Leave the capital and head into the wide-open landscapes of Terelj National Park, where forested mountains, granite rock formations, and flower-filled meadows reveal a very different side of Mongolia. Before departing Ulaanbaatar, we visit Gandan Monastery, the largest functioning Buddhist monastery in the country and an important centre of Mongolian religious life. Among the highlights is the gold-and-bronze Migjid Janraisig statue, standing 65ft (20m) high inside the main temple hall. If we’re lucky, we may hear the deep chanting of monks during morning prayers. The drive (approximately two hours) to Terelj National Park takes us east into rolling grasslands and alpine scenery. In the afternoon, we walk up to the Aryabala Meditation Temple, a Tibetan-style monastery built into the hillside. Along the path, wooden plaques display Buddhist teachings and reflections, while the temple itself overlooks the valleys and rock formations of the park. The climb involves several steps but rewards us with far-reaching views over the surrounding wilderness. Tonight, we experience our first stay in a traditional Mongolian ger, the circular felt homes still used by nomadic families across the country. Total drive time: 2hr 30min

Today we head to the Mongol Els (Little Gobi Desert), where grassland gives way to dunes and semi-desert landscapes. En route, we detour to Khustain Nuruu National Park, one of Mongolia’s great conservation success stories. The park is best known for the reintroduction of the takhi (Przewalski’s horse). Once extinct in the wild, the species now roams freely here again thanks to decades of conservation work led by Mongolian and international organisations. After visiting the information centre, we take a guided hike through the steppe in search of the horses. The contrast of Bactrian camels crossing the dunes while horses graze nearby captures the unique geography of central Mongolia, where desert and grassland meet. Continue to the Mongol Els for another night in a ger camp beneath expansive desert skies. Total drive time: five hours

Travel deeper into Mongolia’s history, travelling (hours?) to Karakorum, the 13th-century capital of the Mongol Empire founded by Ogedei Khan, son of Genghis Khan. First, however, we head to the nearby Khogno Khan Mountain, an isolated granite massif known for its birdlife, including steppe eagles and vultures. At the foot of the mountain sits a small monastery, quietly positioned between the rocks and sand dunes. Continue to Karakorum, once the political heart of the largest land empire in history. Though little remains of the original city, the surrounding landscape still carries enormous historical significance. After lunch, we visit Erdene Zuu Monastery, established in 1586 using stones from the ruins of ancient Karakorum. Although much of the complex was destroyed during the Stalinist purges of the 1930s, the monastery walls, lined with 108 stupas, remain one of the most important religious monuments in Mongolia. Later, we visit the Karakorum Museum, where artefacts recovered from the area help piece together the story of the Mongol Empire and Silk Road trade routes that once passed through here. Total drive time: 1hr 30min

Follow the northern fringe of the Gobi Desert to Arvaikheer, the capital of the Ovorkhangai Province Along the way, we stop at Shankh Monastery, one of the oldest monasteries in Mongolia and once associated with Zanabazar, the revered Buddhist scholar, artist and spiritual leader often considered the father of Mongolian Buddhism. The monastery remains an active religious site, and our tour leader helps bring its history and symbolism into context. Arriving in Arvaikheer in the afternoon, we visit the local museum, where exhibits include ancient stone figures, archaeological finds and Turkic inscriptions that trace the deep human history of the Mongolian steppe. Depending on timing, we may also stop at the local market for a glimpse into everyday provincial life. Total drive time: three hours

Today is the longest drive of the trip, but also one of the most rewarding as we leave the main tourist route behind and enter the more remote reaches of the Gobi. After breakfast, the paved road soon disappears and the scenery steadily changes. Vast gravel plains, dry riverbeds and distant mountain ranges dominate the horizon as we travel deeper into the desert. In the distance, the Ikh Bogd Mountain rises above the landscape, the highest peak in the Gobi Altai range and an important landmark for local herding communities. The journey takes approximately nine hours including stops, giving us time to appreciate the sheer scale and isolation of Mongolia’s southern wilderness. Encounters with other vehicles are rare, and the silence of the open steppe becomes part of the experience itself. Arrive at our remote ger camp by evening for a night surrounded by desert landscapes and uninterrupted skies. Total drive time: six to seven hours

