Google Street View Ventures into Mongolia
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July 26, 2015
Everyone knows Google Maps, Google's renowned mapping service and its panoramic vision Google Street View. This service has already traveled millions of kilometers with its "Street View" cameras and today covers a good portion of the planet, but its latest destination may well prove to be among the most challenging to capture...
The Silicon Valley giant has indeed set its sights on Mongolia with its 360-degree cameras, a task far from easy. Let us recall that with a population of only three million inhabitants and a territory roughly three times the size of France, Mongolia is the world's least densely populated country !
Consequently, the majority of the expedition took place off the beaten path, from vast steppes to frozen lakes, with the camera mounted on a 4x4 vehicle.
But Mongolia is a country that demands respect, and it was not inclined to be photographed so easily... Thus, many passages proved to be inaccessible, even for Google's all-terrain vehicle !
Such was the case with Khövsgöl Lake, Mongolia's second-largest lake, which the team traversed in its entirety across frozen surface using a sleigh drawn by horses, offering breathtaking views of these magnificent Mongolian landscapes.
Furthermore, to navigate the rugged terrain and remote wilderness, it was Ariuntuul, an experienced Mongolian trekker, who was tasked with carrying the camera on her back.
Barely larger than a basketball, Google's camera is composed of 15 fixed-focal-length lenses that simultaneously capture a 360-degree image every three meters or so. That's 18 kilograms to support nonetheless !
As for the vehicle, it had to cross several dilapidated bridges, such as one over a tributary of the Yeruu River, to continue its expedition.
And let's not even mention the other rivers that had no bridges at all, forcing the Google team to build makeshift barges to reach the other side.
Fortunately, no mechanical failures were reported. One can scarcely imagine them stranded in the heart of the Gobi Desert !
In the end, more than 5,500 kilometers were traveled and photographed during this expedition, quite the undertaking !
"Google hopes that the arrival of Street View in Mongolia will help establish the country as an attractive and still-pristine destination for tourists worldwide, and will support the country's economic growth", declared Google representative Susan Pointer.
Discover the most stunning panoramic views of Mongolia on Google Street View: https://www.google.com/maps/views/u/0/streetview/mongolia-highlights?gl=fr
But Mongolia is a country that demands respect, and it was not inclined to be photographed so easily... Thus, many passages proved to be inaccessible, even for Google's all-terrain vehicle !
Such was the case with Khövsgöl Lake, Mongolia's second-largest lake, which the team traversed in its entirety across frozen surface using a sleigh drawn by horses, offering breathtaking views of these magnificent Mongolian landscapes.
Furthermore, to navigate the rugged terrain and remote wilderness, it was Ariuntuul, an experienced Mongolian trekker, who was tasked with carrying the camera on her back.
Barely larger than a basketball, Google's camera is composed of 15 fixed-focal-length lenses that simultaneously capture a 360-degree image every three meters or so. That's 18 kilograms to support nonetheless !
As for the vehicle, it had to cross several dilapidated bridges, such as one over a tributary of the Yeruu River, to continue its expedition.
And let's not even mention the other rivers that had no bridges at all, forcing the Google team to build makeshift barges to reach the other side.
Fortunately, no mechanical failures were reported. One can scarcely imagine them stranded in the heart of the Gobi Desert !
In the end, more than 5,500 kilometers were traveled and photographed during this expedition, quite the undertaking !
"Google hopes that the arrival of Street View in Mongolia will help establish the country as an attractive and still-pristine destination for tourists worldwide, and will support the country's economic growth", declared Google representative Susan Pointer.
Discover the most stunning panoramic views of Mongolia on Google Street View: https://www.google.com/maps/views/u/0/streetview/mongolia-highlights?gl=frCharlène Nomadays
SEO writer from the early days at Nomadays, now content manager and head of the communications team, Charlène has been accompanying the adventure with passion and loyalty since its inception. After spending seven years in Asia – from China to Thailand, passing through Mongolia and South Korea – she has made travel a way of being in the world. A lover of words, nature, and meaningful encounters, she strives to convey in her writing a sensitive, committed, and responsible vision of travel. Each article is for her a bridge between curiosity, respect, and wonder.
