Accommodation & culture
Staying in a Ger: Tourist Camps vs Herder Families
Short answer
Almost every Mongolia trip involves sleeping in gers (felt tents, often called yurts). Tourist ger camps offer beds, a restaurant and a shared or ensuite bathroom block; herder-family stays are more authentic and much more basic — often no shower and a pit toilet. Most travelers mix both: camps for comfort, one or two family nights for connection.
Key facts
- Tourist camp
- 2–4 beds per ger, stove, electricity (often limited), restaurant, bathroom block
- Herder family
- Shared family space or guest ger, simple food, pit toilet, rarely a shower
- Heating
- Wood or dung stove — warm in the evening, cold by early morning
- Payment
- Usually cash in the countryside
A ger (Mongolian: гэр; “yurt” in Russian/Turkic-derived English) is a round felt tent on a wooden lattice frame, still home to many Mongolian families. For travelers there are two very different ways to stay in one.
Tourist ger camps
Purpose-built camps of 10–50 guest gers with a restaurant ger and a bathroom block. Expect:
- 2–4 single beds, a stove, a small table, often a power socket or light.
- Shared toilets and showers; hot water may run only at certain hours.
- Set meals in the restaurant (simple; vegetarian options vary).
- Location chosen for the view or sight — near dunes, lakes, hot springs.
Standards vary enormously, and a camp that was good three years ago may not be today. This is where local knowledge helps.
Herder-family stays
Staying with a nomadic family in their own ger or a guest ger next to it. You share meals (milk tea, dairy, mutton, noodles), may help with milking or herding, and see daily life at close quarters. Facilities are basic: a pit toilet or the open steppe, no shower, little privacy.
Done well, with a guide to interpret and fair payment, it can be the most memorable night of a trip. Done badly — a rushed photo stop — it’s uncomfortable for everyone.
Ger etiquette (the essentials)
- Don’t step on the threshold.
- Move clockwise inside; the back (north) is the place of honour.
- Accept offered food or tea with your right hand (or both); at least taste it.
- Don’t lean on the central pillars or point your feet at the stove/altar.
- Ask before taking photos.
More on the practical side of camps: ger camps explained.
Questions travelers ask
Do ger camps have showers and toilets?
Most tourist ger camps have a shared block with flush toilets and hot showers, sometimes with limited hot-water hours. Some have ensuite gers. Basic camps and herder families may have only a pit toilet and no shower. Ask about each night specifically.
Is it cold in a ger at night?
The stove makes a ger very warm in the evening, but it burns out overnight and the temperature drops. Staff often relight it early in the morning at camps. Bring warm sleepwear even in summer.
Are ger stays suitable for families and older travelers?
Yes, with the right camps. Choose camps with good bathrooms and beds, and limit the very basic nights. Low ger doors are the classic head-bump — mind your head.
Mongolia Relay
Planning a Mongolia trip?
Tell us what you have in mind — dates, who is traveling, what matters to you. A real person reads every message and replies within 48 hours. No obligation, and if you don’t need our help we’ll tell you.