On March 2nd, I embarked on my longest journey so far – a journey that took me through…
Times visited: 1
Cities visited: Ulaanbataar and Kharkhorin
Towns and villages visited: Mandalgovi, Dalandzadgad and Arvaikheer
UNESCO sites visited: 1/6
Mongolia is one of the few countries that will forever hold a special place in my heart. There’s simply nowhere else like it on Earth. In the spring of 2016, I spent 16 unforgettable days exploring this vast and fascinating land. I based myself in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia’s capital and home to nearly half of the country’s inhabitants. While the city is quite modern, much of the rest of Mongolia remains deeply rooted in tradition, with a strong cultural pride in preserving the ancient nomadic way of life.
That lifestyle had always intrigued me, so just a day after arriving, I set out to experience it firsthand. I joined a small group of four fellow travellers, along with a knowledgeable guide and a local driver, for a week-long journey through the legendary Gobi Desert. I’m so grateful I didn’t try to do it solo – actual roads were rare, so we often drove across open steppe or sand with no tracks in sight. Occasionally, we’d pass a remote village, but we didn’t see much in the way of modern comforts. Showers and WiFi? Forget it. Instead, we found ourselves surrounded by sweeping sand dunes, vibrant limestone cliffs, icy canyons, and endless desert horizons. At night, we were welcomed into cozy gers by local families who generously shared stories of nomadic life in one of the most remote and beautiful regions I’ve ever seen.
After that incredible desert adventure, I travelled to Kharkhorin, Mongolia’s ancient capital, where I spent a few peaceful days hiking among grassy hills and quiet mountain landscapes. Back in Ulaanbaatar, I woke one morning to a heavy snowfall – just in time for my final stop: a visit to Gorkhi-Terelj National Park with a new friend. We stayed in a remote valley with a local family, surrounded by snow-blanketed mountains. It was quiet, serene, and utterly magical. Just the two of us, off-grid, immersed in the stillness of nature and the warmth of Mongolian hospitality.