On the road from Kharkhorin to Ulaanbaatar, one surprising sight that livens up a fairly boring stretch of road is the sand dunes of Elsen-Tasarkhai. Better known in Ulaanbaatar's tourist industry as Mongol Els, these large dunes stretch for some 70km, and are worth stopping off at if you're not planning to visit the much more spectacular Khongoryn Els in the Gobi Desert.
The dunes are located on the approach to Khögnö Khan Uul Nature Reserve. At the turn-off to the sand dunes there is a group of camel herders who hang around and sell camel rides. Expect to pay T5000 to have your photo taken on a camel, or T10,000 for a one-hour ride across the dunes.
