Mongolia was my first backpacking trip, and it truly opened my eyes to a broader perspective. Although I had traveled a lot before this experience, it was the first time I encountered a community that lived so differently from what we typically define as cities. Their lifestyles were in stark contrast to what I had been culturally conditioned to expect. Adding to this were the vastly different terrains - from cliffs and valleys to grasslands and the Gobi Desert. I felt as though I had traveled to a different world, experiencing so much in the span of just one week.

‍

Traveling without a guide, navigating in such uncharted regions was virtually impossible. I booked a 7-day tour with Sunpath Mongolia, which was an unforgettable experience. We were a group of 8 tourists split into two cars, along with the two drivers, a guide, and a cook. Our guide coordinated all our accommodations with local nomadic families; drivers were well-versed in the terrain and knew off-roads at the back of their hands; our cook prepared all our meals on the road and in the Gers. It was good not having to plan anything for a change! I paid around US$ 420, which was a good deal.

‍

I had the full Mongolian experience from the sights to the food to the accommodations. Disclaimer, my Mongolian experience staying with local nomadic families - families who move locations every couple of months and set up their Gers and extra ones for small groups of travellers - included not having showers since we were in the great nature. There are other luxury tours with full amenities in Gers or Lodges catered for tourists. A bonus of the tour was the incredible group of diverse travellers I spent time with and the most astonishing stargazing experience (on par with Iceland without the Northern Lights).

‍

DOING THINGS DIFFERENTLY | I wish I had a couple more days to squeeze in the train from Beijing to Ulaanbaatar and visit Lake Baikal. 

‍

HIGHLIGHTS | Gobi Dessert, Horse Riding