My Travels through Mongolia in July 2026 and June 2023 [1]

 

Northwestern Mongolia viewed from the air (2026)

"You're crazy!" was the initial reaction from friends when I spoke of my plan to take another trip through Mongolia—one very similar to the journey I had undertaken three years prior, which had been billed as: "Mongolia: Dreamlike and Spectacular! – Traveling through the Northwest – Altai Mountains – Gobi Desert – Great Lakes Depression – Khangai Mountains – Adventure and Study Tour." I had originally intended to repeat the trip only after two more years, but I saw a report announcing infrastructure upgrades. While I prefer driving on paved roads, such roads attract large tour buses, which are followed by the development of tourist hubs. I wanted to avoid that scenario, and so the trip came about.

The tour operator goes by the prosaic name "Reisen mit Dr. Elvira Friedrich" (Travels with Dr. Elvira Friedrich), though the website—where the operator is called "Wolkenbote" (Cloud Messenger)—is far more interesting. Regarding "Wolkenbote," I would like to quote from the website of Dr. Elvira Friedrich [2], a scholar of Indology. It is a one-woman operation; in Mongolia, she is supported by "Nomads Tours & Expeditions," based in Ulaanbaatar (Улаанбаатар) [3].

In 2023, I attended the Naadam Festival (Наадам) after the tour concluded, whereas this time I visited it beforehand. The weather was less rainy in 2026, although the water stood ankle-deep on the roads outside the stadium where the opening ceremony took place.

The trip got off to a spectacular start, as we drove through Ulaanbaatar early in the morning to reach a camp by the Tuul River (Туул гол). We saw a rider crossing the wide ford - a feat impossible for a minibus. Next came a ride in an airboat - a flat-bottomed vessel powered by a rear-mounted propeller, similar to crafts used in the Florida Everglades. We headed out into a golden morning. All jet-lag just faded away.

Let us set aside opulence and the Naadam Festival for a moment; I would like to compare the two trips. Northwestern Mongolia is not well-developed for tourism, meaning one requires, firstly, off-road vehicles and, secondly, equipment such as a kitchen truck to transport tents and other gear. In addition, furgons [4] were used to transport the travelers. The 2023 trip included 11 nights in tents, 8 in gers [5], and one in a hotel; the 2026 trip included 10 nights in tents, 9 in gers, and one in a hotel. The 2026 trip faced a problem I will address separately: the fuel shortage. Gasoline and diesel are primarily sourced from Russia, and the war in Ukraine caused a supply deficit, making the trip possible only through significant logistical efforts [6].
 

Let us begin with an overview:

