We had two days left in Mongolia in which to prepare ourselves for our train journey to China and to spend our remaining Togrogs (Mongolian currency). 

The first day we plodded around Ulaan Baatar sporting flipflops, t-shirts and sunglasses; buying much needed English novels for the train, writing our postcards, catching up on emails, and enjoying some 'normal' food.  The following morning we awoke to an unexpected sight which was shortly followed by Nikki's loud cry of "Oh My God!" which probably woke up the peacefully snoozing dormitory of fellow backpackers next door.... Ulaan Baatar was covered in almost a foot-deep blanket of snow!!!  Flipflops and shorts were quickly discarded for layers of t-shirts, jumpers, jeans, thick socks and snug hiking boots.

Eric and Nikki in the snow covered streets of Ulaan Baatar.

The snowfall continued at a steady pace all day long, making our last day in the Mongolian capital as memorable as the many sights we had seen over our 30-day stay.  We intended to spend our last day enjoying the tourists’sights of the capital.  Upon reaching Sukhbaatar Square, we discovered a ceremony celebrating Mongolian World War II veterans - 60th anniversary.  We paused to watch the colorful band play as the veterans and important officials paraded around the square and presented their memorial wreaths.

The Mongolian Army Band wait patiently for the veterans to arrive.

The war veterans arrived in traditional Mongolian attire.

The following morning we boarded our 35-hour train to China and watched as snow-covered mountains gradually transformed into the dry barren Gobi desert. 

Snow covered gers and mountain tops provided spectacular views from the train.

As we neared the Gobi desert the snow gradually melted away to a landscape of sand.

Our journey to the border was largely uneventful and was spent playing many hours of card games with our Swiss companions.  After 13 hours we reached the Chinese border, the immigration procedures themselves are of little interest but the "changing of the bogies" was a brand new experience.  Chinese train tracks are wider than those of Mongolian tracks and so require the entire train to be taken to a depot where each carriage is meticulously lifted 2 meters into the air whilst the Mongolian undercarriage is removed and replaced with its Chinese counterpart.  The whole procedure took about two hours during which we were imprisoned in our carriage closely monitored by stern-looking Chinese border guards.

We managed to take a quick picture of the carriage being lifted off the track through the train window whilst the guards weren't looking.

 

After a brief 2-day break in Ulaan Baatar to recharge our batteries, do some much-needed laundry (to eradicate the yak and camel smell) and restock our supplies, we headed out to explore the central and northern regions of Mongolia on a 12-day tour. 

Day One

We set off in a Russian van with four of the original six people from the Gobi trip (2 having already departed to China).  Our first destination was Terelj National Park just one hour outside of Ulaan Baatar.  The area is known for its magnificent alpine scenery and is a popular destination for hiking and rock climbing.  

Mountain and valley views of Terelj National Park.

The park is also home to a sacred rock formation known as 'turtle rock', a much-revered symbol for Buddhists. 

'Turtle Rock'

Our ger at the foot of an amazing cliff face.

Day Two

Leaving Terelj, we headed for another national park, this one famous for being the home of the Takhi - the Mongolian Wild Horse.  The Takhi (also known as Przewalski horse - named after the Polish explorer who discovered the horse in 1879) are the last remaining truly wild horse in the wild; they are genetically a different species to the common horse, boasting two extra chromosomes in their DNA makeup.

The Takhi.

The Takhi are sandy colored except for a dark dorsal stripe; the tail and legs are dark and the legs have zebra stripes; the skull and jaw is broader and heavier than a horse's and the mane is short and erect. 

Wild horses roaming in the park.

That night we camped outside the park in a lush green valley and listened to the wolves howling from the nearby hilltops as we fell asleep in our tents.

Our campsite was remote.

Day Three - Four

Our next two days were spent in a Ger alongside Ogii Nuur (Nuur is the Mongolian word for lake); a beautiful freshwater lake renowned for its birdlife and fishing.  Having purchased a fishing rod at the Black Market in Ulaan Baatar, we were eager to try our luck!! 

Casting out our hooks in Ogii Nuur.

Eric was the most successful in our group, catching three fish in total.

What a beauty!! (fish number 2 was the most photogenic!)

Our Mongolian host checks in on us.

Our host family poses for a photo.

Day Five

A five hour drive brought us to the town of Tsetserleg; a town ringed by scenic mountains; its streets are tree lined (an impressive quality in Mongolia!) and a lovely temple overlooks the valley of houses. 

A Buddhist temple overlooks the town of Tsetserleg.

Posing for photos with the temple monks.

We were pleasantly surprised by the town and of the friendliness of the locals.  An added bonus was the discovery of a guesthouse bakery run by an expat British couple, which sold the only brown bread we have found outside Ulaan Baatar.... and the gusthouse had a pile of month-old British newspapers which we devoured!!

Day Six - Eight

Moving on from Tsetserleg, we arrived at our main destination: Terkiin Tsagaan Nuur (The Great White Lake).  Extinct and craterous volcanoes surround this freshwater lake, which was formed by lava flows millions of years ago.  The lake is home to Mongolia's only truly sandy beach, but unfortunately the cold September winds prevented us from doing too much sunbathing. 

Terkiin Tsagaan Nuur was impressive.

The fish weren't biting so we spend our time hiking up the volcanoes and around the surrounding mountains, and sheltering in our ger from a brief but heavy hailstorm.

An extinct volcano sits at the end of the lake.	A 30 minute hike takes you to the edge of the crater.

Nikki disappears down a volcanic crack.	Horses roam the fertile land around the volcano.

Our ger on the edge of the lake came in handy when a storm blew in.	A nomadic family move their ger using yaks.

Day Nine

Heading back to Ulaan Baatar, we stopped at Chuluut Canyon; an extremely picturesque spot perfect for swimming (a 'bath') and fishing.

At the top of Chuluut Canyon.

Eric relaxes in the sun after a river 'bath'.	Nikki finds a great spot for fishing.

Our tent had a great view over the canyon.

Nikki catches a fish..... just in time for dinner!

Day Ten

After a brief stop some hot springs, we traveled to a waterfall for our last opportunity to catch some fish.

Eric makes the last catch in Mongolia!!

We befriended the local guard dog who happily guarded our tent for the night in exchange for a few cookies.

Day Eleven

Tearing ourselves away from the waterfall, we drove along some steep mountain roads to reach Tovkhon Sum - a temple situated high up on a mountain top reachable only via a one hour trek.... exhausting, but well worth it for the views!!

Our van makes its way through the mountains.

The view from Tovkhon Sum.

Day Twelve

A six-hour drive brought us back to Ulaan Baatar, though in a different van.  The night before our vehicle was swapped with that of an outgoing tour as their van had broken its front axle.  Despite the axle being held together with twisted wire, we made it safely back to the capital. 

Our driver 'Otto' was very friendly and gave us some great fishing tips.

Our thirty-day visas expire in three days, so we're off to China on Saturday morning. 

There is no way we can stress how beautiful Mongolia is.... you will all have to come and see it for yourselves!!!