Somehow I developed the bucket list goal of seeing the Gobi Desert at some point in my life. So I decided that while planning our 8 month adventure around the world I would add that to the itinerary.

At first, I had the desire to travel on the Trans-Siberian railway to Mongolia from China and later to Russia. Get off the train and spend a week in Mongolia. But the train takes about 21 days and I would have had to get visas for Russia and China and that would have taken up a significant chunk of our time in Asia. With only 3 months for Christian and his desire to see Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia and get to Austria for his parent’s 60^th birthday and make it to West Africa by October 18^th for our 13-day Voodoo tour, it seemed too long. Plus neither one of us had a strong desire to explore Russia or China on this trip.

Instead I searched for a tour company that would give us a short two week trip to Mongolia with the comforts that Christian desired and the adventure that I desired. I found that in a private tour with SunPath Mongolia, an expert in Mongolia tours. Doljmaa listened to my needs to suggested we travel just the South Western Part.

I knew nothing of Mongolia besides the Gobi desert so I decided to sign us up. We were guaranteed a Ger each night with “western toilet” facilities and a private guide and driver in a Russian van. All of that for 12-days. I re-watched their promotional video and decided this was it. We put down our deposits and flew into the Chinggis Khaan International Airport in Ulaanbaatar from Beijing.

Our adventure started with Christian’s lost luggage (more on that here) and a trip to the mall to buy him underwear. We discovered that Mongolian customer service at the airport was literally nonexistent.

Doljmaa met us the next day in the morning along with Dauka and Gala. She ushered us out of the hotel and to the airport where she demanded we get our bags. I’m not sure what kind of magic she worked but suddenly after 30 minutes we had Christian’s bag and she waved us goodbye and left us with Dauka and Gala. The Russian Van was outside of my imagination. It’s this large VW shape van with two front seats and two back benches facing each other. Huge and spacious. With comfortable rugs and pillows. It was luxury on a budget and we gladly jumped in.

The Russian Van that Dauka owns and operates for tours.

Dauka, our driver,  spoke no English but had an infectious smile and laugh. Gala spoke perfect English and had lived in the United States for a few months working to practice his English. He told us that we could expect to be on a bumpy road for most days and recommended we buy snacks and beverages, extras for our time together. Our first stop was to a grocery store just 30 minutes outside of Ulaanbaatar.

“Will there be beer?” I asked because it’s always important to ask the significant questions.

“Sometimes, but we may not always find a store.” Gala responded. “I’ll buy some them” I said and proceeded to stack up on Vodka, orange soda, and endless amounts of Mongolian beer with brands like Sengur, Niislel, and Borgio.  Those beer served us well every night as we sat in the camps. But it also did not agree with my stomach.

I also decided to use the restroom. I asked Gala if he could ask for a restroom for me and he just smiled. He lead me outside and to a small tall wooden structure with a door.

“In there.” He said

“In there” I asked.

He nodded and I could tell he was holding back laughter. I handed my purse to Christian and stepped into the outhouse, one of the many I would become acquainted with on the road and did my business. “This is going to be interesting” I thought.

For the first hour on the road Gala answered our questions about Mongolia as Dauka, whom I would later nickname Master Driver due his god-like ability to navigate dirt roads, played Mongolian music videos on his TV screen in the backseat. After about 30 minutes of silence Gala turned to us and said “It’s about to get bumpy.”

Then off road we went.

Mongolia only has really only three major roads running through the entire country. Of it’s 12,660 kilometers or road only about 2,244 are paved and 1,440 have a gravel surface. Another 1,346 have some kind of earth road and the rest are just tracks made by other vehicle. The roads go from north to south and west to east. There are no road signs after you leave the paved and gravel roads and the only way to get to most sites is to go off road.

Having an experienced driver with you is a must.

Interested in going to Mongolia? Game for a bumpy adventure full of surprises? Then here are 9 must see sites when visiting Mongolia for at least a week.

But first, to give you an idea of the country and how little we covered I created a Map that shows our major stops:

Here is a detailed map from Google Maps of everywhere we traveled.

