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The millennia-old design of the Mongolian ger reflects Mongolian culture and climate. Its subtle sophistication generates strength, warmth, and artistic beauty. The word “yurt” originated from Turkish and was adopted by the Russians to describe these portable wood, felt, and canvas homes used across Central Asia for thousands of years in extreme winter conditions. “Yurt” is not a word in the Mongolian language, but it is a more familiar term outside of Mongolia rather than ger. For ease of communication, we will use “yurt” rather than “ger”.
The Mongolian yurt has two key components: the wooden frame and the covers. They are designed to be easily dismantled and moved on the backs of camels and yaks. Mongolians can break down and set up their entire home in a few hours. Today, 30% of Mongolia still lives as pastoral nomads in yurts, moving 4-10 times a year. Hundreds of thousands more live in yurts that have been set up for permanent residence on the edges of Mongolian cities in what are called “ger districts.”
Mongolian vs. Modern Yurts
The traditional Mongolian yurts differ from modern, “western” yurts mainly in material and dimensions. Mongolian Yurts are made for the harsh Mongolian climate which can get down to -40º in winter. They are also made to withstand the strong winds of the open steppe. The design and felt insulation help them stay warm inside with a wood-burning stove.
Mongolian yurts are more stout, with shorter walls and a lower center height and roof pitch. The lower roof pitch and center point help to retain heat as well as create stability. The stout frame, coupled with the center support poles attached to the roof, gives maximum strength against winds and weather.
Mongolian yurts are made from all-natural materials, including yak hair ropes, camel sinew for wall ties, and all-natural sheep wool felt used as the main insulation. As opposed to western yurts which are constructed with more synthetic material.
Additional felt layers can be purchased for colder environments. Modifications can also be made for wetter climates.
Our Yurt/Ger Factory Partners in Mongolia, Uyanga Khiitsiin Urguu
The base price includes
- The wood frame
- Walls – expandable, wood lattice sections made of wood and tied together with camel sinew. Walls interlock with each other and are tied together with ropes to form the circle of the yurt.
- Door – two-layered door which includes an outer single panel door, and inner french door with small windows. Single doors can be ordered instead.
- Crown/Roof – the center opening with 8 window openings, 4-7 feet in diameter, depending on the size.
- Roof Poles – 60-100 poles with a loop on one end to attach to the walls.
- Crown Support Poles – two center support poles that attach to the crown/roof, three for the 8-wall.
- All necessary horse and yak hair ropes and ties
- All-natural, extra thick, fire and bug-resistant felt insulation – wall pieces and roof pieces that have been heavily cleaned and factory processed for consistent high quality.
- Covers
- Thin white base layer for the roof
- Water-repellent dark green canvas
- Water-repellent white decorative canvas
- Crown/roof cover
- Decorative outer skirt
- 10 window frame inserts for the 8 crown/roof openings so you can customize as needed
- 8-glass panes with wood frames
- 1-plastic with wood frame and hinge
- 1-stove pipe opening
- Choice of seven colors: Orange/Turquoise, Orange, Red, Blue, Turquoise, Green and Sage. No base color and carvings have additional costs.
- Delivery to Flagstaff, AZ.
Materials
- All of the wood parts are made from locally sourced and renewable larch, birch, or pine woods.
- The door, roof poles, and roof crown are hand-painted with beautiful traditional Mongolian design using lead-free paint imported from Europe.
- The ropes are made from horse and yak hair.
- The wood lattice walls are tied together with camel sinew.
- The canvas covers are made from untreated cotton canvas.
- The felt is 5/8 of an inch thick, all-natural sheep wool that has been cleaned and processed in a factory. Factory processing gives the felt an even thickness, making it very clean, less odor, and more bug and fire-resistant.
Additional costs include
- Making walls tall – For the 4-wall, increasing the height from 4.6 feet to 5.6 feet; for the 5-wall, from 4.9 feet to 6 feet; and the 6-wall, the height increases from 5.3 feet to 6 feet.
- Adding windows
- Tall versus regular – if you have tall walls or the 8-wall, then you must have tall windows. Doors, walls, and windows must all be the same height.
- Typical windows are placed on either side of the door, called “side windows.” But they can be placed in other locations for the 4, 5, and 6-wall yurts.
- Two frames in one window, with the top one opening.
- Two covers for each window – inside cotton-covered felt cover and outer canvas rain cover attached to the
- Color / Carved – Both carved and no base color. Detail painting is an extra charge.
- Extra felt – For cooler climates such as Montana, Alaska, the Dakotas, Idaho, Colorado, etc., a second layer of felt could be helpful for winter.
- Inner Wall Cover – A cover for the inside of the walls, hiding the lattice. Made from a silky cream color material outlined in a color to match the white canvas detail.
- Delivery / Set up – Contact us for more information.
- We provide you with a 38-minute instructional video and a booklet illustrated with detailed photos to assist you in setting up your yurt.
- We are available by email and phone to help during the setup process.
- We can also come out to your property and help set up for an additional fee.
Our setup video