An Introduction to MONGOLIA

Bordered by Siberia to the north and China to the south, Mongolia is the second largest landlocked country in the world, with a varying geography from the Gobi Desert to the south and mountain regions to the north and west. With a landscape that can be quite refreshing for people to visit, it offers pristine lakes, rugged mountains and incredible wide open spaces. Khongoryn Els is the home to Mongolia’s largest sand dunes, which translates to ‘singing sands’. Lake Khovsgol is the largest and deepest lake in Mongolia, surrounded by mountains and lush forests, it is home to a variety of animals and species of birds. With a turbulent history Mongolia was first declared a Mongol Empire in 1206 by Genghis Khan.

One of the most wonderful events that take place in Mongolia is the fascinating Naadam Festival, with people arriving from all over the country to participate. This spectacular occasion is a photographer’s paradise, with an array of activities, food and crafts on offer. Mongolia conjures up images of the legends of Genghis Khan, horses galloping through the expansive open plains and camels crossing the Gobi Desert. The warm-hearted locals will inspire you as they go about their lives with gentle peace and humility, but most of all they will reward you with an experience of a lifetime.
 

cities

ULAANBAATAR

Ulaanbaatar is the capital of Mongolia and is located on the Tuul River with a backdrop of the Khairkhan Mountains. This town is steadily developing into a modernised city, whilst still maintaining its old world traditional hospitality.

KHARKHORIN

Kharkhorin is Mongolia’s former capital and attracts many visitors for its intriguing history dating back to the 13th Century.
Once the imperial capital ruled by Genghis Khan, Kharkhorin has one of the most ancient and impressive Buddhist monasteries in Mongolia, the Erdene Zuu Monastery.

GOBI DESERT

The Gobi Desert is home to many of Mongolia’s renowned landscapes and consists of the largest sand dunes within Mongolia at Khongoryn Els. Discover the scenery at Eagle Valley, which is covered in metre-thick ice for the greater part of the year.

KHOVSGOL

Khovsgol is a scenic area and is known for its wild mountains and alpine lakes. Lake Khovsgol is the deepest lake in Mongolia,
encircled by 2,000m-high mountains, and is named after the Turkish word meaning ‘lake of the blue waters’. 

NAADAM FESTIVAL

The biggest event in the Mongolian calendar is the yearly Naadam Festival held in Ulaanbaatar each July. These ‘nomad Olympics’ derived from the Mongol armies who would gather and hold assemblies as well as hunting expeditions. The main events of the festival are wrestling, archery and horse racing and winning holds enormous prestige within the community.

Country Map

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Images from MONGOLIA

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