Mongolia
Vast steppe nation - nomadic heritage meets a booming mining economy
Key Scores
Why people move to Mongolia
Vast steppes, blue sky, nomadic legacy. Half the country lives in Ulaanbaatar; the rest still herds.
People, religion & languages
Moderate in Ulaanbaatar tourism and business; low elsewhere.
Tibetan Buddhism dominant, with shamanism legacy and small Christian/Muslim minorities.
Buddhist temples visible; daily life largely secular.
Culture & etiquette
What locals value and what to watch for
- Accept airag (fermented mare's milk) when offered, even a sip
- Greet ger (yurt) hosts respectfully - enter clockwise
- Try Genghis Khan history references positively (he's a national hero)
- Touching someone's head
- Pointing feet at the hearth/fire
- Refusing offered food/drink in a ger
Ulaanbaatar urban-fast; countryside extremely slow.
Curious and warm; small expat scene in UB.
Holidays & food culture
Meat (sheep, goat, beef, horse) and dairy heavy. Buuz (steamed dumplings) for Tsagaan Sar.
Lunch 12:00–14:00, dinner 18:00–20:00.
Meat very heavy; veg extremely difficult outside Ulaanbaatar.
Work culture & business norms
Hidden Gems
Off the beaten path
Yolyn Am Ice Canyon (Gobi) - a shaded canyon where glacial ice survives well into July, surrounded by lammergeier vultures and ibex
Khustain Nuruu National Park - just 100km from Ulaanbaatar; the only place where Przewalski's wild horses (takhi) have been successfully reintroduced
Orkhon Valley Waterfalls - a UNESCO Cultural Landscape of ancient Turkic and Mongol empire ruins stretching along a volcanic basalt canyon
Single person, before income tax