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The world of the Mongols may have shrunk a bit since Genghis Khan and his hordes overran most of Asia, but when you're in Mongolia nowadays, you may think its vistas are boundless. From steppe to desert, the empty landscape seems to stretch into infinity. It's the most sparsely populated country in the world.

Far from being bleak and grim, however, Mongolia's scenic emptiness can be quite a tonic for those looking to get away from it all. It has pristine lakes, rugged mountains, hospitable people—and lots of wide-open spaces for trekking.

All but the most resourceful travelers will want to take a tour. Mongolia's rudimentary transport system is designed to move locals between their workplaces and the capital, and getting anywhere worthwhile can be a real effort. Shortages of fuel are common—one of the hard bumps Mongolia has experienced since the collapse of communism in the early 1990s. It makes travel particularly arduous in the winter.

The government is trying to open up the country to tourism, mainly by cutting a lot of red tape. And fortunately, a number of independent tour companies have been springing up in Ulaanbaatar, the capital, so that you no longer have to deal exclusively with the cumbersome bureaucracy of Juulchin, the national travel agency. There are some excellent tour companies based in the U.S. and elsewhere that work with those local companies to design itineraries to give you the real flavor of the country. (Because Mongolia is still a country of nomads, visitors should be wary of trying to design itineraries based around cities, as Mongolian "cities" have usually sprung up around a 20th-century mine or factory, with no attractions for the visitor at all.)

Geography

History

Sandwiched between China and Russia in Central Asia, Mongolia is one of the world's oldest countries. Under the leadership of Genghis Khan and his successors, it was the world power in the 12th and 13th centuries, controlling nearly all of Asia and Russia. From the 17th century on, however, Mongolia's fortunes became increasingly dependent on its two giant neighbors, China and Russia. The nation was a Chinese province from 1691 to 1911, a Russian protectorate from 1912 to 1919 and a Chinese province again from 1919 to 1921. The Russian Revolution gave rise to a new class of Mongolian revolutionaries who joined forces with the Soviets to oust the Chinese. But even after the establishment of the Mongolian People's Republic in 1924 (it was the second communist country in the world), Mongolia was hardly independent. The alliance with the Bolsheviks proved to be an intimate one, and the country was a Soviet satellite for many years, heavily dependent upon the U.S.S.R. for military and financial aid and dependably sympathetic to the Soviet Union in matters of foreign policy. During the 1930s, the communist government carried out its own version of a cultural revolution, during which Genghis Khan was discredited as a national hero, Buddhist monks were massacred, and books, religious manuscripts and scholarly texts were destroyed. Most of the country's monasteries were razed.

It wasn't until the Soviet empire crumbled that the local system weakened. It is still not clear why communist leaders abdicated power in 1990, with no external pressures to do so. However, Mongolia's first free presidential elections, held in 1993, returned the old leaders to power—under a new name—with a large majority in Parliament. Subsequent elections have reflected growing power among more democratic opposition forces, but so far, coalition governments have been formed successfully. Sadly, in 1998 one of Mongolia's top democratic leaders, Zorig, was murdered by political rivals. The assassination was done in accord with Mongol custom, with an axe.

Since the collapse of communism, the country has experienced a renaissance of Buddhism and ancient tradition. Many younger Mongolians are also returning to the "old ways"—the kind of life their great-grandparents knew. Some things never changed: Almost 65% of the population still lives as nomads. It's possible to visit felt gers (circular tents also known by the Russian name, yurts) and to see nomads who wear traditional del clothing. You'll also find that nearly everyone has a passion for fermented mare's milk.

From the mid-1990s, Mongolia has attracted interest from foreign companies dealing in mineral resources, wool and timber. This, unfortunately, has led to some exploitation of Mongolia's natural environment. The number of ethnic Chinese in the main center of Ulaanbaatar has steadily increased as the number of Russians has dropped. The Chinese immigrants specialize in import/export businesses and have opened a number of restaurants.

Snapshot

The main attractions of Mongolia are nomadic culture, the Gobi Desert, museums, Buddhist culture, camels, horseback riding, trekking, mountaineering, fishing and temples.

Mongolia will appeal to people who are truly world travelers, who enjoy history and who want to see something completely different. Don't expect deluxe or first-rate accommodations every night, and be prepared for the delays and inconveniences common in developing countries. This is definitely a destination for the curious, as opposed to one for those wanting a "vacation."

Potpourri

Mongolia is in the midst of a massive genealogy project. In the 1920s, the Communists banned the use of surnames. For the next seven decades, most Mongolians used only their first name. Many forgot their last name or never learned it, leading to a host of problems that eventually forced the new democratic regime to repeal the policy in the 1990s. Now, Mongolians who want any kind of official identification (e.g. a passport, driver's license) must rediscover their surname—or pick a new one.

Despite Mongolia's history of conquerors, Mongolian tradition also accords a certain respect to losers. Following the running of the annual horse race that is part of the Naadam festival in Ulaanbaatar, the racer who comes in last is led up to the main stand along with the winner. The national storyteller recites a special ode to the loser, encouraging him with words of success.

Many of the residents of Darkhan, the industrial town full of Soviet-inspired high-rise towers, are returning to their traditional nomadic ways. They're moving out of the towers into gers or wooden houses and grazing their horses in the city's parks.

Several rare animals inhabit Mongolia: the snow leopard, the Bactrian camel and the Gobi Desert bear (of which there are only about 30 left). The country is slowly becoming more conservation-minded, and is doing something to stop the loss of this precious heritage with the formation of national parks and rangers to watch over them. Old habits die hard, however; wolves, leopards and anything else that endangers a nomadic family's livestock are still considered fair game.

Genghis Khan (pronounced Chinngis Han) is thought to have been born in the Hentei Mountains in the northeast of Mongolia at Burkhan Kaldun. His tomb is also thought to lie in this region, and every summer groups of international archaeologists continue their search for it—a controversial activity, as most Mongolians still respect Khan's wish to never be disturbed.

One of the most amazing features of Mongolian folk music is throat singing, or hoomi, where the singer sings in split-tone, making a high and low sound at the same time. One style starts off with a deep growling bass (usually the verse) and then shoots off into an extraordinary high-frequency "upper-harmonics" chorus that is unlike anything else you have ever heard a human voice do. An experience not to be missed.

After years of being officially condemned as a feudal warlord, Genghis Khan is now a national hero. If he were alive today, he would make a fortune from product endorsements—there is everything from an airport to a vodka named after him and his image, in one form or another, can be seen in every Mongolian home.

The horse is the center of life in rural Mongolia—it's still normal to see people ride into Ulaanbaatar and tether their horses outside the state department store.

Be prepared: The nomadic people will pick their teeth, belch or urinate in front of you without blushing.

There is no state religion. Many Mongolians are rediscovering Buddhism, as many temples have been rebuilt and ancient ties with the great monasteries of Tibet have been reestablished. There is a revival of Shamanism, and ovos (piles of stones stuck through with prayer-flag sticks) can be seen along the roadside. Shamanists worship the wholeness of the Earth, and cutting the soil (by plowing it, for example) is a sin, which might explain why there are few farms (or vegetables) in the country. Christianity is also growing in popularity because of foreign missionaries.

Snuff tobacco is very popular with country people. To refuse to take snuff with the head of the household is considered very rude. If someone offers you their snuff bottle (these are usually made from agate or jade and are considered priceless family heirlooms), and you'd rather not snort tobacco into your nose, just turn the bottle over in your hands for a moment and admire it, then remove the cap a little, smell the contents and hand it back, with your right hand.