How to greet in Mongolia

When a visitor spots or approaches a ger he says “Nokhoi khorioroi” which literally means “call off the dog”. A hostess or a child usually comes out and invites the guest into a Ger.  The visitor should not carry a whip, hobble or weapon when he comes in and he hangs his knife from the belt.  The visitor normally does not knock on the door. He crosses the threshold with the right foot. A guest greets inside, not outside. In Mongolia, the younger usually greets first and asks “Ta sain baina uu” which means “how are you” “how do you do”. Mongols living in the countryside are not used to shaking hands with visitors: instead, they greet by stretching their arms if they see each other for the first time in the year.