Reflection. Altai, Mongolia.

Blue Lake. Mongolia.

Blue Lake. Mongolia.

Horses at Blue Lake. Mongolia.

Memorial chortens overlooking the Tolbo Lake is a large saline lake about 50 km south of the aimag capital. It features clear and cold water on an elevation of 2080 m. Bayan Olgii Province, Mongolia.

West Taiga. Mongolia.

Fresh water lake in West Taiga. Mongolia.

Reflection. West Taiga, Mongolia.

Horses graze around fresh lake below Altai Mountains in Bayan-Olgii. Western Mongolia.

Blue Lake. Mongolia.

Camels rest in sunset by the tent. Altai, Mongolia.

Bayan-Olgii, is a “Kazakh province’ and it is here that their culture persevered despite communist oppression for much of the 20th century. The dominant feature of western Mongolia is the Mongol Altai mountain range, which stretches from Russia through Bayan-Olgi down to the Gobi desert. One of the oldest, most revered and spectacular activity for the Kazakh people, passed down from generation to generation, is hunting with trained eagles. Bayan Ulgii, Mongolia

Camels crossing sand dunes in Gobi. Mongolia.

Camels crossing sand dunes in Gobi. Mongolia.

Flock of cranes fly over Gobi desert. Mongolia.

Aerial view of dessicated land and mountain in Bayan-Olgii, which is a “Kazakh province’. Mongolia

Gers (tent house) dot dessicated land in Bayan-Olgii, which is a “Kazakh province’. Western Mongolia.

Aerial view of variation of landscape from bare lands to thinly forested area, from rivers to fresh water lakes, from solitude ger to densely populated area and from dessicated mountains to green steppes of Mongolia, on the way to West Taiga from Ulaanbatar. Mongolia.

Aerial view of variation of landscape from bare lands to thinly forested area, from rivers to fresh water lakes, from solitude ger to densely populated area and from dessicated mountains to green steppes of Mongolia, on the way to West Taiga from Ulaanbatar. Mongolia.

Aerial view of variation of landscape from bare lands to thinly forested area, from rivers to fresh water lakes, from solitude ger to densely populated area and from dessicated mountains to green steppes of Mongolia, on the way to West Taiga from Ulaanbatar. Mongolia.

Aerial view of variation of landscape from bare lands to thinly forested area, from rivers to fresh water lakes, from solitude ger to densely populated area and from dessicated mountains to green steppes of Mongolia, on the way to West Taiga from Ulaanbatar. Mongolia.

Aerial view of variation of landscape from bare lands to thinly forested area, from rivers to fresh water lakes, from solitude ger to densely populated area and from dessicated mountains to green steppes of Mongolia, on the way to West Taiga from Ulaanbatar. Mongolia.

Aerial view of variation of landscape from bare lands to thinly forested area, from rivers to fresh water lakes, from solitude ger to densely populated area and from dessicated mountains to green steppes of Mongolia, on the way to West Taiga from Ulaanbatar. Mongolia.

Aerial view of variation of landscape from bare lands to thinly forested area, from rivers to fresh water lakes, from solitude ger to densely populated area and from dessicated mountains to green steppes of Mongolia, on the way to West Taiga from Ulaanbatar. Mongolia.

Aerial view of variation of landscape from bare lands to thinly forested area, from rivers to fresh water lakes, from solitude ger to densely populated area and from dessicated mountains to green steppes of Mongolia, on the way to West Taiga from Ulaanbatar. Mongolia.

Aerial view of variation of landscape from bare lands to thinly forested area, from rivers to fresh water lakes, from solitude ger to densely populated area and from dessicated mountains to green steppes of Mongolia, on the way to West Taiga from Ulaanbatar. Mongolia.

Aerial view of variation of landscape from bare lands to thinly forested area, from rivers to fresh water lakes, from solitude ger to densely populated area and from dessicated mountains to green steppes of Mongolia, on the way to West Taiga from Ulaanbatar. Mongolia.

Aerial view of variation of landscape from bare lands to thinly forested area, from rivers to fresh water lakes, from solitude ger to densely populated area and from dessicated mountains to green steppes of Mongolia, on the way to West Taiga from Ulaanbatar. Mongolia.

Aerial view of variation of landscape from bare lands to thinly forested area, from rivers to fresh water lakes, from solitude ger to densely populated area and from dessicated mountains to green steppes of Mongolia, on the way to West Taiga from Ulaanbatar. Mongolia.

Overview of ger camps in Bunkhan Valley with Tamir river flowing on the left. Mongolia.

Aerial view of variation of landscape from bare lands to thinly forested area, from rivers to fresh water lakes, from solitude ger to densely populated area and from dessicated mountains to green steppes of Mongolia, on the way to West Taiga from Ulaanbatar. Mongolia.

Altai Mountains. Mongolia.

Steppes. Altai, Mongolia.

Steppes. Altai, Mongolia.

Altai, Mongolia.

Horse ride through vast dessicated land in Bayan-Olgii, which is a “Kazakh province’. Western Mongolia.

Altai, Mongolia.

Dessicated land and mountains in Bayan-Olgii, which is a “Kazakh province’. Western Mongolia.

Altai, Mongolia.

Gers (tent house) dot dessicated land in Bayan-Olgii, which is a “Kazakh province’. Western Mongolia.

West Taiga, Mongolia.

Summer flowers, dandelions, with clear mountains on the background. West Taiga. Mongolia.

Khustain Nuur, Mongolia.

Prezewalski horses graze in distance in Khustain Nuur, Mongolia.

Khustain Nuur, Mongolia.

Khustain Nuur. Mongolia.

Monkhe Tingri, Mongolia.

Ger camp settlement in Monkhe Tingri with orkhon river below. Mongolia.

Monkhe Tingri, Mongolia.

Ger slums dot vast steppes of Monkhe Tingri. Mongolia.

Mandal Mountain

Khirgisuurs (burials) below Mandal Mountain. Mongolia.

Naadam Festival.

Kids aged 6-12, competing for 20 kilometers bareback horse race at Annual Naadam Festival in Monkhe Tingri, Mongolia.

Khendo.

Khendo. Monkhe Tingri Camp, Mongolia.

Bunkhan Valley, Mongolia.

Last rays of sun hits Bunkhan Valley steppes. Mongolia.

Lapis Camp Skies.

Lapis Camp Skies. Bunkhan Valley, Mongolia.

Tamir River.

Full moon reflection on Tamir river. Bunkhan Valley, Mongolia.

Bunkhan Valley.

Gers or yurts dot vast steppes of Bunkhan Valley. Mongolia.

Bonfire

Bonfire at Lapis Sky Camp in Bunkhan Valley. Mongolia.

Yurts at Lapis Sky Camp.

Yurts at Lapis Sky Camp. Bunkhan Valley, Mongolia.