Mongolia

Mongolia is situated in the heart of the great Asian continent, sandwiched between China in the south and Russia in the north. With its size of 1.5 mln sq. kilometers and 2.5 million people, of which one and a half million live in the capital city of Ulan Bator, it is one of the least densely populated countries on the planet. The vast open spaces are a true wilderness, giving you a wonderful feeling of freedom and loneliness.

The nature here is shaped by the climate, which except in the spring is nothing but harsh.
Bitterly cold winters with temperatures as low as minus 50 and baking hot summers at 50 + Celsius have resulted in huge deserts and steppes with little vegetation. The Himalayas further south also contribute; by receiving all the rains very little precipitation reaches MongoliaпїЅs southern parts. Despite this, Mongolia is a home to numerous wildlife and some of the rarest animals in the world are found here пїЅ the Gobi bear, the only true wild camels, Snow Leopard, Argali Sheep, Wild Ass and the recently reintroduced PrezhewalskiпїЅs Horse, which was once extinct in the wild.

Mongolias special birds пїЅ Relict Gull, Black-billed Capercailie, Hodgsons Bush Chat, Oriental and Greater Sand plovers, Altai Snowcock, Asian Dowitcher, HendersonпїЅs Ground Jay, Saxaul Sparrow, Siberian Rubbythroat, PallasпїЅs Grasshopper Warbler, PallasпїЅs Sandgrouse, Demoiselle and White-napped cranes, Azure Tit, PallasпїЅs Fish Eagle, Saker and Amur falcons and Eastern Marsh Harrier. Also possible are Siberian Crane, Baikal and Falcated teals, Red-necked Stint and many more.
Along with all those specialties we will also see a number of good birds, not unusual for Europe, but quite rare пїЅ Lammergeyer, Wallcreeper, Citrine Wagtail, Taiga Flycatcher etc.