The Gobi
Like a miniature Joshua Tree National Park, this granite-rock formation in the middle of the dusty plains sheltered Zanabazar during conflicts between the…
Must-see attractions in Mongolia
Mongolia
Known as the Blue Pearl of Mongolia, Khövsgöl Nuur is an extraordinary lake that stretches 136km deep into the Siberian taiga. The lake, mountains and…
The Gobi
An unusual sight is the half-hidden stone ruins of the 200-year-old monastery, Tsorjiin Khureenii Khiid. Concealed among the rocks, and shaded by a grove…
Great Gobi Strictly Protected Area
The Gobi
Split in two for management purposes, but considered one protected area, together they form the fourth-largest biosphere reserve in the world. It protects…
The Gobi
Travellers descend on this remote Gobi nature reserve to wander the boulder-strewn moonscape scenery, clamber around and over abstract rock formations and…
The Gobi
Way off the beaten track; you are likely to have this complex of canyons all to yourself. Some say they are even more spectacular than Bayanzag. Be sure…
The Gobi
These petroglyphs depict herds of animals including deer, ibexes and gazelles; 20km from the town of Sevrei.
Mongolia
Cupped in the snowcapped fist of the Sayan and Khoridol Saridag mountains, this national park is anchored by the shimmering blue sweep of the ice-cold,…
The Gobi
If you take the main route from Dalanzadgad to Khongoryn Els, keeping the mountains to your left as you go, you can stop and hunt the hills for this…
Mongolia
For the 350 monks who once called this place home, the gorgeous setting around this monastery (elevation 1645m) must have been a daily inspiration. Like…
Mongolia
When faced with a crisis of faith or at a crossroads in his life, Chinggis Khaan would ascend the peak of Burkhan Khalduun (2350m). With his belt around…
The Gobi
If you are headed from Yolyn Am to Khongoryn Els, an adventurous and rough alternative route takes you through the Dugany Am, a spectacular and narrow…
The Gobi
This old monastery survived Stalin’s purges by becoming a warehouse and shop. The monastery was built in the late 18th century to commemorate the first…
The Gobi
The ruined 10th-century temple Süm Khökh Burd sits on an island in the middle of a seasonal lake, and was built from rocks that can only be found more…
Mongolia
At its peak, Baldan Bereeven Khiid was one of the three largest monasteries in Mongolia, home to 5000 lamas and thousands more pilgrims and monastic…
The Gobi
The main hall at this new-build compound that rises from blonde desert sands is an impressive ger-like structure with a golden tower. It can be reached by…
Mongolia
Towering over the steppe like a dark dagger, the tallest mountain (1778m) in Sükhbaatar aimag is one of the holiest of Mongolian sacred peaks. Ostensibly,…
Mongolia
Imagine a cave of utter darkness where the walls glitter like lost stars and the interior feels like an icebox, even in the heart of summer. This, folks,…
Mongolia
At Ikh Burkhant, a huge image of the bodhisattva Janraisig (‘Avalokitesvara’ in Sanskrit) is carved into the hillside, her legs splayed and her face…
The Gobi
Retired forest engineer and local conservationist Byamba Tseyen helped establish, and now maintains, this small tree-planting nursery on the edge of town,…
The Gobi
The 22.5-sq-km Eej Khairkhan Nature Reserve was created to protect the general environment. Near the base of Eej Khairkhan Uul (2275m), you can camp at…
Lamyn Gegeenii Gon Gandan Dedlin Khiid
The Gobi
The original monastery by this name, one of Mongolia's largest at the time, was located 20km east of Bayankhongor City. It was levelled by the communist…
The Gobi
About 8km west of the main dirt tracks as you head south from Altai to Biger, and about 10km southwest of Altai itself, among the blemished land scarred…
The Gobi
This ruined monastery once housed around 1000 monks until its destruction in 1937 by Stalin’s forces. Its claim to fame is that the 13th Dalai Lama, while…
Biger Nomin Khan Monastery Ruins
The Gobi
The official road-side sign for these monastery ruins states that they are around 750 years old. We doubt they are quite that old, but they're interesting…
Mongolia
This appealing little museum contains a well-laid-out collection of archaeological finds, traditional clothing, religious artefacts and taxidermied…
The Gobi
This enjoyable and informative museum is divided into two main sections: a taxidermy-heavy natural history section and a more interesting ethnography and…
Mongolia
About 24km east of Baldan Bereeven Khiid, on the dirt track that leads to Binder, you'll pass through the green mountains and squiggly river of the Khurkh…
Western Mongolia
Western Mongolia's second highest mountain – the permanently snow-capped Tsambagarav Uul (4208m) – straddles the border between Khovd and Bayan-Ölgii…
Mongolia
Place this site anywhere else in the world and it would be the centrepiece of an archaeological museum. In Mongolia, it is a largely forgotten rock –…
The Gobi
The 5km stretch of 40ft-tall, sugary sand dunes that rises and falls in the desert 22km northeast of Bayanzag makes for some brief, breathless hikes and…
The Gobi
The life and achievements of Noyon Khutagt Danzan Ravjaa (1803–56), a well-known Mongolian writer, composer, painter and medic who was born about 100km…
The Gobi
About 28km before you reach Biger (74km from Altai), you'll see these striking, red-coloured cliffs off to your right (south). Their crenellated formation…
The Gobi
The highest mountain (3957m) in the Gobi Altai range. It's possible to part-jeep, part-hike your way to the top for stupendous views. On Ikh Bogd’s…
The Gobi
A surreal amphitheatre tucked into the rocks, 1.5km south of the park ranger's camp. It's named in honour of a famous Mongolian long-song singer and hosts…
The Gobi
Some 364 sq km southwest of Altai have been set aside to protect rare endemic plants, snow leopards, argali and ibexes. There aren't any tourist services,…
The Gobi
With an English translation of 'mother's vagina', if you'd like to be born again, step into this cave, climb up and out a small skylight and ramble down…
Small Gobi A Strictly Protected Area
The Gobi
On the border with China, the 18,392-sq-km Small Gobi A Strictly Protected Area includes dunes and saxaul forest, habitat that nurtures the endemic khulan…
The Gobi
A 25m-deep canyon that narrows to around 1m wide in places. It is 20km southwest of Galuut sum centre, 85km northwest of Bayankhongor town.
The Gobi
This is a cave with a crystal-lined inner chamber that once housed Stone Age people. It is about 90km east of Bayangovi in a narrow gorge.
