Dundgovi Province lies in the centre of Mongolia, in Asia, and makes a quiet, open destination for travellers who want to see the country beyond its capital. The landscape here is one of wide steppe and semi-desert, with long views and a sense of space that defines much of the Mongolian interior.
The landscape
The province sits in a transition zone. To the north the grasslands are greener, and to the south the land turns towards the Gobi Desert. Visitors can see that shift in the terrain itself, as grassland thins into drier, stonier ground. For many travellers this is the heart of what they came to see: broad horizons, big skies and a slower pace of movement across the land.
What a visit offers
- Open steppe and semi-desert scenery, best experienced on foot or from a vehicle along the roads
- A sense of the transition between Mongolia's northern grasslands and the southern Gobi
- A quieter, more remote kind of travel than the busier centres of the country
Because the province is large and sparsely settled, planning matters. Distances between places can be considerable, so it helps to arrange transport and any stops in advance and to take what you need for the journey.
Deciding whether to go
Dundgovi suits travellers who value wide, unhurried landscapes and who are comfortable with remote country. If you are drawn to the idea of the Mongolian steppe easing into the Gobi, this province offers a direct view of that change. Those who want dense sights and close amenities may find it spacious rather than busy, and it rewards a visitor willing to simply look and take the country in.
