Sitting proud in the heart of Asia is one of the world’s best kept secrets, Mongolia. Once home to the largest continuous land empire in world history, Mongolia has come a long way since the times when Genghis Khan’s empire covered a fifth of the world’s landmass, stretching from Eastern Europe to the Sea of Japan. Modern Mongolia still holds firmly to its roots where much of its population still pursue a nomadic life-style in a country where horses outnumber people 13 to one.

For the intrepid traveller, Mongolia offers the chance to experience a culture and people completely different to anywhere else in the world. Just as it was during the Mongol Empire, a nomadic culture is still very much part of the Mongolian lifestyle. Mongols living on the steppe still live in gers and heard their horses and yaks across the vast grasslands, under huge blue skies, in search of fresh pastures.

Known as the ’Land of Blue Sky’, visitors can expect just that. The majority of tourists visit Mongolia in summer or autumn, between May and October, when clear days and blue skies are frequent. Rainfall is highest in July when the steppe turns in to a lush green blanket of grass. Visitors to either the mountains or the Gobi Desert will need to be prepared for extreme weather conditions.

Starting at the countries’ capital, Ulaanbaatar is home to approximately one third of the countries entire 3 million population. Situated in north central Mongolia, the city sits in a valley where the Tuul and Selbe rivers meet at an altitude of 4,300 feet. Although the architectural sights of the city cannot match those of other capitals, the warmth and friendliness of the Mongol people more than makes up for this. An influx of investment from global mining has resulted in a city with the desire to embrace the modern world and the internet, international hotels and mobile phones can all be found in and amongst its inhabitants. While in the capital a trip to the Museum of Natural History is highly recommended to see the amazing collection of dinosaur skeletons preserved by and rescued from the Gobi Desert. For a more spiritual day out the Gandan monastery and Choijin Lama Temple are both worth visiting.

Covering much of Southern Mongolia is the Gobi Desert, a place of extreme weather conditions and where much of the desert is covered with exposed rock as opposed to sand. The Gobi us characteristically a cold desert where temperatures can plummet to -40 degrees centigrade, but n the summer the temperatures can sore to in excess of +50 degrees centigrade. Despite its harsh and varying terrain and extremes of temperature, the Gobi desert is more than accessible to tourists. Popular sites such as Hongor Sands will give you the opportunity to go on camel treks to see the shifting sand dunes. A number of unique species of wildlife live in the Gobi and a trip to the Gurvansaikhan National Park will give travellers the opportunity to see Bactrian camels, wolves, snow leopards and bears.

Located in the northwest corner of the Övörkhangai Province, Karakorum was the capital of Mongolia for 40 years until Chinese troops destroyed it during the Ming dynasty. The remains of the destroyed city were used to build the Erdene Zuu monastery, what is now the oldest Buddhist monastery in Mongolia. Travellers can arrange a homestay in the nearby Tsenkher Valley, staying in gers and riding out to the city ruins on horses.

Perhaps the most important time of celebration in Mongolia takes place during the Naadam Festival, which is without a doubt the biggest event of the year. Taking place every year duting the National Holiday from July 11^th – 13^th, the Naadam Festival celebrates ’the three games of men’ with the main celebrations taking place in Ulaanbaatar. The three games consist of Mongolian wrestling, horse racing and archery, the very skills on which Genghis Khan founded his empire. The festival gives Mongols the opportunity to display their skill in one of the tree events during the day and engage in festivities and merrymaking in the evenings. Early booking is encourages for any traveller wishing to see this spectacle which gives a glimpse in to the traditional Mongolian life.

To the northwest of the county, near the border with Russia is the ‘dark blue pearl’ of Mongolia, commonly known as Lake Khövsgöl. The largest fresh water lake in Mongolia, Lake Khövsgöl is home to an abundance of wildlife including elk, ibex and bear. Native nomads can also be send in the neighbouring Khövsgöl Nuur National Park with white gers, and grazing horses and yaks dotted among the spruce trees, streams and craggy peaks of the taiga terrain.

Alex is a freelance travel writer who has extensive travel experience across Mongolia, China holidays and the rest of Asia.