bike & ski mongolia

© 2024 Tofisch & Partner 3 month alone 3000km going through Mongolia, and the two highest mountains by ski – Tavan Bogd Uul (4374m) and Tsast Uul (4193m)The first impression I had from the county of Chinggis Khan was very rude, so as the climate, the landscape and the story of this unknown land for me. Tilmann Waldthaler accompanied me on this trip for two weeks because of film- and photo work. Mongolia is situated between Russia and China and is an independent state. Since about few time ago individual tourists are allowed to travel around the country more liberal. It may sound good, but travelling in Mongolia is very difficult. In a country which is five times as big as Germany they just have 475km of asphalted roads, the rest are tracks. Nine months of the year are winter and the average temperature of the whole year is by –2,5°C. Further more they have a very sparse settlement: 1,5 inhabitants/km. The never ending, varied, colorful landscape with its smooth lines is the good side of Mongolia. Also the 240 days of sunshine (a year), the blue sky and the interesting, astoundingly attitude of life of the Mongolian nomads, recompense for every single strain.

© 2024 Tofisch & Partner My intention of the journey was to traverse Mongolia (from East to the West) and to ascend the two highest mountains with the ski, and I aggrieved my aim. Here in Europe I got very less informations about Mongolia, not to talk about road conditions and ascents. I had to rely on my intuition and my experiences on the spot to get on. Prompt I learned to improvise and to act spontaneously because in Mongolia everything goes differently as you think. I tried to prepare myself for some hard days. Temperatures where between -30°C and +20°C  within few hours, and it was no day where there didn't blow the icy wind. Also the water was often frozen in my bike bottle. The Mongolian nomads, who live scattered all around in the steppe were the only ones I met in two months. Alone on my way I was very happy and sometimes also forced to get in contact with the inhabitants who gave me new important informations. They invited me into the ?Ger.? (Tent) to be theirs guest and offered me salted milk tea, hard goats milk cheese and sheep milk cheese. My only way to communicate were some Mongolian words and otherwise I used hands and feet to make me understood.

© 2024 Tofisch & Partner Nearly every time they cooked for me. Eating is a very easy subject in Mongolia, because they subsist mainly on meat. ? mostly mutton without any side ? dishes. They don't have any vegetables or fruits. The vegetation periods is even to short to ripen potatoes. They get the vitamins and nutrition values from Kumys, a drink made of fermented mares milk. Of course a guest has to drink it out of the biggest cup. Kumys aid the digestion and its quite funny when one after the other has to go out and to gaze after the horses. Unique is the hospitality of Mongolian people. A tradition that dates back to Chinggis Khan. A Mongolian helped me to acquire the necessary documents and papers to enter the area of the Tavan Bogd Uul. Horseman brought me back onto the right way when I lost my bearings. Habitants of the city Ulan Bator supplied me with foods, the ticket and very important informations essential service to survive in this country. Each ordinary doing in our country gets in Mongolia to an adventure.