	2023 Plan	2026 Plan	2026 Actual
Day 1	Abflug FRA	Abflug FRA
Day 2	UBN and connecting flight to Khovd (Ховд) Overnight stay in Namarjin Valley (Намаржин хөндий)	Ulaanbaatar Ger camp near the airport Switching the route from Khovd [7] to Ölgii (Өлгий) was necessary because flights to Khovd were unreliable. The ger camp was chosen due to the early departure time.
Day 3	Below the Tsambagarav Glacier (Цамбагарав)	Flight to Ölgii – below the Tsambagarav Glacier	A different campsite with a better view.
Day 4	Achit Nuur (Ачит нуур)	Achit Nuur	Travel beyond a certain bridge was prohibited due to an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease. Camp was set up above the lake.
Day 5	Uureg Nuur (Үүрэг нуур)	Uureg Nuur	Via Khovd to the bird sanctuary
Day 6	Drive to Bayan Nuur (Баян нуур)	Drive to Bayan Nuur	Camp at Chjargas Nuur (Чжаргас нуур)
Day 7	Böörög Deliin Els (Бөөрөг Дэлийн Элс)	Böörög Deliin Els	Camp at Chjargas Nuur
Day 8	Tonshuul Pass I was never able to identify this one.	Tonshuul Pass	Via Naranbulag (Наранбулаг) and Songina to Hunt Nuur (Swan Lake / Хант нуур?/ Хунт нуур) – likely a name used privately by the drivers.
Day 9	Khar Nuur (Хар нуур)	Khar Nuur	Khar Nuur
Day 10	Khar Nuur	Khar Nuur	Khar Nuur
Day 11	Senjit Tsokhio / Mukhart Gol (Сэнжит Цохио / Мухарт гол)	Senjit Tsokhio / Mukhart Gol	Senjit Tsokhio / Mukhart Gol
Day 12	Via Uliastai (Улиастай) to Bogd Gol (Богд гол)	Via Uliastai to Bogd Gol	Via Uliastai to Bogd Gol
Day 13	Otgon Tenger (Отгон тэнгэр)	Otgon Tenger	Otgon Tenger
Day 14	Badarkhundaga Nuur (Бадархундага нуур)	Tarvagatal Nuruu National Park (Тарвагатал нуруу)	Camp on the Ider River (Идэр гол)
Day 15	Tsagaan Nuur (Цагаан нуур) und Vulkan Khorgo (Хорго уул)	Tsagaan Nuur and Vulkan Khorgo	Tsagaan Nuur and Vulkan Khorgo
Day 16	Tsagaan Nuur und Vulkan Khorgo	Tsagaan Nuur und Vulkan Khorgo	Tsagaan Nuur and Vulkan Khorgo
Day 17	Tsetserleg (Цэцэрлэг) and Tsenkher Hot Springs (Цэнхэрийн халуун рашаан) Here I took part in a 360° rotation while driving on mud.	Tsetserleg and Tsenkher	Tsetserleg and Tsenkher Hot Springs Driving on mud again, but without turning.
Day 18	Orkhon-Tal (Орхоны хөндий)	Orkhon-Tal	Via Kharkhorin to Ger Camp in the Orkhon Valley. The direct route was too dangerous.
Day 19	Kharkhorin (Хархорин) and Khogno Khan (Хогно хан)	Kharkhorin und Khogno Khan	Kharkhorin und Khogno Khan
Day 20	Hustai National Park (Хустайн байгалийн цогцолборт газар) / Bullerbü	Hustai National Park / Bullerbü	Hustai National Park / Bullerbü
Day 21	Ulaanbaatar (Улаанбаатар)	Ulaanbaatar	Drive via an alternative route with scenic views.
Day 22	UBN – FRA	UBN – FRA	UBN – FRA

I have no particular memory of the overnight stay in the Namarjin Valley (Намаржин хөндий) [2023]. In 2026, the flight was rescheduled from Khovd (Ховд) to Ölgii (Өлгий) because flights to Khovd had proven unreliable. The ger camp outside Ulaanbaatar was chosen due to the early departure time. However, the flight was subsequently moved to midday … . Actually the camp had been very comfortable, even with horses roaming around the gers.

I have fond memories of camping in a tent below the Tsambagarav (Цамбагарав) Glacier (June 2023) though it was very cold; a suitcase left outside by a fellow traveler was covered in ice by morning. The nomads (an elderly couple) [8] we met nearby said they had only arrived two days prior, as the winter had been very cold and lasted longer than usual. The campsite used in 2026 offered a better view of the glacier and wasn't quite as cold. The elevation was around 2,500 m on both occasions.

The Tsambagarav Glacier seen from the plane (2026)

The Tsambagarav Glacier seen from the camp (2026)

Next, we headed toward Achit Nuur (Ачит нуур), and I remembered the bridge well, because some kids tried to move horses across the bridge and so blocked the bridge. However, that was as far as we could go; the bridge was blocked due to an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, we were not permitted to travel further north, as we were coming from the district where the outbreak had occurred. We had set up camp not far past the bridge in 2023 - not right by the lake because of the mosquitoes - when a pickup truck with an empty bed came lurching up in the evening; a rather drunk man declared himself the local boss [9]. He likely wanted to be treated to vodka, but we didn't have any; besides, a motorcycle rattled up carrying a young man and his mother. It turned out to be the "boss's wife," who chased her husband back toward their own ger with blows from a stick. Their son ended up helping him going back to the ger while she followed triumphantly behind. Fortunately, that was a one-off incident. We set up camp south of the lake (2026). Unfortunately, strong winds picked up late in the evening and blew down the tents. We missed Uureg Nuur, however - the place where, in 2023, we had witnessed a Buddhist ritual for the groundbreaking of a ger camp [10]; after three years, I would have liked to see whether a camp was actually standing there.

