Mongolia

NATURE, CULTURE AND HORSES

Chengiz Khan, the conqueror of 12 million sq. mi, sums up the invincible character of this nation. An absolutely off-the-grid holiday destination, we’d take off as soon as possible!

Must Dos

Explore the Bogd Khan Palace in Ulan Bator, the abode of Mongolia’s 8th living Buddha.
Walk along the Buddhist trail to Erdene Zuu, 108 stupa monastery, the Ongi Temple (of the thousand lamas) and Bari Yonzon Hamba monastery.
Visit the Karakorum, the historical city, complete with ruins and halls dating to the pre-Bronze Age.
Witness the huge, colour changing sand dunes of Khongor on a Bactrian camel.
Linger around at the Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park, to catch the ‘3 beauties’ of the Atlai Mountains and the heart stirring scenery of Yolyn Am, where the gorges trap ice even in summer.
Pretend like a true Mongol and get on a horse!
Take abode in a Yurt (traditional Mongolian tent) and experience the Gobi Desert.
Ride the trail of the mighty Mongol, Genghis Khan - You Khan do it

Called ‘Lord of the Birds’, they are the only ones who practice ‘horse-riding eagle falconry’. Every year these Kazakh Eagle Hunters gather at Bayan Ölgii to test their prime hunter Golden Eagles for speed, agility and accuracy. Feasting, dancing, parades and a Kazakh play honouring both human and avian participants, keep the festive mood going!

Featuring on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list, the national games of Mongolia are held in July every year. Competitors take part in the 3 Manly Games of Bökh (wrestling), archery and horse riding. With origins in the Middle Ages, the Naadam is a bombastic show of Mongolian sporting flair with the biggest competition being held at the National Sports Stadium in Ulan Bator. Winners are given titles like National Marksman/woman, Tumny ekh (leader of ten thousand) and Titan!

Stay in a traditional Yurt (Mongolian tent), see the colour changing Flaming Cliffs of the South Gobi and go dinosaur egg hunting in the world’s largest dino fossil site. Visit Havtsgait to see 5000-year-old petroglyphs depicting life in the Bronze Age.

Legend has it that only one man has ever ridden the Takhi. These wild horses of Mongolia roam freely in the steppes of Hustai National Park as they have been doing for millennia. Fiercer and more muscular than the domestic horse, the Takhi’s coat changes colour every season to provide camouflage. Ride in the vast plains at Hustai to see the last of the world’s untamed horses. Added perks are sightings of Wolf, Argali Sheep, Lynx and Deer.

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