A country · 81 places · 15 regions

Mongolia, all of it.

81 curated places across 15 regions — photographed, mapped, and noted with the season each is best in.

Gobi Desert · via Wikimedia Commons

The 4 biggest regions — Ulaanbaatar, Övörkhangai Province, Töv Province and Arkhangai Province — read below as chapters, with 11 more waiting past them.

Chapter I · Ulaanbaatar · 20 places

Ulaanbaatar

Gorkhi-Terelj National Park lies about 55 kilometres northeast of Ulaanbaatar, making it the most accessible wilderness area from the capital and a primary destination for ger camp tourism. The park's landscape of granite outcrops, rolling meadows, and the winding Tuul River provides a representative introduction to the Mongolian steppe. The distinctive Turtle Rock formation and the hillside Ariyabal Meditation Temple are among the most visited sites within the park.

Terelj National Park

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

✦ May to September · $

Ulaanbaatar

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

✦ May to September · $

Sükhbaatar Square

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

✦ June–September · $

All 20 places in Ulaanbaatar →

via Wikimedia Commons

Chapter II · Övörkhangai Province · 8 places

Övörkhangai Province

Karakorum was the capital of the Mongol Empire under Ögedei Khan in the 13th century, once one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the medieval world, receiving ambassadors, merchants, and craftsmen from across Eurasia. Today little remains above ground of the original city, which was dismantled in the 14th century, though the Erdene Zuu Monastery — built partly with stones from the old capital and enclosed by a wall studded with 108 stupas — stands adjacent to the archaeological site and remains an active Buddhist compound.

✦ May to September · $

Meet Karakorum All 8 places in Övörkhangai Province →

Chapter III · Töv Province · 7 places

Töv Province

One of the most recognisable natural landmarks of Gorkhi-Terelj National Park, this towering granite formation has been weathered into a shape that strikingly resembles a resting turtle, complete with a raised head. Rising above the grassy valley floor and framed by pine-clad slopes, it has become the emblem of the park and a fixture on tourist itineraries. Visitors scramble around its base, picnic in the surrounding meadows and photograph it against the changing light.

Turtle Rock

Töv Province, Mongolia

✦ June–September · $

Khustain Nuruu National Park

Töv Province, Mongolia

✦ June to September · $$

Gun-Galuut Nature Reserve

Töv Province, Mongolia

✦ June to September

All 7 places in Töv Province →

via Wikimedia Commons

Chapter IV · Arkhangai Province · 6 places

Arkhangai Province

A striking granite monolith rising abruptly from the grasslands beside the Tamir River, this rock is wrapped in legend, most famously a tale of a hero who crushed a giant serpent beneath it. Its faces bear ancient inscriptions in several scripts, including Tibetan and older writing systems, left by pilgrims over the centuries. Draped with blue prayer scarves and circled by ovoo cairns, it remains a place of worship. Set in a scenic river valley, it is a favourite roadside landmark for travellers crossing central Mongolia.

✦ June–September · $

Meet Taikhar Chuluu All 6 places in Arkhangai Province →