The Ger Stay – Home Stay with a Mongolian Herder Family

In the Darkhid Valley, our horseback riding expedition staging area, you can also stay with a local herder family in their guest ger (yurt) and experience real herder life. We assist local community members in accommodating visitors and help with arranging overnight or multi-day home stays with these families.

Your hosts, Yadmaa and Davaasuren of the Darkhid Community will serve you authentic Mongolian herder meals including homemade yogurts and traditional milk and cheese products. They also cater for vegetarians.

The real Mongolian Herder Experience

If you want to get into the real experience, you can help milk cows, herd sheep and goats and take a short horse ride with Yadmaa as he looks after their livestock.

For relaxing and enjoying the natural scenery, the forests and surrounding hills are great for walking or mountain biking and afford wonderful views of the area.

The Darkhid Valley is located about one and a half hour’s drive from Ulaanbaatar, and a visit there is a nice way to spend a few days getting to know local families in the countryside of Mongolia and helping to improve local incomes through your stay.

This is a great short stay experience in Mongolia for those traveling through on the Trans Siberian Railway and who want to spend just a few days taking in a new country, meeting local people and learning about a way of life.

Booking a Ger Stay

Contact Stone Horse Expeditions  to book Your Ger Stay.

The Ger Stay is available year round

From summer to late fall, it is at the summer camp site, and it moves to the foot of the mountain in the winter time, close to the winter camp and livestock shelters of the herder family.

Prices

Please see our “Train to Ger“ trips:

2 nights ger/1 night city guest house with city tour – $295.00 USD

3 nights ger/1 night city guest house with city tour – $330.00 USD

We’re happy to talk about other options for your herder family ger stay – contact us.

For Airport pick up and drop off, please add $40.00 USD to the above prices

Payment can be made with either cash or Visa credit card

Horse Riding at the Ger Stay

Horse riding while at the ger will be 15,000 MNT ($6.00 USD) per person per hour and paid directly to the herders Yadmaa and Davasuren

What Guests say about the Ger Stay

Read the travel blog with photos by Rachel Au-Yong when she spent time at the ger stay.

DSCN1741

DSCN0017

stinky-ii-and-sibling

Davasuren, Mongolian herder, ger stay host, Stone Horse Expeditions and Travels

Davasuren milking a cow, at the family's winter camp in the Darkhid Valley, near Gorkhi Terelj National Park, Mongolia

Yadmaa, Mongolian Herder, Stone Horse Expeditions and Travel, Darkhid Valley

Yadmaa with his Mongolian archery bow at his winter camp in the Darkhid Valley, near Gorkhi Terelj National Park, Mongolia

Winter Pasture for Mongolian horses

Winter pasture protects our Mongolian horses from cold winter winds

Feeding horses in winter

Feeding horses hay and oats during winter keeps them warm and fit in sub-zero temperatures.

Yadmaa and his horse in Mongolia

Yadmaa horse riding in winter clothing (deel) in Mongolia

DSCN1739

Yadmaa_herding_in_Winter

A Winter Afternoon in the Darkhid Valley. Herder Yadmaa is doing his round to make sure horses, cattle, goats and sheep don't wander too deep into the forest or up the moutains

Staging Area View

Ovoo

Henbee in Snow

Henbee a good old dog, Gorkhi-Terelj National Park, Mongolia

Want to Experience more of Mongolia?

Can we arrange more activities for you in Mongolia? Consider taking a multi-day horse ride in Gorkhi Terelj National Park after or before your home stay, or take a Gobi Desert tour. Ask us about these options. They make Your Mongolia Experience complete!