Must-see attractions in The Gobi

The Tost Mountains are a rugged, rocky range that sheds shale, and sprouts with enough vegetation to look green in the spring. This 8163-sq-km portion of…

This fertile oasis located deep in the southern Gobi produces a tremendous amount of fruit and vegetables, and is probably the only place in Mongolia…

This site is the mountain home of the spirit of the third Noyon Khutagt (a predecessor of Danzan Ravjaa). The temple halfway up the mountain is as far as…

This tiny freshwater spring is covered with a stone. Lift it off the opening and use the crude ladle fashioned from a stick and the business end of a…

This research station has been set up to protect the reintroduced takhi (Przewalski’s horse). Most of the takhi now run free, although a few still live in…

This cave has a funnel-like opening through which you can squeeze into a ger-sized cavern 18m below. One hundred years ago it glowed with quartz crystal,…

In 1936 there were 53 temples in Dundgovi; a year later the Mongolian KGB reduced nearly all to ash and rubble. In 1991 Dashgimpeliin Khiid was opened for…

Set in the Great Gobi A reserve, this centre specializes in breeding wild camels and releasing them into the wild to maintain the population. They are not…

This well-appointed museum houses plenty of stuffed Gobi animals, and a collection of seashells and marine fossils (Dornogovi was once beneath the sea)…

Surprisingly, this museum has little on dinosaurs – just a few legs, arms and eggs. (All of the best exhibits are in Ulaanbaatar or in other museums…

The Altai Museum shows off some excellent bronze statues, scroll paintings, genuine Mongol army chain-mail, and an interesting shaman costume and drum…

A large, scenic saltwater lake at the end of Baidrag Gol with prolific birdlife, notably relic gulls, whooper swans and geese. The nearest sum centre is…

Formerly the Aimag Museum and set inside the sports stadium, the collection here is well laid-out and worth a quick look. There is a good display on…

The skyline of the city is dominated by this stupa (and the telecom tower beside it) on a hill to the west of the city's main square. Take a walk up here …

The small museum at the gate on the main road to Yolyn Am has a collection of dinosaur eggs and bones, stuffed birds and a snow leopard. Several souvenir…

Created in 1993 and one of the smaller reserves in the area. Like the Mankhan Nature Reserve in Khovd aimag, these 282 hectares have been set aside to…

About 1km before arriving at the Yolyn Am gateway is an ice valley called Mukhar Shiveert; visitors may be required to pay an additional T3000 to visit…

These 274 sq km protect habitat for endangered argali sheep and other species who thrive in the Mongol Altai mountain environment. Herders are allowed to…

Ergeliin Zuu (909 sq km), in the south of the province, is a small protected area that has interesting rock formations and palaeontology sites that…

The Petrified Trees of Süikhent can be found lying buried in the sands of the remote southern sum of Mandakh, 200km southwest of Sainshand. Some of the…