Travel Review: Tour of Mongolia, Ulaanbaater, Kharakhorum, Three Beauty Mountains, Golden Sand Dune, Hustai National Park, Wildlife

My overall experience in Mongolia was so wonderful that it is difficult to choose one part that was more enjoyable than the other parts!

I had a big surprise when we encountered a Google Street View truck at two of the archaeological sites. That was the last thing I expected to see when visiting these truly isolated areas that are accessible only by dirt road! The Google Maps photographer very kindly posed so I could take his photograph.

A definite highlight was the visit to the Hustai national park, where wild horses (Przewalski's horse) were successfully reintroduced several years ago and have now reached a population of almost 350. We had spoken to some tourists who had visited the park two days before but were unable to find any of the horses, and hoped our luck would be better. Upon arriving at the park, we visited the information center to learn about the horses and other animals at the park. We then drove deeper into the park, where we spotted first one family group, then another... and another... I think half of the horses were in that one valley. We also spotted a few of the endangered deer which inhabit the park; these deer are extremely timid and very rare to find.

Other memorable experiences include climbing the Golden Sand Dune at its highest point (250 meters), seeing the petroglyphs in the Three Beauty Mountains, and visiting the city of Kharakhorum, where Chinggis Khan established the capital of the Mongolian empire back in the 1200s. I also enjoyed visiting nomad families and touring the museums in Kharakhorum and Ulaanbaatar.

I've dreamed of visiting Mongolia for years, and I am very pleased with the way this visit turned out.