Orkhon Valley is located North of the province of Ovorkhangai, in the central part of Mongolia, about 360 kilometres (224 miles) Southeast of Ulan Bator. Located at the foot of the Khangai range, this site protected by UNESCO since 1992 covers 121.967 hectares along the Orkhon River. A buffer zone of 61.044 hectares is protected too.

The basin of the Orkhon River has many historical vestiges, because many successive nomads had been living in the valley since the prehistoric period. This area is often considered as the cradle of the nomadic civilization of the steppes and was a real forum of civilizations during the last millennium because it bound East to West in the middle of the large Eurasian continent.

In the course of the centuries, many nomadic tribes lived in Orkhon Valley. The first proof of living were found on the sites of Moiltiin Am and Orkhon-7, and allow us to think that the valley was inhabited 60.000 years ago. Afterwards, the valley was still inhabited during the prehistoric period and the Bronze Age, then was successively inhabited by the Huns, the Turkish-speaking people, the Uyghurs, the Kidans and at last by the Mongolian people.

Consequently, we find today many archaeologic vestiges, such as Turkish memorialsdating back from the 6th and 7th centuries, Khar Balgas that was the Uyghur capital during the 8th and 9th centuries, and of course Kharkhorin, the Mongolian capital during the 13th and 14th centuries, founded by Genghis Khan.

We can also visit many monasteries, such as Erdene Zuu Monastery that is the oldest Buddhist monastery of Mongolia, Tovkhon Hermitage, or Shankh Monastery. All these places show the religious traditions of the Mongolian nomads.

Today, Orkhon Valley is a large place of nomadism where many breeders usually set up their camp. The picturesque steppes’ landscapes, surrounded by the verdant Khangai Massif, the rich fauna and flora, make this area the perfect place to discover the nomadic Mongolia in an enchanting leafy setting. It’s also very pleasant to ride horses and the valley is the point of departure for many hikes or treks in the surrounding mountains. It’s possible to fish or to bike in the mountains.

Khustain Nuruu National Park, whose name means ”the range of silver birches”, is located 90 kilometres (56 miles) Southwest from the capital, 1843 metres (1,1 mile) above the sea level in the sum of Altanbulag. It’s lined by Avdar Mountain in its Western part.

When this natural reserve was created in 1992, it covered an area of 506 square kilometres (195 square miles). Then, in 1998, it became a national park covering an area of 500 square kilometres (193 square miles), with the aim to reinsert the Przewalski’s horse, ”takhi” and to protect the ecosystem of the forest steppe, extremely threatened by the overexploitation of the land. It houses 459 species of plants, 85 species of lichens, 90 species of mosses, 33 species of mushrooms, and 44 species of mammalslive in this area, such as the red deer, Mongolian gazelle, roe deer, gray wolf, lynx, red fox. We can also see in the park 217 species of birds, such as the golden eagle, bearded vulture, great bustard, whooper swan, black stork and partridge. The reserve is composed at the same time of desert zones and of mountainous zones.

Khorgo – Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur Natural Park includes two jewels of Mongolia: Lake Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur and the extinct volcano Khorgo.

Lake Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur, ”White Lake of the Terkh River”, is located 2060 metres (1,28 miles) above the sea level. It’s the jewel of Arkhangai and one of the most beautiful lakes of the country. The eruption of Khorgo Volcano explains the presence of the lake. Besides, it’s surrounded with other extinct volcanoes. It extends on 16 kilometres (9,94 miles) long and 4 to 10 kilometres (2,49 – 6,21 miles) wide. It covers an area of 61 square kilometres (23,55 square miles), its average depth is 20 metres (65,62 feet). We can find many pikes and many other species of fish. The lake remains frozen a big part of the year. This area is still wild, you may see chitals, marsh deer, wild boars, ducks or great cormorants.

In the Khorgo – Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur Natural Park, we can also see and make the ascent of Khorgo Volcano that is an extinct volcano reaching its highest point at 2240 metres (1,39 mile), located East from Terkhiin Tsagaan. This easy 16-kilometres (9,94 miles) hike will lead you to the summit of this extinct volcano covered with basalt that was active 8000 years ago. Its crater measures 200 metres (656,17 feet) in diameterand 70 to 80 metres (229,66 – 262,47 feet) in depth, and it is surrounded with small copses of trees. It has been protected since 1965.

Around Khorgo Volcano, there is a remarkable area, made of solidified lava bubbles ; the locals name this place ”the basalt yurts”.

Gorkhi - Terelj National Park, meaning "stream - rhododendron", is located 55 kilometres (34,18 miles) East Ulan Bator, 1600 metres (0,99 mile) above the sea level, in the strictly protected area of Khentii. A tarred road connects the national park to the capital ; you need to allow 1.30 to 2.00 hours to go there.

The government placed this 2932 hectares territory under its protection in 1995. it's a mountainous area composed of wooded steppes. We find many species of birds (250), elks and bears. Many rocky formations sculpted by erosion will delight rock-climbing fans. In plains, we can see wild flowers and edelweisses. Many rivers flow through the park, notably the Tuul, the Terelj and the Baruunbayan Rivers.

While the first 20 kilometres (12,43 miles) of the park have been developed for tourism (we find there many yurts camps, and some of them have very high quality equipment), the rest of the park offers a very wild land on 2864 square kilometres (1105,80 square miles), and most of the park is not accessible to vehicles.

Near the entrance of the park, we can see many rocky formations, notably the turtle rock, "melkhi khad", a surprising 24 metres (78,74 feet) high rocky formation reminding a turtle, or the rock of the old man reading.

