The Woman Who Joined the Reindeer Herders of Siberia
For as little as $200 per person, Zaya helps intrepid travelers truly experience the taiga.
Deep in the heart of Siberia, members of a semi-nomadic group are sipping warm bowls of freshly squeezed reindeer milk by a smoldering fire and living one of the most off-grid existences imaginable today. The Tsaatan are an Indigenous group of herders whose name literally translates to “as the people with reindeer.” They roam a region of Mongolia pressed up against the border of Russia—a place far removed from grocery stores and gas stations and characterized by undulating hills and rough terrain.
Every few months, they pack up their makeshift villages, which consist of little more than a dozen or so carefully constructed teepees, and go off in search of greener pastures within a vast emerald valley that stretches from river to forest’s edge. And yes—they do raise, ride, and milk hundreds of velvet-antlered reindeer along the way.
Life in the taiga is challenging, and the Tsaatan aren’t accustomed to recruits. But when Zolzaya Oldov, a Mongolian-American who grew up in Colorado and went to college in China, began making regular trips to the taiga working with an NGO called the Itgel Foundation to research and treat Reindeer diseases, she discovered what her modern life had been missing. "I just found a deep sense of calm out here," she explained on a recent call.
It’s a feeling that Oldov, who goes by Zaya, immediately wanted to share with travelers. Through her work with the Itgel Foundation, she helped the Tsaatan build their very first community and visitor center, which ultimately marked the birth of tourism for the remote region. Slowly, tour companies and guides began to make the long journey to the taiga with their clients. Zaya began leading tours to her new home in 2015, teaching tourists about the importance of Indigenous knowledge and the preservation of our planet's unique subcultures.
There's no dog-and-pony-show when you visit the taiga alongside Zaya, who’s worked as an independent guide since 2017. (Although it definitely involves horses. And dogs.) Just reaching the taiga takes more than a week of overland travel from Chinggis Khan International Airport. It involves one long drive day on pot-hole-filled tarmac to Murun, two full days of navigating roadless tundra by car, followed by a six-hour trip on horseback across landscapes not meant for four-wheeled transport. But for as little as $200 per person, intrepid travelers can spend three days and two nights living alongside the community, chopping firewood, collecting stream water for drinking, bathing in crisp freshwater pools, sleeping an arm's length from a crackling fire, sharing meals, and learning the intricacies of a bush toilet. (Travelers looking for a more “all-inclusive package” can arrange to meet in Ulaanbaatar or Murun for an additional cost.)
But it’s not just the connection with nature that Zaya intends to foster. Zaya has now lived full-time with the Tsaatan for nearly two decades. As the sole English-speaking resident of their roving village, she’s been key in advocating for the group’s cultural conservation to the Mongolian government and has paved the way for tourism to benefit the Tsaatan directly by offering her guide services with all the proceeds going straight to the community. We spoke with Zaya about her decision to live in one of the harshest environments on Earth, how that has shaped who she is today, and why everyone should visit the taiga, where they can fall asleep listening to the hollow popping of hundreds of reindeer knees drifting across the wind. "There's so much you can learn from the beauty of simplicity and apply to your life back home," she said.
Thrillist: What brought you to the taiga? It's not exactly a direct flight from Colorado.
Zaya: My family decided to return to Mongolia right after I finished high school in Colorado. I hadn't initially planned on returning, but it was something my family wanted to do, so we did it together. I received a scholarship to study in China at that time, so while they moved to Ulaanbaatar, I completed my bachelor's degree. Then, in 2006, I started looking for a job that would allow me to experience the Mongolian countryside and get away from the cities for a little while. I looked in newspaper ads and found a position as an interpreter for an American NGO working with the Tsaatan community. That's how I first visited the taiga. The project was two years long, and during that time, I fell in love with the peacefulness of the place and met my husband. Once the job ended, I decided to stay with him.
Was it challenging to integrate into the tightly-knit community?
Integrating into the community wasn't too difficult. I felt at home from the start. My husband's family was very welcoming, kind, and friendly. It did take me a couple of years, though, to fully learn the daily duties expected of women in the Tsaatan. Every day, the women clean the house, milk the reindeer, wash the clothes, and perform all kinds of other household chores. We are also a nomadic community, so learning to uproot seven or so times per year and move with the herds was an adjustment.
