Sarah Page-McCaw
See temples, ride camels and enjoy desert views across the country.
Horses in Mongolia. Rita Wallaert. CC BY 2.0.
Mongolia, known for its beautiful desert landscapes and wildlife, is one of the world’s less-visited countries, often overlooked by tourists due to its remoteness. However, it is possible to see this nation’s breathtaking sights by traveling the country in a car, even for those inexperienced with Mongolian roads. Personal driver services are common in Mongolia, as are “gers,” traditional sleeping accommodations perfect for visits to remote locations.
To make the most of sightseeing, it is best to travel Mongolia in a loop format, starting and ending in the dynamic city of Ulaanbaatar, with scenic grasslands and otherworldly deserts en route. If you have a week or two to visit Mongolia by car, here are the sights you can’t afford to miss.
Ulaanbaatar
Temple in Ulaanbaatar. Christopher Michel. CC BY 2.0.
Fly into the nation’s capital and biggest city to experience Mongolia’s wealth of vibrant cultural experiences in a cosmopolitan setting. Today, Ulaanbaatar is one of the world’s fastest-growing cities, but it was once a small Buddhist settlement. Because of this, Ulaanbaatar is a fascinating modern and traditional landscape, with skyscrapers and factories situated beside temples and nomadic ger camps. Allocate a few days of your trip to experience everything from folklore concerts to tours of Buddhist monasteries and a giant Genghis Khan statue.
From Ulaanbaatar, driver services are available for transport to further destinations.
Hustai National Park
Horses in Hustai. Pierre Andé Leclerq. CC BY-SA 4.0.
From Ulaanbaatar, it is a two-hour drive to Hustai National Park, a huge grassland home to spectacular wildlife. Hustai is particularly famous for its endangered Przewalski’s horses, the last wild horse species. The park’s trails, winding between grassy hills, enable visitors to sight wildlife and see Turkic burial monuments. Overnight stays in popular ger camps are also available from Hustai.
Elsen Tasarkhai Sand Dunes
Sand Dunes. MN5. CC0 1.0.
It is a five-hour drive from Hustai National Park to the Elsen Tasarkhai Sand Dunes. Visitors can ride camels, enjoy breathtaking views from the tops of the dunes and sleep in gers. The area is particularly famous for its clear desert skies. Due to a lack of light pollution, the starry stripes of the Milky Way are visible here at night. The Khogno Khan Mountain and its historical burial sites are also a 15-minute drive away.
Flaming Cliffs
Cliffs at Sunset. Martin Vorel. CC0 1.0.
From the Elsen Tasarkhai Sand Dunes, travel further into the desert to visit the Flaming Cliffs of Mongolia, with rocky trails and abundant camels. These cliffs carry an abundance of fossils and were the site of the excavation of the first discovered dinosaur eggs in 1923. Since then, they have attracted paleontologists and visitors alike and inspired wonder for their fiery look at sunset.
Yolyn Am Valley
Path through the valley. Romërt. CC BY-SA 4.0.
From the cliffs, drive two hours to experience the Yolyn Am Valley — a beautiful green gorge nestled in the Gobi Desert. The area is covered in ice in the winter, and the surreal nearby Yolyn Ice Field remains frozen even in the heat of the summer. The area is popular with wildlife lovers –– snow leopards and eagles are abundant in the region. Stop at the nearby Provincial Museum to learn more about the history and geography of the area.
Baga Gazriin Chuluu
Rock Formations. Marco Fieber. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
On the return trip to Ulaanbaatar, stop at Baga Gazriin Chuluu, where trails take visitors through remarkable granite formations regarded by many locals as holy. Along the way, spot temple remnants and see rock paintings made by two 19th-century monks who inhabited the area.
From Baga Gazriin Chuluu, it’s about a three-hour drive back to the Ulaanbaatar airport.
If you’re looking to explore natural wonders and vibrant cityscapes, don’t count Mongolia out. Rather than making the usual trek to commonly toured destinations, consider exploring the world’s most breathtaking, remote wonders by visiting Central Asia. A summertime flight to Ulaanbaatar could very well launch the road trip of a lifetime.
Sarah Page-McCaw
Sarah is a student at Columbia University studying history and literature. She hopes to study law and is passionate about social justice and combating climate change. In her free time, she enjoys reading, writing, traveling, and music.