Having traveled twice to Mongolia, and both times having left with wanting more, it is hard to limit the reasons to visit this fascinating and beautiful place to just ten. Whitehawk made its first trip to Mongolia in May 2025 and the trip exceeded everyone’s expectations. Visiting some of Mongolia’s most well-known places such as Khongor Sand Dunes, Flaming Cliffs, and Karakorum are certainly some of the highlights of anyone’s trip. However, this vast nation is also the perfect place for those in search of an “off the beaten path” experience. Read on to find out some of the incredible reasons to visit Mongolia.
1. Stunning Scenery
Getting just about anywhere in Mongolia takes a long time. Traffic, dirt roads (which sometimes turn into “no roads,” but we somehow manage to drive them anyway), and strict speed limits can sometimes mean hours of travel to reach your destination. But, the upside is that every minute of the drive is likely to be rife with incredibly rich scenery that seemingly changes minute to minute.
One moment you may be driving across endless open steppe with a herd of Mongolian Gazelle grazing in the distance, and the next you may be traveling along a dry river bed through stunning canyons dotted with juniper. The next moment, you may be staring in awe at the desert landscape where purple irises dot the ground in brilliant patches or your might find yourself in a field, gazing upwards at the impressive granite rock formations that look as though they have been carved and placed there by an artist showing off her skills: yellow, orange and green lichens cover the rocks in beautiful patterns and in the right season, the beautiful pink blossoms of Mongolian Almonds top off the scene.
And that is just in the south! A trip to the north will afford you with clear, cool lakes, green meadows dotted with wildflowers, rolling hills, the snow-topped Taiga Mountains, and stunning forests of endless green.
2. The Festivals
Mongolians celebrate many festivals throughout the year. These celebrations serve to honor ancient traditions as well as the intricacies of modern life. Perhaps the most famous is the Naadam Festival, which takes place in July. During this 3-day national holiday, men and women, often dressed in traditional clothing, compete in three events: wrestling, archery, and horse racing.
In the cold winter months, Mongolians celebrate Tsagaan Sar, the Lunar New Year, to mark the first day of spring. A thorough cleaning of one’s home, visiting family and friends, and sharing in home-made foods are some of the traditions carried out during this important time of the year. Also in winter, when Lake Khovsgol is frozen, locals prepare for the Ice Festival. During this time, people celebrate with races on ice skates, horse-drawn sleighs, and jeeps. They also celebrate with traditional music and dance. Other festivals include the Yak Festival, the Eagle Festival – celebrating the Kazakh people’s tradition of falconry using Golden Eagles – the Camel Festival, and the Reindeer Festival, to name just a few. Most of these festivals are open to everyone. They are a great way to learn first-hand about Mongolia’s wonderful traditions and history.
3. Small Mammals
While most wildlife watching tours focus on the larger mammals (and we will get to those next!), Mongolia is home to a number of fascinating and lovely small mammals. Not counting the roughly 15 species of bats found here, there are enough small mammals to keep any wildlife enthusiast satisfied. Yet, it isn’t only the abundance of small mammals, but the relative ease in spotting them that makes a trip to Mongolia so much fun.
In fact, we were surprised by the sheer number we saw during our most recent tour. Night walks, in particular, rewarded us with some very interesting species. We observed a Hairy-footed Jerboa feeding among some weeds, and a Desert Hamster near the Ongi River. We got great looks at several Daurian Hedgehogs scrambling through one of our camps. During the day, we were lucky enough to see Mongolian Gerbil, Brandt’s Vole, Tolai Hare, Long-tailed Ground Squirrel, Daurian Pika, Siberian Marmot, Eurasian Red Squirrel, Mongolian Vole, and more in open steppe, in desert canyons, in forests, and near wetlands.
4. Large Mammals
Though we will talk about some specific large mammals in detail on this list, we would be remiss not to mention the plethora of fascinating wildlife one can see on a visit to Mongolia. This land-locked nation is home to over 120 species of mammals. Some of the more charismatic large species include Black-tailed Gazelle, Mongolian Gazelle, and Mongolian Wild Ass. They can often be seen traveling in herds large and small, in the open steppe and grasslands, even from the main highway. Traveling deeper into the desert, herds of Argali and Siberian Ibex dot the hillsides.
The endangered Wild Bactrian Camel and the Critically Endangered Gobi Bear are found in a small and remote area of the Gobi Desert. Though the Gobi Bear, in particular, is unlikely to be seen, just knowing this species is out there makes a visit to its habitat much more meaningful. Further north, particularly in Hustai National Park, one can see large herds of Wapiti in the fields and hills. Some of the carnivores found here include Corsac and Red Foxes (both of which we saw on our most recent trip), as well as the more elusive Gray Wolf, Eurasian Lynx, and Pallas’ Cat.
