TREKKING THROUGH THE MYSTICAL REALM OF THE THUNDER DRAGON: A TREK FOR BREAST CANCER FOUNDATION IN BHUTAN

The arrangements made were fantastic, the city and expedition guides were friendly and always listened to us and understood our needs throughout the whole journey. Mongolia had always been at the back of my mind. I was curious about their nomadic lifestyle, culture and heritage. Beyond Expeditions opened up the opportunity for me to experience all this.

The 13 days (we had a 33-hour flight delay due to adverse weather) flew by and there weren’t any dull periods. I’m not sure if it’s the same for the other groups but the 3 of us (an unlikely trio of solo travellers) shared countless laughs and inside jokes that we hold dear. Have an open mind and heart, and give yourselves the chance of a life-changing experience. And perhaps like me, you may realise we are capable of so much more than we give ourselves credit for.

The Gobi Desert was simply breathtaking. For every new location that we went to, I had to take a moment to absorb the sights and sounds of the immense scenery. There were wild livestock as far as the eye can see, much more so than people, and the nomadic families that we stayed with were affable. My favourite part of the expedition were the nights where we stood outside our yurts and just took in the view of the billions of visible stars around us. My only regret was that I did not decide to go for a longer expedition. 10/10 would go again.

It’s amazing how BE arranged the logistics, the traveling van to our convenience, and the drivers, chef and the Mongolians were really super friendly. The beautiful scenery, camels, goats, horses, and starry nights made me fall in love with Mongolia. Not forgetting the Mongolian yurt, which was so comfortable to stay and sleep in! I will definitely visit again next time.

Here’s what I got from this trip.

I got to experience life. I got to stretch my comfort level. I got to discover my own limits, to re-calibrate my boundaries. I got to reaffirm that having basic needs met is all that matters, and appreciating and making do with whatever I have. I got to marvel at the resiliency, tenacity, creativity, simplicity and humanity of humankind and all these... are priceless.

Scott and the team have made my virgin trip to Mongolia’s Gobi desert absolutely amazing. I thoroughly soaked in the vast picturesque desert landscapes, wild livestock, breathtaking night skies and loved interacting with the nomadic families and sleeping in their traditional yurts. I highly recommend you to book a trip with them, whether it’s a private tour or group expedition! You will not regret it a single bit. Was bittersweet to leave Mongolia and I’m already looking forward to join their North Mongolia trip.

I have never been to the real wilderness before - the closest was probably random road trips but it was nothing like Mongolia. The ambience and the experience are so raw! I’ve never understood what freedom is, until I watched how the nomads live. I felt like I’ve went on a self-discovery trip. I managed to experience new things that I may not get the chance to. I learned that the world is so beautiful and amazing in all ways, Mongolia I’ll definitely come back for you!!!

My sincere advice to anyone planning to take a trip to Mongolia is that you need to keep an open mind and forget about the plan and details. Live in the moment. Take in the rolling green steppes, vast blue skies, endless grasslands dotted with livestocks and ger. Play with the animals, play with the kids. Make the best of each situation. Observe and live like a Mongolian. Get over yourself and do things that you’ve never done before.

Personally, Mongolia encompasses many things: from hospitable locals who take pride in their traditions to experienced drivers with a witty sense of humour, from star-filled skies to the beautiful lakes and plains basking beneath them. It is a place that reminds you of what raw beauty truly looks and feels like - that sometimes, you don’t really need all the excess ‘baggage’ to truly experience happiness. It also reminds you that the world is so much bigger than you think and how important it is to stay curious and inquisitive. I am definitely returning home with more than I had arrived with… it has reinvigorated my interest and curiosity about the world.