Chandmani

Khoomii, Mongolian throat singing, produces two notes at once: a low drone from the vocal cords and a whistling harmonic shaped by the mouth and throat, and the tradition is inscribed by UNESCO as intangible heritage of Mongolia. Chandmani in Khovd province is where many of the best-known masters came from, and the village claims the style as its own, teaching it in the local school and producing singers who perform nationally and abroad. Visitors can arrange to hear khoomii sung locally rather than in a concert hall, sometimes in a ger with a horsehead fiddle accompanying, which is a different experience from a staged performance. The village sits near Khar Us lake in dry steppe with a mountain behind, and there is little else there: this is a visit for the music and the people rather than for sights.

What you actually see

• Khoomii singing - the two-note technique performed locally.
• The morin khuur - the horsehead fiddle that usually accompanies it.
• Teaching tradition - the village school where children learn the style.
• Steppe village life - herding families and a small settlement.

When to go

June to September for the roads. Performances need arranging in advance through a guide or the local cultural centre; turning up unannounced rarely produces music. Summer festivals sometimes include khoomii competitions.

Honest expectations

There is nothing to see in the village itself, and the visit depends entirely on arrangements made beforehand. Performers expect payment, which is fair. Facilities are minimal. The value is in hearing the tradition where it lives rather than in any attraction.

Nearby

Khar Us lake is close; Khovd city lies west.