Tsagaan Suvarga (Also Known as White Stupa) in the Omnogovi Province, Mongolia

The White Stupa are gigantic, made of over 240 million cooper ore deposits which gives it it’s red, white and clay glow. The rocky formations are easy to climb in some places.  Once on top you get a sweeping view of the Mongolian landscape. It is only a few bumpy hours away from Ulaanbaatar and is only reached once off road. We traveled there and spent an hour climbing the stupa and sitting and observing the view. It is a sight to behold and is an impressive introduction to Mongolia, which is a country full of wonder. We spent our first night in a Ger at the Tsagaan Suvarga Tourist Camp. It is just a short distance away from the Tsagaan Suvarga. It was not on my list of places to visit but I was glad I did.

Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park – Hiked the Yol Valley.

When you think of Mongolia you think of sand dunes as high as the heavens, horses, eagles, and wrestling. What you don’t usually imagine are green valleys full of purple peppermint flowers, cute animals and foggy air. An image straight out of the Lord of the Rings. But on our second day we were introduced to this wonderful place tucked away in the Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park. The Yol Valley of East Saikhan Mountain is just west of the city Dalanzadgad in the Umnugobu province.  This expansive valley is home to the three beauties of the Gobi. They stretch for miles and miles leading you to the Khongor Sand Dunes. As we entered the valley Christian and I were awestruck by the scenery. The Mongolian landscape changes from flat lands with shrubs to high mountain peaks, cool air, and tress. In the winter I was told Ice forms around the creek that flows through the valley and created structures that look like glaciers. But in the summer months the snow is replaced by cool air and greenery. It’s like entering another galaxy.  People can rock climb here, ride horses through the valley, camp in designed areas, and simply get lost in its curves, gorges and cliffs. One may even be lucky enough to spot the elusive snow leopard or the Siberian ibex, argalis, or bearded vultures. It’s a site to behold and a must to any Mongolian itinerary of Western Mongolia.

Sand Dunes of Khongoryn Els in Gobi Desert

Of course going to the Gobi desert in Mongolia honestly needs no introduction. But you can ride a camel to the dunes, hike them, and run down, and enjoy the silence of it all.

The reason we came to Mongolia was to hike the sand dunes of the Gobi Desert. I had no idea what to expect except for an African Sahara terrain of endless sand everywhere accompanies by a lack of internet service. After hours of bumpy off roading  through the Gurvan Saikhan National Park we arrived at the entrance of the  Gobi Erdene Ger Camp where we stayed the night. The camp was small and plentily and within walking distance of the dunes but we opted to drive.  The landscape was unexpected. Instead of endless sand there were shrubs with clay roads and in the distance were the massive dunes. At night fall, as we sat down to drink the beer and vodka we had left over the sky turned all kinds of purple and orange and the silence exposed us to our inner selves. The peaceful nature of the surroundings were unmatched by anything I had ever seen before. No Vermont wilderness or California desert could compare. It was hot during the day and cold at night, so cold in fact, that in August I could see my breathe mixing with the air in the morning. But the desert was a highlight for me and one that left a lasting impression. I wrote about our ascend up the  Khongoryn Els in my blog post.

The Flaming Cliffs (Also Known as Bayanzag) in the Omnogovi Province.

After leaving the Gobi desert I wasn’t sure how Mongolia could get better or honestly what it had left to offer. But only a few hours’ of  drive away we entered the South Gobi Desert and learned about the Dinosaurs.  We saw in the distance of our camp the red Flaming Cliffs, on the Mongolia’s famous dinosaur fossil sites. In the early 1920s this site was canvassed under the instruction of the American Museum of Natural History where they discovered literally hundreds of dinosaur bones and unhatched dinosaur egg fossils. But today, it’ unlikely you’ll make a discovery on your day trip. Instead you are more likely to get joy out  of climbing the Flaming cliffs near sunset.  The cliff are made of mud and sand, so soft that climbing them is like walking on sand and you risk falling at every rock you choose to grab to support you. We hiked from camp at night to watch the sunset over these clay colored cliffs where dinosaurs once roamed and had left some of themselves. While it was not my favorite place it did allow for additional exploration of Mongolia’s countryside and at a pace so unique it was easy to  imagine you were in another world.

