Mongolia

Mongolia beckons you with a rare glimpse into an ancient culture and the last unspoiled wilderness in Asia. Discovering this land of nomadic horsemen and traditions dating back to the time of Chingis Khan is as much a journey back in time as an expedition of exploration.

Relatively unchanged for centuries, Mongolia has one of the last remaining horse-based, nomadic cultures in the world. Nomadic families are traditionally known for their warm hospitality offered to passing travelers in the form of food, shelter, and friendship. Hearty welcomes, warm smiles, and generousity are invariably offered by nomads in their traditional gers.

Woven through the nomadic culture is a rich Tibetan-Buddhist tradition, which has incorporated some elements of Mongolia's ancient Shamanist practices. Although many buddhist moasteries were destroyed and religious expression was severely curtailed during the Stalinist purges of the 1930's, Mongolia's spirituality persisted and a resurgence of Buddhism began in 1990 when Mongolia became a democracy. Priceless artifacts, which were hidden for safekeeping, are now being returned to monasteries by nomadic families. Today, Mongolia is home to some of the finest collections of Buddhist art and artifacts found in Asia.

Cultural expression, fueled by the Buddhist renaissance, is manifested in a variety of mediums, from sculpture, calligraphy, and painting to music, song, and dance. Ancient crafts have been handed down through generations of nomads including the construstion of gers, leather bootmaking, handcrafted silver work, and feltmaking. Reflected throughout both traditional and modern art and music is a sense of profound connection with the land and appreciation of the country's incredible natural beauty. An example of hauntingly beautiful artistry is the hoomi (throat) singing and the enchanting melodies of the traditional Mongolian "long" songs.

The countryside is unscarred by industialization or intensive agriculture and sustains some of the last remaining pristine ecosystems in Asia. In stark contrast to the congested Asian continent, only 2.4 million people reside in Mongolia. With an area approximately the size of Western Europe, Mongolia has one of the lowest population densities in the world. Mongolia has also set aside one tenth of its territory into a system of protected areas. This commitment provides habitat for plant and animal species that have all but disappeared from the rest of the continent. Additionally, the government has pledged to increase the system of protected areas to 30% of the country, resulting in the largest national park system in the world.

Millions of years ago, however, Mongolia provided habitat for a variety of dinosaur species. Today, a wealth of fossils can be found, almost perfectly preserved, in the arid climate and sandy soils of the Gobi Desert. Since Roy Chapman Andrews' discovery of the first nest of dinosaur eggs in 1923, paleontologists have uncovered many of the world's premier fossil sites in Mongolia. Groundbreaking new finds, such as the first discovery of a carnivorous dinosaur embryo, continue to make significant contributions to the field of paleontolgy.