Living in such an off-grid way can be difficult for many people to imagine. What does your average day look like?
A typical day for me varies a lot by season. Summer in the Taiga is warm and green, but temperatures can reach -58 degrees F in winter. We stay inside a lot more at that time of year. On a typical day, after breakfast, I will bake bread and tend to the reindeer. In the afternoon, I will head to the mountains to gather moss for the baby calves and collect dry wood for firewood. I also milk the mother reindeer twice daily and do laundry if needed. Practically speaking, I miss a washing machine more than anything else from the city! When I have free time I play with my son or visit with the other families.
Do you find your son enjoys the taiga as much as you do?
Absolutely. Raising my son, Temu, who's four years old, in the taiga has been an incredible experience. Visiting my parents in the city and returning to the taiga, he enjoys such a unique balance. Here, he has the freedom to play with his dogs, reindeer, and horses, forming an incredible bond with animals from a young age. He's developed a sense of independence by learning to solve little challenges on his own, and he feels completely safe in his environment. In the city, he's less sure of himself and often seems overwhelmed, but here, he has the biggest playground imaginable, surrounded by nature, which I think is a wonderful way to grow up.
You're super well known in Mongolia for your unconventional lifestyle choice. Three separate locals I’ve interacted with have claimed you're under the spell of the Tsaatan shaman, and that's why you choose to live in this rough and remote way. Why do you choose to live here?
That’s just superstition. I chose to live in the Taiga. In today's world, people can choose to live wherever they feel most at peace. For me, that place has always been nature and the mountains, where I feel a deep sense of calm. I never had a desire to live in the city, and when I fell in love with a reindeer herder, it felt natural to embrace this way of life. Yes, it requires hard work and long hours of migration, but I truly love where I live, and I wouldn't trade it for anything.
Would you say that you've changed as a person since moving in with the Tsaatan?
Since moving to the taiga, I've become much more self-reliant, learning to handle hard things independently. Whether that's cooking, stitching clothes, or solving other daily challenges. I've also gained respect for the elders and the people around me, becoming more grounded and learning to value their wisdom. Living here has taught me to be a better listener and has given me a profound sense of peace. I feel incredibly fortunate to be surrounded by such beauty; sometimes, it feels like I'm living in a painting.
Is the desire to share this newfound knowledge and the peace of a simple life what made you start bringing tourists to the taiga?
In 2015, I began working as a guide for a tour company while my husband worked as a driver. We would bring visitors to our home to experience our unique lifestyle and meet the reindeer. Many travelers suggested that the benefits could go directly to the local community if we organized the tours ourselves. So, I started running my own tours to the taiga independently and involved other community members. With the additional income from the handful of tourists who visit each year, we can live more comfortably while maintaining our cultural traditions.
Part of your passion is clearly preserving the culture of Tsaatan. Do you feel it is under threat?
Since 2012, the Mongolian government has decreed that we can no longer hunt, even when wolves attack our herd. This ban is a threat to our culture. For the Tsaatan, hunting has always been essential for sustenance and is much more than a means of survival. It is deeply embedded in their culture, identity, and spiritual beliefs. Traditional hunting practices allow them to pass down vital skills and knowledge across generations, maintaining their bond with the land and nature. Their understanding of the diverse wildlife in the taiga is remarkable. With this law, I fear that our way of life and the unique character of our indigenous community may soon disappear.
How can travelers support you and the Tsaatan way of life?
The easiest way to support us directly is to use us as your taiga guide. The money goes directly to support our way of life, and you'll get insights into the community you can't get from an outsider. You can reach me on WhatsApp (+976 9977 0480) or email (zaya_004@yahoo.com) to plan your visit. I recommend visiting in July or August for the most comfortable experience.
What do you hope travelers get out of the experience?
A profound appreciation for natural heritage and the beauty of simplicity. This experience offers people the chance to disconnect and return home, appreciating the small things they have in life. It's a rare chance to experience the raw beauty of the natural world. Also, it's a really grand adventure.