Places to discover

Best places to visit in Mongolia

Mongolia is landlocked between China, Russia and Kazakhstan, so does not border the ocean at any point. However, it has a striking variety of landscapes on offer! From Ulan Bator (or Ulaanbaatar), the capital city that never sleeps, to the darkest depths of the Altai mountains, travellers who have crossed this country will tell you exactly what to see and do here.

Mongolia is, above all, the home of Gengis Khan, the national hero. Many travellers set off retracing his footsteps up to the immense 40m statue in Tsonjin Boldog. Travelling along the Trans-Mongolian railway is also an absolute must! It crosses the country from the north to the south, and goes all the way to Beijing in the south and up to Russia in the north. Finally, one of the must-see locations is, without a doubt, Ulaanbataar. It is chock-full of museums, typical boutiques, markets, and with almost 1 million inhabitants, it is home to almost 1/3 of the Mongolian population.

Mongolia is also a very religious country. Buddhism and shamanism live alongside one another and the country has a very peaceful atmosphere about it. Nomads and shepherds remind us that, long ago, we too used to live among nature. You will be pleasantly surprised at just how hospitable its people are.

Spending a week with nomads is an unforgettable experience - living among them and like them, you'll be taken back to humanity's roots!
Set off to meet the Dukha people, a community of reindeer herders in the Taiga. A moment to remember. Finally, if you like a more active holiday, cross the Altai and its mountains or set off on horseback around the area. The best way to disconnect!

Orkhon valley

It would be a real shame to restrict a trip to Orkhon Valley to just visits to the Erdene Zuu Monastery in Karakorum and the Orkhon waterfalls. In fact, could there be a more wonderful place than this for the traveller who wants to fully immerse themselves in the nomadic lifestyle?

Khuvsgul Lake

It may well be due to its depth, but you'll never see the same colour of blue twice, when looking at Lake Khövsgöl's waters! It merits its nickname - the 'Blue Pearl'! It's a sight for sore eyes.

Terelj

A favourite spot with city-dwellers who come to unwind, the Gorkhi Terelj National Park is famous for its huge, granite rocks and sublime, Alpine surrounds.

Bayan Ulgii

Lying in the extreme west of Mongolia, next to the Chinese and Russian borders, Bayan-Ölgii is the highest aimag (province) in the whole country.

Altai Tavan Bogd

Tavan Bogd, in Bayan-Ölgii Province, is the highest mountain massif (4,380 m) in Mongolia. The national park that shares its name extends over an area of 6,400 km².

Khustai

With its amazing animals, insects, plants, mosses and lichen, at only 95km from Ulan Bator, the Khustai National Park is a must-see in Mongolia.

Chuluut River

The Chuluut River stems from the Hangay Mountains and flows up to the north of Arkhangai Province, where it joins three other rivers, the Ider, Delgermurmun and Selenga.

Glaciers Turgen

Mount Turgen rises above a vast semi-desertic landscape comprising of steppe and tundra.

Khustain Nuruu

Declared a national park in 1993, the Khustain Nuruu is famous for its rare Przewalski horses, a breed that has been the focus of a major conservation project.

Mont Altai

The Mongolian Altaï begins to the southeast of the Great Altaï and runs as far as the Gobi, which sits to the east and south of the range. It's name in Mongol means 'mountains of gold'.

Hongorïn Els

The dunes of Khongoryn Els are the largest and most spectacular in the whole of Mongolia.

Gobi

4.7

The Gobi desert extends from northern Inner Mongolia – an autonomous region of China – to southern Mongolia, and covers an area of approximately 1,300,000 km² (not quite what you would describe as small!).

Arkhangaï

4.5

In Arkhangai's central region the landscape gradually changes from the stifling desert conditions of the Gobi, in the south, to the Siberian taiga of the north. The area is made up of forest (rare in Mongolia), steppes, and a mixture of small valleys and uneven mountain terrain.