Mongolia

Ulaanbaatar: Chaos, Culture and Craft Beer

The capital is a city of vivid contradictions: Soviet era apartment blocks beside gilded Buddhist temples, cashmere boutiques alongside bustling street markets, and a thriving cafe scene that could hold its own in any European capital. Sukhbaatar Square anchors the city centre, flanked by the imposing Government Palace and a commanding statue of Chinggis Khaan. Come for the National Museum of Mongolia and the Gandantegchinlen Monastery, then stay for the dumplings.

The Gobi and Beyond

The Gobi Desert is nothing like most people imagine. Rather than endless sand, it is a mosaic of saxaul forests, rocky outcrops, flaming red cliffs and surprise oases. The Khongoryn Els sand dunes rise to 300 metres and can be climbed at sunset for views that border on the absurd. Further west, the Altai Mountains harbour snow leopards, ibex and the extraordinary eagle hunting tradition of the Kazakh communities of Bayan-Olgii, a culture utterly unlike anything else in Central Asia.

Naadam, Gers and the Art of Slowing Down

The Naadam Festival in July is Mongolia at its most exhilarating: three days of wrestling, archery and horse racing that trace their roots to the armies of Chinggis Khaan. Outside of festival season, the invitation to stay in a family ger, drink fermented mare's milk and watch the Milky Way unspool across a sky with zero light pollution is, for many travellers, the heart of the whole journey. Mongolia rewards those willing to leave the itinerary loose.