Caressed by the wind, the sand dunes begin to sing. The rustling becomes a whistle, then music that vibrates in harmony with the breath. A spell that enchants those who venture there Gobi DesertIn Mongolia, where space expands and the concept of “nothingness” takes on unknown meanings.
Force everyone to review their self-concept. And as often happens when we find ourselves in contact with the purity of nature, everything changes. Making us feel as small as grains of sand and, at the same time, part of a huge, deeply interconnected community.
Nights in a yurt in the Gobi Desert in Mongolia
A sensation amplified by the silence of the night, a privilege of those who choose to leave their habits to abandon themselves to the sublime immensity of Mongolian spaces.
Getting away from the capital Ulaanbaatar, human presence becomes rarer and hotel rooms become a mirage. Even today, half of the Mongolian population is nomadic and moves with the seasons, taking with them all their possessions, including their homes. This is why tents are the national symbol, they even appear on the passport stamp.
“Sleeping in a yurt is an integral part of an experience in Mongolia, a journey of pure discovery that forces those who undertake it to put themselves to the test, adapting to the local way of life,” he says. Laura Fantechiexpert traveler and planner Explorer Tour by Gattinoni Travel. “We give up certain comforts in exchange for authentic and deep contact with poignant beauty.”
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Legendary festivals
Even the sky here has a different color. A fine powder makes the blue unique against which the eagles stand out majestically. Marco Polo already spoke of Kublai Khan's large birds of prey, used for hunting. Today they meet in the province of Bayan-Ölgii, where the Feast of the Eagles and meet local champions, masters in the art of capturing and training these magnificent birds.
A skill that rivals that of the knights, protagonists of another legendary gathering, the Naadam. It embodies the story of a population of expert riders, accustomed to riding horses since childhood.
“But the winner is always the horse, never the man. A sign of veneration for animals typical of all nomadic peoples,” underlines Fantechi.
Gattinoni organizes visits for small groups in connection with this event, which has been repeated for centuries at the beginning of each summer, while the rest of the year it offers tailor-made itineraries, calibrated to the desire of discovery of those who choose venture into a land of ancestral charm.
Waterfalls and fiery cliffs: the stages of the journey
Among the essential stops, the valley ofOrkhon, a UNESCO heritage site, the seat for centuries of steppe imperial power, with important archaeological evidence and magnificent views. Like the waterfalls of Ulaan Tsutgalanwhich fall into a basin of basalt rock from a height of twenty meters.
The granite walls are also spectacular Baga Gazriin Chuluudug by atmospheric agents to form a veritable labyrinth.
And then Bayanzag, the canyon of flaming cliffs, which turns red at sunset, and the dunes of Elsen Tasarkhai, small sandy desert which changes position from year to year according to the whims of the wind.
A context so unusual that it arouses something profound. But also an invitation to open your eyes, your mind and your heart. Take into account a return different from that of departure, leave habits and prejudices behind to embrace a different vision of the world. What is the difference between a simple tourist and a real traveler.
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Information: kittinonitravel.it
Watch the interview with Alberto Albéri, Travel Experience Manager of Tourism
