Nearly 600,000 people visited in 2023, according to government data, and contributed 4.4 trillion Mongolian togrog ($1.2 billion) to the economy.
About 1,000 tourists have participated in the Herder Camp program since its launch in June, says Ganbold Davaasuren, executive director of the Cradle of Ancient Nomads tourism association. The Herder Camp program was initiated by the Arkhangai provincial government and was implemented in collaboration with this non-governmental organization.
Sitting in a local shepherd’s yurt, Juho Jeong, originally from South Korea, sips “süütei tsai”, a drink made from cow’s milk, salt and ghee. She came to Mongolia to immerse herself in nature, experience the life and culture of nomadic herders and, most importantly, as she says, “see what the stars look like at night.”