Wow: 28 Breathtaking Photos of Mongolia’s Reindeer Tribe

By Jarryd Salem and Alesha Bradford / NOMADasaurus

In an isolated corner of northern Mongolia, straddling the border of Russian Siberia, a small but remarkable community makes it home on the sprawling tundra. The Dukha people, who number around 500, live a remote nomadic life, migrating from place to place in search of valuable resources. They are notably different from other nomadic tribes because of the livestock they keep: not yaks, camels, goats or horses, but reindeer. Also known as the Tsaatan people, these reindeer herders have been attracting international attention over the past few years for their unique and unchanged way of life.

On our recent trip to Mongolia, we traveled north from the town of Moron by van to meet up with a nomadic family. We rented their horses and took a two-day trek to reach the distant taiga, camping along the way. Once we arrived we stayed with Magsar, Amgaa, and their family of three. We spent three nights learning about their culture, helping with daily chores, herding the reindeer, and simply experiencing how life goes on in the taiga. While not everything went smoothly, it was by far the most rewarding and memorable time of our travels. This is our photo journey to the Tsaatan reindeer herders.