Thousand camel festival or “Mongolian Camel 999” was successfully organized in Gobi Desert on March 6-7 in 2016. This famous festival was first initiated in 1997 by the locals of Umnugovi province to increase the population of two humped Bactrian camel and to protect the camels furthermore to inherit the nomadic camel breeding to the next generation. The most significant event was the race of 1108 Bactrian camel and organizers successfully registered camel races in Guinness book of Record.
Before human beings came to Eurasia, many varieties of horses roamed in herds over the vast steppes of the continent. In vast herds, with complex societies and feeding on the seas of grass, they lived and died for centuries. Eventually, mankind roamed in and developed a relationship with one particular species. Humans started to domesticate equus ferus around 4000 BCE.
After another thousand years, this species, equus ferus, started to become more widespread. They outcompeted the other wild horse species, and one by one, they went extinct. The domesticated horse was the last horse standing. Except for one species. A hardy, little black and tan horse called Przewalski’s horse, or the takhi, managed to survive in what is now Mongolia.
If you are a big fan of dairy products, then Mongolia is for you! For over thousands of years, Mongolian nomads have developed many different ways to process the milk into very unique dairy products. It is estimated that Mongolian nomads make about 150 different types of dairy products, including cheese, yogurt, curd, fermented drinks and many more. Cows, yaks, and mares are the main source of dairy products but depending on the region, goat, sheep and camel milks are used as well. Dairy production can last from mid-April till October as the livestock usually dry off by October when food becomes scarce.
The Southern Mongolia is widely known for its Gobi Desert, one of the world’s unique ecosystems and best kept secrets. The region is famous for its unique nature formations, many places of real dinosaur fossils, and many endemic flora and fauna. A trip to Mongolia is not complete without a visit to the Gobi Desert. Here are 20 interesting facts about the Gobi Desert.
Khoomei or Throat singing is one of the most representative traditional arts of Mongolia. Khoomei was originated when people started imitating the voice of nature and animals many thousand years ago, and around 19th century, Khoomei was first developed as an art. Mongolian throat singing was registered in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, or UNESCO, as an art native to Mongolia in 2010. At its meeting in Nairobi, the UNESCO Council inscribed Mongolian Khoomii in the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of mankind.
Mongolia reopened to foreign travelers from 10 countries as of June 1, including those from the U.S., Turkey, UAE, Greece, Kyrgyzstan, India, Egypt, Thailand, Indonesia, and Brazil. Here, we've outlined flight schedules for June — including the entry requirements for foreign travelers.
Wondering where to go and what to do during the long weekend at Tsagaan Sar, which is just in a couple of weeks? We are suggesting you to visit the beautiful Lake Huvsgul – so called the Blue Pearl of Mongolia. And I know it’d sound quite extreme - it must be freezing cold out there! The pristine Lake Huvsgul is 2 million years old, and makes up to 1% of the world’s total fresh water reserve. The Huvsgul stretches for 136km in the Alpine-like mountains, and the deepest point of the lake is 262m. The Huvsgul region itself is a home to the Tsaatan – Reindeer Herders of Mongolia, an ethnic group famous for their distinctive lifestyle based on keeping reindeers in the depth of the Taiga.
Surviving two destructions and centuries of rejection, Erdene Zuu is one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Mongolia, probably in East Asia. The building of the temple was ordered by the Abtai Sain Khan- grandfather of Zanabazar the Great when the Tibetan Buddhism was declared as the main religion of Mongolia in 1586. For Mongolians, who employed nomadic lifestyle, this kind of building or generally anything that stays in one place was not that common. So, the temple has naturally become the religious center, thus the heart of the Mongolia. The geographical situation was carefully thought out too, it’s built in Kharkhorin- near the old city of Karakorum.
For many people in the Western world, Mongolia is a faraway destination. They may know about Genghis Khan, but not much else. After centuries of Chinese rule, one common misconception is that Mongolian speak Chinese. While some surely do, in Mongolia, they speak Mongolian. It is an ancient and interesting language, full of cool ways to express ideas. It has undergone a few changes since it was spoken by Genghis Khan.
2018 has been a truly remarkable year for everyone at Selena Travel. It has been a year of reminiscing, remembering, learning and most importantly cherishing our 20 years of journey with all its challenges, fails and successes. It was with a vision to create a company and a brand that will represent the real Mongolian experiences and beauty in international tourism industry, Mr. Batbold, the founder of Selena Travel group, has established the company back in March of 1998, with a single desktop computer in a rented studio. Just like many startup companies at the time, Mr. Batbold was playing all the roles in the company by himself, from sales manager, marketing manager to tour guide.
11 20, 2011
