Life and landscapes in Mongolia

Mongolia. Its name alone evokes a sense of mystery. Even in today’s highly connected world, this distant land remains relatively remote.  Traditional Mongolian gers (tents) dot the vast steppes, while sand dunes rise from empty deserts and snowcapped mountains loom over lush green grasslands. Every turn on the road reveals a different landscape. As a travel writer, I’ve visited more than ninety countries on all seven continents. Few have come close to Mongolia in terms of natural beauty. It is a special place, especially for those who love nature and wilderness.

Mongolia in photos

On my recent trip to Mongolia, I spent two weeks traversing the country, from the capital city of Ulaanbaatar to the steppes of the Dundgovi Province region. I explored the sand dunes of Khongoriin Els in the south and made a loop to the Tsenger hot springs area and Hustai National Park. Here are 20 of my best images of Mongolia. 

A Gobi camel

Bactrian camels of the Gobi have two humps and can survive temperature extremes from -40°F to 100°F. Unlike their Arabian cousins, they have thick winter coats they shed completely each spring. These resilient creatures can drink 30 gallons of water in just 13 minutes.

A wild horse grazes in Hustai National Park

You're looking at the Przewalski's horse (takhi), the world’s last truly wild horse species. While this species is the last wild horse that has never been domesticated, other wild equids, like the onager, still exist. They went extinct in the wild in the 1960s and were successfully reintroduced to Mongolia in the 1990s from zoo populations. They’re stockier than domestic horses and possess 66 chromosomes (compared to 64 in domestic horses).

The view from the Great Imperial Map monument, Karakorum

Karakorum was Genghis Khan's capital city in the 13th century. From this vantage point, you can see what remains of a once-mighty center of the world's largest contiguous land empire in history, controlling territories from Korea to Eastern Europe.

A stupa at Erdene Zuu Monastery

Built in 1585, this was Mongolia's first Buddhist monastery. The original complex contained 108 stupas (a sacred number in Buddhism) and used stones from the ruins of Karakorum. It survived the communist purges of the 1930s when hundreds of monasteries were destroyed.

The steppes of Bag Gazariin Chuluu

These granite rock formations were used as hiding places by Buddhist monks during the religious purges of the 1930s. Local legend says the great Mongolian hero Gozon Baatar slayed a dragon in this area, and its body transformed into these strangely shaped rocks.

The golden sands of the Gobi Desert

The Gobi is Asia's largest desert and the world’s coldest desert. Despite its arid reputation, only a small portion consists of sand dunes—most of the Gobi is rocky and gravelly terrain. The name "Gobi" means "waterless place" in Mongolian.

The Khongoriin Els sand dunes, Gobi Desert

Called the "Singing Dunes" because they emit a distinctive humming sound when wind passes over them or when you slide down their faces. They can reach heights of 300 meters and stretch for over 100 km.

Off-road in the Yolyn Am Valley

Once known for its year-round glacier (now melted due to climate change), this "Vulture's Mouth" valley is so narrow in places that sunlight barely reaches the bottom. Despite being in the desert, it features a surprising microclimate supporting unique wildlife.

The Buddhist monastery of Ongiin Khiid

Once home to over 1,000 monks across twin monastery complexes, it was almost completely destroyed during the communist purges of 1939. Locals have been rebuilding it since the 1990s after Mongolia's democratic revolution.

Sunset in the northern grasslands

Mongolia experiences over 250 sunny days per year, earning it the nickname "Land of the Blue Sky." These grasslands support the traditional nomadic way of life that has persisted for thousands of years.

Rugged terrain surrounding Ongiin Khiid

This dramatic landscape was formed by ancient volcanic activity. The monastery was strategically placed along the Silk Road, and the surrounding area contains numerous archaeological sites from different historical periods.

Orkhon Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site

This valley has been the center of empires for over 1,500 years, including the Turkic, Uyghur, and Mongol empires. The cultural landscape demonstrates how nomadic pastoral societies adapted to harsh environments through sophisticated social structures.

Nomadic families live in traditional gers on the steppes of Mongolia

The ger (yurt) can be assembled or dismantled in under an hour and transported by camel or truck. Its design has remained largely unchanged for at least 3,000 years—a perfect adaptation to Mongolia's extreme climate.

A farmer on horseback herds his goats

It's said that Mongolian horsemen learn to ride before they can walk, and the horse remains central to nomadic culture. Mongolian horses are small but extraordinarily tough, able to survive on their own in -40°F temperatures.

Driving to Yolyn Am Valley, Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park

The park's name means "Three Beauties of the Gobi," referring to its stunning mountain ranges. Mongolia has few paved roads outside cities, making 4x4 vehicles essential for traversing the rugged terrain.

Bayanzag or "Flaming Cliffs", where the first discovery of dinosaur eggs was made

American paleontologist Roy Chapman Andrews discovered the first-ever dinosaur eggs here in 1923. The expedition that found them is often associated with adventure stories, but it was not directly the inspiration for the character of Indiana Jones. The red sandstone cliffs glow brilliantly at sunset, giving them their fiery name.

A river that snakes around Ongiin Khiid

This river is a vital lifeline in the desert region. During Mongolia's harsh winters, when temperatures regularly drop below -40°F, rivers freeze solid enough to drive trucks across them.

A nomadic Mongolian in Tsenger

Traditional Mongolian hospitality dictates that a stranger must be welcomed into a ger and offered airag (fermented mare's milk). Refusing such hospitality is considered deeply offensive in nomadic culture.

A lake outside of Karakorum

Mongolia contains over 3,000 lakes, many considered sacred. Lake Khövsgöl in the north contains 1% of the world's fresh water. The ancient Mongols believed water bodies were protected by powerful spirits called "lus" that needed to be respected.

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