Breeds of Arkhangai
The green Khangai uplands of central Mongolia, where herding families keep yaks, cattle and their hybrids alongside horses, sheep and goats.
Breeds of this place
Best time: June to August, when the herds are on summer grass.
Arkhangai is a province of forested mountains, wide river valleys and volcanic lakes on the northern slopes of the Khangai range. It has more yaks than almost any other part of Mongolia. Herding families move their gers between seasonal camps, keeping the five traditional kinds of livestock: horses, cattle and yaks, camels, sheep and goats.
Yaks and cattle
Mongolian herders keep both yaks and the hardy Mongolian cattle, and cross them to make khainag, hybrids that combine the yak's toughness with the cow's larger milk yield. In summer, women milk yaks and cattle morning and evening, and the milk becomes butter, clotted cream called urum, and dried curds called aaruul, stored for winter. Yak hair and hides are used for ropes and tents.
Seasons on the steppe
Summer camps sit by rivers on open grass; winter camps are built against slopes for shelter. In some winters, deep snow or ice locks the grass away, a disaster Mongolians call dzud, and herds can suffer heavy losses. Tsetserleg, the provincial centre, has a museum in an old monastery and is a starting point for the lake of Terkhiin Tsagaan.
A trail idea for Arkhangai
- Tsetserleg The provincial town and its museum in a former monastery.
- Terkhiin Tsagaan Lake A volcanic lake with herders' summer camps along its shore.
- Khorgo volcano A dormant crater beside the lake.
- A summer ger camp Herding families milk yaks morning and evening.
Written by the EveryCow desk with AI assistance. Background: "Arkhangai Province" on Wikipedia. Fair dates, markets and visiting rules change; check locally before travelling, and keep a respectful distance from working animals. If something is wrong, tell us.
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