You may have heard about sheepherders or cattle herders. But there is another fascinating culture of animal herding… A reindeer herding culture….

Reindeer herders or the Tsaatan, also known as Dukha people, is a small minority tribe residing in the Taiga region in northernmost Mongolia. They, the Tsaatan people live in the far northern region of Mongolia which is closer to the border with Russia, and they have strong Shamanist beliefs. There are approximately 450 reindeer herders [known as Dukha people or Tsaatan people] who live in Mongolia.

Reindeer herding has been part of the Tsaatan way of life for thousands of years and continues to be a principal custom within their community. The word “Tsaatan” is a Mongolian word that means ‘’people who have reindeer’’ so you can see how intertwined the practice of reindeer herding and the Tsaatan people are.
The Tsaatan migrate with the seasons, moving between the same Summer, Autumn, Winter, and Spring camps every year. Their reindeer provide milk and a source of transport and a special relationship seems to exist between them. Indeed, they are practically members of the family and as such are rarely used for meat. Unlike traditional Mongolian nomads, the Tsaatan live in orts, or teepees, not gers. These are much easier to transport, the wooden poles and beds being left behind at each camp and just the canvas and basic furnishings being packed onto their reindeer.

The Tsaatan continue to live a very traditional life, with hints of modernity creeping in. Much of their food is sourced from the land – wild rhubarb, berries, fish. Fresh bread is baked every morning in a pot on the central stove, reindeer milk tea is boiled daily. Tsaatan children go to school every September, in (relatively) nearby Tsagaannuur village from the age of 6, and return home for the long summer break in late May. Tsaatan marries out with their community, and the number of families has increased greatly over the last decade, from 16 families in 2006 to nearly 60 today throughout East and West Taiga.

Visiting the Tsaatan Reindeer Herders:

A journey into the Taiga is an incredible experience in itself, but staying with a Tsaatan family, deep in the heart of it, is truly special. Living in remote camps, reachable only on horseback for the majority of the year, a trip to stay with northern Mongolia’s reindeer herders takes planning and preparation.

The nearest airport to get there is in the town of Murun. To get to Tsagaan Nuur village [which is a village where the Tsaatan community belongs], you will have a 12-hour journey with few places to stop along the way, so stock up on food and, if you’re doing the driving yourself, extra fuel. And before you set out, be sure to get the required permit to visit the Tsagaan Nuur. Once you reach your destination, be less of a tourist and more of a traveller. You’re going to be interacting directly within their community for the duration of your stay, and there is no five-star hotel. Keep all of that in mind, at the end of the day, as long as you’re well mannered and mindful of the local traditions and culture, you’ll have an incredible time visiting the Tsaatan reindeer herders.
If you want to visit the Tsaatan reindeer herders with the added benefit of logistics taken care of and a local guide, check out the amazing once-in-a-lifetime tours with Way To Nomads.