Mongolia – Crossing of Two Worlds
The cold bit sharply through thick layers of felt and wool, a relentless force against even the most seasoned travelers. Outside the ger, the world lay buried under an endless expanse of white, stretching beneath the vast Mongolian sky. The wind howled, carrying the sharp scent of burning dung and the distant murmurs of animals stirring to life. It was 6 AM, and the nomadic family was already awake, bracing themselves for another day in the brutal -20 degree weather.
Nomad family getting ready for migration in early morning
Heating the engine due to extreme cold night
Migration was an ordeal of its own. The family packed their entire lives onto trucks and herded their animals across the frozen landscape. The journey took days, exhausting both man and beast, but staying in one place for too long was not an option. The weak would not survive the relentless cold, and when the grasslands ran dry, moving on was the only way forward.
Disassembling ger camp before migration started for the day
Herder with his livestocks
Following the pace of the livestocks
Encounter horse carcass on the road
Migration across the mountain passes
Horse stuck on frozen river
Landscape changed dramatically towards the end of migration
Some livestock had no energy left, and need to be lifted by truck
Life on the steppe was unforgiving. There were no toilets, no baths—comfort was a luxury unknown in these lands. Yet, amidst the hardship, contentment wove itself into the very essence of nomadic existence. Children laughed as they played simple games, their joy undiminished by the bitter cold. As for teenagers, they would improvise games of buzkashi, not with a goat carcass but with a mere stick, while others used wooden clubs and yak dung to create makeshift ice hockey matches. Here, entertainment was raw and uncomplicated, untouched by the need for internet or modern distractions. Regardless of age or gender, everyone joined in, their voices echoing across the steppe.
Toilet in open space
Nomadic kids happily playing on the slope
Young herders playing 'buzkashi' in the midst of migration
Ice-hockey with stick & dung
Having fun with arm wrestling
Singing & celebrating the end of harsh migration
Despite the lack of modern conveniences, the things they never lacked was hospitality & meat. Mutton, horse, and yak formed the backbone of their diet, fueling them for the grueling demands of steppe life. Yet, in the cities, where wages were low and inequality stark, meat was a luxury—one that many struggled to afford.
Inside ger camp, cook is busy preparing food for visitors
Visiting one of nomad family with generous food serving
In the far western reaches, eagle hunters rode through the mountains, their golden birds perched regally on their arms. They, too, were nomads, often dropping out of school to follow the path of their ancestors. Eagle hunting was not a means of survival but a calling, a sacred tradition passed down through generations. The bond between hunter and bird was forged through years of trust and training, a connection as old as the land itself.
From the appearance, no one would have guess he is also an Eagle Hunter
Eagle Hunter (guess who?) with his Eagle
Eagle Hunter at high point looking for hunting spot
Eagle hunter (left) with his brother (Did you guess correctly? 😏)
Close up portraits of Eagle & Hunter
In Ulgii, where many nomads lived, the divide between worlds was apparent. Some children galloped across the open plains on horseback, their lives intertwined with the rhythm of nature. Others, raised in the city’s wealth, had lost touch with their ancestral roots. Dressed in designer clothes, they spoke of futures in Europe or North America, their dreams shaped by a world far removed from the steppe. In Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia’s capital, the contrasts were even starker. On the outskirts, in the sprawling ger districts, children shot hoops on basketball courts, their aspirations reaching beyond the smoke-choked air of their cramped neighborhoods. Some called it a slum, but for those who lived there, it was simply home. In the heart of the city, gleaming shopping malls catered to the elite, where the privileged wandered through high-end boutiques, oblivious to the struggles unfolding just beyond their polished glass doors.
Damdin Sükhbaatar Statue in capital center
Cycling in clean UB Square
Locals chatting in Narantuul market
Looking towards city center, from one of many ger districts
Contrast between the city & outskirt of Ulaanbaatar
Man sit blankly, outside the ger & under freezing temperature
Playing basketball happily at the top of hillside
Kids having fun in playground
Mongolia was a land of paradoxes—harsh yet breathtaking, poor yet rich in spirit, challenging yet deeply rewarding. It was a place where life was never easy, but resilience ran deep, and happiness could be found in the simplest moments: a child’s laughter in the snow, a hunter’s call echoing through the mountains, or the warmth of a family gathered around a flickering fire, defying the cold together.