I planned to stay for a month but ended up staying two!
One of my favorite countries. At the beginning, I joined a tour to the desert, but it was a DIY trip arranged from Couchsurfing friends, so it was quite cheaper than the official one. Hitchhiked 6,000 km over two months out of 10,000 km total I explored. Hitchhiking was easy BUT also difficult without knowing the roads. I stayed with authentic nomadic people, camped by a private lake, and saw countless stunning landscapes, from deserts to mountains.
I visited during the international festival “Naadam,” witnessing horse racing and wrestling.
When I visited the calligraphy center in Kharkhorin, they invited me to hold an exhibition in a ger. I ended up creating 12 pieces inspired by my travels across Mongolia.
I had so much fun that my 1-month stay turned into 2 months. I extended my visa for 2 weeks and then overstayed for another 2 weeks—ended up paying a fine.
Place I visited:
Ulaanbaatar, Sharga Moritoyn Dayn, Terelj, Kharkhorin, Gobi, Tosontsengel, Ulaangom, Hatgal, Darkhan, Sükhbaatar, Erdenet, Tsenkher, Tsetserleg
Period:
June-July 2024
