Mongolia map & highlights
You don’t rent a car in Mongolia, you rent a horse or a camel then just sit back and survey the splendour of its endless plains.
The roads in Mongolia veer between a state of OK and ludicrous; a tyre-testing combination of sand, steppe, pot holes and bigger pot holes, driving times are notoriously hard to estimate and speed fluctuate between slow to middling. Fortunately, you won’t be taking your own car, which would likely end up a rattling heap of slowly shaken nuts and bolts – your guide will get you where you need to be, but you’ll need to be flexible on arrival times. Sit back, belt up and look forward to exploring all of the glorious places to visit in Mongolia as they should be explored - by horse or on foot.
The roads in Mongolia veer between a state of OK and ludicrous; a tyre-testing combination of sand, steppe, pot holes and bigger pot holes, driving times are notoriously hard to estimate and speed fluctuate between slow to middling. Fortunately, you won’t be taking your own car, which would likely end up a rattling heap of slowly shaken nuts and bolts – your guide will get you where you need to be, but you’ll need to be flexible on arrival times. Sit back, belt up and look forward to exploring all of the glorious places to visit in Mongolia as they should be explored - by horse or on foot.
1. Bulgan
2. Dadal
3. Gobi Desert
4. Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park
5. Ikh Nart Nature Reserve
6. Karakorum
7. Khentii
8. Orkhon Valley
9. Selenge
10. Tarvagatai Nuruu National Park
11. Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur
12. Ulaanbaatar
13. Western Mongolia
2. Dadal
3. Gobi Desert
4. Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park
5. Ikh Nart Nature Reserve
6. Karakorum
7. Khentii
8. Orkhon Valley
9. Selenge
10. Tarvagatai Nuruu National Park
11. Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur
12. Ulaanbaatar
13. Western Mongolia
Bulgan
1. Bulgan
The first man that Mongolia ever sent into space was born in Bulgan, a town that tourists generally pass through en route to pastures new, but that is well worth standalone consideration if only for its beautiful scenery – emerald green rolling hills punctuated by open-air camps – and the Khalkh and Buriat ethnic groups that live a centuries-old pastoral way of life there.
Dadal
2. Dadal
Widely assumed to be the birthplace of Genghis Khan himself, Dadal has plenty to offer those who might not be super-fans of the all-conquering warrior. The town is pretty upmarket by Mongol standards and is a verdant area of rivers, forests, lakes and log huts as opposed to traditional gers. It’s great for hiking, or perhaps a spot of fishing if you’ve packed your rod.
Gobi Desert
3. Gobi Desert
The Gobi desert is one of few places on Earth with a truly ancient culture and history, due in part to its landlocked position and also because of a harsh environment that sways between scorching sun and icy cold, only yielding a rainfall of 200mm annually. Besides lack of water, the only constant in the Gobi is the incredible hospitality of the cattle herders that dwell there.
Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park
4. Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park
Wonderfully otherworldly, if the landscape of this national park comprised gritty grey rock instead of glorious burned orange sand, you’d be forgiven for thinking you were on the moon. It’s known for its majestic sand dunes, ice canyons and plants that strategically “die” then rapidly bloom after rare heavy rain – natural curiosities that can only exist in such extreme conditions.
Ikh Nart Nature Reserve
5. Ikh Nart Nature Reserve
Home of foxes, gazelles and migrating birds that vacation there for the spring and autumn, this nature reserve throws in a bit of historical bang for your natural buck – you can visit the Cymbur Prayer Ovoo, an ancient Buddhist prayer site to offer tea or money, or try your hand at deciphering the petroglyphs there: large Tibetan script scribed into rock outcrops.
Karakorum
6. Karakorum
Karakorum is an ancient town with a history largely based on flickers of glory quickly scuppered by bad times and unfortunately, fleeting greatness does not an interesting town make. There are relics of bygone splendour and the museum and monastery do pay homage to the once shining capital, but to visit Karakorum now is to visit a rather sad shadow of what once was.
