Nomads of the Altai

This is probably one of the most remote places I’ve ever been.

This photo was taken in western Mongolia in the Altai Mountains. Getting there was no easy task. I first took two flights to reach Mongolia’s capital, Ulaanbaatar, before catching one of the only two weekly flights out to Ölgii in western Mongolia. From there, I still had to drive several more hours into the mountains to reach these nomads.

I stayed with this nomadic family for two nights, and to me, the best way to get to know a culture is through full immersion. No guides, no other tourists, just living alongside people and observing their daily life.

During the few days I spent with them, I learned a lot about their lifestyle and way of living. These families spend the entire summer out on these vast plains. There are barely any trees, and very little grows in the mostly frozen ground. Their diet is almost entirely based on animal products from the animals they raise themselves, including yaks, sheep, goats, and horses. One of the most common drinks is kumis, fermented horse milk.

We had almost no way of communicating directly since they didn’t speak English and I didn’t speak Kazakh or Mongolian. But through observing and copying their routines, I slowly started to understand their way of life.

They live a rough life out here, fully exposed to the elements and with very few modern technologies. But what really stayed with me was how healthy and happy they seemed.

To be honest, during one of the days out there, I found myself feeling a little bored. But meanwhile, the children entertained themselves endlessly with simple things - flying kites, playing soccer, helping with daily chores. They laughed, ran around, and seemed completely content.

To me, it was a strong reminder that in a world where we constantly want more, sometimes less is actually better.