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!!!