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Summer in Mongolia

It's been some time since I wrote my last blog. I've been busy making a new sign for our guesthouse. Do you like it?

The sign on the door is the Ulzii Hee - it is one of Mongolia's traditional symbols and represents longevity. We also use it as a form of protection against evil spirits.

I have also made a sign for the main road coming into Kharkhorin as well as a brochure. My main purpose in setting up my guesthouse was to provide financial support to my family. It was also to help introduce Mongolia's beautiful and wonderful landscapes and cultural traditions to travellers. I also want to help my guests in achieving what they want out of their visit and make sure they leave with a good impression about Mongolia. 

I hope my new road sign and brochure will help to bring more people to my guesthouse. When they are ready I will post photos here. It is very exciting!

Summer is here and we look forward to welcoming you!

 As I said above, I want to help introduce Mongolia's cultural traditions to travellers. Did you know that I can arrange for you to experience a traditional live music performance here in Kharkhorin? B.Baasandorj is a local musician who likes to perform for visitors. This is a link to one of his performances. 

I'll be back in a day or two but please do get in touch if you are interested in coming to Kharkhorin. As we are now saying here in Mongolia....

Saikhan zusch bainaa uu? Is you summer well?

Saikhan Amraarai, Gaya

Introducing the Yak Festival!

Sainuu!

You may have heard of the Naadam Festival? This is one of our most famous festivals - here we call it Eriin Gurvan Naadam - the Three Manly Sports. 
The National Naadam is held in UB (Ulaan Baatar) on July 11th and 12th - the dates of the revolution when Mongolian revolutionaries, together with the Russian Red Army brought independence from China. This year Kharkhorin will celebrate the special Mongolian fectival "Naadam"from July 23-24. Stay at Gaya's Guesthouse in Kharkhorin to experience this wonderful holiday. This year, Naadam is extra special because Kharkhorin is celebrating its 60th anniversary! There will be traditional singing, dancing, and poetry on top off all the exitement of Naadam.

This is the 2013 Tsogt Ovoo Naadam - it is smaller than the Kharkhorin Naadam but all Naadam celebrations are great.

However, here in Mongolia we don't just have the one yearly festival. We have many smaller ones throughout the year as well. One close to me is the Yak Festival - held close to the community of Bat Ulzii based in the Orkhon River Valley.

The dates have yet to be 100% confirmed, but it could be around July 23rd. The festival programme includes yak races, yak polo and yak rodeo. (A lot of herders in the Orkhon Valley have yaks - this is why, they have decided to organise the yearly yak festival). As with most festivals in Mongolia, there will also be performances of traditional Mongolian music and dance. 

It is not just for tourists either - many local herders come to the festival to meet with friends and to have a short holiday as well.

I can arrange transport from Kharkhorin to Bat Ulzii. I can also arrange for you to stay at Ulaan Tsutgalan before or after the festival. This is the Orkhon Waterfall and is a beautiful place for horse trekking and walking. You can also swim in the waterfall as well.

The Orkhon Waterfall - taken by Ann Ang when I was with her travelling with Eternal Landscapes

Although July is quite a long time away I thought you may find the details of the yak festival interesting. Those are my thoughts this week. My ger guesthouse is open to all travellers. Please just get in touch - I am happy to help and would love to welcome you to my home.

Thank you for spending time on my blog. I will be back soon.

Saikhan Amraarai, Gaya

Come and be our guest!

April is here and so my family and I are starting to prepare for another year. Although my ger guesthouse is open in the winter, a majority of our guests visit from spring onwards. On travel forums such as Lonely Planet, travellers often ask if it is possible to travel independently in Mongolia. The answer is yes! 

It really is as simple as catch the bus from UB, let me know when you're arriving and I'll take care of the rest. Horse trek along the Orkhon River? Visit to Erdene Zuu Monastery? Spend a day visiting Ogii Lake with its beautiful bird life? I can help to arrange it for you using local people here in Kharkhorin.

Please do come. Phone me from UB and let me help you and welcome you as our guest. As  Ann Ang, one of our 2013 guests wrote on Facebook:

'Looking to stay at a ger in Mongolia? Gaya our very friendly host provides a good stay complete with vegetable buuz and hot shower (oh that is very precious)!'

Our quiet winter days

Here in Ovorkhangai Aimag, spring is slowly on its way. Although there is a covering of snow, the temperature is slowly creeping up. But this year, the winter has not been too bad for us. 

