Explore Mongolia
Where the Khaganates Began
Much of the history on this site happened on the Mongolian steppe. Capitals, inscriptions, monasteries and sacred mountains still stand where qaghans and khans made their decisions. Each site below links to the rulers and cases behind it, with practical notes for visiting.
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5 Sites
Orkhon Valley
The cradle of steppe empires: Göktürk, Uyghur and Mongol capitals within a day's drive of one another, around the town of Kharkhorin.
Mongol Empire · Övörkhangai
Karakorum
The capital of the Mongol Empire, walled by Ögedei Khan in 1235 and visited by envoys from across Eurasia.
Khalkha khanates · Övörkhangai
Erdene Zuu Monastery
Probably the oldest surviving Buddhist monastery in Mongolia, founded by Abtai Sain Khan in 1585 with stone from the ruins of Karakorum.
Second Göktürk Khaganate · Arkhangai
Khöshöö Tsaidam and the Orkhon Inscriptions
The memorial complexes of Kültegin and Bilge Qaghan, whose inscriptions are among the earliest surviving texts in a Turkic language.
Uyghur Khaganate · Arkhangai
Khar Balgas (Ordu-Baliq)
The ruined capital of the Uyghur Khaganate, one of the first true cities on the Mongolian steppe, destroyed by the Yenisei Kyrgyz in 840.
Khalkha khanates · Övörkhangai
Tövkhön Monastery
The mountaintop hermitage of Zanabazar, the first head of Mongolian Buddhism, high above the Orkhon valley.
2 Sites
Ulaanbaatar and Around
Sites in and near the capital, easy to reach in a few hours.
Second Göktürk Khaganate · Ulaanbaatar
Tonyukuk Inscriptions
Two steles raised by Tonyukuk, the counsellor of four Göktürk qaghans, recounting the revival of the Turks; among the oldest Turkic texts.
Bogd Khaganate · Ulaanbaatar
Winter Palace of the Bogd Khan
The residence of the Bogd Khan, Mongolia's last monarch, and the only one of his four palaces still standing.
2 Sites
Khentii
The homeland of Genghis Khan in the forested mountains and river valleys of the northeast.
Mongol Empire · Khentii
Burkhan Khaldun
The most sacred mountain in Mongolia, where the young Temüjin found refuge, mentioned 27 times in the Secret History of the Mongols.
Mongol Empire · Khentii
Deluun Boldog
A hill near Dadal in Onon-Balj National Park, one of several places named as the birthplace of Genghis Khan.
1 Site
Northern Mongolia
Monasteries and valleys of the north, toward the Selenge river.
Aimags and Soums
A Guide to Every Aimag
Mongolia's 21 aimags and the capital, with key figures, highlights and when to go. A guide to all 330 soums is in preparation, and the whole guide will also be published in Mongolian.
Ulaanbaatar
The capital, home to nearly half of the country's people and the starting point of most journeys.
Central Region
The heartland around the capital, from the forests of Selenge to the Gobi of Dornogovi and Ömnögovi.
Khangai Region
Mountains, forests and river valleys, including the Orkhon valley and Lake Khövsgöl.
Eastern Region
The great eastern steppe and Genghis Khan's homeland in Khentii.
Western Region
The Altai mountains, great lakes and the most ethnically diverse part of the country.