Continue through classic Gobi scenery, where rocky plains, isolated outcrops and pockets of sand stretch across the Khatan Suudal Steppe. After crossing a desert pass, we visit the White Cave, known for its pale quartz-rich rock formations and archaeological significance. The surrounding landscape feels increasingly remote, with little beyond open steppe and distant mountain silhouettes. We stop for a picnic lunch overlooking Arts Bogd Mountain before continuing towards the Khongoriin Els dunes. The gradual arrival of the dunes is particularly memorable, their vast ridges rising unexpectedly from the flat desert terrain. Reach our ger camp in the late afternoon. Total drive time: four hours

Spend the day among the Khongoriin Els, the largest dune system in Mongolia, stretching approximately 125mi (200km) across the South Gobi. Some dunes reach heights of almost 985ft (300m), and when the wind conditions are right, the shifting sand creates the low vibrating sound that gives them the nickname Singing Dunes. Later, we visit a local camel-herding family to learn more about nomadic life in the desert. The South Gobi is home to around 100,000 Bactrian camels, still widely used to transport goods and gers across remote areas in one of the world’s harshest environments. Total drive time: 30 minutes

Drive through Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park, whose name translates as Three Beauties of the Gobi, referring to the mountain range that dominates the region. The landscapes here are remarkably varied, shifting between rocky desert, sand plains, narrow ravines and isolated oases. Our main destination is Yolyn Am, also known as Vulture’s Mouth, a canyon so deep and narrow that winter ice can remain on the valley floor even in the height of summer. We visit the local museum before walking into the canyon itself. The area supports a surprising range of wildlife, including ibex, lammergeiers, argali sheep and, more rarely, snow leopards. Our tour leader helps identify the signs of life in what initially appears to be a harsh and empty environment. Later, transfer to a nearby ger camp. Total drive time: four hours

Enjoy a slower-paced day with time to relax at camp before visiting one of the most important palaeontological sites in Mongolia. Either in the morning or afternoon, we drive approximately 43mi (70km) to Bayanzag, better known as the Flaming Cliffs. The name comes from the deep red-orange colour of the sandstone. The cliffs became internationally famous in the 1920s, when American explorer Roy Chapman Andrews uncovered some of the world’s first dinosaur eggs here. Even today, fossil fragments can occasionally be spotted on the ground. During our hike through the area, our tour leader explains the significance of the discoveries and how they changed scientific understanding of dinosaurs forever. Return to camp later in the day. Total drive time: three hours

Begin the journey back towards Ulaanbaatar, staying overnight by the dramatic granite formations of Baga Gazryn Chuluu. Rising abruptly from the steppe, these weathered rock formations have long been associated with Buddhist pilgrimage and local legends. We visit the ruins of Lovonchombo Monastery, once an important religious centre hidden among the rocks, before continuing to a nearby natural spring believed by local people to have healing properties for the eyes. The surrounding landscape is particularly atmospheric in the evening light, when the granite formations cast long shadows across the grasslands. Tonight is our final stay in a traditional ger camp. Total drive time: four hours

Travel back to the capital, stopping first at the Genghis Khan Equestrian Statue Complex at Tsonjin Boldog. Standing 130ft (40m) high atop a 33ft (10m) visitor centre, the stainless-steel statue depicts Genghis Khan on horseback and has become one of the most recognisable landmarks in modern Mongolia. It is possible to climb inside the structure for views from the horse’s head across the surrounding steppe. After lunch near the complex, continue to Ulaanbaatar (approximately 174mi/280km on paved roads). Back in the capital, there may be the opportunity this evening to attend a traditional music and dance performance at the National Academic Drama Theatre, featuring throat singing, folk music and contortion performances. End the journey with a final group dinner, a chance to reflect on desert crossings, monastery visits and nights spent beneath Mongolia’s vast skies. Total drive time: 3hr 30min

You’ve tracked wild horses across the steppe, crossed the landscapes of the Gobi Desert and visited ancient monasteries linked to the Mongol Empire, but now it’s time to begin your return journey home. Alternatively, if you’d like to extend your adventure, speak to your sales representative to discuss our large range of extension options.