Tips & Tricks
Manzushir Monastery — the imposing ruins of Manzushir Monastery lie just an hour’s drive south of the capital. Built in the 18th century by Buddhist monks, the monastery was destroyed in 1937 by communists, and today the ruins of this large stone temple stand within a forest of birch trees like a scene from a […]
Khangai Mountains – this is an old mountain range in central Mongolia (located 400 km. west of the capital), known for its broad, warped dome-shaped mountains covered with grass and trees. The area encompasses several natural zones including mountain and mountain steppe areas, Siberian taiga and forests. Fertile soil and numerous rivers, streams and lakes […]
Khustain-Nuruu National Park – this park is about 60 miles west of the capital, and it is home to the takhi, an endangered subspecies of wild horse. These stout, sandy colored horses are the only truly wild horses left in existence, and they were once extinct in the wild, their numbers diminished down to an […]
Horseback Riding Expeditions – since Mongolia is still horse country (supported by its long-standing nomadic way of life), some visitors will likely want a horseback riding experience. Tour outfit Stone Horse Expeditions & Travel offers visitors the opportunity to explore various parts of Mongolia on horseback. Such excursions take place at the Khentii Mountains, and […]
Lake Khövsgöl — near the Mongolian border with Russia at the base of the Sayan Mountains is Khuvsgul Lake, a 136 kilometer long lake that contains approximately 70% of the fresh water in Mongolia. It is the second largest lake in Asia by volume, and it is the titular feature of Khuvsgul Lake National Park, […]
Ongi River and Temple (Saikhan-Ovoo district, Dundgovi Province) – located 7 hours (415 km) southwest of the capital, the Ongi Monastery refers to two monasteries on opposite banks of the Ongi River, which stretches for over four hundred kilometers throughout the country. The monasteries are home to many ruined temples, one of which was once […]