Embark on a transformative journey to Mongolia, where rich traditions of storytelling and spirituality illuminate our shared human experience and connection to the natural world. Immerse yourself in the wellspring of indigenous wisdom and discover the interconnectedness of self, nature and humanity. This will be part retreat, part expedition, with a focus on cultural exchange and embodied practice. We’ll spend time in the capital—where traditional spirituality and creative expression intersects with contemporary life, and in the countryside—both on retreat and with a remote reindeer herding community of the Siberian Taiga. With intention and reverence, we’ll explore Mongolia’s landscapes along with our own inner geographies.
Highlights
- Pre-journey virtual group session
- Post-journey virtual group integration session
- Time at Gandan Monastery, a major monastery of Vajrayana Buddhism
- Teachings with Buddhist Llama in Ulaanbaatar
- Meet with Mend-Ooyo, celebrated Poet Laureate of Mongolia
- Private performances by traditional and contemporary musicians
- Travel to northernmost province and Shamanic epicenter
- Wilderness immersion in the Taiga (Siberian Forest)
- Horseback caravan to a remote reindeer herding community
- Full moon healing ceremony with gifted local Shaman
- Daily embodiment activities, including breathwork, Qi Gong, somatic and ancestral healing, cold plunging and earth-based ceremonies
- Opportunities to meet with local herbalist and receive custom naturopathic remedies
- Optional body-work sessions by Esalen massage therapist and teacher
Start: Ulaanbaatar
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia's modern heart
Gather in the vibrant capital of Ulaanbaatar, allowing the spirit of Mongolia to awaken within you. After checking into our hotel in the center of the city, enjoy a traditional dinner, followed by an opening circle to set intentions for the journey ahead.
Visit a Buddhist Center in the morning for meditation and a dharma talk with a senior lama, followed by time at Gandan Monastery—a jewel of Vajrayana Buddhism (Tibetan lineage). In the afternoon, expand your cultural context with a traditional performance, which reflects the deep relationship between Mongolian creative expression and the natural world. For dinner, meet with local activists at the forefront of Mongolian social justice movements.
Meet with esteemed poet, Mend-Ooyo, at a ger on the outskirts of the city, who will share narratives that explore Mongolia’s changing cultural and natural landscapes. In 2015, he received the Order of Chinggis Khaan, the highest honor in Mongolia for his contribution to poetry, and is an important voice in the conservation movement. Mend-Ooyo’s writing expresses the richness of the Mongolian language and nomadic worldview through gentle melodies, mystical themes and exquisite imagery.
In the evening, meet with musicians for a private musical journey that weaves together traditional and contemporary soundscapes.
Exploring the Darkhad Valley
The Darkhad Valley, also known as the Darkhad Depression, is an enchanting mountainous region nestled in the far north of Mongolia — bordering Siberia — steeped in tradition, with powerful shamans practicing rituals against a backdrop of breathtaking beauty. This remote valley is a tapestry of rolling hills, lush forests, and crystal-clear waters. It is also the ancestral home of the indigenous and nomadic Tsaatan reindeer herding community, among whom we'll be immersed.
Fly to Murun, the capital of Khuvsgul Aimag, where lakes and forests lead to endless wilderness. Meet our local guides and drive to a ger camp near Ulaan-Uul—a small settlement in the Darhad Valley. We will spend the afternoon visiting a local healer and herbalist. In the evening, enjoy a traditional Mongolian feast with a local family.
Continue deeper into the Darkhad Valley, the gateway to the forests of Siberia. Have lunch with a nomadic Darkhad family in Soyo Bogd—a nomadic community. Continue onward to the village of Tsagaanuur, where we will meet our horse guides and report to the border office before getting an early night’s rest.
Taiga Immersion
Set out on a horseback ride into the mountainous Taiga Forest. Our team will consist of forty horses, ten guides, three cooks, a gifted, local Shaman and his ceremony team. In the afternoon, we’ll set up camp, eat a delicious dinner and participate in activities to connect deeper to the land.
We’ll continue our horse trek until we reach the Tsataan community—guardians of the reindeer herding tradition in Mongolia. After dinner, we will settle into teepees and have a night at leisure to settle in and rest.
Spend the morning with our Tsataan hosts, engaging in traditional activities like herding reindeer on horseback, gathering wood, and learning traditional, local recipes. Spend the afternoon on a solo retreat, reflecting and journaling in preparation for the evening. After dinner, participate in a powerful Shamanic healing ceremony under the full moon.
During the day, there will be a guided horse trek to a nearby waterfall. In the evening, we will have a full program of festivities, including traditional games and a song circle around the fire.
