Mongolia

Mongolia is unlike any other destination on Earth — a vast, wild country where landscapes shift from the sand dunes of the Gobi to pine-covered mountains, open steppe, and the cobalt waters of Khuvsgul Lake.

A Living Nomadic Culture
Around 20–25% of the population still live nomadically, moving with their herds between seasonal pastures and sleeping in gers — the circular felt dwellings that have sheltered nomadic families for thousands of years. Few experiences in travel match sitting inside a ger, sharing supper with a herder family under a sky undimmed by light pollution.

Extraordinary Landscapes
Mongolia is the world’s most sparsely populated country, yet it packs in an astonishing range of natural wonders: the Gobi Desert, the Mongolian Steppe, Khuvsgul Lake (the Blue Pearl of Mongolia), and the Altai Mountains. These are landscapes built for horse trekking, camel riding, hiking, and long silences.

History & Heritage
Karakorum, ancient capital of the Mongol Empire, and Erdene Zuu Monastery are within reach of the Orkhon Valley — a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Mongolia holds six UNESCO-listed properties in total, including the Petroglyphic Complexes of the Mongolian Altai and Burkhan Khaldun Mountain, sacred to the memory of Genghis Khan.

Festivals Worth Travelling For
Naadam (11–13 July) brings nationwide celebration of wrestling, horse racing, and archery. The Golden Eagle Festival (September–October, Ölgii) gathers Kazakh eagle hunters in full ceremonial dress. Tsagaan Sar (Mongolian New Year) and the Thousand Camel Festival round out a calendar that rewards visits in every season.

Wildlife
Bactrian camels roam the Gobi. Wild Przewalski’s horses — extinct in the wild until reintroduction — graze the steppe. Gazelle mega-herds of hundreds of thousands still migrate across open plains. Snow leopards, Argali sheep, and a wide array of raptors inhabit the mountain ranges.

Food & Drink
Khorkhog (lamb slow-cooked with hot stones) and boodog (whole marmot or goat cooked from the inside out) are unlike anything else in the culinary world. Airag, fermented mare’s milk, is the national drink — and an experience in itself.

Adventure at Every Scale
Multi-day horse treks across open steppe, camel safaris through the Gobi, eagle hunting expeditions in the Altai, river kayaking in the north. The infrastructure is still raw — and that rawness is exactly what makes Mongolia so compelling.