The Boundless Steppe

Prominent in Eastern Mongolia, the vast steppe is the region where Great Chinggis Khaan was born and is one of the most unspoiled and unexplored mysterious areas in Mongolia. Rich in places of historical, ethnographical, natural value, the Dornod Mongolian steppe is famous for its rare fauna and flora, and dramatic sunrises and sunsets. And the steppe is home to rich wildlife, especially thousands of white tailed gazelles and other species. Not only it holds one of the last great plain on earth, but it also allows you to feel a sensation of freedom while traveling through this human free boundless area.

The Great Gobi Desert

Gobi, one of the world’s most unusual deserts covers over 30 percent of the Mongolian territory, stretches for 3,000 miles along the border of Mongolia and China. The Gobi is home to many endemic animal species such as snow leopard, Gobi bear, wild mountain sheep (Argali), wild Horse (Takhi), Asian Wild Ass (Khulan), Wild Bactrian Camel (Khavtgai), Ibex (Yangir), black tailed antelope and gazelle. This is the area where Roy Chapman Andrews, the famous American paleontologist and his expedition, discovered the very first nest of dinosaur eggs on earth. Surprisingly, the harsh environment has produced the most resilient and remarkable people, who know every part of this desert in the back of their heads. Although now rare throughout the rest of the world, the two-humped Bactrian camel is common in Mongolia. This huge, yet gentle animal is the main source of milk and transport in the Gobi desert. The Mongolian Gobi consists of 33 different desert landscapes. Our tours in the lost country you will have a chance to ride through colorful valleys to the picturesque Khongor sand dunes, through rough but green saxaul forests to the ancient sea beds where dinosaur fossils were found by both local nomads and professional archeologists. But Gobi holds also many interesting places which are included in our tours, like Bayanzag and its “flaming cliffs”, Yol valley and its sheer rocky canyon, the oasis of Narandaats & Zulganai, and the mysterious land formations of Khermen Tsav, Ulaan Suvarga & Tsagaan Suvarga.

The Holy Altai Mountains

The snow-covered peaks of the Mongolian Altai Mountain Range rise up to 4400m above sea level and you will find here remote alpine lakes teeming with fish, ancient stone monuments, intricate rock paintings and ancient Turkish burial grounds, swift rivers, larch forests, and valleys strewn with wildflowers. The backcountry of western Mongolia is still relatively unexplored and offers spectacular scenery and excellent opportunities for traveling. Journeying through this region, you will discover the unique culture of the Kazakhs, Mongolia’s only Muslim minority. Many Kazakhs still hunt with trained eagles in the winter months and you will have an opportunity to see these magnificent birds during your travels.

The Khangai & Taiga

Located in the western half of Mongolia starting some 400 kilometres west – southwest of Ulaanbaatar, the Khangai are the country’s largest and third major mountain range after the Khentii and the Altai. Considered a transition zone from the Siberian taiga to steppe, the Khangai’s mountainous slopes are covered in thick forests, mostly larch, with a high diversity of other flora and fauna. The region’s lush, grass-covered valleys are fed by a multitude of streams, rivers and lakes. While travelling through this region you will explore bit of Switzerland where lush and serene vegetation and part of Siberia where winter is long and cold, with snow staying on the ground until May.

The Crystal Clear Lakes

Mongolia holds several magnificent lakes. Among them, the Blue Pearl of Mongolia Khuvsgul Lake, containing 2 % of the world’s fresh water, is sacred by locals as “Mother Sea”. Uvs Lake is itself the biggest lake of country, covering 3,350 km², though its salted water. And Terkhiin Tsagaan Lake formed by lava flows from a volcanic eruption. Those and the numerous other lakes hold variety of fishes and attract many species of water birds

The Protected Areas
Mongolians have a rich tradition to protect natural environment. Traditional nomadic life is based on the respect of nature. In 1778, the first protected area in the world was established in Mongolia. There are now 60 protected areas in Mongolia covering nearly 14% of the territory. Most of our tours are operated through those protected areas, since they contain many interesting sites. Then we can contribute to the protection of those areas by visiting them.