Tour guides Mongolia

5 ideas for guided tours in Mongolia

• Ulaanbaatar

  

  Mongolia’s capital is home to more than a third of the country’s population (around 1.2 million people). Ulaanbaatar has grown rapidly, becoming a mix of medieval Mongol heritage, Soviet-era buildings, modern high-rises, and long avenues like the famous Peace Avenue, the city’s main shopping hub.

  At first glance, the city may seem austere, but it hides many treasures. A great place to start is the Bogd Kahn Museum with its beautiful Green Palace, where you can dive into the millennia-old history of the region and the peoples who once lived here.

  With a local Mongolian guide, you can explore the two major monasteries: Choijin Lama, which includes a museum tracing the different stages of Buddhism and the country’s cultural heritage, and Gandan, made up of five temples and its own museum housing thousands of precious objects.

  On Zaisan Hill stands a monument dedicated to the Russian soldiers who died during World War II. From this spot, you’ll enjoy the best view of Ulaanbaatar and the Tuul River winding through it.

• Menen Steppe

  

  The Menen steppes, among the largest in Mongolia, stretch west of Lake Buir in the Dornod Province. This nearly untouched landscape is home to one of the world’s greatest natural grasslands, where the mass migration of gazelles sweeps across the horizon like a living thread.

  The vegetation is dense, broken by gently rounded hills and small sand dunes. This unexpected mix gives the region a distinctive, almost otherworldly character.

  To the north, near Kherlen, the land dips to its lowest point, while to the south, toward Tamsag, the terrain rises above 800 meters. This subtle contrast guides the eye, offering ever-changing views.

• Khorgo Nature Park

  

  The Khorgo Nature Reserve was created to protect the spectacular landscapes that surround it. Twelve volcanic mountains rise here, some with lakes at their summits. The highest is Mount Khanga, reaching 3,000 meters, while the most visited is the Khorgo Crater, standing at 2,200 meters.

  Clouds of steam escape from its rim, and nearby caves display stalactites hanging from their walls and ceilings. Lava flows once flooded the region, enriching the soil and allowing a remarkably rich fauna to thrive in the surrounding forests.

  Several species of wildlife inhabit the area, including goats, deer, and an impressive variety of birds. The country’s most beautiful lake is found here—Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur. It was formed at an altitude of 2,060 meters when lava blocked the course of the Terkh River, creating a volcanic island in the middle of the water.

• The sand dunes of Elsen Tasarkhai

  

  You’ll need to travel about 280 km west of Ulaanbaatar to reach the Elsen Tasarkhai dunes, which stretch for 80 km in length and 5 km in width in the Uvurkhangai Province.

  You can climb the sandy hills on camelback and enjoy breathtaking views of this patch of desert set in the middle of a lush steppe. In this truly unique landscape, shrubs have even managed to grow on the dunes. Thanks to its proximity to the Mongolian capital, the area is perfect for those who want a taste of the Gobi Desert but don’t have time to travel far south.

  The surrounding region is full of historical sites, including the Erdene Hambiin and Ovgon temples and the stone statues of Senget Khad, which date back to the Bronze Age.

• Orkhon valley

  

  The Orkhon Valley lies in the heart of Mongolia. Countless peoples have lived along its river basin since prehistoric times, leaving the area scattered with remains and ruins.

  This was the route taken by every nomadic civilization of the Eurasian continent. The earliest findings, at Moiltiin Am, date back over 60,000 years. Several ruins can be visited here, bearing witness to the succession of peoples since the Bronze Age—the Huns, the Turks, the Uighurs who built the royal city of Khar Balgas (also called Ordu-Baliq), the Khitans, and finally the Mongols, who settled in Kharkhorin, the former capital founded by Genghis Khan in the 13th century.

  Today, the Orkhon Valley is still a place where nomads set up camp with their families and herds amid its lush green landscapes. You’ll be warmly welcomed and can spend a few days in their camp, sleeping in traditional yurts. Around you, there’s a wide choice of treks—on horseback, by bike, or on foot.