Travel in Mongolia

As travelers increasingly pursue international destinations, overnight comfort in the air is a priority. These luxurious travel items cover all the bases, turning airline seats into cozy sleepers and blocking out noise and distractions in flight.

Viking has unveiled a new “Spirit of Mongolia” extension program for guests who sail on one of the line’s new China voyages.

I consider myself an adventurous person. I’ve overlanded through Russia. Traveled solo in Egypt. Followed the Dakar Rally through Saudi Arabia. But it was my recent experience getting to the Dukha people, Mongolia’s reindeer-riding tribe, that I consider one of the most adventurous experiences to date. Not just because of how remote the tribe is, but because we were also contenting with -30C temperatures, unusually heavy snowfall, and incredibly hard to navigate terrain.

The magic of hospitality is staying in a place that isn’t anything like home. A castle, a treehouse, a farm, a yurt: all such places promise an escape from the every day, especially when combined with luxury flourishes that boggle the mind. I am still wondering how ice showed up in the Gobi desert at the Three Camels Lodge in Mongolia or how blueberries came to be served at breakfast at the Explora Lodge on Easter Island. Or, in the case of the Four Seasons in Madrid, how a hotel combined seven historic properties into one sensational art destination.

‘This whole project started as an experiment,” says Pawel Sidorski, who swapped his life in the European hotel industry to pursue his vision of sustainable luxury, opening Yurts in Cyprus, near Paphos in west Cyprus, in 2013. “I wanted to pioneer an off-grid lifestyle and create a place for people to connect with nature without sacrificing comfort,” he says.

When people ask me what is my favorite place in the wide world of places to which I have traveled, there is never any hesitation. I love Mongolia so much that I once spent five months crossing a thousand miles of it on horseback, the baggage horse loaded with a rattling collection of gear, from a temperamental stove to a rapidly disappearing bottle of whiskey. I wrote a book about the journey that was translated into a dozen languages. I fell in love with a Mongolian, an intense affair that unwound over years. It ended two decades ago. She has moved on, wisely. But Mongolia is still there. And it was time to go back.

Once upon a time, people used to get dressed up for planes. Luckily, that time is no more. While gentlemen used to dress accordingly for business travel in their tailored finery, that trend has long since waned. If you’re embarking on a long journey—whether it’s by air, road, or rail—cultural norms have literally and figuratively loosened up.

“You’re going back to Mongolia in winter? Aren’t temperatures -35 F and isn’t Ulaanbaatar the coldest capital in the world?” They were sentences I heard not just from one friend, but several.

Cold temperatures shouldn’t stop you from enjoying the outdoors. With the right heated clothing, any place, and temperature, are bearable. Even if it’s Banff in the middle of winter, or in my experience this year, -35 Fahrenheit in Mongolia.

No matter where your good times happen – raucous nightclubs, ancient mountain hermitages, packed baseball stadiums, boundary-pushing museums and galleries – the chances are you'll find something to love in South Korea. There's no such thing as a bad time to visit, but some planning can take your trip to another level and create lasting memories.

Don't be alarmed by the tone of South Korean hits like Parasite and Squid Game: a visit to the capital city isn't synonymous with economic malaise.

The natural world continues to inspire travel writers. Standout books for the year ahead include a collection of stories, illustrations and poems that explore our connection with nature, plus a travelogue inspiring us to discover the small green spaces on our doorstep. Walking remains a popular topic for authors, as evidenced by a pair of upcoming travelogues that hit the trail in rural Spain and Istanbul, respectively, plus a collection of literary works that asks the question: why explore on foot? And to celebrate Bradt Travel Guides reaching its 50th anniversary this year, founder Hilary Bradt is set to release a memoir about her pioneering journeys both in print and around the lesser-explored corners of the planet.

The principals of the innovative London and New York-based travel company Black Tomato made their name by assembling detail-oriented and sometimes very out of the way travel plans for exceedingly curious, adventurous clients. Having surveyed the market to ascertain what their clients are interested in now and the changes they see in the travel landscape, they’ve come up with the ways they see that travel happening in the next year and in what parts of the world those ambitious travelers could be.

As 2023 draws to a close, there is nothing more exciting than the prospect of planning an unforgettable trip for the coming year. If travel is on your bucket list for 2024, you're not alone. Get some inspiration with these 21 unique events happening across the globe that are worth traveling for. 

Mongolia, renowned for its sprawling landscapes adorned with pristine yurts and the allure of nomadic culture, seldom conjures thoughts of polo. However, nestled within the depths of the Orkhon Valley lies an unexpected catalyst for change – the Genghis Khan Retreat.

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If you have your eyes set on island-hopping throughout the Lamu Archipelago or venturing on some of the most thrilling wildlife safaris in the New Year, we have good news for you: travel to Kenya is about to get a little bit easier.

Often being off grid myself, traveling deep into Mongolia’s most disconnected corners, I can vouch for the importance of having reliable, tried and tested gear. It doesn’t only make a trip, it can even save your life.

As far away from everywhere else as it gets, New Zealand is a dream destination for anyone with a case of wanderlust.

This year set new records for travel, a trend that isn’t expected to change anytime soon. As more people than ever take to planes, trains, and automobiles, there’s a good chance that someone on your holiday gift list will be joining the crowds. Whether they’re heading out for the first time or the fiftieth, here are the road-tested—and wallet-friendly—products we’d happily wrap up for any traveler.

It’s official, Asia is back—brighter, bolder, and more ambitious than ever. The region took longer than others to shake off pandemic-related travel restrictions and border closures, but has returned in full force, eager to remind international travelers what they’ve been missing.