Mongolia's shifting tourism industry - and what it means for the country's nomads

"I was with horse wrangler Bundhorol Dolgor and his ten-year-old daughter, Urantuya, on an endless, windswept steppe in Mongolia, some 45 miles from the nearest paved road. On my third chuu, some inflexion in my voice clearly resonated, and suddenly we were off, moving at a fast, short-stepping gait that nearly unseated me. Urantuya, wearing a clay-red deel tunic and a wind-battered cap, was giggling at me as she rode her own horse."

"I travelled to Mongolia in August 2025 to see some of the country's most beautiful, wild spaces - land where many of the country's nomadic herders, like Bundhorol and his daughter, still roam. Roughly one-third of the country's entire population, which in itself is sparse, since Mongolia is twice the size of Texas with a population of just 3.5 million, is nomadic. These communities move at least two to three times per year, corralling sheep, goats, horses, camels, and occasionally, yaks."

"Nomadism is an integral part of Mongolia's ancestral identity, but as weather and international markets fluctuate, so does the appeal of this challenging lifestyle. When prices for meat, wool, and cashmere are high, nomads with hundreds of livestock can reap significant profit. It's not uncommon for nomadic families to own apartments in the capital of Ulaanbaatar and send their children to universities."

A visitor experienced riding half-wild horses across Mongolia's windswept steppe near remote roads. Many Mongolians remain nomadic, with roughly one-third of the sparse national population moving two to three times annually. Nomadic households herd sheep, goats, horses, camels, and sometimes yaks. Income fluctuates with global prices for meat, wool, and cashmere, enabling some families to buy urban apartments and educate children in Ulaanbaatar when markets are favorable. Sudden environmental shocks such as drought and dzud winters, with temperatures falling to -50°F, can rapidly devastate herds and flip fortunes, while price dips intensify hardship.

Read at CN Traveller