Ongi Monastery Ruins in the Dundgovi Province in South Eastern Mongolia across from the Ongi River. T

After leaving the Flaming cliffs and the desert behind we entered into a lush green landscape with rivers flowing, the occasional ger, lamb, sheep, and cattle ever in the road, and a rickety bridge made of wood that creaked as out large van passed over it. It began to rain and the temperature dropped shamelessly. It was mid-August and already I was cold. On the way into town we stopped at a small city of 16,000 to find me a coat and stock up on our every present Mongolian beer and vodka. Then we made our way to the  Secret of Ongi Ger Camp where we would spend two nights. It was Gala’s favorite camp and I understood why. For an extra fee of 20,000 Mongolian dollars per person you could use the sauna and of course they had nightly entertainment with dances and traditional Mongolian outfits. While the meals were the same as everywhere we had been (a combination of mutton or beef, rice, potatoes, and carrots. Gluten free but not vegan friendly) they were nevertheless filling and sat on my stomach like a rock. The Monastery itself has an interesting story.

It was once one of the largest monasteries in Mongolia and was located overlooking the Ong River. It had multiple temples and buildings and at one point in time accommodated over 1,000 monks. It was built in the 1600’s and was a point of pride for the country. However, in the 1930’s as Russian communism was spread throughout the country the ruins were destroyed and over 200 monk were killed in the process. The others either escaped or were imprisoned or forcibly conscripted. It’s sad history makes the site even more special. It was not until the 1990’s that three monks returned to the Ongi monastery where they had previously received education and decided to build a small and humble temple on the foundation of the ruins. Now the temple is perched close to the top of the hill and it’s a major tourist destination. The climb is easy and the view from the top is breathtaking. Once on top it’s essential to take a break and just sit.

Horseback Riding in Orkhon Valley and seeing the Ulaan Tsutgalan waterfall.

What I When I was told we were going to the Orkhon Valley in the Arkhangi providence of inner Mongolia I wasn’t sure what to expect. I had already been surprised by the Yol Valley and I could not imagine what this could entail. But as we drove there the landscape once again changed. It went from flat lands, to tree covered with hills. I asked Gala why everything looked so different and he mentioned that Orkhon Valley was another world.  So much that it was a UNESCO site.  The Orkhon Valley is a cultural landscape with large swaths of pasturedland near the Orkhon River and many archaeological remains that date back to the 6^th century. It was also once the capital of Genghis Khan’s empire and it also has a waterfall.

We drove into the Orkhon Valley, paid our entrance fee and found our way to the the  Khurkhree tour Camp. This camp was by far my favorite. It was simply serene even though it rained every night. In the morning we would wake to the shadow and sounds of cows, yaks, and sheep outside our ger and the embers of the fire in out stove dying down. Once outside you’d be greeted by a cool fog that lifted itself from the dew on the grass. I’d sneak in early for a cup of tea just to enjoy the view and the warmth of the restaurant on the grounds. I’d listen to the birds and just feel at peace. As the sun rose hirer in the sky every morning I’d be greeted by a magnificent rainbow over the Gers. Utter peace.

While there our goals were to see the Ulaan Tsutgalan waterfall and go horseback riding. It was on my bucket list to ride a horse with no name through the Mongolian desert, but riding it through Orkhon valley was ok too. On the second day I got my wish, to ride a horse, but first we had to work out some logistics.

Christian was adamant not to ride and we asked around if anyone had a cart to pull him. At first, it seemed a guarantee. We were told there were oxs and carts he could ride in. Then later it was not ox that would pull him but a Yak. Then later the Yaks had gone out to graze and he would have to ride a horse. Reluctantly he got on a house, who of course, actually had no Our guide held the rim of Christian’s horse as Gala and I rode off together on our own horses. We walked at first, then trotted. Then he challenged me to a cantor. I had never done so before and we cantered next to each other as I left out gleeful sounds of laughter her and we passed green pastures, purples flowers, and the damp ground underneath us broke to lift the smell of fresh grass. After our ride  Gala and I returned to Christian and the guide to make our way to the waterfall. We disembarked and had a visit. While it was not as impressive as I had hoped it was very beautiful and there were plenty areas to hike down to it’s base and hike around in general. After our visit we made our way back to camp.

That evening while returning to camp we were soaked with rain. It was around 40 degrees F toward the end of August. The camp grounds were empty said for a solitary goat who had found refuge under the roof of a picnic area. We laughed at the goat for he was truly a genius among his kind. Especially in contrast to the other goats, cows, and sheep who stood soaked and cold in the rain.

Natural Hot Springs.

