Duhka or Tsaatan: What to call Mongolia’s Nomadic Reindeer Riders?

If you've spent any time researching Mongolia's famous reindeer herders, you've probably come across two different names.

Dukha.

Tsaatan.

So... which one is actually correct?

The short answer is that both are correct, kind of, but they don't mean quite the same thing. Understanding the difference gives you a fascinating insight into the people themselves and why so many visitors (and travel companies) get confused.

The Name Everyone Knows: Tsaatan

For many years, the name Tsaatan was the one most travellers encountered first.

In Mongolian, tsaa means reindeer, and Tsaatan roughly translates to "the people with reindeer" or "reindeer people."

It's an easy name to understand because that's exactly what makes these northern nomads so unique. They live alongside their reindeer, migrate with them through the taiga forests, milk them, ride them and depend on them in ways that have changed little over centuries.

So it's no surprise that the name became widely used in guidebooks, documentaries and tourism.

The catch?

It isn't actually the name the people traditionally call themselves. It can also be a pretty culturally insenstive term to use.

Their Own Name: Dukha

The people themselves are Dukha.

This is their ethnic identity, not simply a description of what they do.

Their ancestors originated in what is now southern Siberia, particularly the Tuva region, before borders changed and some families settled in northern Mongolia generations ago.

Today, many members of the community identify as Dukha, while Tsaatan remains the Mongolian word used to describe them as the "reindeer people."

Think of it like the difference between referring to someone by their nationality versus their profession.

One describes who they are.

The other describes what they are known for.

Why Does Everyone Get Confused?

Because both names are used interchangeably.

You'll find books that use Tsaatan.

Academic papers that use Dukha.

Old documentaries using one.

New documentaries using the other.

Even in Mongolia you'll hear local people refer to them as Tsaatan, while members of the community may introduce themselves as Dukha.

Neither term is necessarily "wrong." They simply come from different perspectives.

It's a little like hearing "Inuit" and "Eskimo." One reflects how people identify themselves, while the other has a different historical origin. Although the comparison isn't perfect, it helps explain why names matter.

They're Much More Than Reindeer Herders

One thing that often gets lost in this conversation is that reducing the Dukha to simply "reindeer people" overlooks the richness of their culture.

They are extraordinary horsemen and women.

Expert hunters and gatherers.

Families who know every valley, mountain pass and river in the northern taiga.

People whose lives revolve around the seasons rather than the calendar.

The reindeer are at the heart of their lives, but they are only one part of a much bigger cultural story.

Which Name Do We Use?

At Great Nomad Expeditions, we generally use Dukha, because it reflects the community's own identity.

However, we'll often write "the Dukha (also known as the Tsaatan or Mongolia's reindeer people)" to help readers who may have heard the more familiar name.

After all, if someone searches for Tsaatan online, we still want them to find the incredible people we're talking about.

One Final Thought

Whether you know them as the Dukha or the Tsaatan, one thing matters far more than the name itself.

They are one of the last remaining nomadic reindeer-herding cultures on Earth.

Their way of life survives because families continue to migrate through Mongolia's northern taiga alongside their reindeer, just as generations before them have done.

It's a culture that deserves curiosity, respect and understanding—not simply because it is rare, but because it reminds us that there are still places in the world where people live in remarkable harmony with animals, seasons and landscape.

And if you're fortunate enough to spend time with the Dukha, you'll quickly realise that by the end of the journey, you stop worrying about what to call them.

You're simply grateful they welcomed you into their world.