7 Mongolian destinations you simply can't miss
As a first-time visitor to Mongolia, you’ll be tempted to see it all – from our central city to the outback wilderness. If you need to refine your agenda, here’s our list of the 7 most common places in Mongolia.
1. ULAANBAATAR CITY
Ulaanbaatar City is a good starting point for almost every tourist. The city is growing outwards towards the west and east. Also becoming quite crowded in the downtown area. Ulaanbaatar is the capital city of Mongolia. A city located in the central part of the country at an altitude of about 1,300 m along the Tuul River coast. The population is 1,500,000, which is an extremely concentrated area where nearly half of the country’s population is concentrated.
2. TERELJ PARK
Terelj National Park is one of the most picturesque places in Mongolia. The Terelj National Park is located about two hours East of the capital. It is the third-largest protected area (2,864 square kilometers) in Mongolia and home to many. The countryside is covered by undulating hills and rock formations. Nestled in the valleys you can find several small temples, the aptly-named turtle rock, and even some dinosaurs. There are over 250 species of bird and numerous species of mammals. The national park is also home to many ger camps and nomadic families.
3. KARAKHORIN HERITAGE
Kharkhorin is located at the lower end of the upper valley of the Orkhon River which is included within UNESCO’s World Heritage Site Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape. The location marks the easternmost foothills of the Khangai Mountains, where they meet the rolling steppe of central Mongolia. Nearby are the ruins of the ancient town of Karakorum (also known as Kharkhorum or Qara Quorum) which, for a short time, served as the capital of the Mongol Empire under Ugudei Khan (Chinggis Khan’s son). Another Kharkhorin landmark is Erdenezuu Monastery and its famous phallic rock.
4. SOUTH GOBI DESERT
Unlike most people’s common imagination about the desert, the Mongolian Gobi desert is mostly vegetated, vast steppe and home to a big number of camel herders. Due to its size and sparse inhabitation, it instantly brings tranquillity and evokes mysteries to its visitors. During this trip, we will reveal to you the most highlighting components of this legendary desert – Vulture gorge (Eagle Valley), Khongor sand dunes, and Bayanzag, which once really was dinosaurs’ home.
5. LAKE KHUVSGUL
Foreign tourists refer to Khuvsgul aimag as “Mongolian Switzerland”.There are many rivers flowing through the province such as Ider, Tes, Delger, Selenge. Khuvsgul lake is one of the deepest in Asia. Other lakes include Erkhel, Achmag, Tsengel, Sangiin dalai.
This is the northernmost and absolutely one of the most scenic aimags in the country. It is a land of crystal clear lakes, icy streams and tall green taiga forests. As the crown jewel it is dominated by the magnificent Khovsgol Nuur – one of the most scenic spots in Mongolia. There are also mountains with peaks near 3000m. Here also lives the Tsaatan reindeer people.
6. ELSEN TASARKHAI
Burd is the gateway city for sightseeing in Karakorum, the ancient capital of the Mongol Empire. There are grasslands and dunes, small hills and streams, and in the summer, the splendid flowers spreads out, making it a scenic spot like a grassland. The appearance of nomads chasing sheep, goats, horses, etc. may be an image of the Mongolian steppes. Since this is also an area where many Naadam horse trainers live, the horses are well managed and you can ride comfortably. Surrounded by sand dunes, if you go a little further, you can enjoy horseback riding that is a bit different from horseback riding in the prairie, with rocky mountains with a good view and ibex living there. There are camels among the nomads of Burd, so you can also experience camel riding.
7. GENGHIS KHAN STATUE
The Genghis Khan Equestrian Statue, part of the Genghis Khan Statue Complex is a 40-meter (130 ft) tall statue of Genghis Khan on horseback, on the bank of the Tuul River at Tsonjin Boldog (54 km (33.55 mi) east of the Ulaanbaatar), where according to legend, he found a golden whip. The complex is established to show the environment of 13th-century lifestyles and the cultural impacts of the Mongolian great empire. It creates a great opportunity for tourists to relive that period of time.
FIND A MONGOLIAN TOUR OF A MAP
If you are considering traveling to Mongolia, leave it to a local travel agency with an English tour operator and English-speaking guides. Specialized tour staff familiar with Mongolia planned and arranged a Mongolian trip according to customers’ requests and budgets by incorporating experience and the latest information. Please make your own “private tour”. Our company is a Mongolian local travel agency Shine Zuuch Travel established in 2005 as a nomadic country, Mongolian sightseeing travel company and boasts 19 years of track record.
“Thank you for everything, I enjoyed it.” In such a word of our customers, we feel pleasure and are making daily efforts. And we will continue to make further efforts to provide “a really satisfying tour” that you can say “Please continue my next Mongolian tour”. Thank you.
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