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Participant, CLF 2022-2023 Director, CLF 2023-2025 Harvard College Class of 2029
June 19, 2025
June 7, 2025
Explore remote regions of Mongolia on this off the map adventure. Give back to local communities through service and be immersed in Mongolian culture.
Journey from the central Mongolian lowlands to the rugged mountains of the country’s wild west. Leave modern devices at home as you explore untamed regions and trek through the countryside. Glimpse an ancient way of life traveling from ger to ger across Mongolia’s arid steppe without the luxuries of electricity, running water, or paved roads. From Kazakh eagle hunting to Tuva throat singing, the nomadic herders of Mongolia maintain traditions that date back to before the empire of Chinggis Khaan. In remote western Mongolia, help a local NGO that offers herding families nutritional guidance, educational opportunities, and improved infrastructure. This is a challenging experience—an adventurous spirit, positive attitude, and keen sense of exploration are required.
Students love learning about the way of life for tribal Mongolians!
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Arrive at Los Angeles Airport (LAX) where you’ll meet your Rustic Pathways Flight Leader, who will help get you checked in and through security before traveling with your group to Mongolia. Get acquainted with fellow Rustic travelers before boarding your flight.
This day is lost as you cross the International Date Line. But don’t worry – you’ll get it back when returning home!
Arrive in Ulaanbaatar early this afternoon. Join the group for an orientation discussion about the week ahead, expectations for your adventure, and an introduction to the local culture.
The next 2 nights will be spent in a guesthouse in Ulaanbaatar. Students will stay in shared rooms of 4 – 6 students per room, separated by gender. Students will have access to showers and flush toilets.
Today, get to know Mongolia’s capital city, Ulaanbaatar, which is home to more than half of the country’s population. Visit the National History Museum of Mongolia, where you’ll learn all about the fascinating history of Chinggis Khaan, his daughters and grandsons who built the world’s largest contiguous empire in history and whose influence on the world’s culture and history is largely underemphasized in Western textbooks. A special highlight is the hall of traditional costumes, which shows the cultural dress of Mongolia’s various ethnic subgroups.
Wake up early for a short drive to Terelj National Park, the most well-known park in central Mongolia, famous for its unique rock formations and stunning views. Stop at the imposing statue of Chinggis Khaan astride the largest horse sculpture in the world. Finish your drive to our host family in the park, near the postcard-friendly Turtle Rock, and settle into this luscious valley for the evening.
For the next 3 nights in Terelj, you will sleep in gers, or traditional Mongolian tents. There will be one female student ger and one male student ger. Inside the gers, there will be cots, but students will need to bring their own sleeping bags. Students will not have access to electricity, wifi, or showers and will use pit toilets.
Take a morning hike to a mountainside monastery nearby. You’ll quickly get used to your life in gers, as they’ll be our main form of accommodation throughout the trip. From there you have an unobstructed view of Turtle Rock valley. In the afternoon, we’ll spend quality time with our host family and learn about the countryside and the lives of nomads.
This morning, embark on a river rafting adventure. This relaxed rafting trip winds through the park’s areas that are inaccessible on foot. Spend time after dinner chatting with your host family and learning to play traditional games like ankle bone games and archery.
Take a short drive back to Ulaanbaatar for a hot shower and relaxing lunch. The rest of today will be spent preparing for your trip out to the wilds of Mongolia, starting tomorrow. Enjoy a last Western meal before diving into the local culture of our host village, Sogoog.
This night will be spent in a guesthouse in Ulaanbaatar. Students will stay in shared rooms of 4 – 6 students per room, separated by gender. Students will have access to showers and flush toilets.
Take a short internal flight to Ulgii, the capital of Mongolia’s northwestern province Bayan-Ulgii. Considered by many to be Mongolia’s “Wild West,” this is the historic home of Mongolia’s Kazakh ethnic minority, and has a landscape as stark as it is beautiful. Meet our service partners and important members of the small village of Sogoog. Orient yourself to your service project for the upcoming days, but most importantly, come to understand the peerless formal hospitality of Kazakh culture. Join your group for a mid-trip discussion where you will begin to reflect on what you’ve experienced and learned so far.
You will spend the next 5 nights in Ulgii sleeping in traditional gers. There will be one female student ger and one male student ger. Inside the gers, there will be cots, but students will need to bring their own sleeping bags. Students will not have access to electricity, wifi, or showers and will use pit toilets.
