Whatever expectations of Mongolia I had gleaned from planning the trip via a local travel agent, it fell way short of the actual experience, starting from the minute we landed in Chinggis Khaan International Airport in Ulaanbaatar (UB). Suffice to say, my preconceived notions barely scratched the surface of this vast country where tradition meets …
Our final day in Mongolia culminated with a day tour of Terelj National Park and the Genghis Khan (Chinggis Khaan) Equestrian Complex. Mongolia's SwitzerlandSurrounded by snow-capped mountains, pristine alpine scenery, forest, rivers and wide open valleys covered with wildflowers, it felt like I was in Switzerland! Terelj National Park is the third largest protected area …
On the final day of our 10-day Central Mongolia and Gobi roadtrip as the Russian Loaf ate up swathes of open steppe, my anticipation kept building throughout the 4-hour journey. Our destination was the Hustai National Park, to see the world's last truly wild horses roaming freely, in its natural habitat. TAKHI – THE LAST …
Founded in 1586, Erdene Zuu (100 Treasures) is the oldest surviving Buddhist monastery in Mongolia. Over the years, the monastery went through periods of neglect, as well as periods of great revivals and prosperity. Erdene Zuu was perpetually in a state of fortification - building enclosure walls as protection against multiple invasions by Dzungar soldiers. Each …
We did not see it coming. A beautiful lake and an inactive volcano in the same location. Seemingly separated by an invisible line, the extreme beauty of the two environments could not be more different. An extinct volcano dominates the barren landscape while adjacent to it lies a beautiful lake - giving life to plants, …
Our Central Mongolia & Gobi Desert adventure is best described as a daily routine of hitting the steppe / grassland after breakfast, driving 5 - 6 hours to the next attraction spot before settling down for the night in a nomadic Ger. Day 3 had a most welcomed deviation. Enroute to Yolyn Am, we stopped …
Though I was expecting another day of interesting sights I was not prepared for a 400m-long jigsaw of white-sand cliffs, streaked with a kaleidoscope of pastel shades ranging from purple to red and orange. Tsagaan Suvarga (White Stupa) is a line of cliffs formed by the fracturing of the earth's crust millions of years ago. …
From Bayanzag, a 3-hour drive on flat plains and basalt rock terrain was a prelude to our first glimpse of brown rolling hills. Breaking the earthy landscape with a streak of blue and green is the Ongi Gol, a desert river lined by a spattering of trees. Nestled on the south and north banks of …
One great sculptured wall we named the “Flaming Cliffs,” for when seen in early morning or late afternoon sunlight it seemed to be a mass of glowing fire.The New Conquest of Central Asia by Roy Chapman Andrews The sandstone rocks of Bayanzag are popularly known as the 'Flaming Cliffs', due to the reddish tint in …
A magnificent landscape The best way to enjoy the Khongor Sand Dunes is to climb it!Besides beautiful scenery and totally insta-worthy shots, the exhilarating experience includes an incredibly fun hike up/slide down and if you're lucky, the dunes might even sing for you. After a 4-5 hour drive in the wilderness of the Gobi, the …
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