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Amarbayasgalant Khiid was built between 1727 and 1737 by the Manchu emperor Yongzheng,

For the 350 monks who once called this place home, the gorgeous setting around this

The monastery is enclosed in an immense walled compound. Spaced evenly along each wall, about

Yolyn Am was originally established to conserve the birdlife in the region, but it’s now more

About 3.5km north of Dadal village is a collection of hills known as Deluun Boldog.

Ganga Nuur is about 13km southeast of Dariganga. From the end of September until

This excellent museum is inside the 18th-century home of the Tsetseg Khan, who governed most

At Ikh Burkhant, a huge image of Janraisag (‘Avalokitesvara’ in Sanskrit) is carved into the

This museum has a collection of puzzles and games made by local artists. One puzzle requires

Sometimes called the Fine Art Gallery, this place contains a large and impressive display of

The tall, thin landmark on top of the hill south of the city is the Zaisan Memorial. Built by the

The southern shore along Khoton Nuur has excellent camping spots, especially around

Baruun-Urt’s museum has a fine collection of costumes representing the three ethnic groups

The plaza located between the State Department Store and the Circus has an unofficial name –

This is one of the best aimag museums in the country, not least because it is housed in the

From the museum, the dirt road continues for another 10km to a car park of sorts. From here,

Kharkhorin's new museum is small, but highly impressive – probably the country's best museum

This temple museum smack in the middle of downtown Ulaanbaatar was the home of Luvsan

Mongolia’s National Museum sweeps visitors from the Neolithic era right to the present day.

The freshwater Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur is not as forested or as large as Khövsgöl Nuur, but it is

Khongoryn Els are some of the largest and most spectacular sand dunes in Mongolia. Also known

Location: Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Solitude, remoteness and a sense of boundless space draws the most adventurous travellers to

The high Altai Mountains region of far western Mongolia is a wild, dramatic and exhilarating

The wild and remote western edge of Mongolia is home to a group of Kazakh nomads. Here,

The Altai Mountains run from Siberia in Russia all the way down to Mongolia’s Gobi Desert. An

Giant sand dunes fringed by sun-scorched valleys. Primordial fossils hidden within

One of the last surviving nomadic societies, half of Mongolians live pastoral lifestyles little-

The bend in the pretty river here marks the remains of two ruined monasteries: Bari Lam

This huge cave about 100km southeast of Khovd City looks deceptively small from the parking

Built between 1893 and 1903, this palace is where Mongolia’s eighth Living Buddha, and

Founded in 1586 by Altai Khaan, Erdene Zuu (Hundred Treasures) was the first Buddhist

In July 1921 in the centre of Ulaanbaatar, the ‘hero of the revolution’, Damdin Sükhbaatar,

This fine-arts museum has a superb collection of paintings, carvings and sculptures, including

Dinosaurs of all shapes, sizes and appetites once roamed the Gobi Desert. Their fossilised bones

There are 360 eagle-hunters in Bayan-Ölgii and every year around 70 of them converge at Sayat

If Mongolia’s yin is its pristine countryside, then Ulaanbaatar (UB; Улаанбаатар) conforms nicely

One of Mongolia’s most striking landmarks is this 40m-high silver Chinggis Khaan statue

Around the start of the 19th century, more than 100 süm (temples) and khiid (monasteries)

Day 1

This park was established in 1993 and is about 100km southwest of Ulaanbaatar. The 50,620-

Terelj sum (district), about 55km northeast of Ulaanbaatar, is a playground for urban-weary

Rugged Mongolia is an adventure destination where travellers can see the traditions of the past

Kazakh culture

Rock art and wild ibex

Tavan Bogd

On the road: dramatic landscapes

The rugged and remote far reaches of western Mongolia are a series of wild landscapes capped

With its iconic sand dunes, ice canyon, striped badlands and stunning mountain vistas, this is

Rugged Mongolia is an adventure destination where travellers can see the traditions of the past Togluulagch 1 1 player still practised today by hardy nomads dwelling on the country's vast steppes and deserts. Nomad Hospitality Mongolia's nomadic culture is famous – visitors can sleep in a herder's ger (traditional felt yurt), help round up the sheep, ride horses and simply 'get back to nature'. The legacy of Chinggis Khaan and resurgent nationalist pride sharpens the experience. A culture of tremendous hospitality makes locals more accessible. In a world beset by locks and gates, it's refreshing to meet people willing to open their doors to strangers. Open for Business For most of the 20th century, Mongolia was sealed off from the world; seemingly so distant that the very name of the country became a byword for remoteness and isolation. The 21st century promises the polar opposite as Mongolia has opened up to the world, its citizens are travel