What no one tells you is that Mongolia is full of hot springs near the Orkhon Valley. Only a few hours drive and we ended up at the hot springs. We were upgraded from a ger to a cabin with central heating and I was honestly thankful for the upgrade. There was even an electronic heating system. On the joys of modern living! In the cabin were two twin beds and the cabin was close to the hot springs.  After dinner we went straight to the hot springs and relaxed with other tourists just sitting down and listening to everyone’s “Mongolia” and travel story. Many people visiting Mongolia were seasoned travelers, on long term trips. It was fanaticizing to be a part of that community. About 20 tourist from all over the world gathered in hot springs together, talking about life.

When we returned to the cabin I laid down and listened to the rain outside. I looked over to Christian on his bed and let out a scream. A huge black daddy long leg like spider emerged from the side of his bed and climbed the wall. Quicker than I would imagine. Christian jumped from his bed and quickly killed the spider “WTF was that?!” I said and as Christian shrugged.

Then another spider appeared in the doorway. He killed that one too. I moved my bed from the wall and tried to sleep. I could not wait to get out of the cabin and back to the Gers. I was an arachnophobe.

Khorgo Volcano and the White Lake in the Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur National park.

The next morning we  inquired with Gala about the spiders. He told us they were harmless and that they could not bite humans but there were attracted to heat.

“The rain brings them out” He told us. “It’s cold now since winter is approaching”

Winter was coming but I had no idea what that meant for me. After leaving the Hot Springs we drove to the Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur National park in the Arkhangai province. It’s about 580 kilometers from Ulaanbaatar and it’s surrounded by the Khangai Mountains. Most of the park is covered by trees and there are all sorts of wildlife and floura to explore. There’s also the Khorgo volcano crater that’s about 100 meters deep and 200 meters wide.  It erupted many years ago and also formed a deep cave known as “yellow dogs hell” based on an urban ledged. In addition to the scenery there’s also a fresh water Lake Terkhiin Tsagaan which is about 20 meters deep, 20 milometers in length, and 16 kilometers wide.

This is a  must not miss destination and a trifecta of beauty. Driving to the Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur National park we stopped at a river that flowed into a waterfall. I found a tree to do my business and discovered my inhibitions had been lowered as a minivan pulled up next to me.

My brown skin turned red and the white skin of those looking did too. I casually, got up, wiped, and found my group again. Mongolia does things to you and you just have to accept it as it comes.

After leaving the river and waterfall Dauka dropped us off at the base of thr Khorgo volcano crater. We walked through sheep and goats to an altitude of 2210 meters. I wore a sweatshirt and a jacket. It was freezing and I regretted not realizing that a Mongolian Summer was only a month long. August can snow. When we reached the top of the crater I sat down and dangled over me feet over the edge. It was beautiful and so was the surrounding area.

After leaving the volcano we went to our camp for the evening. We stayed at Maikhan Tolgoi tourist camp. It was one of the best camps I saw. The toilets were clean, the restaurant was clean, and there was the beautiful Terkhiin Tsagaan lake right at our doorsteps.  If planned in advance one could ride a horse or take a boat out on the lake. Christian and I walked to the top of a nearby hill and that’s when I saw them. Dozens of black spiders with long legs scurrying around the area. I nearly chocked.

That night we ate and then went to our Gers. The attendants came by to start our fire. I looked around all corners of our ger and it looked fine. But as night fell the shadows came. I saw the outlines of them in the glow of the fire. Those black a-holes running around the bottom of our Ger, running toward our bed. I turned and looked above me and one was just staring back at me. I screamed again. Shaking. Even Christian screamed. That a-hole was huge.

I left the ger and went to look for Galm.

“They are here!” I said

“Who?”

“The spiders. Holy shit. They are everywhere in our ger! Do you have them?”

Gala looked at me with sympathy “Yes, we killed a few”

Christian chimed in “I’m not killing that huge one in our ger”

Gala came to our ger and saw the one we were talking about. Even he looked uncomfortable. But he took off his shoe, knocked it down, and killed it. “Wait here” he suggested “I have an idea”

He left us and came back with an attendant with a bottle of Raid. She went to town spraying everywhere.

I felt much better but to ensure I could sleep I stayed up a bit later to have few nighcaps of Vodka. Finally, tipsy enough, I drifted off to sleep. As the sun rose I woke up happy that today was the last of two days in the camp. Then I felt it. Something moving on my stomach. In shock I sat up and saw nothing but still felt something moving. I lifted my shirt and there it was. A huge spider on my stomach. I pushed it off of me and stared at it before waking Christian. He killed it.

My worst nightmare had come true. After three nights of sleeping in spider infested gers one had found its way to cuddle with me. I hadn’t died but I was not happy.

