Byamba's Tree Nursery
Retired forest engineer and local conservationist Byamba Tseyen helped establish, and now maintains, this small tree-planting nursery on the edge of town,…
Must-see attractions in The Gobi
- Eej Khairkhan Nature Reserve
The 22.5-sq-km Eej Khairkhan Nature Reserve was created to protect the general environment. Near the base of Eej Khairkhan Uul (2275m), you can camp at…
- Lamyn Gegeenii Gon Gandan Dedlin Khiid
The original monastery by this name, one of Mongolia's largest at the time, was located 20km east of Bayankhongor City. It was levelled by the communist…
- Khun Chuluu
About 8km west of the main dirt tracks as you head south from Altai to Biger, and about 10km southwest of Altai itself, among the blemished land scarred…
- Amarbuyant Khiid
This ruined monastery once housed around 1000 monks until its destruction in 1937 by Stalin’s forces. Its claim to fame is that the 13th Dalai Lama, while…
- Biger Nomin Khan Monastery Ruins
The official road-side sign for these monastery ruins states that they are around 750 years old. We doubt they are quite that old, but they're interesting…
- Mandalgov Museum
This enjoyable and informative museum is divided into two main sections: a taxidermy-heavy natural history section and a more interesting ethnography and…
- Moltzog Els
The 5km stretch of 40ft-tall, sugary sand dunes that rises and falls in the desert 22km northeast of Bayanzag makes for some brief, breathless hikes and…
- Museum of Danzan Ravjaa
The life and achievements of Noyon Khutagt Danzan Ravjaa (1803–56), a well-known Mongolian writer, composer, painter and medic who was born about 100km…
- Biger Red Yabar
About 28km before you reach Biger (74km from Altai), you'll see these striking, red-coloured cliffs off to your right (south). Their crenellated formation…
- Ikh Bogd Uul
The highest mountain (3957m) in the Gobi Altai range. It's possible to part-jeep, part-hike your way to the top for stupendous views. On Ikh Bogd’s…
- Norovbanzad Theatre
A surreal amphitheatre tucked into the rocks, 1.5km south of the park ranger's camp. It's named in honour of a famous Mongolian long-song singer and hosts…
- Alag Khairkhan Nature Reserve
Some 364 sq km southwest of Altai have been set aside to protect rare endemic plants, snow leopards, argali and ibexes. There aren't any tourist services,…
- Ehynumay Cave
With an English translation of 'mother's vagina', if you'd like to be born again, step into this cave, climb up and out a small skylight and ramble down…
- Small Gobi A Strictly Protected Area
On the border with China, the 18,392-sq-km Small Gobi A Strictly Protected Area includes dunes and saxaul forest, habitat that nurtures the endemic khulan…
- Galuut Canyon
A 25m-deep canyon that narrows to around 1m wide in places. It is 20km southwest of Galuut sum centre, 85km northwest of Bayankhongor town.
- Tsagaan Agui
This is a cave with a crystal-lined inner chamber that once housed Stone Age people. It is about 90km east of Bayangovi in a narrow gorge.
- Bayangiin Nuruu
A canyon with well-preserved rock engravings and petroglyphs depicting hunting and agricultural scenes dating from 3000 BC.
- Toonotaguy Cave
This cave has great views from its mouth and a chute that leads to an opening with more stunning vistas on the other side.
- Yasnee Tsav
An eroded hilly region with some impressive buttes. Local guides claim they can point out authentic fossils at this site.