Engage with a locally run NGO to carry out service projects designed in consultation with herding families, village elders and small towns in the region. Though projects may vary based on current needs, you will likely help organize a summer camp for children of local nomadic families, for them to practice their English, improve summer knowledge retention, and possibly teach them about dental hygiene, a rarity in nomadic cultures until our partner NGO began an education program. You may also help provide nourishing vegetables by volunteering in the local town’s “Green Project” gardens, an effort to provide a more balanced diet to the typical meat-and-dairy heavy diet of the nomads. In the afternoons and evenings, you will be able to fully immerse in the local culture! Ride camels and hold a Golden Eagle from the world’s last remaining Eagle Hunters. Learn how to sew traditional Kazakh handicrafts, and partake in nomadic dances to the tune of the dombor, a traditional Kazakh instrument. Play fun competitive games with our hosts and feel truly welcomed by this generous community.
Say goodbye to your host village as we drive to the entrance to the Altai Tavan Bogd mountain range – Mongolia’s highest peaks, in one of the most remote areas on the planet. Along the drive, visit the famous petroglyphs – rock drawings from the Bronze Age that evoke a sense of wonder and timelessness. Basing ourselves at the park’s entrance, take day hikes through the area that is famed for its stunningly green alpine lakes, a backdrop of snow-capped mountains, and the area’s milky river, called the Tsaagan Gol, or “White River”. We’ll be camping at the figurative “end of the world” – the actual point on earth farthest from any ocean. Along our hikes, expect to be faced with some of the most stunning views you may ever see as the mountains’ massive grey glacier melts into bright blue lakes which trickle into a mineral-rich river which feeds into fertile green valleys below.
The next 5 nights will be spent camping in Tavan Bogd Park. Students will be sleeping in tents while camping. Two to three students of the same gender will share a tent. Students will not have access to electricity, wifi, or showers and will use pit toilets.
Reconvene in Sogoog to attend a closing ceremony hosted by your village hosts. Join your group for a post-service debrief in the evening, discussing what you experienced and learned through hands-on work in the community. Say goodbye to the friends you’ll undoubtedly have made here, and enjoy a celebratory final meal with our service partners.
Tonight you will be sleeping in a traditional ger in Sogoog. There will be one female student ger and one male student ger. Inside the gers, there will be cots, but students will need to bring their own sleeping bags. Students will not have access to electricity, wifi, or showers and will use pit toilets.
In the morning, make the two-hour return drive to Ulgii and hop back on the plane to Ulaanbaatar. The hustle and bustle of the city may surprise you after your time in the remote west, so relax, reflect, and enjoy the luxuries that city life affords like electricity, hot showers, and flushing toilets.
The last 2 nights of time in Mongolia will be spent in a guesthouse in Ulaanbaatar. Students will stay in shared rooms of 4 – 6 students per room, separated by gender. Students will have access to showers and flush toilets.
Today is your last full day in Mongolia! Today is your day to visit Ulaanbaatar’s best souvenir shops to take care of your friends and family back home. Mongolia’s most famous export is cashmere, loomed from the wool of the copious amount of goats found in the region. Find a nice scarf for mom or gloves for dad or just enjoy learning the process that brings cashmere from the goat to the coat. In the evening, visit a rousing cultural show that features traditional dances and the one-of-a-kind khoomi throat-singing. Enjoy a sumptuous final dinner, and take part in a ceremonial closing activity that will change the way you look at yourself, your journey, and your newfound friends.
Your Program Leaders will take you to the airport for your flight home or to your next Rustic program as you say goodbyes and reflect on your adventure.
If you’re staying in Asia, your Program Leaders will take you to your next accommodation to meet your new group. If you’re continuing on to another Rustic Pathways destination, you’ll board a connecting flight to that country.
Packing the right gear (and the right amounts) is the first step to an incredible travel experience. Follow these tips to pack like a pro:
Travel light. Pack only the essentials. You’ll need less than you think! Consider no checked bag. We strongly recommend that you consider packing only a carry-on size bag. This prevents your luggage getting lost or separated from you, keeps your bag manageable, and helps you be more mobile on your travel day. Bring the right clothes. Pack clothes that are culturally appropriate for your destination and acceptable for service projects. This means bringing long shorts (think Bermuda and basketball shorts), t-shirts with sleeves to cover shoulders, and appropriate footwear. Leave your valuables behind. While traveling, it’s easier for things to get lost, stolen, or damaged. Keep any prized possessions safe at home. Check with TSA. Make sure your luggage complies with TSA regulations, especially your carry-on. Useful tip: Pack an empty water bottle and fill it up after security. Extra paperwork? If you need additional forms filled out to get credit for your service hours, no problem! Bring these forms with you so they can be completed in-country.
A school backpack is ideal as it will be used for daily activities and outings.
A 40-50 liter duffel bag or backpack is ideal.
