Ciel Mongol was founded in May 2006. The team along with the guides, drivers and cookers, deeply respects the country and its huge steppes. We strongly wish to keep the beauty and the unique feature that offers Mongolia. We have made a ethic choice to protect the natural and social environment of the country by asking travelers to pay attention to the customs, to tolerate and to respect Mongolian people. We encourage our travelers to keep their eyes, ears open and learn from Mongolian habits so different from ours.
With Ciel Mongol you will be traveling through Mongolian landscapes. Be prepared for an unforgettable trip. We will make you discover the country with respect to the culture and the nature. We believe in fair tourism : as for us it is just not a motto. Thanks to our “local stay” tours we help families with whom we work to diversify their income and to be ready to face natural disasters (i.e. Winter zud). We enable them to finance projects of general benefit and we encourage them to remain living in the countryside.
Secrets of the Mongolian culture and the country are hard to understand. Patience, open-mind, respect are the keys of everything. Nothing is fast, or “organized”, comfortable either easy. But let the “Mongolian rhythm” overcome you and you will be able to deeply appreciate your stay here in Mongolia.
Emeline Bettex
I studied and worked in various fields such as ethnology, sociology, book industry and Mongolian language. I made my 1st trip to Mongolia in 2002. This 3-month-stay was a “anthropological trip” and turned to be decisive : I fell in love with the country.
During those 3 months I had the opportunity to travel through Mongolia and stay with nomadic families in the countryside. This intra-cultural meeting with the Others, the trip going beyond material difficulties, the barrier of the language, the lack of comfort … All that reinforced my wish and my desire to know more and deeper the country, the inhabitants and to keep going on meeting them. When I came back to France, while studying, I planned my return to Mongolia. A year and a half later, in 2004, I was entitled with a grant given by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During that time I studied at the National University of Mongolia and I went quite often to the countryside to discover Mongolian culture “from the inside”.
A year later, I made my decision : I would stay in Mongolia “for real”. I first worked as a teacher for the Alliance Française of UB and for the International School of UB, then I worked as a logistic manager for the French Archaeological mission digging in the Gold Mod site (Arkhangai province). I am found of art and I am very interested in Mongolian art, especially Modern and Contemporary art as well as calligraphy. I, in the meantime, have become the curator of the Modern art gallery “Tsagaandarium” -www.tasagaandarium.org- located at Zaisan (south of UB city).
Mongolia is far much more than the steppes and nomadic herders. It is rich history, literature and a developing art. People are evolving and moving abroad, curious about what happens indoor and outdoor. UB is a capital city with museums to visit, restaurants, place-to-be, discotheques. Mongolia is all that, a mosaic of contrast that are mixes to create an amazing puzzle. And that is this puzzle I offer you to discover and to experiment with Ciel Mongol!
Chuluuntsetseg Tuvdennyam, “Chuka”
I am 31 and I was born in the Arkhangai province (Central Mongolia). My parents are horse herders. My father trains horses for the Naadam horse race, the National festival. He had been awarded with the title of “Best Horse Trainer” in 2000.
When I was 18 I came to UB for my studies. I studied pedagogy to become Mongolian teacher, then management and French in the Alliance Française for 6 months.
I got married in 2008. My husband comes from the Dornogobi province (South of Mongolia). His parents live in Sainshand and work at the city hospital.
I have been working for Ciel Mongol since June 2008. I am the manager of the guest house and take care of all contracts with tourist camps, hostels, etc. … I am in charge of booking flight tickets, train tickets and I am responsible for all administrative duties.
Working with foreigners and, above all, French people has given me the sens of strictness and responsibility. I do like being in touch with French people are they are serious people, free minded people, curious and honest. I believe in cultural difference and how we can learn from it. And I am very proud and happy to make you discover my country and its culture.
