way of life.
Like another nomadic individuals in Mongolia, they do have some trendy units for comfort: satellite tv for pc dishes, photo voltaic panels, automobiles, bikes and web banking. ‘These add a little bit of consolation to their life and a little bit of reference to the remainder of the world,’ says Timur. ‘In any other case, they reside on their very own in geographical isolation; they’re not deeply affected by modernisation because it’s so exhausting to get to them. So, I’m not deeply fearful about their future.’
Timur says that – up to now – the Tsaatan are comparatively unaffected by local weather change. ‘Their land is within the excessive mountains and no logging exercise takes place in any respect. It’s simply left to them, nonetheless untouched; no person disturbs them besides just a few border patrols and a few army models. It’s nearly negligible by way of cultural or bodily affect.’
‘The sustainability and ecological sense of nomadic individuals is nice,’ he provides. ‘They’re bodily match and mentally wholesome. Their life is dictated by the climate and the local weather. That’s the one stress they’ve – however they’ll deal with that.’
Stick with the Tsaatan on Intrepid’s Mongolia Expedition: Reindeer Herders and discover out what else is new for 2026 with The Items – a set of latest journeys and experiences to encourage a 12 months of journey.
