About us
Hello, and welcome to Altai. Our greatest passion is sharing the culture of Mongolia with you. The name “Altai” comes from the beautiful Altai mountain range that stretches through Mongolia and Central Asia.
Altai was born from our desire to bring a piece of Mongolia to Europe — not only through a traditional yurt, but through the full experience of Mongolian culture: music, food, traditions, nature, and hospitality. We hope to inspire people, create meaningful connections, and share a culture that may seem far away, yet can feel surprisingly close.
Our place is a meeting point where cultures come together — a place to slow down, relax, discover something new, and experience life from a different perspective. Whether you stay overnight, join a workshop, attend a concert, or simply share a conversation with us, we hope you leave with a smile and a story to tell.
We are Rowan Hartsuiker and Sarantungalag Myagmarsuren-Hartsuiker (Saran). Saran grew up in a traditional Mongolian ger (yurt) in the vast landscapes of Mongolia. For us, the yurt and the culture surrounding it are not simply interests or hobbies, but a deeply personal part of our lives that we love sharing with others.
Before Altai, Saran successfully ran her own Yurt Bed & Breakfast in North Holland. In 2023, we found a new home in the peaceful countryside of Eastern Groningen, where we continue building our dream: a place where people can stay, learn, taste, experience, and connect through Mongolian culture.
Altai is about much more than a yurt and guesthouse. Together, we organize workshops, retreats, concerts, cultural presentations, and unique experiences inspired by Mongolia.
While Rowan also works as a freelance web designer and graphic designer through Studio Corvus, music has always been his greatest passion. For more than twenty years, he has immersed himself in traditional Mongolian music, with a strong focus on throat singing and instruments such as the morin khuur, Altai Harp, and mouth harp.
Through workshops, music, food, stories, and cultural experiences, we hope to share a little of the magic of Mongolia with everyone who visits Altai.
Life at Altai would not feel complete without animals around us. Our chickens happily wander around the farm searching for food and sunny spots to relax, bringing extra life and charm to the property every day.And if you truly enjoy meeting real characters, you will probably love our two Kune Kune pigs. They are incredibly friendly, curious, and always happy to interact with guests.
And of course, there is Raven — our dog and probably the biggest people-lover you could imagine. His wolf-like appearance may seem a little intimidating or fascinating at first, but Raven is truly gentle and affectionate.
He can sometimes become very enthusiastic when welcoming new guests, so we completely understand if it feels a little overwhelming at first. We always do our best to make sure Raven does not cause any inconvenience, and if needed, we are happy to give him a little less freedom around the garden.
