Mongolia

“Land of the Eternal Blue Sky” with over 260 sunny days a year, subarctic winters and pleasant summers

“Land of the Horse, Steppe Mongolia” where the Mongols have the reputation for being the best horsemen on Earth.

This landlocked plateau of Central Asia sits between Russia and China and is the 19^th largest country in the world. With a population density of only 1.92 people per km² this is also one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world being twice as big as Texas and nearly the same size as Alaska. It’s area is 1.6 million km², four times the size of Japan and almost double that of Eastern Europe.

Mongolia has a wonderful array of picturesque landscape, with forests and mountain ranges to the north and west and the famous grassy Steppe and Gobi Desert to the south. The country is full of tradition and cultural history, with its nomadic people still living in ways similar to the days when the mighty Mongol Empire of Genghis Khan ruled. The Mongols have created a distinctive culture and Mongolia today is the last resort for nomads as approximately half of the nation lead nomadic lives, herding their livestock and moving between pasture.

Naadam is the national holiday in Mongolia in July and it is celebrated by the whole nation via its famous Naadam Festival. This spectacular event boasts the nation’s finest sporting competitors and enthusiasts across a variety of sport, but dedicated to Horse Racing, Archery and Wrestling. It is believed that the solders of Genghis Khan used such festivals as warrior training to keep the armies strictly fit. Another key festival unique to Mongolian culture is The Golden Eagle Festival in Olgii in October, which is the largest Eagle Hunter gathering in the world.