Mongolia’S Mystical Tsaatan Reindeer People

Hidden inwards an isolated corner of Northern Mongolia, straddling the edge of Russian Siberia, a unique minority grouping lives inwards the sprawling tundra. Around 500 Dukha people survive a remote nomadic life, migrating from house to house inwards search of valuable resources to proceed their existence. Minority people tin survive flora all throughout Asia, but the Dukha are notably unlike for the livestock that they keep. Not yaks, camels, goats or horses, but reindeer. Known every bit the Tsaatan people, these reindeer herders create got been attracting international attending over the in conclusion few years for their unique too unchanged way of life.

We knew that if nosotros ever came to Mongolia nosotros would brand certain that nosotros travelled to the far due north to take in these fabled people too their reindeer. As luck would create got it nosotros flora ourselves inwards the portion too at nowadays made it our priority to trek into the taiga.

From the town of Moron nosotros travelled due north past times van too met upwards amongst a nomadic family. We rented their horses too took a ii 24-hour interval trek to attain the distant taiga, camping ground along the way. Once nosotros arrived nosotros stayed amongst Magsar, Amgaa too their trouble solid unit of measurement of three. We spent 3 nights learning nearly their culture, helping amongst daily chores, herding the reindeer too exactly experiencing how life goes on inwards the taiga. While non everything went smoothly, it was past times far the most rewarding too memorable fourth dimension of our travels.

This is our photograph journeying to the Tsaatan reindeer herders.

We began our journeying amongst a 10 hr machine ride to a tiny nomadic ger campsite exactly exterior the hamlet of Ulaan Uul. We arrived exactly inwards fourth dimension to spotter the sunset, too so roughshod asleep on the flooring of the ger surrounded past times the family.

The get-go day’s Equus caballus trek was exhausting too far from ideal. We followed a route through interplanetary space steppe for over viii hours. Underneath a pounding sun, amongst an inadequate H2O supply, nosotros were forced to halt for countless residuum breaks. Later nosotros flora out that our Equus caballus guides had taken us the incorrect direction, thus exposing us to unnecessary hours of trekking.

On the 2nd 24-hour interval nosotros finally reached the pino forests that nosotros were told nosotros would create got been Equus caballus trekking through the entire time. Our friends had turned dorsum due to a pre-exisiting injury, leaving exactly the ii of us to proceed on towards the taiga. Once nosotros had left the steppe the scenery, too our moods, improved dramatically.

We rode through an intense tempest which left the soil saturated too perilously muddy. Near the cease of 7 hours wandering, nosotros reached the concluding loma to climb earlier nosotros would become far at the fabled taiga.

A sight that would remain amongst us forever – The get-go fourth dimension nosotros rode into the campsite of Magsar, Amgaa too their trouble solid unit of measurement too were confronted amongst a herd of reindeer relaxing at dusk.

We were given an alternative of pitching our tent for gratuitous or staying inwards a spare teepee, known every bit an ortz, for $10 a night. We were to a greater extent than than happy to assist contribute some coin straight to the trouble solid unit of measurement too chose the teepee. Completely surreal.

The Tsaatan people process their reindeer similar members of their family, every bit they are their primary origin of food, milk, tools (made from their antlers) too transport. They real rarely consume reindeer meat, every bit they are to a greater extent than valuable to them survive than dead. Surprisingly the reindeer are completely tame, too used to human interaction.

We awoke on our get-go morning time too saw that the neighbours were packing upwards their camp. We wandered over to enjoin hullo too met this gorgeous three-year-old daughter riding her white reindeer. We chatted to her woman raise amongst sign linguistic communication too mitt signals, too flora out she had been riding independently from the historic menstruation of one.

The daughter was so photogenic. When nosotros tried to photograph some other reindeer she hopped off of hers too ran over to pose for the shot.

Living every bit truthful nomadic people, the Tsaatans pack their camps upwards too displace from house to house searching for the particular sort of lichen that their reindeer feed on. Their primary method for carry is reindeer, of course.

A 24-hour interval inwards the life of the Tsaatan people is quite unique to anything y'all could sense elsewhere. In the morning time the reindeer are milked too so laid gratuitous to wander the taiga. They demo upwards periodically during the 24-hour interval too the Dukha people tend to them every bit they need.

The diet of the Tsaatan people consists primarily of dairy products made from reindeer milk, reindeer meat, berries too bread. Another welcome staple is fish, which the men choose grip of amongst their bare hands. Here y'all tin reckon the ii sons of the trouble solid unit of measurement trying their luck at catching dinner.

Magsar proudly showing off his daily catch. Dinner was delicious that night.

While life isn’t stressful inwards the taiga, the people are ever busy. The women are constantly cooking too caring for the children, or running unopen to amongst the reindeer. Here Amgaa is making fresh reindeer cheese too butter over a wood burn stove. With solely i stove for cooking too providing heat, this is inwards constant use.

Dog too reindeer coexist inwards harmony upwards inwards the taiga.

In the evenings the reindeer come upwards trotting dorsum to their dwelling similar clockwork. The trouble solid unit of measurement so collects the reindeer too ties them to stakes inwards the soil for the night. We were pose to operate past times the kids, too were happy to help. The reindeer were non shy, too would nuzzle us amongst their furry antlers piece licking us all over. Lesh lost it laughing every bit this i kept nibbling on her arm.

Just earlier the Sun laid Magsar too the boys would come upwards into our ortz too lite a burn for us. The nights were incredibly mutual coldness upwards inwards the taiga, too Magsar ensured nosotros had plenty wood to maintain us going through most of the night. Once the burn was lit nosotros would ever sit down too joke around, despite us non existence able to beak to the same language.

The heaven turns crimson every bit black falls over the taiga.

A reindeer-inspired sunset shot on concluding evening.

On our in conclusion black all the reindeer were tied upwards too everyone was getting laid upwards for bed. Magsar so walked upwards to his largest too strongest reindeer too untied it. I said to him, “Wow Magsar, that i is big”, too he exactly smiled. He slapped it on the back, looked at me too motioned to acquire on. Grabbing the rope I swung my legs over too Magsar gave the reindeer a slap on the butt. As it galloped off amongst me bouncing on transcend I could listen Magsar laughing hysterically. H5N1 2nd I volition never forget.

While riding a reindeer was a novelty for me, it is touchstone do for the Tsaatan people.

The reindeer create non resist when y'all necktie them upwards at night. They know they are protected too create got no argue to run.

A immature man child from some other campsite that nosotros visited, happily posing for shots. His clothing too lid were his everyday wear.

Every wintertime the antlers autumn off of the reindeer, too grow dorsum larger every summer. Full 4dukt males await quite imposing amongst their branch-like horns, too it is non uncommon to reckon many reindeer that create got had their antlers broken from fighting.

On our in conclusion 24-hour interval Magsar too I were chatting. He said inwards broken English, “Next year, come upwards back.” When I told him that nosotros could not, he nodded. “Ok, ii years come upwards back. With baby.”

Visiting The Tsaatan Reindeer People

To take in the Tsaatan reindeer herders it is recommended to mass through the TCVC, or through a TCVC-approved agency. Unfortunately nosotros organised our tour through Saraa from Saraa’s Guesthouse inwards Moron. Under no circumstance would nosotros ever recommend dealing amongst this lady. We volition non become into details of what went incorrect too how she had lied to us nearly of import aspects of the tour, but create got our give-and-take that y'all should avoid her tours at all costs.

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