The Orkhon Valley stretches nearly 1,100 km from the Khangai Mountains to the Russian border, but its upper reaches—between Kharkhorin and Ulaan Tsutgalan Falls—concentrate the greatest historical and scenic interest. We speak here of rolling grasslands, black basalt flows and silvered meanders, at an average altitude of 1,500 metres. The site has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2004, not for a single monument, but for 1,200 years of nomadic history layered across the same territory: Turkish stelae from the 8th century, the Uyghur capital of Khar Balgas, the Mongol city of Karakorum, and herder camps that remain active today.

Karakorum, founded by Genghis Khan in 1220 and completed by his son Ögedei, served as capital of the empire for barely forty years before Kublai Khan transferred power to Beijing. Almost nothing survives of the city above ground except two stone tortoises that once marked its boundaries. On this site rose, in 1586, the Erdene Zuu monastery, Mongolia's first Buddhist centre, surrounded by a 400-metre wall punctuated with 108 white stupas. The three main temples date from the 16th century and survived Stalin's purges of 1937, when other Mongolian monastic buildings were razed. It remains an active monastery today, with about a dozen monks in residence.

South of Kharkhorin village, the road becomes a track and climbs the Orkhon River towards Ulaan Tsutgalan Falls, also called Orkhon Falls. Standing 24 metres high and 10 metres wide, they plunge into a basalt gorge formed by a volcanic eruption 20,000 years ago. The flow is reasonable from late June through August, lighter the rest of the year. Around them, the plateau is dotted with small volcanic cones, and you'll find the Tsenkher hot springs, whose waters emerge at 86°C and which we use for overnight camps with natural pools.

The region is the historical heart of Mongolian horse breeding. The families we work with in Khujirt or Bat-Ölzii soum own herds of 80 to 300 horses, and the production of airag—fermented mare's milk—occupies the women from June to September. The milk is beaten in leather skins, 3,000 to 5,000 strokes per day to reach 2 to 3 degrees of alcohol. Served in a bowl upon arrival at the ger, accompanied by aaruul (dried cheese) and borts (dried meat), it's the obligatory welcome to any herder's home. The equestrian tradition continues in the local Naadam races in early July, where children aged 6 to 12 ride bareback over 15 to 30 km.

The climate is milder than in the Gobi or Altai: summer days around 22°C, cool nights around 8 to 10°C, harsh but dry winters. Rainfall concentrates from mid-June to mid-August, greening the steppe and sometimes complicating the tracks. The valley lends itself particularly well to horseback treks of 3 to 7 days, self-guided with a cook and guide-rider, staying in family gers or under canvas. It's also where you'll still find families practising vertical transhumance, descending to the river in winter and climbing to the Khangai summer pastures in summer.

To Discover

Erdene Zuu Monastery and 108 Stupas. The square enclosure of 400 metres sided and dotted with white stupas, and three 16th-century temples built on Karakorum's stones. We visit it late in the day, when raking light draws frescoes from shadow.

Ulaan Tsutgalan Falls. A 24-metre cascade in a basalt gorge at the heart of a volcanic plateau. Overnight camp possible on the bank, two hours' walk from the main viewpoint.

Horseback Trek, 4 to 6 Days. Routes between Khujirt, Tsenkher and the Orkhon River, with a local guide-rider. Daily stages of 25 to 35 km, nights with herder families or under canvas.

Tsenkher Hot Springs. Sulphurous water jetting from the ground at 86°C, cooled in outdoor pools to 40°C. Especially welcome after two or three days in the saddle, and invaluable on the cold evenings of September.

Khar Balgas, the Forgotten Uyghur Capital. Ruins of a city founded in 751, five centuries before Karakorum, with raw earth ramparts and a trilingual stele remaining. A near-deserted site, 30 km north of Kharkhorin.

When to Go

The comfortable window runs from mid-June to mid-September. July and August are the greenest months, with daytime temperatures of 22 to 25°C, but also the rainiest: expect 60 to 80 mm of rain per month, concentrated in late-afternoon thunderstorms that can soften secondary tracks. Early July coincides with the national Naadam (July 11-13), followed by local Naadam events in neighbouring soums, which remain more authentic than the Ulan Bator version. September is our favourite month: daytime temperatures still 15 to 20°C, golden steppe, herds descending from summer pastures, and far fewer visitors at Erdene Zuu.

We advise against November to March: temperatures plummet to -25°C or even -35°C, herders retreat to their less accessible winter camps, and airag production ceases. April and May remain unpredictable, with dust storms and a steppe still golden. May to mid-June remains possible for those seeking solitude and happy with nights at 0°C.

Practical Tips

Allow a minimum of 4 days on site, ideally 6 to 7. Kharkhorin is 380 km from Ulan Bator, roughly 7 to 8 hours of mixed driving (asphalt to Lün, then recently upgraded road to Kharkhorin). A flight option exists from Kharkhorin airport, but schedules are irregular. We typically arrange the valley as a loop with the central steppe departing from Ulan Bator, or as a transition southward before tackling the Gobi via Bayanzag. The Orkhon + Gobi combination in 12 to 14 days remains our most-requested itinerary. For travellers with 18 to 21 days available, the sequence of Orkhon, Khangai, Khövsgöl Lake via northern tracks offers the most coherent nomadic diagonal.

Accommodation is either standard tourist ger camps (beds, wood stove, shared facilities) or family gers (floor bedding, outdoor toilets). A few higher-end camps exist near Tsenkher. The region suits families with children from age 7-8 upwards, even novice riders, and travellers interested in nomadic history and ethnography. It will appeal less to those seeking raw, dramatic landscapes, who may prefer the Altai or Gobi.