Khentii
7. Khentii
Khentii is full-on Khan country: a place to channel your inner Genghis and explore the historical grasslands from which he launched his merciless military masterplan. The heavily-forested Khentii Mountain Range rises to no more than 2,000m and its scenery is thick and lush – it’s likely anything but a horse will get bogged in, so saddle up and head in on horseback.
Orkhon Valley
8. Orkhon Valley
The Orkhon Valley is a picture-perfect UNESCO World Heritage site with a pastureland landscape so lush it’s as though its been dipped in bright green then dusted with rapeseed yellow. The area is home to a series of important archaeological monuments that date back to the 8th century and the gushing Ulaan Tsutgalan waterfall, which stands proudly at 10 metres wide and 24 metres high.
Selenge
9. Selenge
Thanks to the fertile tendrils of the mighty Selenga River stretching underneath the town itself, Selenge has been gifted an abundant landscape of wheat fields and apple orchards. The Amarbayasgalant Khiid is an impressive 18th century monastery with a complex of nine temples to explore, each guarded under lock and key by a monk who you’ll have to find to get in.
Tarvagatai Nuruu National Park
10. Tarvagatai Nuruu National Park
Sitting deep in western Mongolia, a challenging area to reach, but one that rewards those who reach it by the bucket load, Tarvagatai Nuruu has it all - expansive steppe, forested valleys, mountains, lakes and deserts, and is a genuine wilderness experience. The park is home to huge amounts of plants and wildlife as well as natural hot springs that you can soak in under the stars.
Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur
11. Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur
Known as the White Lake, this freshwater lake is a smaller and less developed alternative to its increasingly polluted counterpart at Khovsgol National Park and is a 16km east to west arc marked out by a string of simple ger camps. A designated Wetland of International Importance, if fishing’s your thing, you’ll love it – permits can be bought from the local ranger for as little as £1 per day.
Ulaanbaatar
12. Ulaanbaatar
Excepting the odd monastic pocket of serenity, Ulaanbaatar is a chaotic city of rapid expansion – it has trebled in size since the 90s and cranes and construction sites dominate the skyline, but there’s something mesmerising about the Mongolian capital and an exciting, quite bohemian vibe that adds an appropriately shocking yang to Mongolia’s nomadic yin, with its jazz and comedy clubs and fashion stores.
Western Mongolia
13. Western Mongolia
The Altai Mountains form a dramatic backdrop in Mongolia’s wild, westernmost province. Here, ethnic Kazakhs lead semi nomadic lifestyles with their livestock, and many traditions have been maintained – including the practice of hunting with golden eagles. Eagle hunting festivals in spring and autumn showcase the Kazakhs’s horsemanship and falconry skills; stay with a local family for a truly immersive experience.
Our Mongolia Vacations
Mongolia adventure vacation
Off the beaten track adventure through spectacular Mongolia
From
US $2975 to US $3490
22 days
ex flights
Trans Mongolian railway vacation
Ride the Iconic Trans-Mongolian Railway in all it's glory.
