Landscape

Mongolian Steppe

The rolling hills and rounded mountains are sparse and rugged through the window of a Soviet 4x4, lurching through creekbeds and dirt roads. No sooner than I stepped onto the land, though, the toughest survivors of life became visible. Grasshoppers sprang from underfoot, with a helicopter flapping of wings. Wild sage offered a fragrant tint to the dusty air. Horses, goats, sheep, and yaks grazed in every valley, livestock outnumbering humans 4 to 1. Life teems under the huge Mongolian skies.


Gobi Desert


Pass north from Bayankhonger



Sunrise by the river

Steps from the warmth of a tent, a chilly morning stroll is well rewarded.