wrestling and waltzing

To break up our drive back east to Ulgii, we camped for a night at a ger camp. Time was spent with a Mongolian national past time - wrestling - as well as some dancing in the desert. A very cold evening to camp, but unforgettable!

The winners

 Our amazing driver

mountain hikes

In lieu of hiking the massive Tavan Bogd mountain due to weather, we hiked a nearby pass, which took all day and encompassed a plethora of weather seasons - sleet, rain, hail, sun - as well as terrain. Easily the most beautiful hike I've ever done.
The Altai Range with the White River - Tsaagan Gol.

Made it!

camp and the white river

We set up camp at the White River (Tsaagan Gol), near the national Tavan Bogd park entrance at the foot of the mountain range and only a few kilometers from the figurative “end of the world” – the actual point on earth farthest from any ocean.

Rainbows and soccer

the altai range

After a full day teaching, the next day was spent traveling further west to the Altai Mountain range, in a place where Russia, Mongolia, China and Kazakhstan come together.

The twins, again!

Pit stop, pee stop or a flat tire

Tea stop

Mid-desert meeting meet-up!

Stupa stop

Petroglyphs we stopped to see in Inner Mongolia span the time period from the early Neolithic (c. 8000 BC) to the later dynasties (nineteenth century).

Incredible.

Hello! A glacial cut valley

a week in the desert

Big skies. Vast plains. Epic mountains. There aren't enough adjectives to describe the milieu of Mongolia, a place where it feels like it is one of the last untouched frontiers, anywhere.

A look at some of the service work and cultural activities - from textile tutorials to camel milking.
Or here shoveling - another day on the job...

Hair washing, finally!