A Cultural Guide for First-Time Visitors to Mongolia

Before Cyrillic, there was Mongol Bichig—a flowing, vertical script adapted from Old Uyghur. With elegant letterforms that change shape depending on their position, this script is a visual journey through history.

Though rarely used in daily life today, Mongol Bichig lives on in spiritual texts, art, and signage, especially in Inner Mongolia, China. For Mongolians, it’s more than writing—it’s an emblem of identity and cultural pride.

Mongolia’s traditional outfit, the deel, is as practical as it is poetic. Flowing below the knees, fastened with a wide sash, and often dyed in deep blues, burgundy, or olive, the deel is worn by herders and elders alike.

Crafted from cotton, silk, wool, or brocade, the deel adjusts to the seasons and the lifestyle. In cities, you’ll see it worn during festivals or holidays—each fold, stitch, and color telling a story of nomadic heritage.

Shamanism: Whispering with the Ancestors

Mongolia’s oldest spiritual path, shamanism, connects people to nature, ancestors, and the sacred Blue Sky. There are no temples or written doctrines—only rituals passed through generations.

Shamans, using drums, chants, and ceremonial tools, act as intermediaries between this world and the spirit realm. Many Mongolians still carry the legacy of this belief—sometimes quite literally, with a blue birthmark said to symbolize their connection to the heavens.

Buddhism: Inner Peace Across the Steppe

From the 16th century onward, Tibetan Buddhism deeply shaped Mongolian society. Monasteries, prayer wheels, and chanting monks became fixtures in both urban and rural life.

Spiritual leader Zanabazar, a 17th-century artist and philosopher, helped spread Buddhist teachings and aesthetics across the land. Today, Buddhist values of compassion and mindfulness are interwoven into daily life and public celebrations.

Nomadic cultures developed an array of instruments:

• Stringed: khuuchir, yatga, tovshuur
• Wind: limbe, tsuur, bishguur
• Percussion & ritual: khengereg, tsan, bumbur

These instruments accompany both spiritual rituals and festive gatherings—giving visitors a direct connection to Mongolia’s soul.

Danshig Naadam: Faith Meets Festivity

Held in early August just outside Ulaanbaatar, Danshig Naadam is where Mongolia’s Buddhist traditions blend with sporting prowess. Originally a religious festival, it now includes:

• Sacred ceremonies led by monks
• Wrestling, horse racing, and archery with symbolic meaning
• Public blessings and philosophical debates

Unlike the national Naadam, Danshig offers a deeper look into the harmony between Mongolia’s spiritual and physical worlds.

Mongolian traditional food is hearty, nourishing, and made for energy on the move during the harsh weather.

9 Traditional Mongolian dishes you can try only in Mongolia:

• Khorkhog: Mongolian barbecue usually made with mutton, cooked in a pot containing burning rocks heated in an open fire. This is best enjoyed inside a Ger and served communally.
• Boodog: Mongolian barbeque made with young goat or marmot, stuffed with heated rocks and a variety of vegetables and spices. It is then cooked from the outside with a blowtorch. This is best enjoyed out on the steppe and served communally.
• Sheep or Goat Head: first blow-torched, then boiled 2-3 hours after seasoning until it is soft and tender. It is served with various vegetables and is considered as delicacy.
• Buuz and Bansh: steamed, meat-filled dumplings.
• Khuushuur: meat-filled, deep fried pastry. It is must to eat during Naadam Festival.
• Dairy: airag (mare’s fermented milk) produced in June and consumed throughout the summer months; yoghurt, cottage, cheese and dried curds are valuable local resources for human health.
• Milk tea: traditionally offered to the spirits of sky and ancestors, and then to the rest of the family.