Mongolia conjures up the romance and the magic of grassy steppes, arid deserts, high mountains and fierce warriors - an instant flashback to the days when Genghis Khan and his ravaging hordes swept down the steppes of West and Central Asia. When mighty empires crumbled to dust overwhelmed by the might of the the Mongols. When Kublai Khan conquered China and laid the foundations of an empire that stretched from Europe to Asia. When Marco Polo travelled the famed Silk Route, the first European to reach the court of the mighty Khan.

Marauding tribes, barbaric riders and the awesome juggernaut of the Mongol hordes is an idea long lost - modern day Mongolia is a country in a state of flux, making the often slow and always painful transition to an open market economy and a democratic government.

While Mongolia is not quite the savage and godforsaken place of imagination, it is still amongst the last of the untamed territories of the world. The desolate and hostile expanse of the Gobi Desert, the unrelenting peaks of Altai - Tavan Bogd, the frozen 'Blue Pearl' Lake Khovsgol, the bleak vocanoes of Uran Uul and Togoo Uul and the magnificent valleys of Terelj and Yolyn Am, the 'Flaming Cliffs' and fossil park of Bayanzag, salt and freshwater lakes, springs and glaciers galore - all await the visitor.

Mongolia is an unusual, harsh land - but it’s also amazingly beautiful in its arid splendour. Don’t expect the luxuries and pampering of more popular tourist destinations, instead prepare for the experience of a lifetime in an almost extra terrestial terrain. So pull out the woollens, get fit and set out on for a once in a while adventure.