In the Uvs Nuur Basin, seven Mongolian components cluster around the shallow, highly saline Uvs Nuur. The ecosystems provide an important habitat for the globally endangered snow leopard. The basin is also a stopover on the bird migration route from Siberia to wintering grounds in China and South Asia. Two natural features therefore converge here: the habitat of a threatened species and a migration route that extends far beyond the basin.
River Landscape and History in the Orkhon Valley
The cultural landscape of the Orkhon Valley includes extensive pastures on both banks of the Orkhon River and numerous archaeological remains dating from the 6th century onward. It also includes Kharkhorum, which was the capital of the vast empire of Chingis Khan in the 13th and 14th centuries. Erdene Zuu, the earliest surviving Mongolian Buddhist monastery, is also located within the same cultural landscape. The river, pastureland and traces of different centuries make the valley a place where landscape and history can be explored together.
Rock Art and Mountain Valleys
The Rock Art Complexes of the Mongolian Altai comprise three rock art sites in Bayan-Ölgii Province. They lie in high mountain valleys shaped by Pleistocene glaciers. Large concentrations of petroglyphs, as well as burial and ritual monuments, reflect 12,000 years of human cultural development. The story therefore ranges from carved images to monuments associated with burial and ritual.
Deer Stones: Motifs and Context
Mongolian deer stones are steles up to four metres high, engraved with stylised deer images. More than 80 percent of the approximately 1,500 deer stones documented in the Eurasian steppe region are located in Mongolia. Four complexes at Khoid Tamir, Jargalantyn Am, Urtyn Bulag and Uushigiin Övör are notable for their ornamentation and their intact spatial connections with khirgisüürs and other elements. The distinctive features of these sites therefore include not only individual stone motifs, but also their ornamentation and spatial context.
Festivals and Musical Traditions
Naadam is a national festival celebrated throughout Mongolia every year from July 11 to 13. It centres on three traditional games: horse racing, wrestling and archery. At the Golden Eagle Festival, Kazakh nomads demonstrate their skills in eagle hunting in a competition that combines tradition and skill. The date may vary; check the latest event details before making plans. Music also offers a window into nomadic culture: the two-stringed fiddle Morin Khuur plays a prominent role in it.
Pilgrimage Route to Great Burkhan Khaldun Mountain
The pilgrimage route to Great Burkhan Khaldun Mountain begins about 20 kilometres from the mountain, at a bridge over the Kherlen near Threshold Pass. Pilgrims ride from Threshold Pass over the great Beliin ovoo to the main ovoo at the summit. The mountain is directly associated with Chingis Khan and his formal recognition of mountain worship.
High Mountains and Practical Information
Altai Tavan Bogd National Park lies in western Mongolia and includes Khüiten Peak, which is 4,374 metres high. The national park offers a hike to Potanin Glacier, considered Mongolia’s largest glacier. Availability of this activity may vary by season; check in advance whether it is running during your planned visit. An SUV or four-wheel-drive vehicle is required for trips outside Ulaanbaatar, especially to the north or to Gobi Gurwansaikhan National Park, because most roads are unpaved. Road conditions and vehicle requirements may change seasonally; check conditions for your specific journey.
Discover more destinations: Ulaanbaatar, Töw, Gachuurt, Zavkhan Province, Ulaanbaatar, Darkhan-Uul Province, Uvurkhangai, Umnugovi, Khuvsgul