From
£2785 to £2880
16 days
ex flights
Mongolia adventure vacation, small group
Discover the remote Mongolian countryside
From
US $4649 to US $4749
15 days
ex flights
Mongolia adventure vacation, off the beaten track
An insight into local life in spring time Mongolia
From
US $2500
14 days
ex flights
Western Mongolia tour, the Altai mountains & eagles
Culture and adventure in the landscapes of western Mongolia
From
US $2500 to US $2995
13 days
ex flights
Mongolia family vacation for all ages
Journey through stunning Mongolia with your family
From
US $2300 to US $3000
15 days
ex flights
Mongolia tour, mountains & nomads
Slow travel through Mongolia's northern & central landscapes
From
US $2165 to US $2350
13 days
ex flights
Mongolia wilderness trek in the Altai Mountains
Culture & trekking trip with the Kazakhs of western Mongolia
From
US $1830 to US $2065
14 days
ex flights
Mongolia wilderness trekking vacation, Khangai Mountains
Trekking adventure through spectacular central Mongolia
From
US $2450 to US $3295
15 days
ex flights
Mongolia adventure trekking vacation & Naadam Festival
Summer time trekking and Naadam adventure through Mongolia
From
US $2450 to US $3640
16 days
ex flights
Mountain biking vacation in Mongolia
Bike exploration of Mongolia's land, people & way of life
From
US $1140 to US $2315
6 days
ex flights
Mongolia tour, winter landscapes and Khovsgol ice festival
Winter discovery tour with ice festival in northern Mongolia
From
US $1370 to US $1995
11 days
ex flights
Mongolia cycling vacation
The mountains & steppes home to Genghis Khan
From
US $3879 to US $3979
15 days
ex flights
Mongolia nomad horse riding vacation
Horse riding, hiking and staying with local Nomadic familes
From
£1399
9 days
ex flights
Mongolia cultural vacation & Naadam Festival
Summer based slow paced journey through nomadic Mongolia
From
US $2375 to US $3160
15 days
ex flights
North Mongolia vacations, tailor made
Slow trip of discovery highlighting local life in Mongolia
From
US $3300
15 days
ex flights
Mongolia horse riding vacation, Zavkhan Classic
Horse trekking adventure in Mongolia's Zavkhan Province
From
NZ $4290
17 days
ex flights
Mongolian Eagle adventure vacation
Dramatic scenery and fascinating culture in western Mongolia
From
£2899
13 days
ex flights
Trans Mongolian vacation, tailor made
Ride the Iconic Trans-Mongolian Railway in all it's glory.
From
£2430
16 days
ex flights
Wildlife conservation & research expedition in the Gobi Desert, Mongolia
Wildlife research & conservation in Mongolia's Gobi Desert
From
US $1385 to US $2250
11 days
ex flights
Mongolia cultural tour, Nomads of Khangai Mountains
Local insight into landscapes & culture of Khangai Mountains
From
US $2185 to US $3175
16 days
ex flights
Mongolia tour, food of the Nomads
Local Mongolia with homestays & family led cookery lessons
From
US $1800 to US $2955
14 days
ex flights
Mongolia family adventure vacation
Life-enhancing local Mongolian adventure for all the family
From
US $3820
16 days
ex flights
Ulaanbaatar to St Petersburg on the Trans-Mongolian
Overland adventure with a keen focus on Tsarist Russia
From
£2880 to £3020
16 days
ex flights
Genghis Khan warrior training in Mongolia
Experience what it really felt like to be a warrior under the Great Khan
From
US $4195
9 days
ex flights
Beijing to St Petersburg overland tour
Exciting overland journey by rail between Beijing, Moscow and St. Petersburg.
From
£4585
27 days
ex flights
Trans Mongolian 21 day tour
Visit Russia, remote Siberia, Mongolia, the Gobi Desert & Beijing
From
£3170
21 days
ex flights
St Petersburg to Vladivostok on the Trans Siberian
Russia, Mongolia & Japan on the Trans-Siberian Railway
From
£5500 to £5635
21 days
ex flights
Christmas on the Trans Mongolian to Beijing
Christmas in Siberian Russia & celebrate New Year in Beijing
From
£6225
25 days
ex flights
Mongolia Gobi Desert insight tour
Explore the culture and landscapes of Mongolia's Gobi Desert
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US $2215 to US $3315
15 days
ex flights
Sample Mongolia itineraries
Adventure Trekking