The next day, we drove back, covering a long distance in order to set up camp past Khovd (Ховд), either inside or near the bird sanctuary. There - and at other locations - we had the opportunity to admire a night sky filled with stars, particularly the Milky Way. It was the result of a combination of zero light pollution, the absence of moonlight, and dry air. Before that, however, we had an encounter with an eagle hunter [11]. He belonged to the Kazakh minority, a group that is particularly well-represented in that region. We also visited a Kazakh yurt, which differs from the Mongolian ger. A similar attempt in 2023 hadn't gone very well, as no one in our crew spoke Kazakh and the two women spoke no Mongolian [12]; in 2026, however, communication was possible. We drank “kumis” (Kazakh: Қымыз, Mongolian: Кумыс) - not “airag” (Айраг), though the difference is merely linguistic; both refer to fermented mare's milk [13]. On this occasion, I learned that fermented camel milk is called “khoormog” (Хоормог) in Mongolian. When the woman of the “ger” put on knee pads, I asked if she was going to milk the mares. And so, we were able to watch the milking process. This is only possible if the foal is also allowed to suckle.

As an alternative, we then headed for Chjargas Nuur (Чжаргас нуур) near the hot springs; we stayed there for two nights and felt very comfortable. However, our tents were blown down there once, though we managed to set them up again. In 2023, we visited Bayan Nuur (Баян нуур) - a somewhat more idyllic spot - where we climbed the beautiful dune known as Böörög Deliin Els (Бөөрөг Дэлийн Элс); we climbed a dune again in 2026, too, just in a different location. And I should mention that our tents were blown over at Bayan Nuur as well.

In 2026, our route took us via Naranbulag (Наранбулаг) and Songina (Сонгина) to Hunt Nuur - or "Swan Lake" (Хунт нуур), a name likely coined by the drivers - where the atmosphere was very pleasant. The lake looked fantastic even without swans; there were, however, some mandarin ducks present. A guard dog from a nearby ger approached us and allowed itself to be bribed with food scraps, after which it helped guard us, too.

In 2023, the journey continued a day later - without an overnight stop - to a ger camp at Khar Nuur (Хар нуур). The journey back then was very complicated, and I remember a scene where some nomads were pointing in various directions at once to show us the way. Later, the furgons and kitchen truck took turns getting stuck; we wandered through the dunes and arrived in the middle of the night. In 2026, we had identified a better route; while visiting a nomad ger, we met the daughter of the household - a medical student from Ulaanbaatar who happened to have a meeting near Khar Nuur - so we were able to give her a lift.

At Khar Nuur, the weather was changeable in both 2023 and 2026. In 2023, we even got caught in a snowstorm. This time, however, swimming in the lake was possible.

After a day of rest, we headed via the Senjit Tsokhio (Сэнжит Цохио) rock arch [14] to the source of the Mukhart Gol (Мухарт гол) [15] - a river visible for only a few kilometers before vanishing again. There, we undertook a very strenuous but beautiful hike through the dunes. I preferred the view of the spring area from above. And I believe the night sky was at its best at that camp.

The next camp was located beyond Uliastai (Улиастай) by the Bogd Gol (Богд гол). We visited the area near Otgon Tenger (Отгон тэнгэр) as well as the waterfall and its power plant - though we were only able to enter the plant itself in 2023 [16]. The desert waterfall was certainly worth the visit, especially since it was already becoming clear that the Orkhon Waterfall would be out of reach for us.

