There are few greater luxuries in life than spending time with family, and nothing brings the family together quite like exploring a new destination together. Travel provides so many opportunities for meaningful interactions and memory-making experiences. Whether you’re seeing the world through the unfiltered lens of a young child’s eyes or grabbing precious time with your teen, travel allows us to reconnect on another level.
Now, more than ever, travel needs to mean something. It needs to inspire, educate and entertain. Mongolia, with its rich culture, fascinating culture, and breathtaking scenery is the perfect family destination. After all, why would you simply sit on a beach when you can explore sand dunes that are thousands of years old?
Here’s why Mongolia should be your family’s next destination:
Tap into their Adventurous Spirit
From TinTin to The Swiss Family Robinson, you’ve shared some of the greatest adventures in print with your children, but how many adventures have you embarked on that don’t take place between the pages of a book? Mongolia offers the opportunity to take part in a true adventure. Gain a new perspective atop a two-humped Bactrian camel (one of the only places in the world home to these amazing creatures), then gaze at the nighttime sky, where you’ll see millions of stars twinkling in the midnight sky.
Channel your Best Indiana Jones
While we’re on the subject of entertaining tales, we’d be remiss if we didn’t tip our hat to Indiana Jones. The dashing Indy from the silver screen is based on the real-life Roy Chapman Andrews, an explorer and scientist from the American Museum of Natural History who led a team of researchers across the Gobi and discovered the world’s first nest of dinosaur eggs in the Flaming Cliffs. You can follow in his footsteps and trace his path to make a discovery of your own. The area remains rich with archaeological finds, though there are strict rules against removing discoveries from the region. The Flaming Cliffs were given their name by Chapman Andrews because of their otherworldly, orange glow at sunrise and sunset.
Forge Authentic Connections
You can see every impressive site, taste the local cuisine, and listen to the music, but if you haven’t really engaged with a local, then you haven’t truly visited a place. Our journeys provide genuine interactions with local nomadic families. You’ll have the chance to meet a family and visit them at their ger. Take a tour of their home, hear what daily life is like, and even help nomadic farmers with their chores. We know you have a hard time getting your teens to put their laundry away, but they’ll be first in line to help milk a cow or tend to the horses.
Sleep like a Nomad
Now that you’ve seen how a nomadic family lives, it’s time to experience it for yourself. Three Camel Lodge, a member of National Geographic Unique Lodges of the World, invites guests to experience the nomadic lifestyle with an upscale slant (think gourmet food and spa treatments). Comprised of tented accommodations, or gers, along with a main lodge resembling a Buddhist temple, the resort is one-of-a-kind. Your family will never forget the experience of sleeping in the middle of the Gobi
Indulge in Some Fresh Air Fun
From forest bathing and shinrin-yoku to Last Child in the Woods, spending time outdoors has a healing effect on the body. It’s also a heck of a lot of fun. Lace up your hiking boots and traverse the canyons of Yol Valley National Park. Located within Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park, the Yol Valley is named for the beaded vultures that call this area home. You’ll find green valleys and ice, even in the middle of summer, in this stunning landscape.
Take in the sights and sounds of Ulaanbaatar
Mongolia is synonymous with its wide-open expanses, but the city isn’t just a pass-through on your way to the countryside. Here, you can wander the streets of this old-meets-new capital city. Take a behind-the-scenes tour of the Paleontology laboratory with a paleontologist or get fitted for your own custom deel, or traditional Mongolian clothing. No trip to UB is complete without witnessing traditional Mongolian dance and khoomi throat singing.
There’s so much more to see and do with your family in Mongolia. Check out our adventures to learn more.