I quickly dressed and went to breakfast early before everyone, I didn’t want to spend another moment in that ger. Breakfast was fast and I shook out all of my clothes while packing them to get in the van. Once in the van relief rushed over me. Gala joked about the night and I was just relieved to be somewhere else. As we drove I saw something move out of the side of my eye. Then I took my hand and grabbed my braid screaming.

Gala and Dauka looked back.  One. Of. Those. Cheeky. Bastards. Had. Slept. In. My Hair. It was now in the van seat running back and forth. I stumped it.

“WTF!” I screamed. “How did it!”

Christian, Gala, and Dauka laughed. But it was not funny for me. I thought to myself “I hate this place” and started counting the hours to Austria.

Erdene Zuu Monastery in Karakorum, the old capitol of Mongolia.

My hate/love relationship quickly disappeared as we approached our last stop in Karakorum, the old capital of Mongolia. Here Gala really shined as a tour guide. He showed us the Erdene Zuu Khiid monastery and educated us on its significance and  history.

The Monastery was founded in the 1500’s by Altai Khaan. It was the first Monastery in Mongolia and operated with various periods of prosperity and neglect until the 1930’s. That was when the Russians closed the monastery but did not destroy it all. However, it left it as a shell of what it once was. Out of the almost 100 temples originally in the monastery only three remain. However a number of artifacts from that period were saved.  In the 1960’s it was turned into a museum and in the 1990’s it became an active monastery again.

The monastery itself is enclosed in a walled area surrounded by 108 stupas. 108 is sacred to some secs of Buddhist. The monastery and its temples are very interesting and full of ancient artifacts, statues and paintings. Around the grounds are also the gravesites of Abtai Khaan and his grandson.

Visiting the monastery in the city is a change of pace and scenery. Outside the monastery are tourist shops were you can buy all types of souvenirs. I’d recommend this place with a guide. Without a guide all of the rooms would not have made sense to us but Gala really made it come alive.

That night we stayed at the Dreamland Tourist Resort. Gala upgraded us to a hotel lodge since I had had such a rough go with the spiders. We even had our own bathroom. I was thrilled. You really don’t know what you miss until you do not have it. The tourist camp is a luxury camp owned and operated by Mongolia’s first Sumo Wrestling Champion, Asashōryū Akinori. His pictures adorn the restaurant and the place is beautiful. We ate our last dinner together and laughed. Then we went to one of the many private patios, toasted to our adventures and time together, and said our preliminary goodbyes.

Leaving Karakorum the next day for our five hour drive back to Ullanbaatar was bitter sweet. I was still recovering from the spiders but I had had an enriching and fulfilling time in Mongolia with Christian, Gala, and Dauka. We had shared laughs and challenged ourselves in ways that stretched my imagination. Most of all I had never seen a country so beautiful as Mongolia. In fact, now that I have returned the only place that rivals Mongolia’s natural beauty, in my opinion, is Antarctica.

The people were kind, the food is surprisingly good although basic, and there’s nothing quite like Mongolia in the world. There’s really no reason not to go.

Before You Go:

1. The road in Mongolia are notoriously bad and require a driver who is experienced. Once outside Ulaanbaatar there are only two major paved roads leading through the country and all of the major attractions are off unmarked roads. Mongolia is sparsely populated so the likelihood of finding someone if you come across trouble is low. English is not widely spoken and Mongolian is based off the cyrillic alphabet. The best way to comfortably travel through Mongolia is with an experienced local, a reputable tour company, or with adventurous Russians who seemed to have no problem at all driving through Mongolia on their own.
2. Book with a tour guide. We recommend SunPath Mongolia and request Gala as a guide, if he is still working with them. You can’t go wrong. Because the terrain is so bumpy and so vast you’ll want a comfortable tour which can work on its own schedule. If possible, you want to be with people whose company you enjoy. So go with a group of friends or join a small group. I couldn’t imagine being stuck in a packed bus for those long drives.
3. Set aside time. You can’t see all of Mongolia in a week. You may be able to see it in a month or some of it in  two week trip. The country offers so much to see and do and it’s really amazing.
4. Mongolia is not kid friendly. I say that because of the hours  of driving and the distances from any hospitals. If anything goes wrong you’d have hours to drive before reaching a hospital which may be subpar. I’d recommend this trip for adults and families with older children.