The next camp was beautifully situated by the Ider River (Идэр гол), where, the following day, we had a very interesting encounter with nomads after being invited by a young boy.

In 2023 and 2026, the trips included visits to a ger camp at Tsagaan Nuur (Цагаан нуур) and to the Khorgo volcano (Хорго уул) - though I did not climb the latter a second time. I noticed new ger camps and a boat rental service, and I also spotted a ferry connection. 

The itinerary in Tsetserleg (Цэцэрлэг) was also much the same, although the weather was better. The Tsenkher Hot Springs (Цэнхэрийн халуун рашаан) area sits in a spot prone to rain; it rained on both occasions. In 2023, I experienced the furgon spinning a full 360 degrees on the muddy track. The 2026 journey also involved driving through mud - though without the spin - in the furgon. The kitchen vehicle nearly got stuck and tilted sharply to one side but managed to break free using four-wheel drive and something they changed from outside at the wheel suspension. Nevertheless, the visit to the hot springs was very pleasant both times.

The plan was to drive directly to and through the Orkhon Valley (Орхоны хөндий), but track conditions made this impossible (mud and several ford crossings). Consequently, we had to drive via Kharkhorin (Хархорин), where we took the opportunity to visit the museum. In the afternoon, we also attended a music and acrobatics performance by a professional ensemble at a primary school. We then traveled via Khujirt (Хужирт) to the ger camp (Гер Кемп). I had unpleasant memories of this route, as there used to be 15–20 parallel tracks running alongside one another. Now, however, there is a new paved road; this has made the journey easier and faster while also allowing the natural landscape to regenerate.

The following day, we returned to Kharkhorin (Хархорин) to visit the monastery and then continued to Khogno Khan (Хогно хан). In the past, there used to be a lively fair in front of the entrance to Erdene Zuu Khiid (Эрдэнэ Зуу хийд) [17]. Now there are some dull little shops there. Parking spaces were needed. Khogno Khan is scenically beautiful, and the small temple [18] is worth a visit, even though activity there has increased over the last three years.

The final stop before Ulaanbaatar was Hustai National Park (Хустайн байгалийн цогцолборт газар). In 2026, hardly any Przewalski's horses were to be seen; the rain meant the animals didn't need to come to the stream, where they had been particularly easy to spot in 2022 [19]. We also reached "Bullerbü" only by traveling five times the direct distance - a journey of about 50 km. "Bullerbü" is the name a traveler gave the camp, as it consists of small, reddish-brown painted wooden cabins built by the park administration for researchers. It is the only camp in Hustai National Park and is available for rent [20].

 

2026

In 2022, it was dry...

My cabin in Bullerbü – both photos from 2026

Then, a swift return to Ulaanbaatar, where one could stock up on cashmere, and where we attended a music and dance performance at the State Opera in the late afternoon.

Both trips were planned similarly yet turned out very differently. There was much that was new for me to discover, and other aspects to explore in greater depth. And if buses aren't yet rolling to northwestern Mongolia in five years' time, I want to be there again. 