5. Przewalski’s Horse
Perhaps one of the top must-sees during a visit to Mongolia is a trip to Hustai National Park. Here, it seems possible to travel back in time, for it is here that you can see the once-extinct-in-the-wild Przewalski’s Horse. Also known as the Mongolian Wild Horse or Takhi, this critically endangered horse’s comeback story is incredible. Extinct in the wild, it lived only in zoos and sanctuaries around the world, until one couple fought to bring it back to its native habitat. A true conservation success story, the horses were introduced back to their ancient haunts in Mongolia. Their population continues to grow.
6. Night Skies
Here, a picture really does speak a thousand words. Without much preamble, it is safe to say that one of the most impressive things about spending time in Mongolia, particularly in the Gobi Desert, is the lack of light pollution. Though many nights can be cloudy, the sky, on a clear night, seems to hold more stars than somehow feels possible. For most of us who spend time in areas with heavy light pollution, smog, or other impediments to seeing a clear and starlit sky, this is a welcome sight. Star-gazing is a lovely way to spend a late night or two while in Mongolia.
7. The History
After a visit to Mongolia, one can’t help but wish they could travel back in time to see what the nation looked like throughout history. What would it have been like to be in Karakorum – the capital of the Mongol Empire in the 1200s – and observe men and women riding side by side with Chengis Khan during his rule? What would it have been like to participate in a Buddhist ceremony in an abundant and thriving monastery with thousands of monks practicing? It certainly would be an honor to observe the carving of the intricate deer stones made during funerary practices by nomads during the Bronze Age.
Today, of course, museums help give us a glimpse into what life must have been like. And there are still a few experiences we can have that perhaps will help us understand a little of Mongolia’s ancient traditions. A visit to the Kazakh people as they train their Golden Eagles as their ancestors have done for generations, or observing a traditional festival, or staying with a nomad family are some ways to “live” a bit of Mongolia’s history and culture.
8. Birds
Three major flyways for migratory birds pass through Mongolia and a total of 520 bird species have been recorded here. One of the best places to observe birds is in the Gobi region. Many migratory birds are drawn to Gobi’s small ponds, springs, tree stands, and bushes, making birding easier here than in other regions of the country. Some highlights of a birding trip to the Gobi include searching for the Mongolian Ground-Jay which, true to its name, is often found perched in low shrubs, or running along the sandy floor in search of insects to feed on. Here, you can also find the lovely Saxaul Sparrow and Mongolian Lark, and raptors abound: Saker Falcon, Cinereous Vultures, Steppe Eagles, Bearded Vultures, and of course, Golden Eagles can be seen soaring in the wide open skies.
Outside of the Gobi, there are many other fascinating birding opportunities, from watching male Black-billed Capercailles displaying on their lek, to observing a small flock of White-winged Snowfinches in the streams of Yol Valley. It is also possible to see several species of cranes, buntings, rosefinches, partridges, ptarmigans, shrikes, magpies, and more.
9. Snow Leopards
After India, Mongolia has the largest population of snow leopards in the world. Biologists estimate that there are around 1,000 individuals within this nation’s borders. Feeding on Argali and Siberian Ibex, as well as domestic goats, sheep, and horses, these large cats roam the rugged terrain of the Altai, Gobi Altai, and Trans-Altai Gobi mountain ranges. Here, even at relatively low elevations, one can spot these elusive cats. We, at Whitehawk, work with a nomadic family and local team who have been monitoring these amazing leopards for more than 5 years. We donate a percentage of our profit from tours in Snow Leopard habitat to Snow Leopard Trust, an organization working to support the conservation of this big cat in Mongolia and India.
10. Homestay with Nomad Family
During our snow leopard tours in India, we often spend at least one or two nights in a homestay with local families. In Mongolia, these home stays are also an important part of the experience we provide. On our tours, we spend at least 4 nights with a nomad family in the Gobi Desert. During this time, we enjoy sharing a meal in the family’s yurt, and depending on the season, we may also learn to comb goats for cashmere, practice milking goats, or learn to prepare traditional dishes such as dried yogurt and dumplings. We might even get to help set up a yurt! And of course, we can’t forget about meeting the Bankhar dogs. These Mongolian herding dogs play important roles in the lives of the nomads.
These homestays open the doors for intercultural exchanges. And they also help support the families who are working to protect local wildlife, including snow leopards.
Mongolia truly has something for everyone, and these are just a few of the many reasons to visit this amazing country. We hope you will join us on an exciting wildlife and cultural adventure in Mongolia! Check out our tour here.
