Gers

Gers

Traditional gers are the moveable, domed structures used by nomads for centuries. Made of a latticed wood structure covered with layers of felt and canvas, each ger is heated by a wood stove and furnished with beautifully painted wood-framed beds.

The traditional ger has a lattice-work frame of narrow birch and willow boards held together by leather strips. The sections are about 7.5 feet long and are bound together to form a large circular structure. This collapsible lattice is called khana. The average ger uses six to eight khana, with the door-frame as a separate unit, and the ceiling formed from an umbrella-like frame-work of slender poles called uni. In the center of the ceiling is a small hole, a toono, which allows smoke to escape and fresh air and light to enter. Traditionally, the "door" consisted of a felt curtain over the door-frame; this is now usually replaced with a carved or painted wooden door. The entrance of the ger always faces south mainly because the winds come from the north-east.

Once the wooden framework is erected, it is covered with layers of greased felt and canvas. The coated felt helps the ger shed rain and keep it watertight. Ropes made of hair and wool hold the thick layer of felt in place on the exterior surface of the ger. During the summer, one layer of felt is sufficient, but during the winter, two or three layers are necessary.

Travelers to Mongolia will have the opportunity to sleep in traditional gers while staying at ger camps. Ger camps offer an authentic experience of Mongolian culture and provide the unique opportunity to visit areas which otherwise lack traveler accommodations. The camp restaurant and western-style toilet and shower facilities are located in a central building found a few hundred feet from the gers.