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Sleeping in a yurt: from the Mongolian steppe to glamping meadows around the world

Lie on your back in a yurt and look up. Above you, wooden roof poles run like the spokes of a wheel toward a round opening at the top, and through it you may see stars, drifting clouds or the first grey light of morning. Nomadic families in Central Asia have looked up at that same circle for centuries. Today you can have that experience on a Mongolian plain, on a mountain pasture in Kyrgyzstan, in a forest in Oregon, on a hillside in New Zealand or in a field in Wales. This page collects yurt stays from all over the world, and this guide helps you choose the right one.

A home built to move

The yurt was designed by herding peoples who moved with their animals between summer and winter pastures. It had to be light enough to load onto camels, horses or yaks, quick to put up and take down, and strong enough to stand up to steppe winds and hard frosts. The answer was a circular frame of wooden lattice walls, a ring of roof poles and a central crown, all covered with thick layers of felt made from sheep's wool and tied together with ropes.

In Mongolia the dwelling is called a ger, and many Mongolians still live in one, both in the countryside and on the edges of cities. The word yurt comes from Turkic languages and is used for the related traditions of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and neighbouring regions. The crown at the top matters so much in Kyrgyz culture that it appears on the national flag. Inside, tradition gives each place a meaning, so if you stay with a family, follow their lead on where to sit and avoid stepping on the threshold.

The kinds of yurt stays you will find

Yurt stays today fall into a few broad groups:

• Traditional gers and yurts in Central Asia, in family camps, tourist ger camps and nomadic homestays in Mongolia, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. Here you often share meals with the family, and horse riding or trekking is part of the trip.
• Handmade felt yurts elsewhere, built in the traditional way and shipped or recreated by people who love the craft.
• Modern fabric yurts, a design that took off in North America, with a canvas or vinyl cover, insulation, a clear dome in the roof and often a wooden deck. You find them in state and provincial parks, on ski hills, along the coast of the Pacific Northwest and in the backcountry.
• Glamping yurts with real beds, rugs, lamps, a wood burner and sometimes a private bathroom or hot tub, popular in the United Kingdom, France, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Argentina and beyond.
• Yurt camps and retreats with several yurts around a shared kitchen or lodge, often used for yoga holidays, family gatherings or groups of friends.

Choosing: authenticity or comfort?

The biggest decision is what you actually want from the night. If you want a cultural experience, a traditional ger in Mongolia or a shepherd family's yurt on a high pasture is unforgettable, but expect simple food, shared or outdoor toilets, limited washing and very little privacy. If you want a romantic weekend or an easy family holiday, a glamping yurt with electricity and a proper shower is the better match.

Think also about the setting. Grassland, forest, beach, lakeside, desert and ski-in yurts all exist, so decide whether you want to walk, ride, ski, swim or simply watch the sky, and pick the landscape first.

Inside the round room

Most first-time guests are surprised by how spacious a yurt feels. With no corners and a high centre, even a small one feels open. Here is what to expect in practice.

Heating. Traditional gers have a stove in the middle, with the chimney pipe passing up through the crown. It may burn wood, coal or, on the steppe, dried dung. A stove heats the space quickly but also cools quickly once the fire dies, so nights can swing from warm to cold. Modern yurts may have a wood burner, an electric heater or a gas heater.

Bathrooms. Anything is possible, from a pit toilet across the field to an ensuite bathroom. Many glamping sites have a shared shower block. In remote parts of Central Asia, washing may mean a bowl of warm water.

Temperature and noise. Felt and canvas do not block sound the way walls do. You will hear rain on the roof, wind, animals and your neighbours. Light sleepers should pack earplugs.

Sleeping gear. Glamping yurts usually supply bedding. Traditional camps provide beds with blankets, but a sleeping bag or liner is often welcome, especially outside summer. Backcountry and park yurts in North America often have bunks with bare mattresses, so you bring your own bag.

Questions to ask before you book

• Is the yurt traditional felt, or a modern insulated fabric yurt?
• How is it heated, and who looks after the stove at night?
• Is there electricity, and can I charge a phone or camera?
• Where is the toilet, and is it private or shared? Are there hot showers?
• Is bedding provided, or should I bring a sleeping bag?
• Are meals included, and is there a kitchen for guests?
• How do I get there, and is there a walk, a rough track or a river crossing at the end?
• Is the site suitable for children, dogs or people with limited mobility?
• What happens if the weather turns bad, and what is the cancellation policy?

Seasons, weather and altitude

In Mongolia and Central Asia most visitors come in the summer months, when ger camps are open, the grass is green and festivals such as Naadam take place in Mongolia. Even then, nights on the steppe or in the mountains can be cold, and the weather changes fast. Winter in Mongolia is extremely harsh, and only experienced travellers should plan a winter ger stay, with a local host who knows what they are doing.

Many of Kyrgyzstan's summer yurt camps sit on high pastures, such as around the lake of Song-Kul. At that height, give your body time to adjust, drink plenty of water and watch for headache or breathlessness, which can be early signs of altitude sickness. The sun is also stronger at altitude, so bring sunscreen and a hat.

Outside Central Asia, yurt seasons follow the local climate. In North America, Europe and northern Asia, insulated yurts can be cosy in winter, but check how snow and ice affect access. In Australia, New Zealand and South America the seasons are reversed, so the warm months for a yurt holiday run roughly from November to March, and winter stays fall in the middle of the year. In hot regions, ask whether the yurt has a way to roll up the walls or open the crown for air, as a closed yurt in full sun can get warm.

A few safety habits

Treat the stove with respect. Keep clothes, bags and bedding away from it, never leave children alone near it, and ask whether the yurt has a smoke detector and a carbon monoxide alarm when fuel is burned inside. Close the door and crown cover properly if a storm is forecast. In the countryside, keep a torch by the bed for night trips outside, and stay alert around guard dogs and livestock in herding areas.

How to use this collection

The yurt stays on this page are grouped by continent, country and region, so you can look for a ger on the steppe, a yurt in the mountains or a glamping site close to home. Every link leads to the owner's own website, where you can check availability and book directly with the people who run the place. Do you own or manage a yurt? Add your link for free with the button above, and let travellers everywhere discover your round home under the open sky.