Back to the Darkhad Valley
Today, we’ll ride horses for half the day to return to Tsagaanuur, upon which we’ll drive to a ger camp in the Darkhad Valley. Spend the evening resting after our time in the Taiga.
Exploring Khuvsgul Lake
As the second-largest freshwater lake in Asia, Khuvsgul offers an opportunity to explore one of Mongolia's natural wonders. Surrounded by snow-capped mountains, lush forests, and rolling meadows, the lake provides a stunning and picturesque setting to unwind and further integrate our experience among the Tsaatan.
Drive over a spectacular mountain pass to Khuvsgul Lake, known as the Blue Pearl of Mongolia. After settling into Double Lake Camp along the lake's shore, we will spend the afternoon integrating our journey and harvesting inspiration. Activities will include lake cold plunging and transformative breathwork. In the evening, our group will share around the fire to commemorate our final night in the countryside.
Exploring Ulaanbaatar
Drive to Murun and catch our flight to Ulaanbaatar. In the evening, we’ll gather for one last meal together as a group before saying our goodbyes to each other and the land.
Morning transport to the airport. For those who aren't rushed to return home, we highly recommend staying an extra day to participate in a group excursion to Narantuul Market (Ulaanbaatar’s famous Black Market), along with a visit to a cultural heritage museum and a night out in the capital.
End: Ulaanbaatar
What's included
All overnight lodging
All ground transport
All programming, including immersions with nomadic communities and Tsataan tribe, horse trekking and performances in Ulaanbaatar
Domestic flights
All meals
Ceremonies, facilitations and retreat programming from renowned, local artists and spiritual teachers
Local guides and translators
5% in-country donation to local cultural and environmental initiatives as part of regenerative travel program
What's excluded
International flights to and from Ulaanbaatar
Alcohol
Esalen® Body-work sessions
Extra day in capital
*The maximum group size will be no more than 10 participants.
Operated by Brandt Miller
Brandt Miller
Trip Leader
Brandt’s relationship with Mongolia started in 2006 during his junior year abroad, igniting a connection that has shaped his life. In 2008, Brandt returned on a Fulbright Fellowship documenting the nascent LGBTQIA+ movement. He returned in 2011, working on a National Geographic documentary series about wolves. In 2019, Brandt directed his own short documentary in Ulaanbaatar, which premiered in 2022. During his more recent visits, he has explored Mongolian shamanism, which like traditional storytelling, is inextricably intertwined with the natural world.
Brandt brings a wealth of experience in the realms of storytelling and transformation—ranging from journalism in Cambodia, to storytelling in tech and nonprofit, to producing for National Geographic, Discovery and Smithsonian. With an MFA in Creative Writing, graduate studies in theology, and training in Somatic Experiencing®, Breathwork and Collective and Ancestral Trauma Integration—he blends a narrative sensibility with his work as a coach and facilitator.
Azjargal Amarsanaa
Khuvsgul Guide
Azjargal Amarsanaa (Azaa) is a guide, teacher, and mother of two boys. She is originally from Murun, the province center of Khuvsgul Aimag in Mongolia. After studying in Ulaanbaatar, teaching English all over Mongolia, and living in the US on a Fulbright, she has returned to Khuvsgul out of love for its natural beauty and cultural richness.
Azaa began sharing her passion for her homeland with others in 2015 and realized this was her calling. She has guided countless individuals and groups around Khuvsgul and other parts of Mongolia. Her favorite part about being a guide is serving as a bridge between cultures and helping others find a sense of peace in the presence of nature.
The Taiga region, among the Tsataan community, is where Azaa feels most alive. She loves showing others this very special and remote corner of Mongolia.
Mac Murphy
Embodiment Facilitator
Mac Murphy is a certified massage therapist, bodyworker, and practitioner of human transformation. Raised among the redwoods of Mill Valley and the wild coastline of Big Sur, he carries the lineage of Esalen Institute, where he was immersed in somatic healing from an early age. His journey began in 2005 with training in Esalen Massage, Soul Motion®, the Feldenkrais Method®, and Tai Chi, later expanding into martial arts, shamanism, Gestalt process, and Chinese Medicine. In 2017, Mac deepened his studies at Five Immortals Temple in China, refining his practice in Qi Gong, Kung Fu, and Daoist healing arts.
His work integrates Esalen Massage, elemental embodiment, and movement-based healing to help clients reconnect with their bodies and the natural world. Drawing from Qi Gong, primal movement, and earth-based ritual, Mac creates a space for deep relaxation, release, and transformation. His mission is to guide others toward greater presence, vitality, and a renewed relationship with the elements.