Hello, everyone.
This is Enta.
Enta Goes to Mongolia! Part 3.
Last time, we visited abandoned coal mines, megaliths, and the equestrian statue of Genghis Khan; this time, we’re finally heading deep into the heart of nature—into a world of wildlife, deserts, and nomads.
As usual, being me, I’m just looking at rocks and geology even while sightseeing lol
Depart at 6:00 a.m. to search for the wild horse, the Tahi, in Hostai National Park
That morning...6:00It's time to leave.
We headed there by car from UlaanbaatarAbout 2 hours"Hostai National Park," as it were.
Upon checking, I found that Hustai National Park is located west to southwest of Ulaanbaatar—Approximately 90–100 kmIt is located in that area and is said to be a sanctuary for the wild "Tahi" horses (Przewalski's horses).
The area isApproximately 50,000 hectares (500 km²)...It is said that about 50 species of mammals live there, and there is a small exhibit area like that inside as well.
The Tahi are a breed of wild horses that were once driven to the brink of extinction by human activity; apparently, about 200 of them are now protected here in the wild.
So, as for the all-important "tahi"...Way, way far awayI saw it lol
I took a quick peek through my binoculars lol.
Can you see it?? lol
There were also lots of marmots (tarbagans) around, and I saw plenty of them running about.
Personally, I found it fascinating to see an eagle waiting patiently in front of a marmot's burrow. It really gives you that "this is nature" feeling, doesn't it?
Mongolian Food and Salted Milk Tea "Sutei Tsai"
From Hostai, and then...About 3 hoursWe drive for a while, but we stop to eat at the rest areas located every hour along the toll road.
Mongolian food is relatively well-suited to Japanese tastes, which is great.
I especially liked “Sute Tsai.” It’s a milk tea made by adding milk from cows, sheep, camels, and other animals to tea, along with a pinch of salt.
That said, these places tend to fall into two categories: those with a bit of a quirky vibe and those that are simple but delicious lol
It looks like there’s a bit of oil floating on top, and the results seem to vary depending on where it’s made and who makes it. I actually really liked the taste, though ^^
To the "Mini Gobi Desert," the closest one to Ulaanbaatar
And so we headed to the Gobi Desert, which is the closest to Ulaanbaatar.
What I mean is... The Gobi Desert is actually...33Apparently, there is one lol
Upon looking into it, I found that there are said to be 33 different “Gobi” regions in Mongolia, and sand deserts account forApprox. 31 TP 3 TThat's all.
To begin with, the term “Gobi” originally referred to “land with short, sparse grass and an abundance of sand and small stones,” and for the most part, it is not fine, loose sand, but ratherGravel DesertThat's what I've heard.
Apparently, it takes about seven hours one way to get to the vast Gobi Desert, so it's impossible to do it in a single day.
So this time, I went to the place commonly known as “Mini Gobi” to get a mini taste of the Gobi vibe, lol.
(This "Mini Gobi" is apparently famous for a sand dune called Ersen Tasalhai.)
There's a pond here that makes it feel like an oasis, and nomads live in the surrounding area.
It was a place where you could do everything from riding camels to riding horses.
Camels areTwo-humped camelSo, since you sit between the bumps,Since it has a backrest,...The ride was very comfortable!
By the way, I heard that while you used to be allowed to ride horses starting at age 5, a change in the law has raised the minimum age to 8.
...But when I got on, a kid who was clearly under 8 years old was riding a paka-paka horse right in front of me lol
I guess this doesn't have anything to do with nomads, lol.
It’s just so vast—I’d always thought, “Hokkaido is amazing,” but all of a sudden..."Mongolia is awesome!"It switched to that lol
Gobi Camels—those white camels are trying so hard to look cool lol
The little camel is so cute, too!!
The gel was a natural insulator.
We'll be staying in a ger tonight.
Once I arrived at Gel, the first thing I did was have a cup of Su Te Tsai. That tea was delicious, too!
And this yogurt!? Or is it the residue??
Yogurt as hard as a rock—it’s so hard you’ll wonder, “Wait, is this a rock?”
And if you keep it in your mouth for about 10 minutes, it crumbles apart and tastes super sour!!
It looks like a preserved food made by pressing the residue from yogurt into a solid block...
I couldn't chew it lol
At first glance, the ger looks cold, but the walls of the ger areSheep's wool (felt)It's made of that.
So it's warm in the winter and cool in the summer. It's trulyNatural InsulationThat's right. I thought the recipe made good use of the ingredients and was well thought out.
For dinner, I had a bowl of lightly seasoned udon that had been simmered for a long time, with beef and lamb in it.
This is so delicious that I think a lot of people would fall in love with Mongolia just because of this dish lol
All around us, sheep and goats, as well as horses, camels, and cows, were roaming freely in staggering numbers.
Time passes at a leisurely pace.
We charge our electricity with solar power and use it only for lighting at night.
There was a luxury campground nearby (with showers, restrooms, and state-of-the-art facilities), but IAround 5,000 yen per nightIt was a gel.
I still get cell service, so even at times like this, I'm on social media lol
Even though the night was long, I ended up falling asleep right away before I could even take any photos of the stars lol
The granite I saw on my solo hike—why is there igneous rock in a place like this?
Since I had plenty of time, I spent it hiking up nearby mountains at random, all by myself.
The slope is gentle, so it's an easy climb, but since it takes 30 minutes one way, it's a good workout.
And that's when my "civil engineer" mode kicks in lol
Around here,Granite and Igneous RocksThat's right. There are some places where you find yourself thinking, "Why is there igneous rock here of all places?!"—it's really fascinating.
I was curious, so I looked into it, and according to research by the Nagoya University Museum, the region stretching from northern Mongolia to southern Siberia is,A vast igneous rock region stretching for several thousand kilometersIt seems there is an area (of rock formed from cooled magma) stretching out.
Granite is a type of igneous rock formed when magma slowly cools and solidifies deep underground."Deep-seated Igneous Rock"。
It appears that this is something that has emerged onto the Earth's surface over a long period of time (according to explanations provided by the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology and geological organizations).
No wonder there are boulders of granite scattered all over the place.
When you learn things like this, even a simple pebble suddenly seems interesting lol
Mongolia is amazing as a tourist destination, but it’s even more exciting when viewed from the perspective of a civil engineer or someone working on-site.
Wild horses, a gravel desert, a woolen ger, and the granite beneath my feet.
Rather than sightseeing, I find myself drawn to the geology, the way of life, and the rationality of nature.
With these thoughts in mind, my trip to Mongolia is finally coming to an end.
See you later.
Here's a video I put together quickly!
Enta's First Trip to Mongolia! Part 1 | I Stopped by Ulaanbaatar on My Way Back from Nepal
