Gobi and Hot Spring Tour

The scarp of Tsagaan Suvarga is in Ulziit soum of Dundgovi province. Its sheer east-facing slope looks like the ruins of an ancient city from a distance. The cliff is 30 metres high and 100 metres wide, and the wind has shaped it over thousands of years. It was once the floor of a sea, and the different colours in the rock are layers of sediment laid down over millions of years.

Yol valley lies in the north-east of the Zuun Saikhan mountains and has been one of the main attractions of the Gobi for decades. Very wide at the entrance, it gradually narrows into a remarkable gorge. In spring a thick corridor of ice two or three kilometres long winds through the gorge, and it often lasts into July. We also walk into Mukhar Shivert canyon, where a frozen waterfall stands for most of the year.

The Khongor sand dunes in Sevrei soum are the largest and most spectacular dunes in Mongolia. Known as the "singing dunes", they are up to 300 metres high, 20 kilometres wide and about 100 kilometres long. They are bordered by lush green vegetation along the small Khongor river, which is fed by underground springs from the surrounding mountains.

The Flaming Cliffs are in Umnugovi, the South Gobi province. Their Mongolian name, Bayanzag, means "rich in saxaul", an endangered Central Asian tree 2 to 9 metres tall whose roots protect the soil from erosion. Important palaeontological discoveries have been made here, above all by the American Roy Chapman Andrews in the 1920s: fossilised dinosaur eggs and specimens of Velociraptor. The nickname "Flaming Cliffs" comes from the orange-red rock of the cliffs.

Ongi monastery is the ruin of a large monastery on the bank of the Ongi river, in Saikhan Ovoo soum of Dundgovi province. It had 28 temples and other buildings, and about 1,000 lamas lived there before it was destroyed in the Stalinist purges of the 1930s. Some of its stupas are still standing.

The Orkhon valley is one of the most visited places in central Mongolia. It was formed by a unique combination of volcanic eruptions and earthquakes, and its volcanic landscape is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its links to the history of the Mongol Empire. The Ulaantsutgalan waterfall, about 20 metres high, falls over the volcanic rock of the valley. There is also a chance to see the nomadic way of life, its culture and its traditions. The next day we ride horses through the valley and see deer stone monuments.

We ride horses in the Orkhon valley, a place of great historical importance for Mongolians. Along the way we see the highlights of the valley, such as deer stone monuments, rock paintings and volcanic rock.

Another day on horseback in the Orkhon valley, discovering more of its history in its deer stone monuments, rock paintings and volcanic rock.

Tuvkhun monastery was founded in 1648 by the 14-year-old Zanabazar, the first Javzandamba Khutagt and spiritual head of Mongolian Buddhism, who chose this spot on Shireet Ulaan mountain, 2,600 metres above sea level, as an auspicious place. The first buildings went up after he returned from studying in Tibet. The monastery was restored in 1773 and badly damaged in the Stalinist purges of the late 1930s, when the communist government set out to destroy Buddhism in Mongolia. Its restoration was completed in 1997. The view from the temple over the surrounding country is breathtaking.

Tsenkher hot spring lies in a beautiful forested valley. The water comes out of the ground at 86°C and is said to help arthritic joints and other ailments. It is under high pressure underground, so the flow is strong, about 10 litres per second, and it carries minerals from calcium and sodium to sulphur. The water is good for the skin. During the day you can sunbathe, and after dark you can sit in the hot spring and look at the stars.

Kharakhorum was one of the most important cities in the history of the Silk Road. It was founded by Chinggis Khaan in 1220, but it grew into the capital of the Mongol Empire in the 1230s under his son Ogedei. The Mongols had a profound impact on trade across Central Asia, as their vast empire connected east and west. We explore the highlights of the city and visit Erdene Zuu monastery.

Khugnu Khan nature reserve covers 46,990 hectares in Rashaant soum of Bulgan province, at the point where three provinces meet. Alongside its mountains, the reserve has a remarkable stretch of sand dunes about 80 kilometres long, and the scenery is a striking mix of desert, mountain, river and green grassland. There are two monasteries in the reserve. We hike around the reserve, then head back to Ulaanbaatar.