Terelj National Park, Mongolia

Situated just a couple of hours drive away from Mongolia's capital, Ulaan Bataar, Terelj National Park yields some scenery that seems worlds apart from that of the Gobi. It is thus a very popular weekend getaway for both locals and tourists alike.



The Park covers a huge area (typical of Mongolia!), but a section of it has been developed for tourism. There are semi-permanent tourist gher (Mongolian yurt) camps in the area made out of wood, and there are even restaurants and shops! But the surrounds are indeed beautiful and some say, its like the Alps. Hiking is definitely a highlight, and in summer, there're lots of flowers and birds in the park. My guide also said that during the right season, you can pick wild strawberries in the park and eat! You could also hire horses for rides further into the park, but even short hikes could yield fantastic viewpoints - excellent for photography as in the early morning, you don't have to go far for your sunrise shoots!!



While the Gobi is definitely an item in your itinerary in Mongolia, do check out Terelj National Park as well if you have some extra time! After some hard travelling in the dry Gobi desert, the lush green in the park is a welcoming sight and my group had a wonderful relaxing time at Terelj indeed!!

Erg Chebbi

One of my favourite experiences in Morocco was an overnight stay in Erg Chebbi. Situated in/beside the village of Merzouga and Hassi Labied, Erg Chebbi is a sand dune rising 160+m high. Several guesthouses/establishments have setup semi-permanent camp deep into these dunes, and arranging an overnight stay in these is one of the ways to enjoy the magic of the dunes.


Many many guides/agencies are available for arranging trips to the dunes. They are available in the villages Merzouga and Hassi Labied, further in the town of Rissani, and even as far as Er-Rachidia. There are camel treks into the dunes, 4WD and even quad tours into the dunes. However, the quads and 4WDs are pretty noisy, and one of the magic of experiencing the dunes is the serenity and quiet of the place. Most of these seems to operate near the edge of the dunes, so, my recommendation is to spend the night deeper into the dunes, away from the crowd.



I took a camel trek, starting out at 4pm and with a slow ambling walk up into the dunes, you can slowly admire the beautiful golden light play on the curves and lines on the dunes. Before 6pm, I reached our Berber tent, where we view a beautiful sunset over the dunes, and then enjoy our meal of tajine under the cool light of the magic hour. And in the night, you'll experience the surreal tranquility of nature, with barely the sound of swirling sand around you (but not before some hypnotic Berber music from your guide). And whether you sleep in the tent or find yourself lying on a mattress under the star-studded sky, what you would get is a night of the most restful sleep you'll ever get....