Ulaanbaatar > Bulgan > Selenge Gol > Khovsgol Nuur National Park > Khoridol Sandag Mountain > Khatgal > Ulaanbaatar
Eastern Mongolia:
Ulaanbaatar > Gobi Desert > Ikh Gazrin Chuluu > Ikh Nart Nature Reserve > Gun Galuut Nature Reserve > Khentii Province > Dadal > Toson Khulstai Nature Reserve > Ondorkhan > Ulaanbaatar
Ulaanbaatar > Bulgan > Selenge Gol > Khovsgol Nuur National Park > Khoridol Sandag Mountain > Khatgal > Ulaanbaatar
Eastern Mongolia:
Ulaanbaatar > Gobi Desert > Ikh Gazrin Chuluu > Ikh Nart Nature Reserve > Gun Galuut Nature Reserve > Khentii Province > Dadal > Toson Khulstai Nature Reserve > Ondorkhan > Ulaanbaatar
Multi activity and southern Mongolia:
Ulaanbaatar > Karakorum > Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur > Tosontsengel > Tarvagatai Uul National Park > Marz Mountain Telmen Nuur > South Mongolia (flight) > Ulaanbaatar
Ulaanbaatar > Karakorum > Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur > Tosontsengel > Tarvagatai Uul National Park > Marz Mountain Telmen Nuur > South Mongolia (flight) > Ulaanbaatar
Our top Mongolia Vacation
Mongolia adventure vacation
Off the beaten track adventure through spectacular Mongolia
From
US $2975 to US $3490
22 days
ex flights
Small group travel:
2020: 6 Jun, 1 Aug
2020: 6 Jun, 1 Aug
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about Mongolia or need help finding a vacation to suit you we're very happy to help.
Travel times in Mongolia
The following times give you a rough idea of the travel times between the main attractions in Mongolia:
Ulaanbaatar - Bulgan: 5 hours by road Ulaanbaatar - Gobi Desert: 4 hrs 15m by flight - road
Ulaanbaatar – Karakorum: 5hr 25m by road
Bulgan – Khovsgol: 5hrs 15m by road
Ikh Nart – Khentii: 4hrs 30m by road
Tosontsengel – Tarvagatai Uul National Park: 2hrs by road
Dadal – Toson Khulstai: 2hrs 50m by road
Ondorkhan – Ulaanbaatar: 12hrs 25m by road - flight - road
More about Mongolia
From Ulaanbaatar and the Gobi Desert to the dense forest lands of the Zavkhan Province, we offer advice on the best time to visit Mongolia...
Our Mongolia travel guide offers honest insights into the world's least densely populated country, covering steppe and ger camp, camel treks and eagle festivals...
We offer plenty of suggestions for things to do in Mongolia, including traveling like a local on horseback and channelling your inner Genghis Khan...
Traveling in Mongolia with kids is a great idea. Read our advice from experts who have been there, done that and got the mare's milk stained t-shirt...
If traveling off peak in Mongolia, you'll find herders and livestock stay close to the safety and warmth of ger camps, giving a unique insight into rural life...
The Kazakh eagle hunters of Western Mongolia live in one of the most remote regions of one of the most remote countries.
Find out more about Mongolia's eagle festivals, their not-so-ancient origins, and their impacts upon wildlife, golden eagles, and Kazakh communities...
Our Mongolia travel advice page is packed full of tips from our friends in Mongolia as well as cultural advice and a handy health & safety guide...
From poverty and modernisation, to mining and conservation , find out more about responsible travel in Mongolia before visiting this incredible country...
Mongolia draws travelers for its vast landscapes and semi nomadic herder culture, but don’t be fooled into thinking that the 21st century has not touched this country.
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Photo credits: [Page banner: Bernd Thaller] [Intro Box: Richard Mortel]
[Bulgan: Rob Oo]
[Dadal: Pia Waugh]
[Gobi Desert: Richard Mortel]
[Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park: Richard Mortel]
[Ikh Nart Nature Reserve: A. Omer Karamollaoglu]
[Karakorum: Richard Mortel]
[Khentii: sergelen1]
[Orkhon Valley: Scott Presly]
[Selenge: travelmag.com]
[Tarvagatai Nuruu National Park: A. Omer Karamollaoglu]
[Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur: Gemma Amor]
[Ulaanbaatar: Francisco Anzola]
[Western Mongolia: Altaihunters]
[Sample Itineraries: Richard Mortel]
[Travel Times: Honza Soukup]
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