Customs & Etiquette

Mongolia is a fascinating country with a deep and varied culture. The Mongols are often considered to be one of the founding ancient civilizations of the world and many of the traditions, customs and etiquette true at the time of Genghis Khan are still true today. As with any other civilizations, customs and beliefs are different then your own, it is important that as a visitor to Mongolia you abide or at least try to understand the local customs, traditions and beliefs so that you may better understand the country as a whole. This section contains a list of some of the traditions and beliefs of the Mongolian People. They are far too numerous to list all in here but its a start we will keep work on. Here we make some suggestions, but Mongolians are a tolerant and friendly people and they will not expect you to be familiar with all their customs.

• Mongolians are sensitive to outward appearances and a neat appearance is much appreciated. This can of course be problematic if you have travelled over huge distances and are feeling a little drained, but it is worth remembering
• As Mongolians were all originally nomads, hospitality is seen as extremely important and there are some points to remember in connection with this. The first concerns food and drink: When you are offered something to eat or drink, always accept. If in reality you are not keen on eating or drinking that particular thing, take a nibble or sip, then put it down. It is considered rude to refuse outright. Similarly try not to show any negative feelings too openly if what has been offered is not to your taste. This also applies to being offered a shot of vodka: a touch to the lips will suffice if you do not want to drink.
• Be careful when visiting people’s tents: Mongolians are keenly aware of their traditions, and there are many traditions concerning gers. Try to familiarize yourself with some of these traditions. The first of these is that it is considered unlucky to step on the door-step of the door-frame to the ger. The second is that guests should move to the left of the fireplace on entering the tent, and the host will indicate a suitable place to sit. If you have rented your own ger, then you are of course free to do as you wish.