Links and Annotations:
[1] This is not a mere translation from the German text, I've written and published earlier, but an enlarged and adapted version – maybe I should retranslate it later. Just kidding!
The german text is here:
Reisen durch die Mongolei im Juli 2026 und im Juni 2023
https://rheumatologe.blogspot.com/2026/08/reisen-durch-die-mongolei-im-juli-2026.html 
[2] "Cloud Messenger":
This is the title the Indian poet Kalidasa gave to his lyrical work, which enjoyed extraordinary popularity. In this poem, a courtier banished from his homeland tasks a cloud—moving northward with great force - with comforting and conveying greetings to the beloved he left behind. The cloud should fly over cities and lands, greeting the friends of the sorrowful man, who himself would so dearly love to set out on the journey through the wonderful landscapes.” 
https://www.wolkenbote.de/ 
[3] The city is called Ulaanbaatar (Mongolian: Улаанбаатар); in Russian, it is known as Улан-Батор, from which our spelling "Ulan-Bator" is derived. 
[4] Furgons are off-road vehicles with minimal electronics; everything operates mechanically, allowing drivers to perform repairs during the journey. The Russian term “furgon” (фургон) means "box van" or "transporter"; the term “buchanka” (Буханка) - meaning "loaf of bread" - is also used. The correct designation is UAZ-452 (Russian: УАЗ-452), a light commercial vehicle from the Soviet/Russian manufacturer UAZ that has been in production since 1965. Incidentally, an engine was completely taken apart during the 2026 trip.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UAZ-452 
[5] Ger camps consist of “gers” (Mongolian yurts / гэр) and sanitary facilities. I have already written about this previously:
Mongolia – Staying in the Ger
https://rheumatologe.blogspot.com/2022/10/mongolia-staying-in-ger.html 
Mongolia – Some Petroglyphs in the Orkhon Valley 
https://rheumatologe.blogspot.com/2024/04/mongolia-some-petroglyphs-in-orkhon.html 
[6] In the mean time, I've written on this topic:
Mongolia – No Gas
https://rheumatologe.blogspot.com/2026/09/mongolia-no-gas.html 
[7] Contrary to my own preference, I will render the Mongolian "x"—pronounced like the "ch" in "Bach" or "Loch" - as "kh," as this makes it easier to identify the place names on maps.
[8] I also wrote about this event:
Mongolia – With nomads below the Tsambagarav Glacier
https://rheumatologe.blogspot.com/2023/07/mongolia-with-nomads-below-tsambagarav.html
[9] The Boss of the Lake Achit
https://rheumatologe.blogspot.com/2023/07/the-boss-of-achit-nuur.html
[10] A Ceremony at the Lakefront of Üüreg Nuur
https://rheumatologe.blogspot.com/2023/07/a-ceremony-at-lakefront-of-uureg-nuur.html
[11] Here is a report from 2023:
Mongolia—Eagle Hunters
https://rheumatologe.blogspot.com/2023/07/mongolia-eagle-hunters.html
[12] Mongolia – Yurt of the Kazakhs
https://rheumatologe.blogspot.com/2024/02/mongolia-yurt-of-kazakhs.html
[13] Mongolia – Airag, Kumis or Mare's Milk 
https://rheumatologe.blogspot.com/2024/02/mongolia-airag-kumis-or-mares-milk.html
[14] Mongolia – Rock Gate and Relief between Khar Nuur and Muhart River
https://rheumatologe.blogspot.com/2024/04/mongolia-rock-gate-and-relief-between.html
[15] Mongolia - The Head of the Muhart River in the Dunes
https://rheumatologe.blogspot.com/2024/04/mongolia-head-of-muhart-river-in-dunes.html
[16] Mongolia – The Bogd Waterfall and Power Plant
https://rheumatologe.blogspot.com/2024/02/mongolia-bogd-waterfall-and-power-plant.html
[17] Mongolia - Erdene Zuu Revisted
https://rheumatologe.blogspot.com/2023/07/mongolia-erdene-zuu-revisted.html
Mongolia – the mysterious 100 Stupas of Erdene Zuu Monastery (2022)
https://rheumatologe.blogspot.com/2022/08/mongolia-mysterious-100-stupas-of.html
[18] Mongolia - Erdene Khambiin Khiid or Erdene Khamba Monastery in Khogno Khan National Park
https://rheumatologe.blogspot.com/2022/09/mongolia-erdene-khambiin-khiid-or.html
[19] Yes, it was 2022, during my first visit to Mongolia!
Mongolia - Przewalski's Horse
https://rheumatologe.blogspot.com/2022/11/mongolia-przewalskis-horse.html
[20] I've already written about “Bullerbü” in German for the 20th chapter of my project “WinzHaus” [cabin] and might translate parts of it for the travelogue section.
Kapitel 20 – Bullerbü – ein mongolisches Intermezzo
https://rheumatologe.blogspot.com/2026/09/kapitel-20-bullerbu-ein-mongolisches.html 

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