Although there are very few visitors, I am still busy in the winter. This is when I make my traditional Mongolian handicrafts to sell in my small shop. I would also like to improve my English but I really need to be in UB to do this and my daughters are at school here in Kharkhorin. 

As I am not having to be always at my ger camp I can visit my friends. 15km from Kharkhorin live Tumee and his wife Jargaa. They are old friends of mine and live near the Orkhon River. I love the countryside of Ovorkhangai - especially along the Orkhon River. Winter is a time when we can visit each other and spend time together.

Tumee wants to offer horse trekking this summer so we have been thinking about safety. Mongolian horses are semi-wild  - they live in herds, led by a stallion who guides the horses to water, shelter and safety. The horses are hardy and adapted to living out in temperatures that can reach -45c, and are able to forage for food in any conditions. 

Here in Mongolia we do not ride mares as they are used for breeding and in the summer are milked  mainly for fermented mare's milk which we call airag.

Before the summer starts and we have  visitors I am going to write a safety guide for our guests to help them feel more comfortable when horse riding. Here are some of our ideas:

• Always approach Mongolian horses carefully and quietly- they are used to surviving on their own throughout the year and can be surprised by sudden loud movements. 
• Here in Mongolia, it is normal to keep the reins in only one hand. 
• Avoid loose clothing that might be flapping in the wind. 

Those are my thoughts this week. My ger guesthouse is open to all travellers. Please just get in touch - I am happy to help and would love to welcome you to my home.

Thank you for spending time on my blog. I will be back soon.

Saikhan Amraarai, Gaya

The Year of the Horse

January 31st was the start of the Mongolian New Year - we celebrate the lunar new year and this year is the year of the horse. I prepared for New Year together with my family - we made around 1000 buuz - Mongolian mutton dumplings.

The night before new year is called 'Bituun' this is when we all come together to eat - this means we will always be full for the following year. Family is a very important part of our new year and we all come together.

Together with my family -  my younger brother Puujeee, my sister-in-law Erka and their son Hashaa. Also with my mother Chatral and my two daughters Ganju and Nomioko

Before New Year, my mum was also busy making deels - the traditional Mongolian tunics. In Mongolia, we always prepare for the new year by making or buying new clothes and also by cleaning our homes. 

Although my ger guesthouse is open all year, I'm looking forward to spring when Mongolia starts to receive more visitors.  Our visitors help to support my family but most of all I enjoy learning from our guests.

Winter in Kharkhorin 

My ger guesthouse is open to all travellers. Please just get in touch - I am happy to help and would love to welcome you to my home.

Thank you for spending time on my blog. I will be back soon.

Saikhan Amraarai, Gaya

On Tour!

Back in October of last year, I worked as a trip guide on a short tour for Eternal Landscapes. The travellers stayed at my home and we also visited the Orkhon Valley and Khogno Khan Nature Reserve. I worked for Jess at Eternal Landscapes and really enjoyed the tour. It's a way of making a little extra money for my family and also sharing my homeland with others. I love to cook and I also spent time teaching Mongolian recipes.

This is me together with the Russian Furgon 4x4. It is a great vehicle! This photo was taken by one of my October travellers.

 My ger guesthouse provides my main living. However, because most visitors come during July for the Naadam Festival, spring and autumn can be very quiet here. If this spring and autumn are quiet then I will work again as a trip guide for Jess. Our October travellers said that:

'Gaya was excellent. She was very bubbly and made us very comfortable. We exchanged many recipes. I think we fell in love with Mongolia because of Gaya.'

This is me together with one of my October travellers and Sandag, a very good friend and an Eternal Landscapes driver. We are next to the Orkhon River

If you are short on time, you can always visit me directly from Ulaan Baatar. Once here in Kharkhorin I can arrange for you to visit locations outside of my town. I would not be able to join you on a trip but would organise it between my great friends - such as my friends Battumur and Jargal who are herders within the Orkhon Valley.

This is one of my guest gers taken by my traveller in October. I think this is a great photo of my home!

If you like the sound of visiting Kharkhorin, my ger guesthouse is open to all travellers. Please just get in touch - I am happy to help and would love to welcome you to my home.

Thank you for spending time on my blog. I will be back soon.

Saikhan Amraarai, Gaya