The Orkhon Valley lies in the north of Övörkhangai province, in central Mongolia, approximately 360 km southwest of Ulaanbaatar.

Situated on the foothills of the Khangai range, this site has been protected by UNESCO since 1992 and covers 121,967 hectares of grassland along the river of the same name. A buffer zone of 61,044 hectares is also protected.

The Orkhon River basin is rich in historical remains, as the valley has served as successive habitat for numerous nomadic peoples from prehistoric times onward. It is frequently regarded as the cradle of nomadic steppe culture, and during the last millennium became a true crossroads of civilizations, linking East and West across the vast Eurasian continent.

Over the centuries, Orkhon Valley has been inhabited by many nomadic tribes. The earliest evidence of habitation, found at the sites of Moiltiin Am and Orkhon-7, suggests the valley was inhabited approximately 60,000 years ago. Subsequently, it was continuously occupied through prehistory and the Bronze Age, then successively by the Huns, Turkic-speaking peoples, the Uyghurs, the Khitans, and finally the Mongols.

Today, numerous archaeological remains can be found here, including Turkic memorials from the 6th and 7th centuries, Khar Balgas, the Uyghur capital during the 8th and 9th centuries, and of course Kharkhorin, the Mongol capital during the 13th and 14th centuries, founded by Genghis Khan.

Many monasteries are also worth visiting, such as Erdene Zuu, Mongolia's oldest Buddhist monastery, the Tövkhön hermitage, and the Shankh monastery, all bearing witness to the religious traditions of the nomadic Mongols of the steppes.

Orkhon Valley today remains a vast land of nomadism where numerous herding families set up camp. The picturesque steppe landscapes surrounded by the Khangai massif, the richness of its fauna and flora, make it an ideal region to discover nomadic Mongolia in an enchanting setting. Horseback riding is particularly enjoyable here, and the valley serves as a departure point for many hiking expeditions in the surrounding mountains. Opportunities also exist for fishing and mountain biking.