Experience True Ranch Life as a Mongolian Nomad!!

5.0

(4 reviews)4

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The experience

Assist on a real nomadic ranch in Sumber, in central Mongolia. We have 500 goats, 500 sheep, over 60 cows, and 120 horses. The owners name is Alta. He is a kind and hardworking man, and a great cook! However, he does not speak English! This will be a very authentic Mongolian immersion experience, and will take some time to adjust! Alta has 3 boys who help during the summer, and a wife who lives on a nearby farm who speaks good English.

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What you offer

30 hours of help per week

Cleaning: Help clean the kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms and common areas.

Kitchen Hand: Help prepare, finish and serve meals.

Animal Care: Help look after and take care of animals.

Building & Repairing: Help with a wide range of repairs or building.

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What you get

1 day off per week

Tent: You will sleep in a tent at a camping site.

Breakfast: You are entitled to a free breakfast, every day of your stay.

Lunch: You are entitled to a free lunch, every day of your stay.

Dinner: You are entitled to a free dinner, every day of your stay.

Pick Up: We will pick you up when you arrive, and take you to our property.

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Requirements

Beginner English

Only hosts solo volunteers (doesn’t accept couples or partners)

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What's not included

Flights, Travel Insurance, Internal Transportation and Visa

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Program Details

Accommodation: You will live in a Mongolian yurt. You can bring a tent if you prefer. There is no shower, but we have a water pump when you want to bathe. There is an outdoor toilet.

Food: We eat seasonal vegetables, and cow/sheep/horse meat. Please do not come if you are vegetarian/vegan.

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Activities & Shift

Year round: herd sheep and goat on horse/foot/motorcycle, shovel animal poop, milk cows, chop wood, building and fixing fences, sometimes help cook for others. You may have to help take care of the animals like giving medication and removing worms, etc.

Spring: baby animals, branding, castration, cashmere, move animals and gers to summer ranch.

Summer: shear sheep for wool, help to slaughter animals, maintenance and housekeeping.

Autumn: cut grass, prepare for winter

Winter: Feed hay and give water to cows and horses, chop wood, clean/shovel poop.

Sometimes you may visit Alta's wife's farm as well, which will help broaden your view of Mongolian lifestyle. You may make trips to Darkhan or Ulaanbataar for essentials when needed, and go to the markets to sell sheep or other animal products.

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Rules

Be prepared to:
1) work hard, sometimes long days.
2) learn the true Mongolian nomadic lifestyle
3) no/limited wifi - buy a sim card.

This may be the best opportunity you find to live raw, unfiltered Mongolian nomadic lifestyle. It is not easy, but you will learn much and see life in a new way! We look forward to hearing from you.

To get here, get a train ticket from Ulaanbataar to Baruunkharaa, and they will pick you up and bring to the farm. Or, get bus from Dragon Bus Terminal to Bayangol and we can pick you up from there.
Bring toilet paper everywhere when you travel.

To bring or buy here:
- Work pants and clothes you don't mind getting dirty, good shoes to work in
- Warm layers (winter), can buy traditional clothes
- Sleeping bag
- Portable battery, which you can charge on the solar charger in the yurt
- Mosquito spray and sunscreen