Clothes
Toiletries
(Travel size bottles in Ziploc bags)
Miscellaneous
Optional
Guesthouse: In Ulaanbaatar, we will be will be staying in guesthouses with showers and flush toilets. Girls and boys will stay in separate rooms and there will be 4 – 6 students per room.
Traditional Gers: While in Terelj National Park and Sogoog, students will be sleeping in traditional gers. There will be one female student ger and one male student ger. Inside the gers, there will be cots, but students will need to bring their own sleeping bags. Students will not have access to electricity, wifi, or showers and will use pit toilets.
Camping: While we are in Tavan Bogd National Park, students will be sleeping in tents. Two to three students of the same gender will share a tent. Students will not have access to electricity, wifi, or showers and will use pit toilets.
Rustic Pathways works with local community leaders and organizations to identify and prioritize the needs of each community. Please note that while we try our best to ensure we provide our advertised projects, some changes may occur due to the communities and project partners we work with.
Infrastructure Service: Typically students will be involved in an infrastructure development project as well as interaction with students at the local primary school.
This program involves adventure activities and sports that require students to be physically active.
Each location has its own resident cook. Students will eat Mongolian food throughout the program, including traditional nomadic fare – meat (goat/sheep), dairy (salted milk tea), rice, and hearty vegetables. Breakfasts typically include oatmeal, toast, and hard boiled eggs. When we visit local families in their gers, their hosts will offer milk tea, cheese, and bread products. For lunch and dinner, the meals revolve around meat and wheat. Most often, we have noodles and/or meat dishes.
Dietary Requirements/Food Allergies – This program can accommodate vegetarians, but due to the local cuisine, a vegan diet can be more difficult to ensure the student is getting a balanced diet. If you would like to speak with one on of our Global Program Advisors about your particular dietary needs, please give us a call using the number below!
Water from the tap is safe to use for brushing teeth etc, but, students will be provided as much bottled water as they can drink. Don’t forget to bring along your own reusable water bottle, so we can minimize our plastic usage.
Mongolia is known as “the land of blue skies” and sees more than 260 sunny days a year, but Mongolian weather ranges and you have to be prepared for all of it. The weather in Ulaanbaatar will be in the mid-70s. When we are out West, it’s surprisingly possible to even encounter snow in July. Make sure to pack sunscreen, a winter jacket, gloves, and a warm hat.
Flights: Rustic Pathways’ escorted group flights will depart from Los Angeles, CA. The flight path for this trip is Los Angeles (LAX) to Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia (ULN). The advertised dates for this program include travel time from the USA.
Visa: Students traveling to Mongolia on United States passports will obtain a visa on arrival when they land in Mongolia. Students traveling with Rustic Pathways on passports not issued by the United States are responsible for determining their own visa requirements. Please check with the appropriate consulate or embassy.
Internal Travel: This program will have one roundtrip flight from Ulaanbaatar to Olgii. This is included in the program price. Students will travel via private bus or private vans throughout the program as they travel around Mongolia.
Students are allowed to bring phones on their Rustic Pathways program, but must abide by our cell phone policy. Students will not be allowed to use their phones during group activities, nor at any other time where it is disruptive to the group dynamic. If students are unable to abide by this policy, disciplinary action may be taken and phones may be confiscated until the end of the program. We want to encourage students to disconnect in order to fully immerse themselves in the experience and get the most out of their program. That being said, students will have access to wifi twice during this itinerary while in the larger cities. Parents will have access to our 24/7 emergency number and will also receive updates from our staff once your student is in country.
Personal gifts, internet, phone calls, and snacks are not included. All other costs (accommodation, meals, in-country transportation, and activities) are included in the program price.
We recommend $150 per week to cover souvenirs and incidentals. We highly encourage students to change money to local currency prior to their departure date. Any money that needs to be changed back is best done in the airport on the return home.
This is a fast-paced program and we will not have time to do laundry.
In general, Mongolians dress modestly and as polite visitors we will dress accordingly. While Ulaanbaatar can be a little more relaxed, it is important that we show respect at all times, particularly in Sogoog village. The requirements are fairly straightforward and the same for any gender:
Shorts: Rule of thumb is that the bottom of the shorts should be hit mid-thigh.
Leggings or yoga pants: Only if paired with shorts over top as they are too form-fitting.
Loose-fitting pants: Acceptable and preferred.
Tops: Shoulders must be covered – No tank tops or spaghetti straps.
If you arrive and your clothing is deemed unacceptable by your program leaders, you’ll have to purchase appropriate clothing before service work begins in the village.
Ensuring the safety of your teen as they travel with Rustic Pathways is a top priority. Please review our Health and Safety measures.
Our Travel Protection Plan helps protect our participants, their belongings, and their travel investment in those unforeseen circumstances that may arise during travel. Learn more about the plan offered through our partner.