Gers Aren't For Whimps: Mongolia

We stayed in over ten different gers across various locations in Mongolia.  Gers are round felt tents (mobile homes) that can be assembled and dismantled in about an hour by the nomads. Twenty-five to forty percent of Mongolians are nomads living in gers, tending to their grazing animals on green pastures (each family typically has around 600-800 animals). In the summer, they move several times before settling in a permanent ger with animal shelters for the winter. Gers are large and round, supported by wooden structures, felt/canvas, and wood floors covered by vinyl. The doors are short matching the height of the ger, and it was customary in the past to bow when entering a ger and back out of the door when leaving as a sign of respect for the owners.  Even in the suburbs you often see a ger next to a small house used as a dwelling for family members - I’m thinking mother-in-law.  

The gers we stayed in were mostly cozy and colorful, reminiscent of circus tents. Some had small stoves with a center point weighted down by rocks or bricks and anchored to the floor to prevent the gers from flying away in the wind. Someone would light the stove fire right before bedtime, leaving the ger warm for about a half an hour.

I loved the gers at first but soon found them challenging. I hit my head and neck several times on the low doorways (as did most of us), slept on very hard beds and pillows, and burned my hand on the unprotected stove exhaust pipe. Showers and restrooms were in separate shared facilities, as gers do not have indoor plumbing. I dreaded the nightly run to the restroom at 1 or 3 in the morning, crossing a large grassy field to the shared facility, hoping not to be chased by local guard dogs or other critters. It was not uncommon to find insects around the bed at night, and once, we even had a squirrel that must have entered through the gaps at the bottom of the ger where the floor meets the side felt/wood walls. All part of the experience.

The best part of the ger was when it rained, hailed, or there was a thunderstorm. The rain would pound, and the outer canvas would flap in the strong winds. I thought the ger might fly away like Dorothy's house in the Wizard of Oz, with lightning flashing through a plexiglass-protected opening at the top of the ger. It was absolutely thrilling!

Each ger camp had a restaurant where our group of 14 and others would gather, usually 2-3 times a day, for communal meals of local dishes, often featuring meat, usually beef. The food was good for meat eaters. A couple of us would buy wine at a local supermarket to enjoy at the ger camps. Mongolians love meat!

One advantage of the middle-of-the-night bathroom runs was the incredible night sky. With no light pollution, you could clearly see the Milky Way and other constellations. It was truly magical. I would stand staring at the sky until I heard some kind of animal eating grass nearby. Nature at its finest.

Here is a sampling of some gers, some we stayed in and others dotted in the countryside. Note the one with the flags are their local voting gers for the upcoming election.

Lighting the stove at night

From the inside

We always had a nice Farewell from the camp employees/owners

Visiting nomad families: making alcohol from fermented yak milk and servinig curd and treats.

Always welcome visitors

I just loved this goat

local nomad outhouse

Night sky - Milky Way