At 1645 metres (1,02 mile) above the sea level, Lake Khövsgöl is a real small sea that extends on 136 kilometres (85 miles) long, 36 kilometres (22 miles) wide, and until 267 metres (876 feet) deep. It contains 2 % of the world’s freshwater reserves (480,7 km3). It is named “the blue pearl of Mongolia” because of its very clear water, so clear that we can drink it. It’s the second largest lake of Mongolia, after Lake Uvs that is located in the West of the country. Lake Khövsgöl and surroundings are a protected natural area.

It’s the pressure of the same tectonic forces than the gigantic Lake Baikal, located 195 kilometres (121 miles) towards North, in Siberia, that formed Lake Khövsgöl. A rivers network binds the two lakes. That’s why we name Lake Khövsgöl “Baikal’s little brother”. The water will have to flow on more than 1000 kilometres (621 miles) after leaving Khövsgöl before flowing into Baikal.

Almost one hundred rivers flow into Lake Khövsgöl. Lake Khövsgöl flows into the Eg River and the Eg River flows into Lake Baikal. The lake is surrounded by a dozen of peaks covered with pines forests and that reach more than 2000 metres (1242 miles) at their highest point.

The lake is very full of fish. The omul of Baikal, the lenok, the grayling and the sturgeon of Siberia found there an excellent environment. It’s also the place where you can see many species of birds and mammals, such as sables, castors, Mongolian deer, Siberian roe deer, brown bears or lynxes.

We also find in this area some endemic plants, such as marsh saxifrage and valerian.

The lake freezes between January and April and we can ride a husky or a troika.

Khongor dunes, ”Khongoriin Els”, are the most important sand mass of Gobi Gurvan Saïkhan National Park. Its area is more than 900 square kilometres (347,49 square miles). It’s one of the largest sandy areas of Mongolia. Suddenly standing out from the plains, they are undoubtedly among the most spectacular of the country. The wind continuously blows from North towards West and the dunes can reach breathtaking heights, between 100 and 300 metres (328,08 – 984,25 feet) at their highest points. Khongor dunes are more than 180 km long and can reach 27 kilometres (16,28 miles) wide. The inhabitants name their imposing dunes ”singing dunes” due to the noise made by the wind when it moves the sand. Beyond the dunes, the steppe extends as far as the eye can see.

Khongor dunes have a particular appeal, because they have an impressing combination of colours (the dunes are pale yellow). At north, they are lined with a green and luxuriant vegetation band, delimited by a river : Khongoriin Gol. Supplied by subterranean sources, this little river flows along the dunes on a few kilometres, and forms an oasis in the middle of the dried landscape.

This area is also very rich in dinosaurs’ fossils and in mineral deposits.

In 1965, before the creation of Gurvan Saikhan National Park, a small 69 square kilometers (26,64 square miles) area around Yoliin Am Canyon was already a protected area. Yoliin Am is located about 60 kilometres (37 miles) Southwest Dalanzadgad, in the mountains of Züün Saikhan. The bearded vulture, Yol in Mongolian, gave its name to the Yoliin Am Valley, the Gorge of Bearded Vultures.

Located at a height of 2500 metres (8202,10 feet), Yol Canyon forms a gorge that is so deep and so narrow, that only two persons can pass in some places. The water forms four small waterfalls. Although the sun shines a lot in this region, the canyon remains dark, so that in the bottom, a part of the river remains nearly all year long covered by a thick layer of ice.

Here, travellers can discover permanent glaciers, endemic plants, and rare animals such as Siberian ibex, argalis, or bearded vultures. Snow leopards and other predators also live in the Yol Valley area.

North of the massif, dinosaurs’ skeletons dating back from more than 70 millions of years, have been found.

Altai Tavan Bogd National Park, “the five sacred mounts of Altai”, extends on 662 square kilometres at the extreme southwest of Mongolia, and has borders with China and Russia. Khuiten Mount is the highest peak of the range and also of Mongolia, with its altitude of 4374 metres (2,72 miles). It was climbed up for the first time by a Mongolian expedition in 1956.

Altain Tavan Bogd is a high mountains area where we can find many glaciers. 96 % of the glacial rivers of Mongolia are located in the Altai Tavan Bogd. The most accessible glacier is Potanine, that we can climb up after a trek in the park. Climbing is not technical, but physical. The persons who are very keen on alpinism will also be very glad to climb up Malchin Mount, “breeder’s mount” (4037 metres, 2,51 miles), Nairamdal Mount, “friendship’s mount” (4082 metres, 2,54 miles), and Khuiten Mount, ”cold mount”(4374 metres, 2,72 miles). The two other summits that compose the Tavan Bogd are Burged (4068 metres, 2,53 miles) and Ölgii (4050 mètres, 2,51 miles).

At the south of these high mountains, the park extends on a medium mountains area, located between 2000 and 3000 metres (1,24 – 1,86 miles) above sea level, where the hikers and trekkers who’re in good condition and who’re accustomed to walking in the mountains can go. We can find here some Siberian pines and larches forests and many lakes : Khoton, Khurgan, Dayan, Khovd, Khar Salaa, Tsagaan Salaa, Songinot, or Yolt. The national park provides a habitat for many species of animals, like argalis, Siberian ibex, red deers, beech martens, black grouses, or golden eagles.

The Mongolian Altai’s petroglyphs are also located in the National Park. They’re inscribed on UNESCO world heritage list. There are three sites, composed of many thousands of rock paintings, included Tsagaan Salaa rock paintings, where we can see more than 10000 paintings in a valley that is 15 km (9,32 miles) long.

From Ölgii, you must reckon on it taking about six hours riding on a hard track, to enter the National Park. For any hike or trek in the park, it’s necessary to be self-sufficient and autonomous because there are no refuges in the park. We organize self-sufficient treks lasting nine days, with caravans of camels following the hikers. The best period for hiking or trekking in the park is from the beginning of June to the end of August.