Mongolia

by Jane Blunden

Overview

The 'Land of Blue Sky' is one of the few places on earth where travellers can tread on undiscovered ground and explore with a true sense of adventure. Homeland of Genghis Khan, vast tracts can be discovered on horse or camel, or in the comfort of a four-wheel drive. This updated guide highlights Mongolia’s culture and customs including the deel, the colourful national dress, herding rules and customs, Mongolian throat singing and Naadam, the annual celebration of wrestling, archery and horse-riding. The guide offers tips on riding and biking tours, winter dog sledding and summer yoga camps and provides in-depth information on national parks and conservation as well as reviewing the many new hotels and restaurants.

 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781841624167
Publisher:	Bradt/Sawday/Wh
Publication date:	12/16/2014
Series:	Bradt Travel Guide
Edition description:	3rd Edition
Pages:	448
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Jane Blunden is an Irish national. She fell in love with Mongolia over thirty years ago when travelling in her 20s.

Read an Excerpt

My own reaction when I first reached the South Gobi Altai, in autumn 1990, was to fall on my knees in awe at the magnificence of the empty desert at dawn. For a short instant I felt I had arrived, and yet in the next instant I realised there was still a long, long way to go. Wearily, I recognised I had barely scratched the surface. Such travel to a far-off country both brings us home and teaches us about ourselves -- revealing, perhaps, our true identities and, maybe, our deepest desires and greatest fears.
Mongolia is not a country to visit in a hurry. It is a fabulous wide-open land of extreme climate and extraordinary natural environment. People call it a 'mythical land' or the 'land of blue sky' because of its shimmering, clear air and cloudless skies for most of the year. It is a land of horses and herdsmen and one of the last great undisturbed wilderness areas on earth. Among its 2.4 million people are some of the last truly nomadic pastoralists in the world, and visitors can experience the unique pleasures of staying with nomads and living a lifestyle of centuries ago.

Table of Contents

	Foreword	VI
	Acknowledgements	VII
	Introduction	IX
Part 1	General Information	1
Chapter 1	Background Information	3
	Geography	3
	Climate	9
	Natural disasters	10
	The provinces (aimags)	10
	History	12
	From the Mongol empire to the 20th century	23
	Politics	31
	Social change, social problems and development aid	35
	Economy	43
	Business	52
Chapter 2	The People	55
	Mongolian national groups	56
	Mongol characteristics	58
	Appearance	59
	Greetings	61
	Customs and ceremonies	62
	'On the move': the world of the Mongolian nomad	65
	Mongolians and their domestic animals	75
	Language	78
	Religion	79
Chapter 3	Culture	89
	Architecture	91
	Literature and legend	91
	Music	94
	Dance	96
	Art	96
	Arts and crafts	99
	Sport	101
Chapter 4	Natural History and Conservation	105
	Natural history	105
	National parks	123
	Conservation	132
	Responsible tourism	138
Chapter 5	Practical Information	145
	When to visit and why	145
	Highlights/suggested itineraries	146
	Tour operators	148
	Tourist information	152
	Red tape	153
	Mongolian embassies and consulates	154
	Getting there and away	155
	Health	160
	Safety	171
	What to take	173
	Money and budgeting	178
	Getting around	180
	Accommodation	184
	Traditional Mongolian food	185
	Festivals	186
	Riding, hiking and biking	190
	Sport and adventure	197
	Shopping	205
	Arts and entertainment	206
	Photography	207
	Media and communications	207
	Business	211
	Electricity	214
	Time	214
	Cultural dos and don'ts	214
Part 2	The Guide	217
Chapter 6	Ulaanbaatar	219
	Getting there	220
	Orientation	220
	Getting around	221
	Local tour operators	225
	Where to stay	227
	Where to eat and drink	230
	Shopping	232
	Practicalities	233
	What to see and do	235
	One- or two-day trips from Ulaanbaatar	243
Chapter 7	Central Provinces	245
	Tov Aimag	245
	Ovorkhangai Aimag	257
	Arkhangai Aimag	265
Chapter 8	Southern Region: Gobi aimags	271
	Omnogobi Aimag	273
	Dornogobi Aimag	284
	Gobi-Sumber Aimag	288
	Dundgobi Aimag	288
	Bayankhongor Aimag	292
	Gobi-Altai Aimag	299
Chapter 9	Northern Region	307
	Khovsgol Aimag	307
	Zavkhan Aimag	318
	Bulgan Aimag	321
	Orkhon Aimag	324
	Selenge Aimag	326
	Darkhan-Uul Aimag	331
Chapter 10	Western Mongolia	333
	Khovd Aimag	333
	Bayan-Olgii Aimag	340
	Uvs Aimag	345
Chapter 11	Eastern Region	353
	Khentii Aimag	353
	Sukhbaatar Aimag	361
	Dornod Aimag	365
Appendix 1	Language	373
Appendix 2	Tourist ger camps	378
Appendix 3	Springs and mineral spas	381
Appendix 4	Further Reading	385
	Index	388
	List of Maps
	The aimags	218
	Amarbayasgalant monastery	329
	Arkhangai Aimag	267
	Bayankhongor Aimag	294
	Bayan-Olgii Aimag	341
	Bogd Khan's Green Palace Museum	237
	Bogdkhan Uul Strictly Protected Area	249
	Bulgan and Orkhon aimags	323
	Central Mongolia	244
	Dornod Aimag	366
	Dornogobi and Gobi-Sumber aimags	285
	Dundgobi Aimag	290
	Eastern Mongolia	352
	Erdene Zuu Monastery	261
	Gobi-Altai Aimag	301
	Khankhentii Strictly Protected Area & Gorkhi-Terelj National Park	251
	Khentii Aimag	355
	Khovd Aimag	337
	Khovsgol Aimag	309
	Lake Khovsgol National Park	312
	Map Shop, Ulaanbaatar	233
	Mongol empire in the 13th century	20
	Mongolia inside cover and	4
	Mongolia: protected areas	122
	Northern Mongolia	306
	Omnogobi Aimag	274
	Ovorkhangai Aimag	259
	Selenge and Darkhan-Uul aimags	327
	South Gobi national parks	282
	Southern Mongolia	272
	Sukhbaatar Aimag	362
	Tov Aimag	247
	Trans-Siberian and Trans-Mongolian Railways	156
	Ulaanbaatar city	222
	Uvs Aimag	347
	Vegetation zones	8
	Western Mongolia	334
	Zavkhan Aimag	319

Editorial Reviews

'An impressive guidebook - clear, comprehensive and very readable.'

John Durham, Former British Ambassador to Mongolia

'A great read for arm-chair enthusiasts, packed with facts and advice from the author.'

Traveller

From the Publisher