INSIDER TIP
Sam Park, Flight Centre Ferrymead
I was looking for rich culture, scenic beauty and something just a little different. I managed to find just that and more in Mongolia.
Everywhere I turned there were beautiful landscapes and the markets were bursting with colour.
Naran Tuul Market topped my list with a decent selection of clothes and accessories.
It was the cheapest place for traditional Mongolian clothes. I bought myself a beautiful hurem (Mongolian jacket).
Food was also a highlight of my trip. It was in Mongolia where I learnt the theory of the Mongolian horsemen inventing icecream.
When they took cream on long journeys across the Gobi Desert in winter, it was vigorously shaken as they galloped through the sub-zero temperatures which caused it to freeze.
I was told this as I was trekking horseback through the Altai Mountains, something I could not recommend more!
The fact that there is little tourism development meant that it was so untouched, which I loved.
There is nothing more mesmerising than camping out under the stars after a day of horse riding and experiencing the nomadic culture.
The authenticity of Mongolia was what made me love my trip so much.